New York Times, New York, New York, Sunday, December 27, 1959
Fischer, Sherwin Draw in 35 Moves
Defending Champion Keeps Lead in National Chess —Benko is Victor
Bobby Fischer, the United States chess champion, still was undefeated after six rounds in the national title tournament for the Lessing J. Rosenwald trophy at the Manhattan Chess Club.
However, while retaining the lead with a score of 4½-1½, he was held to a draw yesterday by the stout play of James T. Sherwin, a New York attorney. The game lasted thirty-five moves.
Sherwin also remained undefeated and the extra half-point enabled him to tie for second, at 3½-1½, with Samuel Reshevsky, whose game with Robert Byrne was postponed.
Fischer, playing black, resorted to the Sicilian defense when Sherwin opened with P-K4. Castling on the queen's side, Sherwin adopted the customary advance of pawns against the black king. This maneuver was adequately met by the champion, who also castled on the queen's side at his seventeenth turn.
Queens Are Exchanged
Queens were exchanged on the nineteenth move, after which the game drifted into a rook-and-pawn ending, with three pawns each. A draw then was inevitable.
The second game to be finished was won by Pal Benko, a Hungarian refugee, from Raymond Weinstein of Brooklyn, last year's national junior champion. The victory enabled Benko to displace his opponent in the first division of the standing.
The victor, with the black pieces, set up a King's Indian defense. He attacked vigorously by advancing the queen's rook's pawn to the sixth rank, permitting it to be captured. In return Benko hemmed in Weinstein's queen's bishop. With 20 . . . QxQP, Benko took complete command and sacrificed the exchange three moves later.
A combination with queen and knight against the white king brought about the Brooklyn player's resignation after twenty-four moves.
The most exciting game of the round was between Herbert Seidman and Arthur B. Bisguier, former United States champion.
Seidman Gives Up Knight
Bisguier used the Sicilian defense. Seidman, seizing the attack, sacrificed a knight on the ninth move. He gave up another piece at the thirteenth and the net result of a thrilling combination was that Seidman emerged with a queen and bishop opposed to two rooks and a bishop. Each had six pawns and the prospects for an eventual draw were excellent.
Edmar Mednis, a former New York University star, gave a good account of himself and defeated Arnold S. Denker, the 1944 national champion, in 29 moves. Both castled on the king's side of the board and after the KR file had been opened, Mednis sacrificed a knight to bring the white king out into the open.
With three passed pawns advancing together, Mednis recovered the piece at his twenty-eight turn, leaving his opponent's king without protection.
Sidney Bernstein of Brooklyn was a piece ahead in a Caro-Kann defense with Robin Ault of Cranford when they adjourned after forty-one moves.
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The seventh round is scheduled for two o'clock this afternoon at the Marshall Chess Club, 23 West 10th Street.
The score of the Fischer-Sherwin game follows:
