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Chess 14 Nov 1959, Sat The Montreal Star (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) Newspapers.com
Let's Play Chess
Latvian Expert Wins Right To Take on World Champion
By William Oaker
Soviet Grandmaster, Mikhail Tal, of Latvia is the new challenger for the title of Chess Champion of the World, by virtue of his victory in the Challenger's Tourney recently completed in Yugoslavia.
He is scheduled to meet the present title holder, Mikhail Botvinnik, also of the U.S.S.R., in Moscow, some time next year.
Final standings in the Challenger's Tourney are as follows:
Mikhail Tal, U.S.S.R, 20-8;
Paul Keres, U.S.S.R., 18½-9½;
Tigran Petrosian, U.S.S.R., 15½-12½;
Vassily Smyslov, U.S.S.R., 15-13;
Bobby Fischer, U.S.A., 12½-15½;
Svetozar Gligoric, Yugoslavia, 12½-15½;
Fridrik Olafsson, Iceland, 10-18;
Paul Benko, U.S.A., 8-20.
Results of round 28 were: Tal ½, Benko ½; Fischer 1, Smyslov 0; Olafsson 1, Keres 0; Petrosian 1, Gligoric 0.
Going into the last round, Tal needed only a draw to clinch first place, while Keres, who was one point behind needed to win and then hope that Tal would slip.
Benko went all out for the win against Tal. The Soviet star, however, was not content to play for a draw, even thought this was all he needed. Instead, he took the offense. After 22 moves had been played Benko was hopelessly lost positionally, besides being two pawns down. With the game in his pocket Tal then leaned across the table and offered the unhappy Benko a draw. Benko accepted. It was a moral defeat, even though he did pick up a half point.
Meanwhile, Keres, who was playing Olafsson, had slightly the better position. When the result of the Tal-Benko game was announced, he realized that the result of his game did not matter. He offered his opponent a draw also. Olafsson, however, refused. When the time for adjournment arrived, the young Icelander had the superior end game. Keres lost shortly after the resumption of play. It didn't matter.
The best game of the round was a fine effort which saw Brooklyn's Bobby Fischer beat former World Champion, Vassily Smyslov. Young Bobby proved one thing in this tournament. He can hold his own against the best the world has to offer. Unfortunately, holding one's own is not quite enough to gain the world's title, which is Bobby's goal. Constant winning is what is needed. However, he is still very young. He'll be back and twice as tough.
The big question now is: Who will win the 24-game match. In order to give our readers some basis of comparison, we shall publish some of the game of both Tal and Botvinnik in subsequent columns.
Incidentally, to the best of our knowledge, these two great players have never played each other.
