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Chess 25 Sep 1960, Sun The Boston Globe (Boston, Massachusetts) Newspapers.com
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August 28, 1960 Boston Globe, Chess Notebook by Lyman Burgess
Chess 28 Aug 1960, Sun The Boston Globe (Boston, Massachusetts) Newspapers.com
Chess Notebook
By LYMAN BURGESS
Robert Byrne, 32, instructor at the University of Indianapolis, won the 1960 U. S. Open chess championship at St. Louis. He defeated Dr. Paul Poschel, Ann Arbor, in the final round to bring his winning total to 10½-1½. The new champion lost to Anthony Saidy, Queens, in the 6th round and drew with Curt Brasket, St. Paul, in the fifth round. Arthur Bisguier, defending champion, had been in the lead or shared the lead for the greater part of the tournament. But in the 10th round Byrne defeated Bisguier and this game was perhaps the key match in the dethroning of the ex-champion.
Byrne received worldwide publicity a few years back when he defeated three grandmasters in four days during the chess Olympics.
United States Chess Federation has decided against entering a team in the 1960 chess Olympics at Leipzig. The U. S. State Department did not offer to support an American team, according to Jerry Spann, president of U.S.C.F.
Spann said the unavailability of several key players was an other reason for the decision against participation this year. A spokesman for the State Department said the department generally advises Americans against traveling in East Germany because there are no U.S. diplomats there to protect them.
Before World War II U.S. teams dominated the biennial team tournaments, but with the advent of the Russian teams American teams have not fared so well. This year's triumph by our student team seemed to foreshadow better times ahead. A team of Reshevsky, Fischer, Lombardy, Evans (on his Buenos Aires form), Robert Byrne and you name the other one (Bisguier, Benko, or Charles Kalme, for instance) could not, perhaps, be matched by anyone but the loaded Soviet Union.
Geoffrey Mott-Smith died in New York Aug. 19. He was an expert on games and languages. Chessplayers will remember his fine series in Chess Review and his off-beat approach to problems.
Kazys Merkis, South Boston, defeated Pedro Cherta, Barcelona, in the IV World Team Correspondence Championship.
299. Sicilian Defense.
Pedro Cherta (white) vs. Kazys Merkis (black)
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Lipnitsky Attack
And White resigns because he cannot find an adequate defense against Black's threats from powerfully posted pieces. If White tries to protect the KP he loses immediately, i.e. 31. Q-K2, RxKP!; 32. QxR B-Q3!.
August 20, 1960 Let's Play Chess by William Oaker, The Montreal Star, Quebec, Canada
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Let's Play Chess 20 Aug 1960, Sat The Montreal Star (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) Newspapers.com
Let's Play Chess
U.S. Open Still 'Fair Game' Six Deadlocked for First
By William Oaker
The United States Open Championship being held in St. Louis, Mo., is still fair game for any one of 28 players, even after the completion of eight of the scheduled 12 rounds.
It in impossible to say that any player is favored to carry away top honors and the $1000 first prize.
At present, eight are hopelessly snarled in a first-place tie with scores of 6½-l½. These are Pal Benko, Arthur Bisguier, Larry Evans, Raymond Weinstein, Jeremiah Donnovan and Anthony Saidy, all of New York, Robert Byrne of Indianapolis, and Henry Davis, of San Antonio.
A half-point behind the eight front-runners are nine players with scores of 6-2, while also clearly in the running are 11 others with scores of 5½-2½. Any one of the 28 could be the eventual winner.
If past performance is any criteria of judgment, four players must be considered as having the greatest chance of finishing on top. These are Benko, Bisguier, Evans and Byrne. All four are grandmasters and all four have extensive international experience.
If one had to choose the top players in the United States today, seven names would be outstanding. The above four would be included. The other three are Bobby Fischer, Sammy Reshevsky, and William Lombardy. A possible addition might be James Sherwin, who is entered in this event, but who seems to be having a bad tournament.
Bisguier is the defending champion, although both Evans and Byrne have won this event in the past.
Dr. Elod Macskasy, of Vancouver, the present Canadian Open Champion, has slipped back somewhat and has an eighth round score of 5-3, and still could finish quite high. It should be remembered that two years ago when he won the Canadian Open title in Winnipeg, it was ahead of grand master Larry Evans.
The Canadian Open Championship is scheduled to begin next Saturday in Kitchener, Ont. Players from all over Canada and the United States are expected to take part,
some of them coming direct from Oklahoma, to the Kitchener event.
How Good Are You?
FEN K7/2P4R/8/k7/8/8/2r4p/8 w - - 0 1
White to Play Win
This is a composition by Emmanuel Lasker, the man who held the world title for 28 years, and who is still considered by many the greatest chess player who ever lived. This study is something he tossed off during an idle moment and is based on one of his tournament games. Both pawns are about to queen.
August 18, 1960 Birmingham Mail, Chess by Leonard Barden, Birmingham, West Midlands, England
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Chess 18 Aug 1960, Thu Birmingham Evening Mail (Birmingham, West Midlands, England) Newspapers.com
CHESS
By LEONARD BARDEN
America's boy star Bobby Fischer added another feather to his cap last year when he finished fifth in the world title challengers' tournament. Here is one of his brilliant wins played against the former Hungarian Benko.
Robert James Fischer vs Pal Benko
Bled-Zagreb-Belgrade Candidates (1959), Bled, Zagreb & Belgrade YUG, rd 10, Sep-22
Sicilian Defense: Classical. Anti-Fischer-Sozin Variation (B57) 1-0
Solution No. 5754: 1. B-KN7 (threat 2. R-K5), N-B2; 2. BxP, or 1 … P-N5; 2. P-B4, or 1. … R-K5; 2. PxR, or 1. … B-R7; 2. NxP, or 1. … NxP; 2. NxN.
