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The Courier-Journal Louisville, Kentucky Sunday, October 08, 1961
Fischer Is 2d As Tal Wins In International
Bobby Fischer, the 18-year-old American chess genius and grandmasters, has finished second to former World Champion Mikhail of Latvia in the International Masters Tournament at Bled, according to a report from Yugoslavia.
However, the New York teen-ager had this for consolation:
He was the only player in the tournament to go undefeated, and he whipped Tal in their individual encounter
Tal's final score was 14½-4½; Fischer's, 13½-5½.
Tal, paired with Miguel Najdorf of Argentina in the final round Wednesday, had the White forces in a Sicilian defense. After 40 moves an adjournment was taken with the Latvian having an advantage in a Rook and Bishop versus a Rook and Knight ending. Nine additional moves were made upon resumption and the Argentinian resigned.
Fischer played the Queen's Gambit Declined, exchange variation, with Boris Ivkov of Yugoslavia. The steady play of the Slav resulted in their halving the point after 62 moves.
After surviving 18 rounds without a loss, Svetozar Gligoric, Yugoslavia, met his match in the final round, when he lost to Tigran Petrosian, Soviet champion. Gligoric's score of 12½-6½ was tied by Petrosian and Paul Keres of Estonia.
Keres was content to split the point in an evenly contested Caro-Kann Defense with J.H. Donner, the Netherlands.
Next in the standing, with 10½-8½, are Ewfim Geller, Soviet Union, and Dr. Petar Trifunovic. Yugoslav champion, Geller drew a French Defense with Ludek Pachman. Czechoslovakia, in 19 moves, and Dr. Trifunovic halved the point with Klaus Darga, West Germany, in a Queen's Indian Defense.
