Chess: Evans, Strong on Theory, Is Powerful Over the Board Too

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New York Times, New York, New York, Monday, January 13, 1964 - Page 32

Chess: Evans, Strong on Theory, Is Powerful Over the Board Too
Larry Evans of New York, a former national champion, is a dangerous competitor in any field. His theoretical knowledge, backed up by staying power and confident style, usually assures him a top place in any tournament.
Though he got off to a bad start in the recent United States Chess Championship—drawing his first-round game with Dr. Anthony Saidy of Puerto Rico and losing his second-round game to the champion, Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn—Evans finished in second place in the 12-man round-robin. His score was 7½-3½, consisting of 6 wins, 3 draws and 2 losses.
Against Edmar Mednis of New York, Evans as White in a King's Indian Defense castled on the queen side. He contained the opposing queen's wing by 13 P-QR4 and was well poised for strong action in the center and other flank.
Here, Mednis came to a bad decision, seeking to open lines for counterplay. But 13 … P-K3 seriously weakened his backward queen pawn, and his troubles mounted rapidly. While struggling to defend his weakling in the center, he could not find time to repel Evan's assault on the king's side.
White's intentions were clear after 17 P-KN4. Black was compelled into the awkward maneuver 17 … R-Q1, followed by 18 … N-K1. In a few moves, White's command of his Q5, and the acceleration of his king-side pawn-roller, which culminated in the break at his KR5, routed the Black forces.
Black's sacrifice of a knight could not delay the inevitable.
Sammy Reshevsky of Spring Valley, N.Y., disappointed his followers when he finished in a tie for 4th and 5th places with Dr. Anthony Saidy of Puerto Rico. His score, 6½-4½, was warped by two losses, to Raymond Weinstein of Brooklyn and Fischer, respectively. And he permitted a stalemate against Evans.
Against Weinstein, with a piece to the good, Reshevsky blundered outright. Against Fischer, in a delicate position, Reshevsky had an edge at one point, but, under time pressure, miscalculated. Nonetheless, Reshevsky achieved some performances in his best style. One of these was the Benoni Defense as White against Saidy.

Knight Is Stuck
Observe Black's 12…

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 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.

Fischer Retains U.S. Championship

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The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Sunday, January 05, 1964 - Page 89

Fischer Retains U.S. Championship
U.S. champion Bobby Fischer, playing the finest chess of his career, won nine games in succession to clinch first place in the current tournament for the title at the Henry Hudson Hotel in New York.
Though two rounds are still to be completed at this writing, none of his 11 rivals could equal Fischer's total. Among Fischer's victims in this sensational streak were former champions Arthur Bisguier, Larry Evans and Samuel Reshevsky.
In second place at this stage was Pal Benko, with a score of 5-3. He had won three games, drawn four and lost to Evans. Benko was scheduled to face Fischer in the semi-final round.
Evans was in third place with 4½-2½ and two games adjourned. He was defeated by Raymond Weinstein as well as by Fischer. Reshevsky was tied with Dr. Anthony Saidy, each with 4-3 scores.
California champion William G. Addison lost to Reshevsky and Fischer in successive rounds to drop down to 2½-4½. Addison finished tied for third in last year's tournament, but is clearly not in the same form this time.
Other tallies after nine rounds, with some games adjourned, were: Weinstein, 4-4; Robert Byrne, 3½-3½; Bisguier 3-5; Robert Steinmeyer, 3-6; Donald Byrne, 2-5, and Edmar Mednis, 1½-6½.
Following are results of play last week and games from the tournament.