August 14, 1960 Boston Globe, Chess Notebook by Lyman Burgess
Chess 14 Aug 1960, Sun The Boston Globe (Boston, Massachusetts) Newspapers.com
Chess Notebook
By LYMAN BURGESS
The 20th annual New England chess championship tournament will begin at 8 p.m. on Friday Sept. 2, at the Hotel Statler Hilton, Hartford. Play schedule calls for one round Friday and two on each of the three succeeding days. The final round will be played Labor Day afternoon and the awards banquet will be held that evening.
Provided eight or more B players enter there will be a separate B section; otherwise B players will be included in the championship section but will pay a smaller fee and will be eligible for the B trophies. A permanent trophy and the usual cash prizes will be awarded in Class A.
Deadline for entries is midnight, Friday, Aug. 26 (by postmark) — one week prior to the tournament. If payment is not included in entry it must be made at the Statler Hilton, Hartford, by 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 2, before the first round of play. Checks should be made payable to the Hartford Chess Club and mailed to John C. Owen, West Avon rd., Avon, Conn. Entry fee is $15 in Class A, $10 in Class B.
Robin Ault, Cranford, won the U.S. junior chess championship for the second straight year, 8½-1½. Walter Harris, New York, was second, 8-2. There was a four-way tie for third among Wesley Burger, Detroit; David Ames, Quincy; George Olte, Bridgeport and Arthur Wang, San Francisco.
Ault received a small model; of the big junior trophy (which is kept in the Marshall Club), entry in and transportation to the U.S. Open championship at St/ Louis, and $200 expenses. Since the junior ended Aug. 5, and the Open began Aug. 8, Ault had little rest. Harris,; Wang, and Olte all trekked to St. Louis, but with less money than Ault. Local boy Ames was forced to pass up the Open because he lacked the free time.
The high school trophy was awarded to Larry Gilden, Washington, who nosed out Bill Gould, Providence, on the tie break after both scored 6½-3½.
For the first time in 25 years the U.S. won a world team tournament by the efforts of six American college students in the world's students team championship in Leningrad. The American team defeated the Soviet Union, pre-tournament favorite, in the semi-final round and clinched the title with a draw against Bulgaria, defending champions, in the final round.
William Lombardy, St. Philip Neri School, Boston, played first board for the U.S. and scored 12½-½, an almost unbelievable string except for the fact that Charles Kalme, Philadelphia, made the same score on second board.
Final Standings: 1. U.S.A. 41-11; 2. Soviet Union 39½-12½; 3. Yugoslavia, 37-15; 4. Czechoslovakia, 31½-20½; 5. Bulgaria, 31-21; 6. Rumania, 30-22; 7. E. Germany, 28½-23½; 8. Holland, 25½-26½; 9. Hungary, 25-27; 10. England, 23½-28½; 11. Mongolia, 16-36; 12. Sweden, 16-36; 13. Finland 10-42; 14. Belgium 9½-42½.
Here is Bobby Fischer's loss to Pal Benko in the Buenos Aires tournament.
297. Kings Indian Defense.
Pal Benko vs Robert James Fischer
Buenos Aires (1960), Buenos Aires ARG, rd 19, Jul-21
King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto. Karlsbad Variation (E62) 1-0
August 07, 1960 Boston Globe, Chess Notebook by Lyman Burgess
Chess 07 Aug 1960, Sun The Boston Globe (Boston, Massachusetts) Newspapers.com
Chess Notebook
By LYMAN BURGESS
The U.S. team has won the 1960 world student team championship tournament in Leningrad. The American team was headed by William Lombardy, St. Philip Neri Seminary, Boston. The team was co-sponsored by U.S.C.F. and the American Chess Foundation with the financial assistance of the Bureau of International Cultural Relations of the U.S. State Department. Details next week.
Bart Gould, Newburyport, tells us there will be a 30-30 tournament held in Danvers on Saturday, Aug. 13, on the Public Library grounds. The 30-30 comes from the time limit: 30 moves in 30 minutes. This schedule has proved very popular the past few years in the production of semi-serious, one-day tournaments.
Under the heading “Ars Longa Est” David Ames offers two marathon- endings. First: White: K at KR8, N at QR7, at QB5; K at Q1; P at Q5; the stipulation: Mate in 88. Second: White: K at KN8, R at K1, P at QB5; Black K at Q1; P at Q5; the stipulation: Mate in 88. Second: White: K at KN8, R at K1, P at QR2; Black: K at QN4; B at KB3, P at QR6; the stipulation: White wins when he captures the Pawn on his 78th move. Ames adds: “Feel like taking a stand on the 50-move rule?
Way back on Memorial Day week-end the 1960 U.S. Amateur championship worked its' way into history and for some reason we failed to report the winner. For the record: Raoul L. Benedicto, Elmhurst, N.Y., won six straight games in a field of 157 players to take the 1960 Amateur title. Leslie Ault, Cranford, N.J., was close behind at 5½-½. Ault is the current national intercollegiate champion. Erich Marchand, Rochester, former amateur champion, was ineligible because he has entered the ranks of the masters.
The U.S. Open championship begins tomorrow at the Sheraton-Jefferson Hotel, St. Louis.
A few notes on the Buenos Aires tournament: Of the twenty masters competing thirteen were grandmasters and eight were national champions. I know that adds up to 21 but some were both and some were neither … Bobby Fischer won three, lost five and drew eleven … Carlos Guimard and Hector Rossetto, Argentineans, non-champions and non-grandmasters, managed to make the prize list (tied for four, 11-8).
However, Rossetto, could not hold out against co-winner Reshevsky.
296. Benoni Counter Gambit
Samuel Reshevsky vs Hector Rossetto
Buenos Aires (1960), Buenos Aires ARG, rd 17, Jul-18
Benoni Defense: Classical Variation. General (A70) 1-0
August 06, 1960 Let's Play Chess by William Oaker, The Montreal Star, Quebec, Canada
Chess 06 Aug 1960, Sat The Montreal Star (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) Newspapers.com
Let's Play Chess
U.S. Victorious Over Red Bloc In World Student Tourney by William Oaker
The United States emerged in first place ahead of the Soviet Union in the 1960 World Students' Team Tournament, in Leningrad.
The Americans, led by former World Junior Champion William Lombardy edged out the Russian team by a slim point-and-a-half in this 13 round event.
Fourteen teams of four players took part. In third place was Yugoslavia, followed by Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Rumania, and East Germany. Had it not been for the US team the event would have been completely dominated by teams from communist bloc countries.
Final scores and standings are as follows; United States, 41-11;
Soviet Union, 39½-12½;
Yugoslavia, 37-15;
Czechoslovakia, 31½-20½;
Bulgaria, 31-21;
Rumania, 30-22;
East Germany, 28½-23½;
Netherlands, 25½-26½;
Hungary, 25-27;
England, 23½-28½;
Mongolia, 16-36;
Sweden, 16-36;
Finland, 10-42;
and Belgium 96-42½
The American team was made up of William Lombardy, Charles Kalme, Raymond Weinstein, Edmar Mednis, and Anthony Saidy. Both Lombardy and Kalme went through undefeated winning 12 games and allowing only one draw. Weinstein scored 8½-2½, Mednis, 4-2 and Saidy, 4½-2½.
It is interesting to note that this team could have been strengthened by the addition of United States Champion Grandmaster Bobby Fischer.
This victory marks the first time that an American team has been able to win this event during the many years it has been held.
How Good Are You?
FEN 1R6/2ppq2p/4p3/8/3N4/k7/2K4B/8 w - - 0 1
White to Play and Win
The purpose here is not to checkmate but simply to establish a sufficient material advantage that victory is assured. One word of warning: this one is definitely not easy.
August 06, 1960 Chess For All by G. Chesters, Chronicle, Crewe, Cheshire, England
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Chess 06 Aug 1960, Sat Chronicle (Crewe, Cheshire, England) Newspapers.com
Chess For All by G. Chesters
Chess Players the world over are following with interest and surprise the tournament now being held in Buenos Aires. It is sponsored by the government to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the revolution which secured Argentine independence.
This tournament is undoubtedly one of the strongest ever held outside the Communist countries. Just take a look at the placings of some famous names after thirteen rounds!
1. S. Reshevsky, with 9 points.
2. Unzicker, (8½)
3.4. Larry Evans and Szabo (8).
5. Korchnoi (U.S.S.R., 7½ 1 adj.)
9. Taimanov (7).
15. Gligoric!!
17. Fischer !!
But the event is by no means over yet. If readers cannot follow its progress in a newspaper I advise them to tune in to Network Three on a Monday night to the half-hour chess programme.
August 06, 1960 The Chronicle, Chess For All, By G. Chesters, Nantwich, Cheshire, England
Chess 06 Aug 1960, Sat The Chronicle (Nantwich, Cheshire, England) Newspapers.com
Chess For All by G. Chesters
Chess Players the world over are following with interest and surprise the tournament now being held in Buenos Aires. It is sponsored by the government to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the revolution which secured Argentine independence.
This tournament is undoubtedly one of the strongest ever held outside the Communist countries. Just take a look at the placings of some famous names after thirteen rounds!
1. S. Reshevsky, with 9 points.
2. Unzicker, (8½)
3.4. Larry Evans and Szabo (8).
5. Korchnoi (U.S.S.R., 7½ 1 adj.)
9. Taimanov (7).
15. Gligoric!!
17. Fischer !!
But the event is by no means over yet. If readers cannot follow its progress in a newspaper I advise them to tune in to Network Three on a Monday night to the half-hour chess programme.
July 31, 1960 Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph Chess by T.M. Cherington
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Chess 31 Jul 1960, Sun Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) Newspapers.com
Buenos Aires Tourney Reveals Leaders Close
By T. M. Cherington, Chess Editor
How shallow is the high plateau of chess Mastery is revealed by the results of the Buenos Aires Invitational Chess Tournament which attracted National champions from the great chess centers of this mortal coil.
Of the 20 entrants, 17 were crowded into a 22 per cent point spread. Of 19 games played, 3 divided first place from tenth and only 1 game separated eleventh from seventeenth.
In the order of their achievements, with plus points; Sam Reshevsky of the United States and Victor Korchnoi Champion of Russia, 13 each; Laszlo Szabo, Hungary, 12; then a four way draw among Larry Evans, U.S.A., Carlos Guimard and Hector Rossetto both of the Argentine, and Mark Taimanov of the U.S.S.R. with 11; Wolfgang Unzicker, West Germany and Fridrik Olafssen, Iceland, 10½; Svetozar Gligoric of Yugoslavia, 10; Pal Benko, U.S.A. and Wolfgang Uhlmann, E. Germany, 9.
Then followed by another 4, Fischer, U.S.A., Boris Ivkov, Pachman, Czechoslovakia and Bernardo Wexler, Argentina at 8½, Erich Eliskases, Argentina 8; Oswaldo Bazan, Argentina, 6; Richard Wade of New Zealand and Albert Foguelman of the Argentine sharing last with 5½, not a discredible score in such company.
July 31, 1960 Boston Globe, Chess Notebook by Lyman Burgess
Chess 31 Jul 1960, Sun The Boston Globe (Boston, Massachusetts) Newspapers.com
Last Spring Bobby Fischer staged a dogged race against time and finally overtook Boris Spassky in the final round of the famous Mar del Plata (Argentina) tournament. This month Spassky's compatriot, Victor Korchnoi, Soviet champion, after a slow start, chased Samuel Reshevsky, Fischer's countryman, and finally overhauled veteran Sam at the wire. Reshevsky and Korchnoi tied for first place in the elite Buenos Aires tournament 13-6. Reshevsky final record showed 8 wins, 10 draws and one defeat. The loss was to Larry Evans, New York, in the first round. Korchnoi won 9 drew 8 and lost to Hector Rossetto and Richard Wade. Wade finished last in the tourney and scored only 5½ points.
Laszlo Szabo, Hungary was third, (12-7); Evans Carlos Guimard, Rossetto, and Mark Taimanov, tied for fourth with 11-8.
Major disappointment of the meet was the poor showing of Bobby Fischer who posted his first minus score (8½-10½) since his baby days when he was a mere 13 instead of a mature 17.
The entry list comprised 14 grandmaster and six masters. Two of the lowly masters made the prize list ahead of eight games.
Here is the upset of the tournament.
Robert Wade vs Viktor Korchnoi
Buenos Aires (1960), Buenos Aires ARG, rd 10, Jul-05
Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense. Modern Gambit (D06) 1-0
July 30, 1960 Let's Play Chess by William Oaker, The Montreal Star, Quebec, Canada
Chess 30 Jul 1960, Sat The Montreal Star (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) Newspapers.com
Let's Play Chess
U.S., Russians Fight Hard In Major World Events
By William Oaker
Victor Korchnoi, Soviet champion and Sammy Reshevsky, many times holder of the US championship tied for first in the Buenos Aires international chess tournament.
Except for the first few rounds Reshevsky had led throughout the 19-round event. Time and again others threatened him but they were forced back. From the 14th round on however, it was obvious who America's chief threat would be when Korchnoi pulled within half a point of the lead and hung there, matching Reshevsky point for point. It was only in the last round that Korchnoi drew level.
Reshevsky won eight games, lost one (to fellow American Larry Evans), and drew 10. Korchnoi won nine games, lost two (to Hector Rossetto of Argentina and Richard Wade of new Zealand), and drew eight.
Laszlo Szabo of Hungary, who scored 12-7, was second. Other scores and standings:
Evans, United States, Guimard, Argentina, Rossetto, Argentina and Taimanov, Soviet Union, each 11-8;
Olafsson, Iceland, and Unzicker, Germany, 10½-8½;
Gligoric, Yugoslavia 10-9;
Benko, United States and Uhlmann, Germany, each 9-10;
Fischer, United States, Ivkov, Yugoslavia, Pachman, Czechoslovakia and Wexler, Argentina each 8½-10½;
Eliskases, Argentina, 8-11;
Foguelman, Argentina and Wade, New Zealand, 5½-13½;
Bazan, Argentina, 6-13.
Leningrad Struggle
An American and a Russian student's team are having a similar chess battle in Leningrad. Fourteen countries are entered in the World Students' team championship which has turned into a USA-USSR battle with the Soviet team leading by a point after eight rounds.
GOOD ARE YOU?
FEN k4r2/1R4pb/1pQp1n1p/3P4/5p1P/3P2P1/r1q1R2K/8 w - - 0 1
White to Play and Win
The solution is short and to the point.
1. RxNQNP dis.ch. QxQ
2. RxRch!
And white mates next move.
Solution:
1. Rxb6+ Qxc6
2. Rxa2+ Qa4
3. Rxa4#
Scores and standings are as follows:
Soviet Union, 26-6;
United States, 25-7;
Yugoslavia, 22½-9½;
Czechoslovakia, 19-13;
East Germany, 16½-11½;
England, 16-12;
Bulgaria, 15½-12½
Rumania, 15-17;
Netherlands, 12-16;
Mongolia, 8½-19½;
Belgium, 7½-20½;
Sweden, 6-26;
Finland, 5-19.
July 24, 1960 Boston Globe, Chess Notebook by Lyman Burgess
Chess 24 Jul 1960, Sun The Boston Globe (Boston, Massachusetts) Newspapers.com
Chess Notebook
By LYMAN BURGESS
Geoffrey Goldstein, Everett, won the 1960 tournament of the Cambridge Y.M.C.A. Goldstein's 7-1 score (six wins and two draws) put him half a point above George Proll, Cambridge. David Scheffer, Cambridge, scored 5-3 which was good for third place just above David Ames, Quincy.
Wesley Drew, Somerville, director of the tournament, writes: “The thing I am most pleased about is the fact that not one forfeit was recorded. … Perhaps the success of this tournament, that ran for nine weeks, proves that players will take seriously a tournament that runs more than a weekend.” Mr. Drew is so heartened by this success that he is planning a Summer tournament next year.
Richard Vincent, Cambridge, won the Class B (an 8-round Swiss) 8-0. Second place went to Prof. J. A. Coolidge (5½-2½), and George Vazakas (5-3) was third.
Mikhail Tal, world chess champion, says of Robert Fischer: “A very gifted player. Nobody else at the age of 16 has knocked on the door of the world championship. Perhaps he doesn't play as well as he thinks he does, but there is no question he will go far. . . .But Bobby should read a lot more literature and not only about chess. Right now he is the most glamorous figure in chess, because of his extreme youth, but if he doesn't watch out he will, with time, stop being a prodigy and become just an ordinary genius.”
In the second issue of O. A Lester's “The Annotator” the feature game is a correspondence effort of Bart Gould's. It is a Morra gambit, an off-shoot of the Sicilian and a sort of left-handed semi-Danish. Of the Morro Lester says: “…a line in which White gives up a pawn to get some open lines, a superior position in the center and a worried look on his opponent's face. Generally speaking, there are three methods of combating such an opening. One way and this is the plan that Black adopts is to take the material and try to keep it, hoping that the pressure White will get can be minimized by careful defensive play. Usually this is a very difficult procedure. Another way is to refuse the material and go on with one's own plans instead. This is a good method and much safer for Black. Still a third method is to take the material and then proceed to give it right back in order to make freeing moves. This, too, is a very satisfactory way to handle gambits.
#294. Sicilian Defense
Bartlett Gould (white) vs. H. Carr (black)
Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted
July 23, 1960 Let's Play Chess by William Oaker, The Montreal Star, Quebec, Canada
Chess 23 Jul 1960, Sat The Montreal Star (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) Newspapers.com
Let's Play Chess
Reshevsky Keeps Slim Lead In Buenos Aires Tournament
By William Oaker
United States Grandmaster Sammy Reshevsky continues to cling tenaciously to his lead in the Buenos Aires International Tournament with only two rounds remaining to be played.
During the last four rounds Victor Korchnoi, U.S.S.R. champion, has put on a tremendous drive, only to have the stubborn American match him point for point, and thus cling to his slim half-point lead.
It now looks as though only Reshevsky and Korchnoi have a chance to win the tourney, although, Laszlo Szabo, of Hungary, has a bare mathematical chance, as does Larry Evans, another American Grandmaster.
Standings and scores after 17 rounds are as follows:
Reshevsky, United States, 12-5;
Korchnoi, Soviet Union, 11½-5½;
Szabo, Hungary, 10½-6½;
Olafsson, Iceland, 10-7;
Evans, United States, and Taimanov, Soviet Union, 9½-6½;
Guimard, Argentina, 9½-7½;
Unzicker, Germany, 9-7;
Rossetto, Argentina, 9-8;
Gligoric, Yugoslavia, and Uhlmann, Germany, 8½-8½;
Pachman, Czechoslovakia, 8-9;
Wexler, Argentina, 7½-8½
Fischer and Benko, both of United States, 7½-9½;
Ivkov, Yugoslavia, 7-9;
Eliskases, Argentina, 7-10;
Foguelman, Argentina, 5½-11½;
Wade, New Zealand, 5-13;
and Bazan, Argentina, 4½-11½.
Both Taimanov and Evans have adjourned games. Taimanov must complete his game against Unzicker and the position is thought to be drawish. Evans is a pawn ahead against Wexler and is thought to have good chances of winning which would tie him with Szabo.
How Good Are You?
FEN k4r2/1R4pb/1pQp1n1p/3P4/5p1P/3P2P1/r1q1R2K/8 w - - 0 1
White to Play and Win
There are interesting psychological factors in chess and this position is a good example. Let us put it this way: we expect you will be surprised at how simple the solution is once you see it. But, for some strange reason, a number of good players have looked at it long and hard without being able to crack it. On the other hand, I have seen somewhat lesser players grasp the solution almost instantly. Remember, it really is quite simple.
Solution:
1. Rxb6+ Qxc6
2. Rxa2+ Qa4
3. Rxa4#
July 17, 1960 Los Angeles Times Chess by Isaac Kashdan
Chess by Isaac Kashdan 17 Jul 1960, Sun The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com
Chess by Isaac Kashdan
Reshevsky Retains Lead in Argentina
Playing steadily and forcefully, Samuel Reshevsky of Spring Valley, N. Y., has scored 10½-4½ to retain a precarious lead after 15 rounds of the International Masters' Tournament in Buenos Aires, according to a New York Times report.
Reshevsky, former U.S. titleholder and for some years known as champion of the western hemisphere, drew with Wolfgang Uhlmann of East Germany in the 15th round. Previously he had defeated Bernardo Wexler of Argentina with a brilliant checkmating combination.
Victor Korchnoi of Russia is in second place with a tally of 10-5. Korchnoi won from Boris Ivkov of Yugoslavia after drawing with Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn, youthful U.S. champion who has been trailing in the tournament.
Larry Evans, also a former U.S. champion, is in a triple tie for third place at 9-6 with Laszlo Szabo of Russia and Mark Taimanov of Russia.
July 17, 1960 Boston Globe, Chess Notebook by Lyman Burgess
Chess 17 Jul 1960, Sun The Boston Globe (Boston, Massachusetts) Newspapers.com
Chess Notebook
By Lyman Burgess
Bobby Fischer, U.S. chess champion, is having his first “bad” tournament at Buenos Aires. He dropped seven points in his first 11 games. According to the New York Times, Bobby, playing the Black side of a King's Indian, blundered and lost in 22 moves to Wolfgang Unzicker. But Samuel Reshevsky has been in the lead or among the leaders all the way so far.
David Ames, Quincy, has submitted this miniature endgame for your pleasure. Unfortunately he failed to identify the composer. The position: White K at K3; B at Kr3; P at KR5. Black K at Kl. White to play and win. All you have to do is hold the pawn while you keep the Black King out of the corner (KR1).
The second World Correspondence Championship went to V. Ragozin, Russian grandmaster, with a score of 11-3. L. Endselins, Australia, and Lothar Schmidt, West Germany, placed second and third respectively on a tie-break. Each had scored 10½-3½. A. Lundqvist, Sweden, 9½-4½, was fourth.
The State Department has taken a hand in sponsoring the U.S. students' team in Leningrad this month.
Former World Champion Max Euwe made a flying trip to Milwaukee to lecture on the recent Tal-Botvinnik match. Ernest Olfe is quoted as saying: “Dr. Euwe could not say enough about the chess enthusiasm here” (Milwaukee).
Here is the solution to the endgame position given above. Before you read it make an honest effort to solve. 1. B-K6, K-K2; 2. P-R6, K-B3!; 3. B-B5, K-B2; 4. B-R7! B-B3! 5. K-B4! K-B2; 6. K-B5, K-K2; 7. K-N6 K-B; 8. K-B6, K-K; 9. K-N7 and wins.
David Ames defeated Richard Long in the 1957 Junior Correspondence Championship finals. Although the tournament bears a 1957 date this game is probably quite recent because that's how the world is in correspondence chess.
293. SICILIAN DEFENSE
David Ames (white) vs. Richard Long (black)
Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Classical Variation
July 16, 1960 Let's Play Chess by William Oaker, The Montreal Star, Quebec, Canada
Chess 16 Jul 1960, Sat The Montreal Star (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) Newspapers.com
Let's Play Chess
Reshevsky Still Rolls Along While Others Come and Go
By William Oaker
Sammy Reshevsky, the diminutive Grandmaster from the United States, once one of the most feared tournament players in the world is generally considered a “has been”. But you would never know it from his first place landing after 13 rounds in the Buenos Aires International Tournament.
Despite having lost in the first round of this 20-player event, Sammy jumped into the lead and continues to surprise everyone by tenaciously staying there.
Another American Grandmaster, Larry Evans, who defeated Reshevsky in the first round fought it out for first place for a few rounds but has gradually slipped to tie for fourth spot.
Come and Go
Wolfgang Unzicker, of Germany, also shared the lead temporarily but has also been forced to drop a half point behind. They come and they go, but Sammy just keeps on rolling along. His latest threat is in the form of Victor Korchnoi, Champion of the Soviet Union, who has struggled up out of the pack where too many draws in the early rounds had mired him. He is now tied with Unzicker only a half point behind the front-running New Yorker. Korchnoi will not be pushed aside so easily, however. Anyone who wins the Soviet title head of Keres, Smyslov, Bronstein, Petrosian, Spassky, and company, is going to be a tough man to handle.
Scores and standings after 13 rounds are as follows:
Reshevsky, United States, 9-4;
Korchnoi, Soviet Union, and Unzicker, Germany, 8½-4½;
Evans, United States, and Szabo Hungary 8-5;
Olafsson, Iceland, Rossetto, Argentina, and Uhlmann, Germany, 7½-5½;
Guimard, Argentina, and Taimanov, Soviet Union, 7-6;
Ivkov, Yugoslavia, 6½-6½;
Benko, United States, Gligoric, Yugoslavia, Pachman, Czechoslovakia and Wexler, Argentina, 6-7;
Fischer, United States and Eliskases, Argentina, 5-8;
Foguelman, Argentina 4½-8½;
Bazan, Argentina, 4-9;
and Wade, New Zealand, 2½-10½.
It is an impressive testimony to the strength of this event that three players Benko, Gligoric, and Fischer, Grandmasters all, a few short months ago were among those chosen as having a chance to become the future world champion. There are six rounds to go.
How Good Are You?
FEN r1b2rk1/ppp3b1/7p/3P2pq/2PB4/1P2Q1P1/P4nKP/R3RNN1 w - - 0 1
The blow that should lower the white flag in this position curiously enough, is one of the more obvious moves on the board.
1. BxB!
Simple, but strong. We will spare white the torture of what happens if he does not take the bishop back. Besides being a piece down white will have to look down the barrel of a discovered check. The reader may choose his own form of massive. Not so obvious however, is the result after
2. … QxB
The refutation is very economical: a mate in three moves.
2. … B-R6 ch!
3. NxB Q-B6 ch
4. K-N1 Q-R8 mate
1. any Bxd4
2. Qxd4 Bh3+
3. Nxh3 Qf3+
4. Kg1 Nxh3#
July 10, 1960 Boston Globe, Chess Notebook by Lyman Burgess
Chess 10 Jul 1960, Sun The Boston Globe (Boston, Massachusetts) Newspapers.com
Chess Notebook
By LYMAN BURGESS
In the midst of the controversy centered around Mikhail Tal's fitness for the world championship, before a rematch with Botvinnik has been arranged, the inexorable mills of the FIDE are busily grinding a new challenger. Two important zonal tournaments have already concluded—the Eastern European zonal in Budapest, and Western European Zonal in Madrid.
In Budapest, Gideon Barcza of Hungary won and became the only outright qualifier for the interzonal. Mario Bertok of Yugoslavia, I. Bilek of Hungary, T. J. van Scheltinga of Holland, and Alexander Matanovic of Holland, and Alexander Matanovic of Yugoslavia, all scored 10-5. There will be a playoff among these four to determine two other qualifying places.
At Madrid the final was even more inconclusive. Four players tied for first place— J. Donner of Holland, Gligoric of Yugoslavia, A. Palmer of Spain, and L. Portisch of Hungary. Another playoff will be necessary.
FIDE rules concerning zonal and interzonal tournaments are in a constant state of flux. Whatever new rulings are in effect this year, the result is confusing. P. Clarke, the young English master played in the Eastern European zonal; one Dutchman played in the Eastern another in the Western; to say nothing of some Hungarians and Yugoslavians who divided places in both tournaments.
According to the new rules the U.S.A. will be allowed to qualify three for the next interzonal. The American zonal is the U.S. championship tournament.
O. A. “Bud” Lester, Jr., of West Newbury, New England's outstanding theoreticians, has finally finished the Achilles bit and has come out to rejoin the simmering chess world. Lester will attempt 30 simultaneous chess games while blindfolded. He'll probably do it, too; he has already succeeded with 15.
To underscore his enthusiasm for chess, Lester has produced a club periodical for the Merrimac Valley Chess Club. The pamphlet is called “The Annotator.”
Not only does Lester annotate games, he annotates people, too. Witness the comment on one of Margaret Gould's games: “Peggy gave away a pawn early in her game but when the open position obtained led to a win for her, she insisted it was a 'calculated mistake.'
The Buenos Aires tournament has been a Donneybrook from the start. No one can seem to dominate and the lead moves from player to player. Fischer started slowly- and Evans broke fast.
But the real news is the inability of the two Russian representatives to dominate the field. For so many years it seemed the mere appearance of a Russian master took care of first prize—or so it seemed. To see now two top flight Soviet masters getting their lumps from somewhat less than topflight “Westerners” is soothing. Carlos Guimard, Argentine, was the winner.
292. King's Indian Defense
Carlos Guimard vs Mark Taimanov
Buenos Aires (1960), Buenos Aires ARG, rd 2, Jun-24
Torre Attack: Fianchetto Defense. Euwe Variation (A48) 1-0
July 09, 1960 Let's Play Chess by William Oaker, The Montreal Star, Quebec, Canada
Chess 09 Jul 1960, Sat The Montreal Star (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) Newspapers.com
Let's Play Chess
'Over The Hill' Champion Leading In Buenos Aires
By William Oaker
United States Grandmaster Sammy Reshevsky has dramatically leaped into the lead, after 10 rounds, in the Buenos Aires International Tournament.
The former United States champion, whom many consider “over the hill” as far as top-flight international competition is concerned, is top man, with a score of 7-3, despite having given the field a handicap by losing his first round game.
He is closely followed by another former United States champ, Larry Evans, who has a score of 6½-3½. It was Evans who was responsible for Reshevsky's only loss. Evans, like Reshevsky, is considered to be playing way over his predicted form.
Two other players who are not playing to form, but in a dramatically different way, are incumbent United States champ, 17-year-old Bobby Fischer and Grandmaster Svetozar Gligoric, of Yugoslavia. Fischer has been only able to garner 3½-5½, with one adjourned game, and Gligoric has only managed 4-6. Fischer is thought to have the better position in his adjourned game.
Mark Taimanov, of the USSR would also have to be considered as below par, with only 4½-4½, with one adjourned game. His compatriot, Victor Korchnoi, the present Soviet champion, however, is only one point behind the leader, Reshevsky.
Standings and scores after 10 rounds are as follows:
Reshevsky, United States, 7-3;
Evans, United States, 6½-3½;
Olafsson, Iceland, Unzicker, Germany, each 6-4;
Pachman, Czechoslovakia, 5½-4½;
Benko, United States, Ivkov, Yugoslavia, each 5-5;
Rossetto, Argentina, Taimanov, Soviet Union, each 4½-4½;
Guimard, Argentina, Wexler, Argentina, 4½-5½;
Eliskases, Argentina, Gligoric, Yugoslavia, 4-6;
Fischer, United States, 3½-5½;
Foguelman, Argentina, 3-5;
Bazan, Argentina, 2½-6½;
Wade, New Zealand, 2-8.
In case there is anyone who might be inclined to forecast an eventual winner of this most exciting chess tournament in decades, remember, there are still nine rounds to go.
We cautioned last week that a good chess player should not jump to conclusions. It seems that a number took my advice and found a nice hole in my analysis. Permit me to hasten to say that those who wrote and telephoned are absolutely right.
The black rook should be on Q5 instead of QB5. We regret the error, which was not of our making. Many thanks for the kind things said as well as the criticism.
I understand that one reader is discouraged that the positions given are always in white's favor. This is merely traditional. However, in the interest of keeping everyone happy, we offer the following. Black is to play and win. White does not necessarily have to be checkmate, but after black gets through with him, he'll wish he had been.
FEN r1b2rk1/ppp3b1/7p/3P2pq/2PB4/1P2Q1P1/P4bKP/R3RNN1 w - - 0 1
Black to play and Win.
July 03, 1960 Boston Globe, Chess Notebook by Lyman Burgess
Chess 03 Jul 1960, Sun The Boston Globe (Boston, Massachusetts) Newspapers.com
Chess Notebook
By LYMAN BURGESS
Along about early May the Argentine Chess Federation announced a super international chess tournament in celebration of the 150th anniversary of Argentine independence. The tournament is now in progress and, although many of the most important of the original invitees failed to accept, the entry list is quite distinguished and the tourney should be one of the most memorable events of the year.
Tal, Botvinnik, Smyslov, and Petrosian, all Russians, are regretfully absent. U.S.S.R. is represented quite ably by Mark Taimanov and Victor Korchnoi. Larry Evans, Samuel Reshevsky, and Bobby Fischer, Americans all, are competing as is Pal Benko, a resident of New York though stateless. Stars from Iceland, New Zealand, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, East and West Germany, and, of course, Argentina round out the list of 20.
