Divinsky's Chess Charivari

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The Province Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Saturday, January 18, 1964 - Page 66

Divinsky's Chess Charivari
By Dr. N. Divinsky

Bobby Fischer has won the U.S. chess championship for the sixth time. He did it the hard way - he won every game he played!
Eleven straight victories over the cream of American chess is an incredible achievement. Veteran grandmasters like Benko, Bisguier and Reshevsky, young chess giants like Evans, Robert Byrne, Donald Byrne, all went down to defeat.
Fischer, who will be 21 this year, stands in a class by himself. At this point it seems that world champion Tigran Petrosian of Russia is not the best player in the world, and in our opinion the only player who is in Fischer's class is ex-world-champion Mischa Tal of Latvia.
Fischer will probably participate in the inter-zonal tournament this year and will certainly qualify for the challengers' tournament in 1965. If Tal's health is good he may be the only one to prove a serious competitor.
Dr. Barrie Richmond of Winnipeg, now studying in Chicago, visited New York and sent us Fischer's sensational third-round game against Robert Byrne. He included some “live” comment and we are pleased to pass these on to our readers.

White: R. Byrne
Black: B. Fischer
Neo: Gruenfeld defense
1. P-Q4 N-KB3
2. P-QB4 P-KN3
3. P-KN3 P-B3
4. B-N2 P-Q4
5. PxP PxP
6. N-QB3 B-N2
Byrne commented at this point that be had expected this variation. He had read Fischer's recent article in Chess Life and agreed that the symmetric development
7. N-B3, O-O;
8. O-O, N-B3 does not give white any advantage. With this in mind Byrne said be had studied the “Botvinnik” variation of 7. N-R3 (Fifth game of the Botvinnik-Bronstein world championship match; 1951) where white obtained a strong grip on the center with a later N-B4. However in one of the Botvinnik-Bronstein games black retaliated with 7. N-R3, BxN and after 8. BxB black can play P-K3, and the white king bishop is misplaced. Therefore Byrne played:
7. P-K3 O-O
8. KN-K2 N-B3
9. O-O P-QN3
10. P-QN3 B-QR3
11. B-QR3 R-K1
This was a mysterious rook move for Byrne who expected 11…QR-B1 instead. He had played a similar game two weeks previously and the action had occurred on the QB-file.
12. Q-Q2 P-K4!
13. PxP NxP
14. KR-Q1
The black QP, attacked four times and defended only twice, is a dead duck, and besides, white's pieces are well developed. Surely white stands better. (It seems that 14. QR-Q1 would have been much better.)
14… N-Q6!
This caused Byrne to think for half an hour, for he could not see what Fischer could do after
15. Q-B2
See Diagram.
Position after 15…Q-B2

White threatens to win N and B for a rook. If the black N retreats white wins the QP.
15. … NxP!
16. KxN N-N5ch
17. K-N1 NxP
18. Q-Q2
At this point Byrne expected
18 … NxR; and he felt that after
19. RxN he would win the black QP and have two knights for R and P. He certainly didn't feel he had the worst of it.
18. … NxB!
The entire combination is one of surprise, beauty and depth.
19. KxN P-Q5
20. NxP
The only move for it the N at B3 moves, P-Q6 wins. However, most of the analysts, including grandmaster Rossolimo, and Byrne, thought at this point that white stood better and that Fischer, in some mysterious way, had overextended himself.
20 … B-N2ch
See Diagram.
Position after 20…B-N2 ch.

White must now be very careful. If 21. N-B3, QxQch; 22. RxQ, KBxN and black will be the exchange and a pawn up.
If white plays the natural 21. K-N1 then he loses to 21 … BxNch!; 22. QxB, R-K8ch!; 23. K-B2 (if 23. RxR, QxQ), QxQch; 24. RxQ, RxR.
21. K-B1!
Byrne of course, saw all of this as far back as the 15th move.
21 … Q-Q2!
22. Q-KB2 Q-R6ch
23. Resigns.
When Byrne appeared in the open room everyone thought that Fischer had resigned because after 23. K-N1, black is a full piece down.
However after 23. K-N1, R-K8ch1; 24. RxR, BxN; 25. QxB, QN7 mate.
A masterpiece.

Chess: Fischer Kept His Opponents Expecting The Unexpected

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New York Times, New York, New York, Monday, January 20, 1964 - Page 40

Chess: Fischer Kept His Opponents Expecting The Unexpected
Bobby Fischer's versatility in opening play gave him a pregame edge against every opponent in the recent 12-man round-robin United States Championship, which he won without a defeat.
Always expecting the unexpected, his opponents were on the defensive mentally, strategically and tactically.
Fischer's game, on the black side of a closed Sicilian against Donald Byrne, illustrated his ability to capitalize against overly cautious play.
Two long-range weaknesses on White's part highlighted the issue. Note, for example, 13 N-R4. This knight remained at its inconsequential post for the rest of the fray. (Such abortive maneuvers occurred quite frequently in games with Fischer).

White Concedes a Square
Probably White's most questionable play was 14 P-B4. This conceded Black's Q5 to Black. Superficially, Black lost time after 18 … B-N2. The bishop had moved three times, and White, apparently, had control of the queen rook file.
But White, by 19 R-QN1, admitted the potency of the bishop forays.
After 26…P-K4 Black was on top. The exchange of queens and rooks left White with more pawn targets. Above all, White's end-game chances were curtailed by the inadequacy of his minor men. Fischer had no trouble in gaining material, and his passed pawn forced the win of an exchange.
—
Fischer will be presented with the Frank J. Marshall trophy tomorrow night at the Marshall Chess Club, 23 West 10th Street. Cleveland Armory, author and critic, will be the guest speaker.

Fischer Tops Field Here By 3½ Points

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New York Times, New York, New York, Monday, January 06, 1964 - Page 44

Fischer Tops Field Here By 3½ Points
The United States chess champion, Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn, topped his nearest rival by 3½ points after completion of all adjourned games in the 12-man championship round-robin over the weekend here.
Fischer won 11 straight games.
The rest of the field finished in the following order: second, Larry Evans, New York, 7½—3½; third, Pal Benko, New York, 7—4; fourth and fifth, Dr. Anthony Saidy, Puerto Rico, and Sammy Reshevsky, Spring Valley, each 6½—4½; sixth, Robert Byrne, Indianapolis, 5½—5½; seventh, Raymond Weinstein, Brooklyn, 5—6: eight, Arthur Bisguier, New York, 4½—6½; ninth and 10th William Addison, Los Angeles, and Edmar Mednis, New York, each 3½—7½; 11th, Robert Steinmeyer, New York, 3—8; 12th, Donald Byrne, State College, Pa., 2½—8½.
Three 10th-round games were completed at the Henry Hudson Hotel. Robert Byrne resigned to Weinstein without resumption of play, while Benko defeated Mednis when he reduced the position to a pawn ending with a pawn ahead. Reshevsky won from Steinmeyer when the latter could no longer stave off a decisive penetration.
Fischer won $2,000 and Evans $1,250 out of a total of $6,000, shared proportionately by the players.

Fischer Conquers Field In Tourney: He Is First in 70 Years to Match Chess Record

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New York Times, New York, New York, Saturday, January 04, 1964 - Page 20

Fischer Conquers Field In Tourney: He Is First in 70 Years to Match Chess Record
Bobby Fischer won his 11th straight game in the final round of the United States Chess Championship last night, giving him a perfect score, the first in a major tournament in the United States in 70 years.
Fischer defeated Dr. Anthony Saidy of Puerto Rico in 56 moves. The game had been started Thursday night and adjourned. Saidy, the last man who could have blocked Fischer's perfect score, had pondered his final, sealed, move before the adjournment for 40 minutes.
When the move was unsealed last night, however, it became apparent that it was the wrong one. Fischer himself sat down with Saidy after he had won the game to show Saidy that if he had made a different move he could have held Fischer to a draw.
Only a handful of spectators was on hand when Fischer won the final game, in contrast to the hundreds who had followed his play in previous games.
Fischer won $2,000 for placing first; Larry Evans won $1,000 for placing second.
At the age of 20 he has now won the United States championship for the sixth time, breaking a deadlock with Sammy Reshevsky, who has won it five times. Fischer first won the title when he was 14.
Not since 1893 when Dr. Emanuel Lasker won 13 games in a row has a player in a major United States championship won all his games. The following year Lasker went on to win the world championship.
Two games were completed in the final round at the Henry Hudson Hotel on Thursday night. Arthur Bisguier of New York defeated William Addison of Los Angeles in 38 moves of a Sicilian in Reverse. Larry Evans of New York won from Donald Byrne of State College, Pa., in 47 moves of a Gruenfeld Defense.
Four games were adjourned. Robert Steinmeyer of New York and Sammy Reshevsky of Spring Valley played 41 moves of a Neo Gruenfeld Defense, with Reshevsky having the better position. Raymond Weinstein of Brooklyn had five pawns for a piece in a King's Indian Defense with Robert Byrne of Indianapolis. Weinstein was favored to win. Pal Benko and Edmar Mednis, both of New York, were in a difficult position, reached by a Catalan Opening.

Fischer Keeps Title At Chess Tourney

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New York Times, New York, New York, Wednesday, January 01, 1964 - Page 22

Fischer Keeps Title At Chess Tourney
Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn, the 20-year-old United States chess champion, has retained his title.
Donald Byrne of State College, Pa., resigned his ninth-round adjourned game with Fischer Monday night without further play, giving Fischer a score of 9-0. No one else in the 12-man field has a mathematical chance of equalizing Fischer's score.
In the 10th and penultimate round of the tournament, being played at the Henry Hudson hotel, Fischer defeated Pal Benko of New York. On the white side of a Pirc Defense, he executed an irrefutable mating attack sparked by the offer of a rook. Benko resigned on his 21st turn.
Other tenth-round results follow: Robert Byrne of Indianapolis, on the white side of a Gruenfeld Defense, defeated Robert Steinmeyer of New York after 39 moves. Dr. Anthony Saidy of Puerto Rico, as black in a King's Fianchetto, defeated Donald Byrne after 39 moves.
A draw was recorded in the Queen's Gambit Declined between Sammy Reshevsky of Spring Valley, N.Y., and Arthur Bisguier of New York.
Two games were adjourned: William Addison of Los Angeles vs. Larry Evans of New York, in an even position, and Edmar Mednis of New York vs. Raymond Weinstein of Brooklyn, in a position favorable to Mednis.
—
The 11th and final round will be played tomorrow at 7 P.M. The pairings follow: Saidy vs. Fischer; Evans vs. D. Byrne; Bisguier vs. Addison; Steinmeyer vs. Reshevsky; Weinstein vs. R. Byrne; Benko vs. Mednis. The first named player has the white pieces.

Chess: Some Odd Paths To Victory

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New York Times, New York, New York, Sunday, January 12, 1964 - Page 376

Chess: Some Odd Paths To Victory
The quartet of games below run the gamut for off-beat punch. Sharp, exciting, above all, bizarre, they were played in the recently completed United States Chess Championship at the Henry Hudson Hotel.
Just before the 20-year-old Brooklynite, Bobby Fischer, sat down to play Pal Benko of New York in the tenth round, he had already clinched the title. The resignation by Donald Byrne of their 9th round game without resumption of play gave Fischer a score of 9—0, one that was mathematically beyond the reach of any other player in the 12-man field.
Most competitors in such a fortunate role might have taken it easy for the next two rounds. But relaxation is not Fischer's forte. Against Benko, he was remorseless. On the white side of a King's Fianchetto Defense, he started a king-side attack. After Benko's 18… PxB, Fischer came up with one of the most electrifying moves in the history of American chess.
His obvious move might have been 19 P-K5, threatening mate. But this would have been met by 19 … P-KB4, practically forcing the exchange of queens. Fischer blocked Black's king bishop pawn by playing 19 R-B6. Now, whether or not Benko captures the rook or leaves it alone, he is lost. For now White's unimpeachable threat is 20 P-K5, and it winds up in checkmate or gain of much material.
Black plays it out to the bitter end. But after 21 N-K2 he has no choice but to resign. His knight is attacked. If 21 … N-any; 22 Q-B5, etc. If 21 … BxR; 22 QxP, N-B4; 23 BxN, etc.

Fischer Wins Title In Sweep

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The Courier-Journal Louisville, Kentucky Sunday, January 05, 1964 - Page 40

Fischer Wins Title In Sweep
Last week, The King's Men posed this question:
“Is American Grandmaster Robert J. Fischer of Brooklyn invincible in the United States?”
The answer is now in, loud and clear.
Twenty-year-old Bobby Friday won the United States Chess Championship in New York for the sixth time in the past seven years. And he set a national record with a clean sweep score of 11-0!
Twelve of the nation's best rated players compete annually for $6,000 in prizes offered by the American Chess Foundation and the U.S. Chess Federation.
Fischer won first prize of $2,000 and second prize of $1,000 went to Larry Evans of Las Vegas, Nev., who scored 7½ points to 3½ for his opponents.
Fischer, a contender for world chess honors, won his final match in a 12-round tourney that began December 15 from Dr. Anthony Saidy of Puerto Rico.
Dr. Saidy, as White conducted an English opening against Fischer's Black pieces and an exchange of Queens occurred on the 15th move. By the 23d move, all pieces had been exchanged except one Bishop for Saidy and one Knight for Fischer.
Both men had six pawns and the position appeared to be a draw;
However, with resumption of play after a one-day adjournment, Fischer, with precise play, forced his opponent's resignation.
Evans won in the final round over Dr. Donald Byrne of State College, Pa.

Fischer vs. Reshevsky

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The Boston Globe Boston, Massachusetts Sunday, January 05, 1964 - Page 80

Fischer vs. Reshevsky
Bobby Fischer seems a shoo-in for his sixth national championship in as many attempts. Fischer first won the title in the 1957-'58 tournament. He sat out the 1961-'62 tournament but came back with a splash last year.
Now he started with a string of seven wins bowling over in the process such perennial rivals as Sam Reshevsky and Robert Byrne. At this stage Addison, last year's sensation, Bisguier, Don Byrne, Steinmeyer, and Mednis are out of it. Reshevsky, R. Byrne, and Weinstein are teetering on the brink. The only players with any chance at all seem to be Benko, Saidy, and Evans, and their prospects are not exactly bright.
Fischer's lawyer accompanied him to the Reshevsky game in the Henry Hudson Hotel. Reshevsky, a smoker and pacer of note, had been plying his hobbies in his usual manner. Fischer and his lawyer protested, claiming the caged lion bit past the thinking Fischer's chair constituted an annoyance and distraction.
According to the New York Times the protest Reshevsky smilingly stopped his walks just short of Fischer's chair.
Reshevsky was the dominant figure in American chess from 1936 to the advent of Fischer. For several years after Fischer first won the national championship, attempts were made to promote a match between the old champion and the new. Finally in 1960 the Piatigorsky foundation succeeded in bringing about a match. The match ended in a tie (5½-5½) and a dispute. Reshevsky was awarded the match, but nothing had been proven. However, there is little doubt as to which is the major figure now.
Fischer has feuded with many chess organizers and organizations and there was doubt whether he would compete this year. But Bobby is embarking on his first coast to coast tour early this year and so possibly concluded it is better to take the title with him — better gate appeal.
Fischer's career reminds me in many ways of the careers of Capablanca and Lasker. The two older masters set standards thought beyond the capacity of chess organizations of their day. They set their terms and their terms were met. In this way Lasker and Capablanca gradually lifted the chessmaster from the shadows of financial disaster. Fischer appears to be doing something similar today. He is necessary to the success of any tournament in this country, so he makes demands that appear excessive. This has all the earmarks of a temporary nuisance and a long term blessing.
In an interview with Assiac (Heinrich Fraenkel) in 1960 Bobby Fischer described the following game as his favorite. It was played during the 1959 Mar del Plata tournament and Fischer's opponent was Hector Rossetto, sometime Argentine champion.
Bobby's classical demonstration of centralization, doubled rooks on the 7th rank, and finally, zugzwang is heartwarming to Nimzovitch fans.

Whiz-Kid Wins US Chess Title

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The San Francisco Examiner San Francisco, California Saturday, January 04, 1964 - Page 5

Whiz-Kid Wins US Chess Title
New York — (UPI) Bobby Fischer, 20, of Brooklyn, (N.Y.), won the U.S. chess championship last night for the sixth time, establishing a national record with a clean sweep score of 11-0.
Fischer, who first won the championship at the age of 14 and is a contender for the world title, defeated Dr. Anthony Saidy of Puerto Rico, in the final match of the 12-round tournament. It began here Dec. 15.
Saidy, as White, conducted an English Opening against Fischer's black pieces and an exchange of queens occurred on the 15th move. By the 23rd move, all of the pieces had been exchanged except one bishop for Saidy and one knight for Fischer.
Both had six pawns and the position appeared to be apparently drawn. However, after a one-day resumption of an adjournment Fischer forced his opponent to resign after 11 moves had been made.
Larry Evans of Las Vegas, captured a clear second place with a score of 7½-3½, which included the defeat of Dr. Donald Byrne of State College, Pa., in the final round.
Twelve of the highest rated players in the United States compete annually in this 100-year-old event, which offers 6,000 in prizes and is co-sponsored by the American Chess Foundation and the U.S. Chess Federation.