New York Times, New York, New York, Thursday, December 24, 1959
Fischer Assumes Title Chess Lead
U.S. Champion Scores Over Ault—Reshevsky Beats Bisguier in 33 Moves
Bobby Fischer, the 16-year-old United States chess champion, set the pace last night in the fifth round of the national championship tournament for the Lessing J. Rosenwald trophy at the Manhattan Chess Club.
He defeated Robin Ault, the national junior champion, in thirty-two moves. With a score of 4—1, the Erasmus Hall high school student went into the lead. Samuel Reshevsky, who also succeeded in winning his game, took second place with a tally of 3½-1½. Pal Benko, a Hungarian refugee, overstepped the time limit with Robert Byrne of Indianapolis and fell back into the second section of the standing. Three games were adjourned.
Players to Get Rest
The players will rest over the holidays until Saturday afternoon, when the sixth round will be contested at the Manhattan Chess Club.
Fischer had the white pieces against Ault, who set up a Pirc defense. Brooklyn's wonder boy castled on the queen's side of the board and inaugurated a telling attack against the black king, castled rather late. Vigorous tactics on the past of Fischer opened up lines on the king's side and eventually, on the thirtieth move, he captured the king knight pawn. Two moves later Ault, threatened with checkmate, surrendered.
Reshevsky and Arthur B. Bisguier, who resorted to a Nimzo-Indian defense, both castled on the king's side. Bisguier retreated his bishop to K2. The American grandmaster advanced energetically and with his sixteenth move enlarged the scope of his pieces. Advancing his king's rook's pawn to the sixth rank, he disorganized the black position to such an extent that Bisguier found himself in a hopeless position and resigned after thirty-three moves.
Three Games Adjourned
Byrne, playing the Gruenfeld defense against Benko, was in his best form. He pressed his opponent to such an extent, with two bishops opposed to two knights, that he won a piece. Under time pressure, Benko lost his queen, and, at the thirty-ninth turn, overstepped the time limit.
The following games were adjourned: James T. Sherwin vs. Herbert Seidman, Sicilian defense, forty moves. Sidney Bernstein, vs. Arnold S. Denker, Polish opening, forty-three moves, and Edmar Mednis vs. Raymond Weinstein, Sicilian defense, forty moves.
