The Gift of Chess

Notice to commercial publishers seeking use of images from this collection of chess-related archive blogs. For use of the many large color restorations, two conditions must be met: 1) It is YOUR responsibility to obtain written permissions for use from the current holders of rights over the original b/w photo. Then, 2) make a tax-deductible donation to The Gift of Chess in honor of Robert J. Fischer-Newspaper Archives. A donation in the amount of $250 USD or greater is requested for images above 2000 pixels and other special request items. For small images, such as for fair use on personal blogs, all credits must remain intact and a donation is still requested but negotiable. Please direct any photographs for restoration and special request (for best results, scanned and submitted at their highest possible resolution), including any additional questions to S. Mooney, at bobbynewspaperblogs•gmail. As highlighted in the ABC News feature, chess has numerous benefits for individuals, including enhancing critical thinking and problem-solving skills, improving concentration and memory, and promoting social interaction and community building. Initiatives like The Gift of Chess have the potential to bring these benefits to a wider audience, particularly in areas where access to educational and recreational resources is limited.

Best of Chess Fischer Newspaper Archives
• Robert J. Fischer, 1955 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1956 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1957 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1958 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1959 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1960 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1961 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1962 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1963 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1964 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1965 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1966 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1967 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1968 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1969 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1970 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1971 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1972 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1973 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1974 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1975 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1976 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1977 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1978 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1979 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1980 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1981 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1982 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1983 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1984 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1985 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1986 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1987 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1988 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1989 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1990 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1991 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1992 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1993 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1994 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1995 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1996 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1997 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1998 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1999 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 2000 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 2001 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 2002 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 2003 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 2004 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 2005 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 2006 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 2007 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 2008 ➦
Chess Columns Additional Archives/Social Media

August 02, 1959 Los Angeles Times Chess by Isaac Kashdan

< Prev Index Next >

Chess by Isaac KashdanChess by Isaac Kashdan 02 Aug 1959, Sun The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com

Chess By Isaac Kashdan
International Grandmaster

BENKO FAVORED IN U.S. OPEN TOURNEY
Paul Benko of New York, former Hungarian refugee and pre-tournament favorite, was the leader going into the last round of the U.S. Open Chess Championship Tournament in Omaha, according to an AP dispatch.
Benko had a score of 9½-1½ after 11 completed rounds. A win in the final session would assure him the championship. This would continue an impressive string of victories, as Benko took top honors in the Greater New York Open and the Western Open events.
In second place with qa 9-2 score, was former U.S. champion Arthur Bisguier of New York. Raymond Weinstein of Brooklyn and Olaf Ulvestad of Seattle were tied for third with 8½-2½.
Benko defeated James Sherwin of New York in the semi-final round. Bisguier downed Anthony Saidy of New York, while Ulvestad was a winner over Curt Brasket of Minneapolis. Weinstein drew with Eliot Hearst of Washington.
The following games are from the tournament:

Pal Benko (white) vs. Ted Edelbaum (black)
French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Guimard Defense, Main Line

Descriptive
1. P-K4 P-K3
2. P-Q4 P-Q4
3. N-Q2 N-QB3
4. KN-B3 N-B3
5. P-K5 N-Q2
6. B-Q3 N-N5
7. B-K2 P-QB4
8. P-B3 N-QB3
9. O-O B-K2
10. R-K P-QR4
11. N-B P-QN3
12. N-N3 P-R4
13. P-B4 P-KR5
14. BPxP PxN
15. PxN PxRPch
16. K-R N-N
17. B-QN5 Q-B2
18. PxP PxP
19. N-N5 B-R3
20. B-R4 B-B5
21. Q-B3 BxN
22. BxB B-Q4
23. Q-K3 N-R3
24. QR-Q BxBP
25. BxBch QxB
26. Q-Q3 O-O
27. B-B6 Resigns
Algebraic
1. e4 e6
2. d4 d5
3. Nd2 Nc6
4. Ngf3 Nf6
5. e5 Nd7
6. Bd3 Nb4
7. Be2 c5
8. c3 Nc6
9. 0-0 Be7
10. Re1 a5
11. Nf1 b6
12. Ng3 h5
13. c4 h4
14. cxd5 hxg3
15. dxc6 gxh2+
16. Kh1 Nb8
17. Bb5 Qc7
18. dxc5 bxc5
19. Ng5 Ba6
20. Ba4 Bc4
21. Qf3 Bxg5
22. Bxg5 Bd5
23. Qe3 Na6
24. Rd1 Bxc6
25. Bxc6+ Qxc6
26. Qd3 0-0
27. Bf6 1-0