William Lombardy, Boston, rejected an invitation to the Buenos Aires master meeting apparently to lead the U.S. team in the World Student Team championship tournament at Leningrad beginning July 12. Charles Kalme, U. of Penn.; Edmar Mednis, N.Y.U.; Raymond Weinstein, Brooklyn College; and Anthony Saidy, Cornell Medical, complete the American batting order. Mr. Lombardy is a student at St. Philip Neri Seminary.
The New York Times says U.S. hopes are bright to capture the student team championship. Bulgaria won last year and this untoward happenstance caused merry hob-raising in certain Soviet circles with crash programs for fostering 24 karat geniuses espoused in all seriousness. An American victory might be a sort of sputnik in reverse.
The 15th U.S. Junior championship will be held at the Log Cabin Chess Club, West Orange, N.J., July 29 to Aug. 5.
Some time ago a Reshevsky-Benko match was announced. Both players, as noted above are busily engaged in Argentina, but the sponsoring group, the Manhattan Chess Club, still insists the games will be played. Significantly no dates have been announced.
Incidentally, Benko is the new champion of the Manhattan Club.
Bobby Fischer lost one game a Mar del Plata early in the tournament, then spent the rest of the schedule chasing the man who beat him and finally catching him, Spassky, at the wire. Here is Bobby loss, a gambit yet.
#291. King's Gambit.
Boris Spassky vs Robert James Fischer
Mar del Plata (1960), Mar del Plata ARG, rd 2, Mar-30
King's Gambit: Accepted. Kieseritsky Gambit Rubinstein Variation (C39) 1-0
Pfc. Arthur Feuerstein, New York, odds-on favorite, and Capt. John Hudson each scored 10-1 in the Armed Forces chess championship at Washington last month. Hudson was the 1956 U.S. amateur champion. A measure of the co-champions qualifications: they finished four points ahead of the field.
July 02, 1960 Let's Play Chess by William Oaker, The Montreal Star, Quebec, Canada
Chess 02 Jul 1960, Sat The Montreal Star (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) Newspapers.com
Let's Play Chess
Former U.S. Champion Takes Early Lead at Buenos Aires
By William Oaker
Former United States Champion Larry Evans has taken an early lead in the star-studded international tournament now being held in Buenos Aires.
The amiable young man from California, who will be best remembered by Montrealers when he won the Canadian Open Championship in this city in 1956, showed early that he means business.
In round one he defeated fellow American Sammy Reshevsky. This was followed by two long draws, one against Grandmaster Fridrik Olafsson of Iceland. In round four he defeated Hector Rossetto, of Argentina. His score stands at 3-1.
Five Close Behind
Close behind is famed Bobby Fischer with 2½-1½, who is bracketed with five others; Foguelman, of Argentina; Gligoric, of Yugoslavia; Pachman, of Czechoslovakia; Szabo, of Hungary; and Unzicker, of Germany. All have 2½-1½.
Bracketed with scores of 2-2 are: Benko, of the United States; Guimard, of Argentina; Ivkov, of Yugoslavia; Olafsson, of Iceland; Uhlmann, of Germany; and Wexler, of Argentina.
With scores of 1½-1½, and adjourned game, are Korchnoi, of the Soviet Union; Bazan, of Argentina; and Taimanov, of the Soviet Union. The results of their adjourned games could put these players among the leaders.
Next is Reshevsky, of the United States, with 1-1. This means the Grandmaster, once rated the strongest player outside the Soviet Union, has two unfinished games, and will probably stand much higher when they are completed. He is followed by Eliskases, of Argentina, with 1-3; Wade, of New Zealand, with ½-3½; and Rossetto, of Argentina, with 0-4.
It is impossible to foresee how this event may end up. There is not a single player taking part who is not capable of upsetting any other player.
How Good Are You?
FEN 1R6/2pk4/1P6/8/2r5/K7/P7/8 w - - 0 1
White to Play and Win
This position is instructive in that a person who jumps to conclusions will invariably get it wrong. At first, it looks difficult. Then it looks easy. Then, if one looks a little harder, it looks hard again. Finally, all the pieces fall into place and the win can be seen.
Set up the position and bear with the following analysis, and you will see what I mean.
I received the following solution from a reader. I read as follows:
1. R-Q8ch! KxR
2. P-N7!
“The pawn cannot be stopped from queening,” he said, “and white should win easily.”
Now, all this looks quite clever and neat, and if you look at it for a moment, you will see that he is quite right. But, is he?
A friend of mine looked this over and refuted the solution as follows:
2. … R-QN5!
This stops the pawn from queening, and if 3. KxR, then 3. … P-B4ch! 4. KxP, K-B2, and a little thought will prove to you that the position is indeed a draw.
If you think about this for a while, you will see that my friend is, indeed, right. He then set about looking for an entirely new way of finding a win for white from the given position. Eventually, he decided that the problem was wrong, and that white could not win at all. He did not, however, look far enough.
The solution is as follows:
1. R-Q8ch! KxR
2. P-N7! R-N5!
3. KxR P-B4ch!
4. K-N5!! K-B2
5. K-R6
And now we can see that white will either queen far ahead of black and or win as follows:
5. … K-N1
6. K-N6 P-B5
7. P-R4 P-B6
8. P-R5 P-B7
9. P-R6 P-B8(Q)
10. P-R7 checkmate.
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'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: Tweets by swilkinsonbc |
 “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.
March 9, 1943 - January 17, 2008The 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.
