The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Sunday, October 01, 1961
Fischer, Tal Tied In Bled Tourney
United States chess champion Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn and former world champion Mikhail Tal of Latvia were tied for first place after 15 rounds of the international masters tournament at Bled, Yugoslavia, according to a report from the New York Times.
The leaders had 11 points apiece after hard earned wins in the 15th round. Fischer defeated Lajos Portisch of Hungary in 40 moves on the black side of a Queen's Gambit Declined.
Tal was paired with former United States champion Arthur B. Bisguier of New York, who played the Caro-Kann Defense. The game was adjourned in a rook and bishop ending, with Tal scoring the point in the second session.
Fischer is undefeated, having won seven games and drawn eight. In the final four rounds he will face Miguel Najdorf of Argentina, Paul Keres of Estonia, Boris Ivkov of Yugoslavia and Russian champion Tigran Petrosian.
Tal lost only to Fischer, and has won eight games and drawn six. He has still to meet J. Germek of Yugoslavia, Ludek Pachman of Czechoslovakia, Portisch and Najdorf.
Yugoslav champion Svetozar Gligoric is tied for third with Keres at 9½-4½. Each has one adjourned game. Petrosian has 8½-4½, with two adjourned games, and is still very much in the running. Bisguier, who won four out of five before losing to Tal, moved close to the leaders.
Following is the standing after 15 rounds, and games from the tournament.
