Tel Aviv Chess Olympics

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The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Sunday, August 16, 1964 - Page 87

Tel Aviv Chess Olympics
The major international chess event of the year will be the Chess Olympics, to be held in Tel Aviv, Israel, from Nov. 2 to 23. Teams from at least 40 countries are expected to participate.
Every effort is being made to have the United States represented by the strongest team possible. Your editor, who on a number of previous occasions has been captain of the American team, will again hold that position.
The first board clearly belongs to U.S. champion Bobby Fischer, who, although barely 21 years old, has long been in the forefront of the world grandmasters. His feat of winning the last American championship with a score of 11-0 was a phenomenal achievement.
Another virtual certainty for a place on the team is former U.S. champion Samuel Reshevsky. In the recent Interzonal Tournament Reshevsky just failed to qualify for next year's candidates' Tournament, after making a fine showing.
Others being considered are Pal Benko, Arthur B. Bisguier, Robert Byrne, Larry Evans, William Lombardy and Dr. Anthony F. Saidy. The team will consist of six players, of whom will compete in each match against another country.
We are in hopes this time of breaking the streak of the Russian chess stars, who have won the Chess Olympics six times in succession, every two years from 1952 through 1962.
Before the war the American team gained four successive victories from 1931 to 1937. Our best record since was second place in 1960.

Olympic Chess Tour
A chess tour is being organized for devotees who wish to accompany our team to Israel and also visit some of the great chess centers of Europe.
Members of the tour will have a unique opportunity to meet practically all the world grandmasters they have heard and read about, to see them in action, and to play with some of them in simultaneous exhibitions or casual games.
Your editor, who will be leading the tour, will arrange for masters to discuss some of the outstanding games, new openings or anything else of interest that may come up during the Olympics.
After witnessing the final rounds in Israel, we will visit Rome, Zurich, Paris and London. In each city a number of chess events are being arranged, in addition to the sight-seeing rounds.
There will be lectures, exhibitions, matches between members of our group and the local masters and experts. We will the leading chess clubs and get an idea of the great popularity of chess in Europe.
The tour will be on a round-trip basis from New York. Anyone interested can obtain a brochure with full details by writing to Chess Editor, Los Angeles Times.

Fischer's Gambit

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The Gazette Montreal, Quebec, Quebec, Canada Saturday, November 28, 1964 - Page 46

Fischer's Gambit
I. Kashdan, captain of the USA team in the Chess Olympics at Tel Aviv, says in the Los Angeles “Times”: “Missing from the team is Bobby Fischer, undoubtedly the greatest chess genius of the age, but sadly unpredictable. Earlier this year he had agreed to play, but apparently changed his mind, without stating any reason.”
L. Barden in “Manchester Guardian” says that Bobby asked a $5,000 fee to play. There are no cash prizes in this tourney and never have been. Only medals and honors, and a trophy for the winning team. In this sense it is amateur, but there is no discrimination between amateur and pro in chess and a number of pros have been enlisted to strengthen teams in the past. Who pays their fee, if any, has never been disclosed. It was probably privately arranged. It was widely published that a $15,000 fund was being sought to send the USA team. This is far in excess of traveling expense, and with hospitality provided by the host country, what happened to the rest of the fund, if fully subscribed? However, a $5,000 fee seems much too high for any individual member.

South Africa, Chess Olympics in Tel Aviv

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The Boston Globe Boston, Massachusetts Sunday, November 01, 1964 - Page 103

South Africa, Chess Olympics in Tel Aviv
This column has received a letter from the South African player, K. F. Kirby, telling of preparations for the Olympiad in Tel Aviv. The South African players are paying their way to the Olympiad and are even paying for their own attendants to ensure their general comfort. Of course, he asks, will Bobby Fischer play? Unfortunately, Bobby has requested $5000 to play, so in the inevitable absence of a philanthropist who puts such a high premium on his participation, Bobby will not go.

Fischer Participation in U.S. in Chess Olympics, Tel Aviv, Israel

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The Guardian London, Greater London, England Thursday, October 15, 1964 - Page 7

Fischer Participation in U.S. in Chess Olympics, Tel Aviv, Israel
“In contrast, Bobby Fischer looks like keeping up his two-year abstinence from international tournaments. Asked to play for the United States team in next month's Chess Olympics in Israel, Fischer asked $5,000 appearance fee—which the U.S. Chess Federation refused.”

Fischer To Play 50 At Club Del Mar

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The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Sunday, April 19, 1964 - Page 84

Fischer To Play 50 At Club Del Mar
Local chess fans have a final opportunity this afternoon to see U.S. champion Bobby Fischer in action. Starting at 2 p.m. he will tackle 50 opponents in simultaneous play at the Club Del Mar, 1910 Ocean Front, Santa Monica.
If he follows precedent, 21-year-old Fischer will walk continuously around the large room, pausing for a few seconds at each board to make his move. He will take no break, and allow his opponents none, during the three to four hours the exhibition lasts.
Spectators are invited, with no admission charge. They can participate in a question-and-answer period, which will start the proceedings.
One subject of interest is whether Fischer will play in the Interzonal Tournament, scheduled for Amsterdam, Holland, from May 20 to June 25. This is the next step in the three-year cycle to determine a challenger for a world championship match.
Fischer has stated that he will not participate, mainly on the ground that the Russians have dominated the championship play, and that no one else has a fair chance to break through.
Fischer is almost alone in this view. True, there are more Russian grandmasters than those of any other nationality, but no individual has any more chance than any other, according to the present rules.
For Fischer to become world champion, he has to 1 — be one of the top six in the Interzonal; 2 — win several successive matches in the Challengers' series, and 3 — win a match against titleholder Tigran Petrosian.
We are certain Fischer does not lack confidence in his ability. He evidently feels that sometime he will gain a match for the championship without all the preliminaries. This we regard as highly doubtful.
Fischer is by no means giving up international play. He will be on the U.S. team in the World Students' Team Tournament in Cracow, Poland, in July.
He will also be the first board for the US. in the Chess Olympics in Tel Aviv, Israel, in November. This is of particular interest to your editor, who will be captain of our team.
Last Sunday Fischer played simultaneously at the Knickerbocker Hotel, winning 47 games, losing one and drawing two.
The only winner was Donn Rogosin, junior member of the Herman Steiner Chess Club. which sponsored the event. The draws were contributed by another junior, Andy Sacks, and Nicholas Enequist. Both are members of the club.
Fischer had an excellent position in the following game, until he made one of his very few errors on the 23rd move, which lost a bishop.

Chess Champ Vanquishes 47 at Same Time

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The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Monday, April 13, 1964 - Page 2

Chess Champ Vanquishes 47 at Same Time
By Isaac Kashdan, Times Chess Editor
(Caption: Chess Champ Wins 47 — Bobby Fischer, U.S. chess champion makes move during an exhibition match against 50 players in the Knickerbocker Hotel, Hollywood. He won 47 games, lost one, drew two.)

Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn, 21-year-old U.S. chess champion, played against 50 opponents simultaneously Sunday afternoon in the Knickerbocker Hotel in Hollywood.
Fischer moved constantly from board to board, sizing up each position, rarely pausing more than a few seconds before making his move. He won a total of 47 games, lost one, and drew two.
The only one to defeat the grand master was Donn Rogosin, junior member of the Herman Steiner Chess Club, which sponsored the exhibition.

Two Earn Draw
The two people who drew were Andy Sacks and Nicholas Fenquist, also members.
Fischer is on a cross-country tour, with more than 40 exhibitions scheduled. He will appear next Sunday at Club Del Mar in Santa Monica.
The champion said he will play in the World Students Team Tournament in Cracow, Poland, in July.
He will first board for the United States in the Chess Olympics in Tel Aviv, Israel, in November.

Kashdan to Captain Chess Olympic Team and Fischer to Visit Los Angeles

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The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Sunday, February 16, 1964 - Page 78

Kashdan to Captain Chess Olympic Team and Fischer to Visit Los Angeles
“There will be no problem on the first board if U.S. champion Bobby Fischer accepts the position. He has excellent prospects against anyone in the world, at least if he maintains the form which resulted in his 11-0 victory in the recent U.S. title tournament.
Others who are likely to make the team are former champions Samuel Reshevsky, Larry Evans and Arthur B. Bisguier, Pal Benko, William Lombardy, and Dr. Anthony F. Saidy are also good prospects, as well as former team members Donald Byrne, Robert Byrne and Raymond Weinstein.
As to financing, which has been a sad stumbling block in the past, we have high hopes in the dynamic ideas of Maj. Ed Edmondson of Sacramento, president of the USCF, and the support of the other officers and directors of the federation.
We must make every effort this year to break the streak of the USSR, which has won the Chess Olympics six times in succession, every two years from 1952 through 1962.
The best result of the U.S. team in that stretch was second place in 1960, when your editor was team captain. We had better days before the war, gaining four successive victories from 1931 to 1937.

Fischer to Visit L.A.
Bobby Fischer is on a cross-country exhibition tour, and is planning to visit Los Angeles in mid-April. He will be in action on at least two public occasions.
The Club Del Mar, 1910 Ocean Front, Santa Monica, has arranged for a lecture and simultaneous exhibition by Fischer for Sunday, April 19, to start at 2 p.m.
The brilliant young grandmaster will play 50 boards, with a charge of $1 for each participant. Admission is free for spectators. The Club Del Mar is absorbing most of the cost of the event, which accounts for the unusually low fee.
Anyone wishing to play should write to the club, which will select the 50 participants, or call Alexander Bisno at EX. 9-9201.
Fischer will also play simultaneously on Sunday, April 12, with the Herman Steiner Chess Club as sponsor. The details will be announced later.
Following is Fischer's final game with Dr. Anthony Saidy in the recent U.S. Championship Tournament. Fischer had already clinched the title, with the phenomenal score of 10-0.
The game was even throughout the first session, drifting into what seemed a clearly drawn ending. Practically everyone else would have been content, but not Bobby.
When Saidy moved 41 K-Q3, Fischer found a way to break through on the king side. A clever knight maneuver netted a pawn plus for the champion, and the game was his, along with the perfect score.