Chess Notebook 24 May 1959, Sun The Boston Globe (Boston, Massachusetts) Newspapers.com
Chess Notebook By Lyman Burgess
“Bobby Fischer's Games of Chess,” by Bobby Fischer; Simon and Schuster, New York; $2.95.
The alpha of modern chess, Dr. Emanuel Lasker (1868-1941), was honored by S. & S. with the publication of Dr. Hannak's biography which was highly touted in this space April 5. Ten days later they tried to do the same for the boy who threatens to be the omega of modern chess, Bobby Fischer. U. S. champion, international grandmaster and hope of the western chess world.
This first collection of Fischer's tournament play contains 34 games: 13 from the 1957-8 U. S. championship, one from the third Rosenwald tournament and Bobby's 20 games from the famous 1958 interzonal. Fischer has annotated the first 14, the interzonal games are given raw.
The book also contains complete cross-tables of the two tournaments involved and a delightful chess autobiography.
“Bobby Fischer's Games of Chess” are the product of a first class chess intelligence. Since the publication of this book Fischer successfully defended his U.S. title. Then in April he tied for third place a half point behind the winners in the annual Mar del Plata, Argentina, tournament. Later, Bobby played in a tourney at Santiago, Chile, where he lost four, games and so suffered his first setback since he started his dazzling rise in the Summer of 1956.
Fischer is now playing in a tournament at Zurich.
Vassily Smyslov and Paul Keres are also playing in Switzerland; thus Bobby will meet the only competitors in the coming challengers tournament he has not yet played.
In 1895 Dr. Tarrasch protested vigorously to the tournament committee at Hastings the participation of one H. N. Pillsbury. Pillsbury, was, of course, admitted and won the tournament, defeating Dr. Tarrasch en route. In 1911 Dr. Bernstein protested Capablanca's playing at San Sebastian; Capa won and defeated Dr. Bernstein. At Portoroz, 1958 Bent Larsen, Denmark, told Fridrik Olafsson that he, Larsen, would “spank that baby, Fischer.” Naturally the baby spanked Larsen.
Robert James Fischer vs Bent Larsen
Portoroz Interzonal (1958), Portoroz SLO, rd 8, Aug-16
Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation. Yugoslav Attack Main Line (B77) 1-0
This game was played in the eighth round of the Interzonal, Fischer went on to win one of the qualifying places in the challengers; Larsen, a pre-tournament favorite, never recovered and placed 16th with a minus score.
