The Boston Globe Boston, Massachusetts Sunday, September 30, 1962 - Page 28
A Fine U.S. Team at Varna, Bulgaria Chess Olympics
A fine team of chessplayers is representing the United States at Varna, Bulgaria, in the biennial international team tournament. Comprised of Bobby Fischer, Pal Benko, Larry Evans, the brothers Byrne, and Edmar Mednis, this is perhaps the strongest team, relatively speaking, to represent America since 1937.
The first of the team tourneys was held in London, 1927, and was won by Hungary. At The Hague, 1928, Americans competed for the first time and came in second to Hungary. Hamburg, 1930, saw Hungary slip to second behind Poland and the U.S. team among the also rans.
Beginning with the Prague tournament, 1931, U.S. teams started a long period of domination winning four in a row at Folkstone, 1933; Warsaw, 1935; Stockholm, 1937; as well as Prague. The 1937 team was headed by Reshevsky and Fine with Kashdan on board 3, Marshall, and Horowitz. There was probably no other country in the world at that time that could field so strong a team. And, as B.H. Wood said, the Americans left at home at least three players that most countries would be glad to have on first board.
Buenos Aires, on the eve of World War II in 1939, was the scene of the last Hamilton-Russell trophy tournament for over a decade. Germany won this tournament riddled by rumors of war and dissension in general. United States did not compete.
At Dubrovnik in 1950 the team tournaments were revived and the United States entered, confident of victory but got no higher than fourth place. This team had Reshevsky on first board but he retired at the three quarter pole. Horowitz and Steiner were to play second and third but agreement could not be reached as to which would take the lower board so they shared second board. Thus the American team never put full strength in the field and Horowitz and Steiner never appeared in the line-up together even after Reshevsky left.
George Kramer and Larry Evans filled out the team and performed nobly with help from George Shainswit.
Since 1952, the first year Soviet Union entered a team, the Russians have completely dominated these tournaments. This year's U.S. entry has the best chance of winning the cup that any non-Russian team has had in the past decade.
Lombardy, winner of the New England open title, is one of the few players whose inclusion might have strengthened the American team at Varna. Lombardy is a seminary student and was not available. Here is his game versus David Lees from the 1962 New England.
