The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Sunday, July 16, 1961
Fischer, Reshevsky Start Match Today
Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn, 18-year-old U.S. chess champion, and his chief rival Samuel Reshevsky of Spring Valley, N.Y., face each other today in the first game of their match at the Empire Hotel in New York.
Both players have been away from their usual chess haunts and have been seriously engaged in preparation for the event. Though the title is not at stake, each has considerable to gain in the way of world-wide recognition.
Fischer has won the U.S. championship for the last four years, with Reshevsky trailing each time. But in a major tournament in Buenos Aires last year, Reshevsky tied for first with Victor Korchnoi of Russia while Fischer wound up in the second division.
Reshevsky has never lost a set match, while facing such opponents as Al Horowitz, William Lombardy, Arthur Bisguier, Donald Byrne, Miguel Najdorf, Svetozar Gligoric, Pal Benko and your editor.
Chess Life quotes the opinions of some leading European grandmasters on the outcome of the match:
Tigran Petrosian, USSR—Reshevsky will win with a score of 9½-6½.
Paul Keres, Estonia—I think Reshevsky will win—9 to 7.
Svetozar Gligoric, Yugoslavia — Reshevsky will win.
Bent Larsen, Denmark—Reshevsky.
We understand that opinions in New York are about equally divided, with the older masters tending to favor Reshevsky. Your editor will go out on a limb with the prediction that Fischer will win two games through superior knowledge of the openings and will take the match by the margin of 9 to 7.
Three additional games are scheduled in New York, on Tuesday, Thursday and next Sunday. The players will then come to Los Angeles for an eight-game series, starting with a gala evening in the grand ballroom of the Beverly Hilton Hotel on July 27.
The next game, on July 30, will be the first public event at the new quarters of the Herman Steiner Ches Club at 8801 Cashio, corner Robertson. The club, which is sponsoring the Los Angeles portion of the match, will open on Tuesday, July 25.
Additional games at the club are scheduled for Aug. 1, 3, 6, 8, 10 and 12. A book of tickets for all eight games, priced at $10, can be obtained from Irving Rivise, treasurer, 4050 W Slauson, L.A. 43. Members of the Steiner Club will pay $5.
The final four games of the match will be played in New York. However, the result may well be determined here, if either player should reach the required total of 8½ points. The full 16 games will be completed in any case.
Instructive Endgames
Both of the following games from the Moscow International Tournament open quietly. The main interest is in the endgames, which are quite instructive and well played.
