UNITED STATES CHESS FEDERATION , ( -I -" 1 USCF ~ \ :" I - j " America '8 Chess Periodical Reshevsky Awarded Match By Forfeiture Fischer Protests by Frank R. Brady In a thoroughly unexpected outcome oI one of history's nothing to the other . It was in this atmosphere that the contro· m031 significa nt chess matches, Bobby Vischcr was {orfcitc,d versy began. when he failed to appear (or 12th and 13th games of hiS According to releases sent to the press at the very be· 16-ga me match with Samuel Reshcvsky. ginning of the match, the twelfth game was scheduled to be The (i rst (our games of this world renowned and highly played at 7:30 P.M. on Saturday, August 12th. However , before publicized encounter began on July 16th in New York City. the players started the L. A. portion of the match, the local Off to a strong start that ind icated he meant business, Reshev· Califor nia committee, realizing that Reshevsky as an Orthodox sky won the first game. Fischer remai ned undaunted however, Jew could not play until after sun·down on Saturday (about and came back two nights later to take the second game in 9:00 P.M.) changed the seheduling of the twelfth game to crushing and convincing fa shion. The third and fou rth games 9:00 P.M. Shortly after lhal another ehange was made for were drawn. twelfth round- from 9:00 P .M. on Saturday to 1 :30 P.M. on The matCh, which was be­ Sunday afternoon- the cO'm· ing sponsored by the Amer· 1 mittee basing its decisio n ican Chess Foundation and on the faet that the five the Herman Steiner Chess hOUr playing seSSion on Sat· Club, then moved to Los urday night would nol end Angeles to be played at until 2:00 A.M. Su n d ay the luxurious Beverly Hi.l· morning and would there· Ion Hotel and the spanking fo re, jUs tifiably, inconven· new quarters of the Steiner ience the speetators, the Club. Eight games were players themselves, etc. The scheduled to be played round was therefore ar· there and the final four of r anged for 1 :30 P.M. on the match (ga mes 13 Sunday. It was learned, through 16) would be can· however, that onc of lhe tested baek in New Yor k committee members a n d City again at the Empire principal sponsors of the Holel. The Los Angeles par· match, Mrs. Jacqueline Piat· tion of the match proved to igorsky, eould not attend be a trying and difficult the entire match if it start· time fo r both players. Each ed at 1:30 P.M., sinee her could only win one game husband, Gregor l' ialigor. apiece and by the time that sky, the world· renowned the 11th game had been cellist, was giving a eoneert concluded, five games had late that afternoon and both bcen drawn in Los Angeles chess match and concert co· - scvcn since the beginning incided. She requested that of the match. The tension the committee consider the grew wi th every game - New Yorl< r i m~ , possibility of conducting the practically with. every move. Reshevsky Paces While Waiting for Fischer twelfth game at 11 :00 A.M. A great deal of money was on Sunday- thereby enabt· involved but more than that the personal preslige of both ing her to see both match and concert. The committee felt players was laid bare. Every move that would be made would that her request was justified and therefore the match was be scrutinized and analyzed not only in this country but all re·scheduled again- the fo urth change-to 11 :00 A.M. The over the wor ld. Reshevsky never lost a match- Fischer never papers were notifi ed and a mailing was sent out in advance played one since he reached the top of Amer ican chess and announci ng the new time for the twelfth round. Irvi ng Rivise, neared the summit of International competition. They stopped the match referee said: "Arnllngements for ptaying times talking to each other. They would not ride in the same car throughout the match were altered from the origin. I schedule from their hotel to the playing sitc. Reshevsky wanted air· IS submitted by the Am.dun Chess Found.tion for the eon. conditioning in the playing room. l"ischcr thought it was too venience of the Southern C.llforni. chess public and th.t the cold. Both players were competing to win and wo uld concede (Continued on page 217) between Bot\'innik and Tal, where also I've learned that "mate" has no sexual two chess generalions were engaged . significance; I know that lOSi ng on time LETTERS The two matches have indeed many creates a mild psychotic state; and I things in common: on the one side of know that the technical term for a win the chess board a man with an enor· is slaughter, trample, or massacre. IRONY mous experience and a firm conviction When he comes home from chess club Thank you for your Idler in which that .. inside" he deserves to win. On I ask him any question I think I'll be you request a statement from me con· the other side the youngster whose self· able to understand the answer to. I ask cerning the fnrthcoming F'iscner-Resbev­ co nfidence is, whatever he says, based if there were any women players at s.ky match. on a general feeling that his genius will the club and what they were wearing. ( I consider this match most important. serve as a view·finder where experience like to k now what his opponent looked The chess world would be very disap­ is nol yet ready to give hi m lhe answer. like and what he docs for a Hving. I pointed, were it to fail to take place. On Both matches will contribute to solve ask him if the chairs were comfortable the one hand, there will be the youthful the fasci nating problem of the relation or if he got a headache. I mean, men Bobby Fischer, who has won the United between age and ability of production in like to know you're interested in what States championship several times in the field of chess. they do. succession, and who is considered by Yours sincerely, Loving admiration has its r ewards, many as the bettcr man both as to FOLKE ROGARD however, and mine came in the Corm strength and to age. On the other hand, President of FJ.DE. of a trophy. Now I've seen trophies be­ there win be the experienced grand· (World CheSS Federation) fore - those silver·plated affairs with master, Samuel Resbevsky. who has nev­ a fi gure of a man on a chess board er lost a match of importance, and for holding a bishop in one hand, a root whom many-and especially among the in the other , and balancing a knight older generation-have much respect Though the followlliS letter wM not dl­ on one outstretched loot. So when be and sympathy. Many of the m see in the rocted to the "'Letters to the Editor" dtJ ­ came home from the tour nament and result of the recent 1961 Tal-8otwinnik said he won a trophy, I sat in a state portmc,!t tce fhink It Is 1/11 interestitlg match a sign that the members of the "Tcply" to Bob Wright'.r loiter that appeared of suspended shock. younger generation do not aLways nec· in the }u1!lI$.rue. EdJtor. My fears were unfounded. The trophy essarily win. was trim and modernistic and eleganL Reshevsky and Fischer have approxi. MATE It matched our walnut furniture and gold mately the same style o[ play. Both of When we were engaged, he casually decorations and bore my beloved's na ..... them like solid positions in which they remarked he played chess. I said it was for all the world to See. look for complications. This similarity good he had something to do on a rainy He'd been gone three days and t..-o o[ style does not menn that we have to day. Then we got married. nights, but all that was forgotten now. expect dull games. On the contrary, if Fortunately, it doesn't hit you aU at "Darling, it's beautiful!" I cried. ''You we look back at the 1960 Tal·Botwinnik once. I mean, first you lind cb.ess books are wonderfully brilliant and I'm .. match, we note that at that time these appearing in odd places - like beside glad you wcnt." two players a1so had about the same the bathtub or under his pillow. Then Said he : " You are wo nderfully under­ style,. and yet that their games ":ere post cards start coming to yo ur new standing. There's another tournament although not 100% correct, certamly address with nothing but chess moves next week." very fa scinating. on them. A little later he brings old Cordially yours, MRS. PHYLLIS NAYLOR score sheets to the table, and finally Tacoma Park, Md. DR. MAX EUWE he carries a pocket·size board to cocktail ei.e., they played [or complications. This parties. sounds strange, but during the past year You don't r eally mind. You're proud, ACCEPTANCE Botwinnik completely reversed his style in fact, and a li ttle overawed at this In reply to Mr. Peter Irwin's letter and in the 1961 match he consistently man who does a thousand things in his published in the May, 1961, issue, I played for simpli£ication.