New York Times, New York, New York, Friday, October 30, 1959
Tal Takes Challengers' Chess With a Draw in Closing Match
Latvian and Benko Halt After 22 Moves in Yugoslavia—Fischer Beats Smyslov
Mikhail Tal, a 24-year-old Latvian member of the Soviet team of four in the challengers' chess tournament, emerged last night as the winner, according to a report from Yugoslavia.
Starting the twenty-eighth and final round at Belgrade with a 1-point lead over Paul Keres of the Soviet Union, Tal drew with Paul Benko, a Hungarian refugee who lives in New York, in twenty-two moves. Tal's final score was 20-8, based on sixteen games won, four lost and eight drawn.
Tal qualified to play for the world championship against Mikhail Botvinnik of Moscow. They will contest twenty-four games in the Soviet Union next year on dates to be named by the International Chess Federation.
Benko, with the black pieces, set up a Sicilian defense against Tal. In the play, Tal captured two pawns, after which Benko agreed to draw. Tal needed only a draw to win the tournament.
Fischer Plays Well
A much finer performance was that of Bobby Fischer, the 16-year-old United States champion from Brooklyn. On the black side of a Sicilian defense, he defeated Vasily Smyslov, a former world champion.
His opponent's king-side attack came to naught and Fischer turned the tables in his own good time after forty-four moves.
Fischer remained in sixth place and may tie with Svetozar Gligoric of Yugoslavia for fifth. Gligoric played the king's Indian defense against Tigran Petrosian of the Soviet Union. The outcome was doubtful when adjournment took place after forty-one moves.
Keres also adjourned in forty-one moves with Fridrik Olafsson of Iceland, who was considered to have winning chances when play stopped.
The final standing will depend upon the outcome of the two unfinished games to be played tonight.
Connected Pawns Decide
The tireless persistence of which chess masters are capable when the occasion requires was well demonstrated in the twenty-fourth round when Keres defeated Tal in seventy-nine moves.
Both kings went far afield to participate in the struggle. A position was reached in which two connected pawns decided the issue.
The score:
