The Courier-Journal Louisville, Kentucky Sunday, December 24, 1961
Larry Evans Leads In U.S. Title Fight
By Merrill Dowden
Larry Evans of New York City appeared to be the man to beat as the first phase of the United States Championship Chess Tournament ended in his home town.
The former U.S. Open champion upped his score to 3-0 as three unfinished games were completed.
In the third round, Evans, with an advantage of only one Pawn, defeated Abe Turner of Mount Vernon, N.Y.
George Kramer of Berkeley Heights, N.J., and Eliot Hearst of Arlington, Va., played to a draw, as did Herbert Seidman and Sidney Bernstein, both of New York City.
Conspicuously absent from the tourney are America's two grandmasters—reigning champion Robert Fischer and the celebrated Samuel Reshevsky.