New York Times, New York, New York, Sunday, December 20, 1959
Fischer Achieves Fortunate Draw
Hard-Pressed by Byrne in U.S. Chess, Defender Splits Point on Technicality
Bobby Fischer, the 16-year-old defender, was brilliantly outplayed by Robert Byrne of Indianapolis, but nevertheless drew in forty moves in the United States chess tournament yesterday at the West Side Y.M.C.A.
In a position in which the Brooklyn prodigy had two bishops in return for the queen he had lost, Fischer claimed a draw because of a three-time repetition made by Byrne under pressure of time. Upon examination of the score sheets by Hans Kmoch, the referee, his claim was found to be valid.
On the merits of the play, which was highlighted by an overwhelming attack upon the black king, Byrne was conceded to be deserving of the point.
Happy because of the form he developed, Byrne, a former intercollegiate champion, took his disappointment like a good sportsman, “He slipped off the hook,” he smilingly remarked.
Byrne Launches Attack
Fischer, on the black side of a Queen's Gambit, was in full control of the QB file, Byrne ignored thmis and started upon a whirlwind assault against the black king's retreat.
Pal Benko, Hungarian refugee, won the black side of a Sicilian defense from Herbert Seidman in thirty-nine moves. The stateless player, with a score of 1½—½, leads the standing. Arthur B. Bisguier, former United States champion, defeated Sidney Bernstein, who lost a pawn in a Gruenfeld defense and resigned after forty-one moves.
The shortest game of the round was won by Arnold S. Denker, the 1944 national champion, from Robin Ault of Cranford, N.J., national junior champion, in a Slav defense lasting twenty-two moves. James T. Sherwin, on the black side of a Queen's Gambit accepted, won in twenty-five moves from Raymond Weinstein of Brooklyn.
Bisguier and Sherwin are tied at 1—0 with Samuel Reshevsky, whose second-round game with Edmar Mednis was postponed.
Bisguier Game Adjourned
Fischer, who re-entered the tournament after yielding to the United States Chess Federation and the American Chess Foundation in a dispute on the drawing of the pairings, adjourned with Bisguier after forty-one moves in the first round on Friday night. The game will be resumed Monday night.
Weinstein defeated Ault in forty moves. Mednis and Benko drew in forty moves, and Byrne and Sherwin adjourned after forty-four moves.
The scores of Fischer's drawn and adjourned games follow:
