A THIRD CROWN FOR BENKO • \ Sf'I' J1 63 J .:. UNITED STATES Va:"me XX I N u mb ~ r 3 l la rch, 1966 EDITOR: J . F. Reinhardl CO"'TE"'TS CHESS FEDERATION A Third Crown for Benko ..... ............... .... ............................ ...... .. .. .......... .. 63 Two from the Championship, by Pol Benko .............. .... .... .. ... ... .. ............ ..64 PRESIDENT Lt. Col. E. B. Edmondson My Championship Brilliancy, by Robert Byrne .... ............ .. .. .. .... .... .... .. .. .... 66 VICE·PRF.SID£NT "Old Hot!" by Dr . A. F. Soidy ........... ..... ............ ..... ..... ............... ..... .. .. ... .68 David HoHmann REGIONAL VICE·PRESIDENTS Spossky-Tol, by Bernard Zucke rman .... ........ ................ .. ... .. ... ....... .. .. ... .. .70' NEW ENGLAND Stln}ey Klnll lI.mld Dondls Gomes by USC F Members, by John W . Collins ... .. .. ........ .. .. .. ... .... ...... ... .....73 .:11 !Jourdon EASTERN Donald Schultz Here & There .... .. ..... ... ................ ....... ..... ........ .. ..... .. ..... ..... ......... .. ... ....... 75 Lewis E. Wood 1I 0bert LalJcJle MID_ATLANTIC William IIragg His Majesty Steps Out, by Pol Benko ... .. ..... ...... .. ..... .. ... .. .. .... ................. .76 Earl CItifY .:dw". d O. Strehle Tournament Life ......... .. .......... .. ... ... ........ ..... .... ..... .. .... ........ ................ ..... 77 SOUTHERN Or. Roberl .' roemke Puler I.ahdc Carroll lI-l. Crull GREAT LAKES Norbert Matlhew, Donald W. IIIldlng Or. lIarv"y MtCle lla" NORTH CENTRAL Kober! Lerner J ohn O$neu Ken Itykken * * * SOUTHWESTERN W. W. Crew Kenneth Smith J'ark IlIshoP PACIFIC Ke nneth Jone, THERE'S A USCF TOURNAMENT Cordon Barre tt COl. P llul L. Webb SECRETARY IN YOUR AREA - Marshall Rohland NATIONAL CHAIRMEN and OFFICERS SEE THE "TOURNAMENT LIFE " LISTINGS! ARMED FORCES CHIESS ........ ,. ...... Uobert Karch BUSINESS MANAGiER.,.... .......... J . ... Ilelnh.nlt COLLEGE CHES$ ................................ Paul C. J on IN ::l USTRIAL CHI!SS ... ..... ... .stanley W . D. King * • * * INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS ..•. .... b aac Kashdan Women's Internallonal... ......•.... Ka t hryn Slater JUNIOR CHI!SS. •..........•... ......••..•..•.•.. Robert Ed\.u MASTERS AFFAIRS.. ...... .................. Robert Byrne MEMBERSHIP .......... .. ........... .. .......Donald Sc llultz MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY ..............O r cta ~'uch l JOI'" THE U"'ITED STATES CHESS FEDERATIO'" NATIONA L OPE N .•.•... ... _. ......... He rma n Estrada NOM INATIONS .•... •.... .. Dr. Alex J a nu ~ hkows k y USCF II a non·proflt democratic or'l nlutlon, the official a:overrun a: body .. nd FIDE ull1t for PRESIOENTIAL ASSISTANT. ......... ~'red Cr amer cheu hi the USA. Anyone Intc r u ted In advanclna: American chell I. e ligible lor rnelDhen.b.lp. RATINGS .. PAIRING5..•. ... ••.•.Arp.ad E. Elo RATING STATISTICIAN ..•. _...•. Wm. Golehbera: M t mben~ip , Includlna: CHESS LITE aubscrlplion. e Ua:lbility l or USCF·ratJna:. aDd 11.1 TAX OEOUCTI.ILITY ....._._ ... _._ •. llarold Dondi. prlvUeles: I yr.: 5.00; 2 yu.: $9.50; 3 yn.: SI3.50; SU81alnlna: : *,0.00 (becomlna: Ilfe Memhen.b.lp TOURNAMENT AOM •.... _.. G~ ra: e Koltanowlkl after 10 payments), Llfe: $100.00. FamILy Mt mbe,.nlp (t .... o Or more family members It same TOURNAMENT RU LES..• ... .•.....•..J ames She ......in address, only one CHESS Ln' ); $u b.erlptLon): r atn al above for first family member , plu.. TREASURER ._. __ •. ...•. .•..•.• _ .•.•_ • .•_ ..• )11110n RuskIn U. S. CHAMPIONSHIP. ... __ ._._ •. M.urlee K.sper 101l0"'ln, lo r each .ddlUonal member: I yr.: n .5(); 2 yn .: }I.7:'; 3 )'fI.: $6.7:'. U.S. OPEN ................. _... _•... ___ •.•.•...• __ W . B. Akin WOMEN' S CHESS.. •. _. .. _. •._ ..• _ ... ..... .Eva Aronson CHES5 LIFE is publlibed monthly by USCF and e ntered .. seeond o<: l ass mltler at £ast l)ubuque, illinois. Non_membe r I'yr. subscr lpllon: ~ . OO ($5.00 outllde USA); sina:l e eopy: «he ($Of WORLD CHESS FEDERATION outSide USA). Chlnge of addrns: Allow l our weeki notice; please a:l ve us both the new addrQo (F.I.D.E.) I nd the old address, Illcludlna: the numher. Illd d atu on the top Hne of your stenCIl. Fred Cramer Vice·President, Zone 15 (U.S.A.) Addrcu all communication' , I nd m ake all checks payable to: ------- UNITED STATES CHESS FEDERATION, 10 East 11th 5tru'. NEW YORI( 3, N. Y. 62 CHESS LIFE Michigan, Nebraska, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin. Everyone who attended the inaugural A Third Crown for Benko National Open in 1965 felt that Ihe facil· ilies were absolutely tops for comfort by E. B. EDMONDSON and convenience in any chess event. This year, howeVer, the Stardust Hotel sur· passed its previous efforts. The auditor· USCF President ium in which all games We re played had International Grandmaster Pal Benko tainly put forth a fi ne effort in his first been recently redecorated, with wonder· of New York City firmly established major event of 1966. ful lighting, space beyond a chessplay­ himself as "King of the Opens" by scor­ Ticd for sixth through tenth places er's wildest dreams, and a quiet atmos­ ing a brilliant 71J.z· 1h to capture the sec­ with like scores o[ 6·2 were Dr. Anthony phere enhanced by luxurious carpeting ond annual Stardust National Open Saidy, Kenneth Smith, Paul Brandt! of and a so und-absorbing ceiling. Icc water Chess Championship at the Stardust Ho­ New York City, Eugene Levin of Los and free coffee available at all times, tel in Las Ve gas, Nevada, February 27 Angeles, and Angelo Sandrin of Chica· a fine kibitzing and crying room imme­ through March 4. His National O!>(!n go. diately adjacent, porters from the hotel to title, added to the Amer ican Open crown The honor of being the only re~at slaff always available to tidy up and captured last November and the U.S. winner was richly deS(! rved by :-.lorman help in dozens of ways both large and Open championship shared with Wil­ Lessing of Santa Monica, California, who small. You've got to see it to believe liam Lombardy in August , gives Grand­ played steady chess throughout to score it, so come join the fu n next year! master Benko first claim to the Triple 5'h-21h and take home his second con· A big part of the fun was a special Crown of Chess. Considering the m:my secutive National Open Senior Cham­ Vegas Fun Chess tournament conducted surprises and difficulties of Opcn com­ pionship Tropby. In a popular victory, on Sunday evening, the night before petition, it is vefy doubtful that his Na­ Mrs. Gregor PiaUgorsky of Los Angeles round aile of the National Open, by tional Open score and his achievement scored 4%·3% for a full point lead over thOse Las Vegas livewires, Art Gamlin of winning or sharing in all three major her closest competitor and was awarded and Herman Estrada. In Vegas Fun Open titles will ever again be matched. the National Open Women's Champion· Chess the results r an contrary to the Benko's victory in the one-week, eig ht­ ship Tl:'ophy. main eve nt, with Captain Hudson down­ round tournament earned him $800 in One of the purposes of the National ing Pal Benko in the final game. Hudson fi rst place mo ney and the beautiful Star­ Open is 10 reward and to recognize the thereby took the Vegas Fun Chess tro­ dust National Open Chess Trophy. As wi nners of the various class prizes as phy and $60 while Benko gained second usual in a Swiss System event, his most having achieved victories just as signifi­ place money of $40 in this exciting can· difficult games <!a rne in the late rounds. cant to them and to the thousands of lest. In the sixth round, Pal was practically players in their classes as any champion­ Many players at the second National forced to give up his queen for rook, ship ever won over the board. The fol ­ Open thought the entry list would have bishop, and pawn against Captain .John lowing Champions earned their trophies been larger had the dates been advcr­ A. Hudson rather than accept an lO fer· in the toughest type of competition, mix­ Used (art her in advance. Very li kely ior position when Hudson offered the ing it with masters and experls from aU they arc right, and the USCF joins the bishop. Benko's response to this offer over the country and bringing honor to Stardust Hotel in announcing now that showed onCe again why he is a Grand· themselves and to cheSS generally by the third annual Stardust National master and a Ch ampion. In round seven, their efforls. National Open Expert Open Chess Tournament will be held Benko grudgingly gave up his only hall Champion, Raymond J . Marlin of Simi, at the same great playing site from Feb­ point 01 the tournament to fellow Grand· California; National Open Class A Cham­ ruuy 26 through Much 3, 1967. Circle master Larry Evans, and in round eight pion, Walter Grombacher of Chicago; Na· the date in red and p lan to be there! he won his final decisive game from Dr. tlonal Open Premier Champion, Stanley • • • Anthony Saidy, Senior Master now prac­ Salter of La Crescenta, California; Na· MOSCOW U. TEAC H ES CHESS ticing medicine in San Francisco. tional Open Booster Champion, J ames A course in chess history and theory Larry Evans was held to an early Dracup, Jamestown, New York; National has bee n introduced for the first time round draw by Dr. Eugene Martinowsky Open Amateur Champion, Kenneth Ya· at Moscow University, where there are of Chicago, then drew with Benko in mamoto, Berkeley, CaliJornia. many serious chess fans among the round seven and defeated his great USCF Tournament Administrator and 32,000 students. friend and rival Kenneth Smith of Dal· International Master George Koltanowski Over 93,000 people are members of las in round eight for 7·1 and a clear directed the tournament with a skill and chess sections at factories, schools and second place, worth $600. A three·way polish born of long experience and was institutions in Moscow alone. tie {or third through sixth, with S(! ores blessed with a most able assistant, Among the first lect urers at the Uni­ of 61J.z· l lh, meant prize money of $316.66 Colonel Paul L.