The Boston Globe Boston, Massachusetts Sunday, November 19, 1961
Alas for Lisa Lane's long year of devotion to study in quest of the world's chess championship (women's division): she seems doomed to failure. One Mme. Nonna Goprindas Vili leads the field in general, and Lisa in particular. Seventeen women, mostly from Russia and Middle Europe, are competing at Vrjacka Banju, Yugoslavia, for a chance to play a match with the world champion. Lisa Lane, at present, is well down in the second division along with her compatriot.
According to “Chess,” not only the spectators but the top grandmasters were impressed by the superiority of Tal and Fischer at Bled. Gligoric has been quoted as saying, “Bobby is going to be world champion.” Dragoslav Andric says, “Keres, permanent pretender to the chess throne, famous for his coolness, played against Fischer as nervously as a girl.” Tal once called Fischer a “a living chess library.” Tal again (this time in astonishment): “He, even studies games by women players!”
All was not beer and skittles for Bobby in Yugoslavia, after all, he failed to win first prize though he defeated his chief rival and was undefeated, and then, after arriving in Sarajevo for a simul he lost his appendix.
More Bledisms: Dr. Milan Vidmar, Yugoslav chess great whose career started shortly after the century, directed at Bled and severely criticized Najdorf and Trifunovic for agreeing to a draw after only 11 moves. Vidmar was roundly applauded for his vigorous stand. Later people recalled Dr. V had not been averse to Grandmaster draws in his early days. To that Vidmar said calmly: “All saints were sinners in their youth.” . . .
Najdorf asked Tal to cite the best games he had played. Tal said there were four and named his opponents as Olafsson, Donner and Parma. Innocently Najdorf said, “But that's only three.” “The fourth,” said Tal, “will be my last round game against you.”
Now you, too, can be liked Bobby Fischer and study a game by two ladies. Lisa Lane lost on time to Gisela Gresser at Vrnjacka Banjanju.