Ted Edelbaum vs Wiliam Batchelder
60th US Open (1959), Omaha, NE USA, rd 2, Jul-21
Bird Opening: Dutch Variation (A03) 1-0

JUNIOR BRILLIANCIES
Clark Harmon of Portland, Ore., who won the California junior chess championship in the tournament recently concluded in Lancaster, also was awarded the first brilliancy prize in that event for his game against Robert Loveless of North Hollywood.
The game was an example of attacking play with the kings castled on opposite sides of the board. Harmon broke through with two key pawn captures by his knight, soon winning material with a powerful position.
Gilbert Ramirez of San Francisco won both the second and third brilliancy prizes for his games against Stephen Sholomson of Los Angeles and Mike Yaffe of North Hollywood.
Harry Borochow, donor of the first prize, and your editor judged the none games submitted for this special feature of the tournament. John Alexander of San Diego donated the other prizes.
Two of the games follow:

Robert Loveless (white) vs. Clark Harmon (black)
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Amsterdam Variation

Descriptive
1. P-K4 P-QB4
2. N-KB3 P-Q3
3. P-Q4 PxP
4. NxP N-KB3
5. N-B3 P-QR3
6. P-B4 P-K4
7. N-N3 B-K2
8. B-K2 O-O
9. B-K3 QN-Q2
10. B-B3 Q-B2
11. Q-K2 P-QN4
12. P-QR3 B-N2
13. P-B5 N-N3
14. P-N4 KN-Q2
15. P-KR4 N-B5
16. O-O-O NxRP
17. QR-N QR-B
18. R-R2 N-B5
19. N-Q P-QR4
20. P-N5 P-R5
21. N-Q2 NxP
22. KxN QxPch
23. K-R N-B4
24. P-B6 B-Q
25. QxP N-N6ch
26. NxN QxR
27. QxB PxN
28. R-N2 Q-R6
29. R-Q2 B-R4
30. R-Q5 QxB
31. RxQP P-N7ch
32. K-N QR-Q
33. R-Q7 RxR
Resigns
Algebraic
1. e4 c5
2. Nf3 d6
3. d4 cxd4
4. Nxd4 Nf6
5. Nc3 a6
6. f4 e5
7. Nb3 Be7
8. Be2 0-0
9. Be3 Nfd7
10. Bf3 Qc7
11. Qe2 b5
12. a3 Bb7
13. f5 Nb6
14. g4 N8d7
15. h4 Nc4
16. 0-0-0 Nxa3
17. Rdg1 Rac8
18. Rh2 Nc4
19. Nd1 a5
20. g5 a4
21. Nd2 Nxb2
22. Kxb2 Qxc2+
23. Ka1 Nc5
24. f6 Bd8
25. Qxb5 Nb3+
26. Nxb3 Qxh2
27. Qxb7 axb3
28. Rg2 Qh3
29. Rd2 Ba5
30. Rd5 Qxf3
31. Rxd6 b2+
32. Kb1 Rd8
33. Rd7 Rxd7
0-1

Gilbert Ramirez vs. Stephen Sholomson
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Lipnitsky Attack

