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Chess Notebook by Lyman Burgess
Bobby Fischer won the United States chess championship for the fourth successive year in New York Jan. 4. Fischer scored 9-2 (seven wins and four draws) to top an elite field of 12 of America's leading masters.
William Lombardy was second. Raymond Weinstein took third prize by defeating Samuel Reshevsky in the final round. This loss dropped Reshevsky into a three-way tie for fourth place; to my knowledge this is the humblest final placing for the veteran in this series which dates back to 1936.
Final standings: 1, Fischer 9-2; Lombardy 7-4; Weinstein 6½-4½; 4-6, Bisguier, Reshevsky and Sherwin 6-5; 7, Kalme 5-6; 8-11, Benko, Berliner, Byrne, and Saidy 4½-6½; 12, Sedman 2½-8½.
International Chess Federation (FIDE) declared Fischer, Lombardy, and Weinstein had qualified for the next interzonal tournament.