The Philadelphia Inquirer Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Sunday, April 26, 1964 - Page 16
Chess Buffs to Meet Master
Chess buffs who would like to compete against an international grandmaster will have the opportunity Sunday, May 3, at the Cheltenham Art Center, 437 Ashbourne Rd.
Bobby Fischer, U. S. chess champion, who at 19 is considered one of the greatest masters, will be at the center at 2 P. M.
After a lecture on the fine points of the game, he will exhibit his skill against 70 opponents.
Fischer is famous for his skill and his temperament. In 1961, when he was 16 years old he failed to arrive for the 12th game in a tournament with challenger Samuel Reshevsky.
His reason was that “11 A. M. is too early to play chess.”
[EDIT: The real reason, the organizers broke the rules. See attachment.]
The lecture and exhibition at the Cheltenham Center is part of a tour Fischer is making to raise funds to take part in the competition for the world championship. It currently is held by a Russian, Tigran Petrosian.
If successful in his bid for the world title, Fischer would be the first American world champion in more than 100 years.
TITLE TAKEN
At the age of 12 Fischer was considered a chess “prodigy.” Two years later he had taken the U. S. title and has held it through five successive competitions.
He is considered by many experts to be one of the greatest masters in the history of chess.
Reservations can be made at the center to compete with Fischer or for attendance at the lecture and exhibition.