Descriptive
1. P-K4 P-QB4
2. N-KB3 P-Q3
3. P-Q4 PxP
4. NxP N-KB3
5. N-QB3 P-QR3
6. B-QB4 P-K3
7. B-N3 N-B3
8. O-O B-K2
9. B-K3 Q-B2
10. P-B4 N-QR4
11. P-N4 P-R4
12. P-N5 N-N5
13. B-B Q-B4
14. K-N2 NxB
15. RPxN P-K4
16. PxP PxP
17. N-B3 O-O
18. Q-K2 P-B4
19. KPxP QBxP
20. P-R3 P-K5
21. NxP Q-B3
22. N-N3 B-B4
23. NxB RxN
24. Q-B4ch K-R
25. PxN RxN
26. RxR R-KB
27. B-B4 Q-Q2
28. QxB QxPch
29. K-B2 RxB
30. RxR QxRch
31. K-K2 Q-K5ch
32. K-Q2 Q-N7ch
33. K-B3 P-R5
34. R-Q Q-N6ch
35. K-N4 P-R4ch
36. K-R3 Resigns
Algebraic
1. e4 c5
2. Nf3 d6
3. d4 cxd4
4. Nxd4 Nf6
5. Nc3 a6
6. Bc4 e6
7. Bb3 Nc6
8. 0-0 Be7
9. Be3 Qc7
10. f4 Na5
11. g4 h5
12. g5 Ng4
13. Bc1 Qc5
14. Kg2 Nxb3
15. axb3 e5
16. fxe5 dxe5
17. Nf3 0-0
18. Qe2 f5
19. exf5 Bxf5
20. h3 e4
21. Nxe4 Qc6
22. Ng3 Bc5
23. Nxf5 Rxf5
24. Qc4+ Kh8
25. hxg4 Rxf3
26. Rxf3 Rf8
27. Bf4 Qd7
28. Qxc5 Qxg4+
29. Kf2 Rxf4
30. Rxf4 Qxf4+
31. Ke2 Qe4+
32. Kd2 Qg2+
33. Kc3 h4
34. Rd1 Qg3+
35. Kb4 a5+
36. Ka3 1-0

CALIFORNIA TOP STATE IN OPERATION M DRIVE
The final report on Operation M is in and the result is further evidence of the great strides in the development of chess interest in California.
Harry Borochow of Los Angeles was California state chairman in the drive to obtain 1,000 new members for the U.S. Chess Federation. He and his committee brought in a total of 238 new members, more than double that of any other state.
As reported in the July 20 Issue of Chess Life, the official publication of the USCF, California has overtaken New York in total membership in the federation, leading by 496 to 477.
Borochow himself, through personal, mail and telephone contacts, was the key factor in this successful performance. Others who were most helpful were Robert Hamman, with 21 new members; Fred Haeger, 18; Herbert T. Abel, 17; Burt Thach, 8, and Capt. E. B. Edmondson, 5.

CREATIVE CHESS
Another book is at hand in the long and growing series authored by Fred Reinfeld. CREATIVE CHESS (Sterling Publishing Co.: $2.95) contains 122 diagrammed positions in which an issue is posed and then explained in Reinfeld's usual thorough and entertaining style.
The positions vary considerably in complexity, and the discussions should be helpful to any player of average ability. There are five general headings: How to Exploit Open Lines, How to Create Open Lines, Attack and Counterattack, the Tactical Finesse, and Combinations in the Grand Manner.
Following is one of the positions from the last chapter, with excerpts from the book.

Fred Reinfield Instruction Game, 1959FEN r2q1rk1/pp1b1Rp1/4p2p/4PnNQ/2pP4/2P1B3/P5PP/5RK1 w - - 0 1

WHITE TO PLAY
Though White's pieces are placed very aggressively, he appears to have overreached himself. He can save everything with 1. RxRch QxR; 2. N-R3, but the 2. … Q-K leaves Black with a splendid game. How then does White preserve his attack and his initiative?
1. R(1)xN! PxR
2. RxPch! KxR
3. N-K6ch BxN
4. BxPch K-R2
5. B-N5ch K-N2
6. Q-R6ch K-B2
7. BxQ QRxB
8. Q-B6ch K-N
9. QxBch and wins
White is well ahead in material and his passed pawns will advance to win more material. Viewed from this vantage point, White's starting sacrifices are quite “obvious.”

David Bronstein vs Nikolai V Krogius
USSR Championship (1959), Tbilisi URS, rd 17, Feb-07
Sicilian Defense: Old Sicilian. Open (B32) 1-0

Mikhail Tal vs Viktor Korchnoi
USSR Championship (1959), Tbilisi URS, rd 18, Feb-08
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation (B94) 0-1

The Los Angeles Times, Chess by Isaac Kashdan, Sunday, August 02, 1959, Los Angeles, California Times Problem 3089 By...

Posted by Bobby Fischer's True History on Sunday, June 5, 2022

Times Problem 3089 By R. Ravenscroft and F. A. Hawes
Black 13
White 8
White mates in two.
FEN r6n/bR4N1/p4kp1/2pR2Nq/K3p3/pP4Bp/7r/1Q5b w - - 0 1
Solution: Q-N1; 1. Qg1 Rd2 2. Be5#

The Los Angeles Times, Chess by Isaac Kashdan, Sunday, August 02, 1959, Los Angeles, California Times Problem 3090 By...

Posted by Bobby Fischer's True History on Sunday, June 5, 2022

Times Problem 3090 By Dr. G. Erdos
Black 1
White 6
White mates in three.
FEN 8/4N3/8/2P5/2B5/1Pk5/Q6K/8 w - - 0 1
Solution: K-N3; 1. Kg3 Kb4 2. Qa5+ Kxa5 3. Nc6#

The threat is not too obvious in 3089, which has several neat interference variations. The three-mover has a little surprise, especially for the non-problemist.

SOLVERS' LIST Five points— W. S. Aaron, J. F. Brown, A. E. Byler, M. Chutorian, C. Cresswell, J. Gotta, W. H. Griffith, H. Holmes, J. Kaufman, A. A. Rothstein, P. M. Verdugo.
Two points— F. Aks, Dr. B. R. Berglund, N. Lesser, E. E. Penter, M. Rosen, A. Szendrey, Maj. H. Triwush.
One point— L. G. Bulaich, A. Cesare, P. DeVilmorin, Mrs. B. Don, J. P. Foley, D. Whorf.

Laughing MatterLaughing Matter 02 Aug 1959, Sun The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com

Recommended Books

Understanding Chess by William Lombardy Chess Duels, My Games with the World Champions, by Yasser Seirawan No Regrets: Fischer-Spassky 1992, by Yasser Seirawan Chess Fundamentals, by Jose Capablanca Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess, by Bobby Fischer My 60 Memorable Games, by Bobby Fischer Bobby Fischer Games of Chess, by Bobby Fischer The Modern Chess Self Tutor, by David Bronstein Russians versus Fischer, by Mikhail Tal, Plisetsky, Taimanov, et al

'til the world understands why Robert J. Fischer criticised the U.S./British and Russian military industry imperial alliance and their own Israeli Apartheid. Sarah Wilkinson explains:

Bobby Fischer, First Amendment, Freedom of Speech
What a sad story Fischer was,” typed a racist, pro-imperialist colonial troll who supports mega-corporation entities over human rights, police state policies & white supremacy.
To which I replied: “Really? I think he [Bob Fischer] stood up to the broken system of corruption and raised awareness! Whether on the Palestinian/Israel-British-U.S. Imperial Apartheid scam, the Bush wars of ‘7 countries in 5 years,’ illegally, unconstitutionally which constituted mass xenocide or his run in with police brutality in Pasadena, California-- right here in the U.S., police run rampant over the Constitution of the U.S., on oath they swore to uphold, but when Americans don't know the law, and the cops either don't know or worse, “don't care” -- then I think that's pretty darn “sad”. I think Mr. Fischer held out and fought the good fight, steadfast til the day he died, and may he Rest In Peace.
Educate yourself about U.S./State Laws --
https://www.youtube.com/@AuditTheAudit/videos
After which the troll posted a string of profanities, confirming there was never any genuine sentiment of “compassion” for Mr. Fischer, rather an intent to inflict further defamatory remarks.

This ongoing work is a tribute to the life and accomplishments of Robert “Bobby” Fischer who passionately loved and studied chess history. May his life continue to inspire many other future generations of chess enthusiasts and kibitzers, alike.

Robert J. Fischer, Kid Chess Wizard 1956March 9, 1943 - January 17, 2008

The photograph of Bobby Fischer (above) from the March 02, 1956 The Tampa Times was discovered by Sharon Mooney (Bobby Fischer Newspaper Archive editor) on February 01, 2018 while gathering research materials for this ongoing newspaper archive project. Along with lost games now being translated into Algebraic notation and extractions from over two centuries of newspapers, it is but one of the many lost treasures to be found in the pages of old newspapers since our social media presence was first established November 11, 2017.

Special Thanks