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Chess by Isaac Kashdan 17 Aug 1958, Sun The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com
Averbakh, Petrosian Lead Interzone Play
Yuri Averbakh and Tigran Petrosian of Russia are leading after five rounds of play in the Interzonal Chess Tournament at Portoroz, Yugoslavia, according to a report from the New York Times. Each has three wins and two draws for a score of 4-1.
Mikhail Tal, the Soviet champion is tied at 3½-1½ with Fridrik Olafsson of Iceland. Tal, who started with two wins to take an early lead, lost in the fourth round to Alexander Matanovic of Yugoslavia, then recovered to defeat Dr. Miroslav Filip of Czechoslovakia.
The best percentage is held by Paul Benko, who originally won his place in the tournament as a Hungarian representative, but is now an American resident. Benko has 2½-½, with an adjourned game against David Bronstein of Russia.
One of Benko's wins is the first loss sustained by Bobby Fischer, 15-year-old U.S. chess champion. Bobby has a 2-2 score, including a win against Geza Fuster of Canada, and draws with Otto Neikirch of Bulgaria and Hector Rossetto of Argentina.
A report from Yugoslavia indicates Fischer is having difficulties with fans and newsmen, who are naturally attracted to the chess prodigy. He has requested help from the authorities, stating that he can not concentrate on his game with a crowd around his table.
James T. Sherwin of New York, second representative of the U.S., has a 1-2 score. He defeated Boris de Greiff of Columbia, but lost to Petrosian and Laszlo Szabo of Hungary, Sherwin has an adjourned fifth-round game with Ludek Pachman of Czechoslovakia.
