Hartford Courant Hartford, Connecticut Thursday, March 05, 1964 - Page 37
3 State Players Defeat Fischer, U.S. Chess Champ
Three Connecticut chess players had the rare treat of beating the U.S. champion chess player, Bobby Fischer, when he swept into Connecticut Tuesday for a one-day mass tournament in Hartford.
The 20-year-old angry young man of the chess world, gave a brief lecture and then took on, simultaneously, 58 of the best players in the area. He won 54 of the games, lost three and drew one.
Two members of the Hartford Chess Club, which sponsored Fischer's visit, and one New Haven man beat him. They were Dr. Joseph Platz of East Hartford and Lawrence Noderer of Windsor. The New Haven man was unidentified. Irving Pierce, of Hartford, had the lone draw.
Many agree with Fischer's statement that there is no one in the world who can beat him in a regular tournament. Winning in one of the simultaneous - play tournaments is thus hardly the same thing as beating Fischer in a single head-on match. But the experience of beating him at all, anywhere, is exhilarating for local players.
Fischer is on a whirlwind tour of the country before going to the world championships in June. He played 50 players in a tournament in Westerly, Rhode Island. Sunday night and 54 players in Fitchburg, Mass., Monday night. He lost one game in Westerly and five in Fitchburg.
