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AMERICAN OPEN CHAMPION . ... - Plloto by Art Zeller Larry Kaufman (center), winner of the 1966 Ameriun Open at Sint. MoniCI, r eceive, his check from USC F Vice·President (~,"d Intern.tional Grandmaster) Isaac Ka shdan. Miss Vardit Hi rsch stands by to present the American Ope n Trophy to the new champion. Volu.me XXI Numb er IS December, 1966 EDITORS: Burt Hochberg and E. B. Edmondson CHESS FEDERATION CONTENTS PRESIDENT Marshall Rohland VICE·PRESIDENT Chess Fever in Havana, by Lorry Evans ....................................... ....... .. 299 Isaac Kashdan Luck Rides With the Courageous ............................... ...... .................. .... 301 REGIONAL VICE·PRESIDENTS NEW I!N~lANI) Jamu BoltOn HaNtd Doncllll Chess: By Correspondence or Over the Ell Bourdon Boord?, by William Lombardy ........................................................ 302 EASTI!.N Robert LaBelle t.ewt. E. Wood Michael Ralmo American Open (Cover Story) ........ ........................................................ 305 MID-ATLANTIC Enl Clary Steve Curuthe... Robert Erke. Chess Life Here and There, compiled by SOUTH.AN Pblllp Lamb William Goichberg ................................................ 305, 309, 329, 332 ".1", Lahde C.rroll M. Crull GREAT LAKI!S Don.ld W. HlldLn, Would You Bel ieve?, by Beth Cassidy .. ................................ .. ... .. ........... 306 Dr. Harvel' McCI. lla n V. E. Vilndenbur, NOATH CEHTRAL Dr. Geor,e Tie ... Upset of a Champion, by Edmo r Mednis ............................................ .. .. 307 Robert Lerner K en Rykken Gomes by USCF Members. by John W. Collins ................ ........................ 310 SOUTHWI!STlRN W. W. Crew ",OM A. Howen Park Bl&hop Annual Rating List .. ..... _................. .. ..................................................... 3 12 PACIFIC Bl.lrrard Eddy K enneth .lone. CoL PauJ L. Webb Index of Players. 1966 .......... ................................................. ............. .... 329 SECRETARY Dr. Leroy Dubec:k Tournament Life, compi led by Wm . Goichberg .... .. .... ..................... ....... 330 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR E. B. Edmondson NATIONAL CHAIRMEN .nd OFFICERS ARMED I'ORCI!S CHI!IS....... ......... n obert K.trch COLLEGE CHESS ................................ Paul C . .lOQ JOIN THE UNITED STATES CHESS FEDERATION INDUSTRIAL CNIiIl.... H_".St.n1ey W. D. IOn, USCF Is a non.profit democrstic or,anlutton, the official ,0vernll1$ body and FlOE (World INTERNATIONAL AF"AIRIHH.H'H . .JelT)' Spa:tD Chen J'ederation) unit for ch..,q In tha USA. Anyone In t..,relIted In a4 vancln, Anteriean chess Women" ln1.erIUlUOn. I •.~.~ . ~~ ••K.llhr)lD St.ter JUNIOR CHa.S_ RObert Erkel II ell,Jlbla for members blp. with benefits wblch Include a CI.l.ESS LIFE *ub$Crlption ...... d ellrtbillt)" MASTERS AFFAIRS .~.~~ .. ~ ~ ... _~.~ .Robert 8yrne fo r USCF nUni:. MEMBERSHI.. .~_~ .~.~_ . ~ ~~.~.~~ OOD.ld Schu.ltz Rqular Me... bershlp: 1 year. $10.00; 2 years. $19.00; 1 year., $27.00. Flmlly Membenhip or NATIONAL OPIiN .~.~ ...... ~_~.~~ ll e rm . " Eatr.d. JunloH" M,mbership (Unde r 21 at ezplra tlon 41Ie): I year. ~. OO; 2 yeers. $9 . ~0; 3 yn:s, 513.$0. NOMINATIONS _~_~_~ __" -Frank Skoff Family membershlps a pply wben two or mol"\! members of the IMIme lamlly reside at tbe lama RATINGS .. PAIRINOS ~ _ __ ~ . ..A rp. d E. £1" addr... In4 receive only one monthly COpy 01 CHESS LIFE. Tbe flrll fam ily mem ber payS regular RATING STATISTICIAN _~.~.~. Wm . Colcbber, ra tu and e.ch addiUonsl mem ber pay. the lamlly rates. All sucb members hi"e the u ma TAX DEDUCTI.ILITY.. ~ ... ~ ... ~~ .. ~ H ar old Dondia axpl,.. ton data as the first member (except where bl, I, a Llle fl.te mbel"$hlp). Family l:Iembenhlpa TOURNAMENT AOM ____ Georje Koltanow.kl s hould be submitted toge tha r. Whanevn Ihey are nOl, the name, addre .... and explraUon date of TOURNAMENT RUL'S ~~ .... __ ._.J ames She rwin the Itnt me mber mus' be liven; Ih, added membeli. ) will have Ihe same explraUoll dale. Sus COUNSEL .. TREASURIiR_ Olvld Boltrnlrm 'slftlftg Mflnber$hip (becomu Life alter 10 consecutive . nnual payments): $20.00 . Or.ce • SuSlllnln," u . S. CHAMPIONSHIP. .... _. __ ._Maurice Kasper Me mbership has begun, cach lue<:eqlve year's dues mUllt be paid before tbe expiration dale. Other"Wlle, the sustaining eycla ..artz OVU Ipln at yesr one and s t what.e\'eT rates are then In effect. Life Memb..-shlp: $200.00. CHESS LIFE b: publlabed. monthly by USCF snd entered a. second·das. maner at &lid WORLD CHESS FEDERATION Dubuque, minob:.. Non-member I-yr . IUblCriptlOn : $&.50 ,$1..50 outside t;SA); 5In,]e copy; 65!1' (1:;, (F.I.D.E.) oulllde USA). Change of add,a.. : Allow , Ix weeks notice; please ,I"a us bolb the new add ress Fred Cramer and the old address. Indudl"' the number. a nd d. les on Ihe top line of ~' otlr 5Iencil. Vice-President. Zone:) (U.S.A.) AddreQ all communlcatlonl, and make all cheeks plyable 10; ------- UNITED STATES CHESS I'EDI!RATION. SO Ent 11th Str.. t . NIW YORK. N.Y. 10001 299 CHESS LIFE by International Grandmaster Larry bans (Brackel.a Indicate .re.. or edltoral change.) Ever since 1952, when the USSR lirst entered the biennial Chess Olympics, their team has always won. The U.S., after its long string of victories in the thirties, has been second only twice: at Leipzig in 1960 and at Havana last November. At Leipzig the score was Russia 34, U.S. 29; and at Ha vana, Russia 39% , U.S. 34'h. On both these occasions the U.S. team was headed by our number one player, 23-year-old Bobby Fischer, the somewhat e~entric glamour boy of international chess; and both times he was mainly responsible for our good showing. This time he came within an ace of taking the gold medal on board # 1, with 15 out of a possible 17 points (14 wins, 2 draws, 1 loss) as against lllh out of 13 points (10 wins, 3 draws) for world champion Tigran Petrosian. Petrosian's win ning average was 88.46 to Fischer's 88.23, a microscopic dif· ference. Fischer faced tougher opposition and played four more games. Had he been willing to accept a draw in his 16th gamc, when it was offered to him by 21-year-old Florin Gheorghiu of Rumania, he would have had no losses, the same number or draws, and far more wins than Petrosian-for a higher percentage and thc gold mcda l. Thesc details were known to Cuba's numerous and demonstrative chess fa ns who, right up to the last day, cxpected that Fischer would win. The thousands who couldn't squeeze into the tournament hall foll owed the games play·by·play via radio, TV, and an Jose Burer.. , President of the Cuben ChHs Fedention, elaborate $80,000 electronic demonstration board that had interprets IS Fischer explains to Fidel that h. has lust been sct up opposite the Habana Ubre (Cormerly Hilton) hotel. challenged the Soviet Champion, St.in, to a match. O.... r But it was the brilliant and aggressive character of Fischer's Bobby's shoulder, Stein talks to Korchnoi (looking away play, and his willingness to take on all comers, that gained from cameral. the affection or the crowd and obviated any hostility or irrita -Plloto by Nicolas RO#Olimo tion that might have developed as the result of a contretemps that took place on the second day of the finals. After the tournament was over, some criticism was directed (rightly or ...,'ron gly) at our non·playing captain, Donald Byrne, (At this point, Byrne filled in Col. Edmondson, in Kew York, for allowing Bobby to take on more than 15 opponents. His vic by telephonc. After consultation between our team members, tims read like a who's who of international chess. After his captain Byrne, and USCF officers (by telephone), the U.S. first 15 games he had 13 wins, 2 draws, and the gold mcdal in position was that our team had gone to Havana after being his pocket. Thcre is no question that, under the same circum assured that schedule va riations would be made to permit stances, the Russians would have played it safe and removed Fischer's participation in accordance with his religious beliefs. one of their stars from the lineup. But sincc we were still Anyone refusing to honor this agreement was, therefore, refus· engaged in a tight race for second place Bobby was given ing to play thc U.S. team, since Fischer was so obviously the his head and, in effect, beat himself in his encounter with team leader in playing strength. Olympiad officials, and the Gheorghiu. He failed to consult the captain when offered a Sovict team, we re notified that the U.S. team would be present · draw. "Are you playing for a win?" asked Gheorghiu, shortly to start the round at 6 p.m. in accordance with our prior ar after the opening. "Of course!" snapped Bobby. None of this rangement. Serov, again with irrelevant remarks (this time was lost on either the Russians or the Cubans, thoug h it was disparaging Fischer's playing strength), fl atly refused to com given scant notice in the local press. pete and said his team would be present at 4 p.m. When he A good deal was said, however, in all the Havana papers received word of the Soviet stand, Col. Edmondson sent the about Fischer's refusal to play before 6 p.m. on Saturday, following cable to Mr. Folke Rogard, president of F.I.D.E. November 5th. It has been generally accepted, for the past in Stockholm: "USSR REFUSED PLAY USA MATCH ~DF.R year or two, that Fischer never plays, or even discusses the ORGANIZING COMMITI'EE AGREEMENT DELAY FISCHER game, from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday; that period GAME START. YOUR INTERVENTION URGE NTLY RE is, be says, his "holy day." He has gotten religion, but no one QUESTED FOR SOVIET COMPLIA NCE.