ANew York Times, New York, New York, Monday, May 07, 1962 - Page 28
Chess: Tal Loses Third Straight In Curacao Tournament
By Al Horowitz
Mikhail Tal has lost his third straight game in the Candidates' Chess Tournament in Curaçao. Pal Benko of the United States, on the white side of a King's Indian Defense, defeated the former world champion in 41 moves in a third-round game on Saturday.
Benko used the same line of play that he used in defeating Bobby Fischer in the first round.
In other third-round games Tigran Petrosian and Ewfim Geller, both of the Soviet Union, drew a King's Indian Defense in 21 moves. And Paul Keres and Victor Korchnoi, also of the Soviet Union, drew a Catalan Opening in 33 moves.
A game between Fischer and Czechoslovakia's Miroslav Filip was adjourned after 46 moves of a Ruy Lopez. Fischer missed a definite win. At adjournment time, with even material—each side having a queen, bishop, knight and pawns—he had a small positional advantage.
Fourth-round pairings follow: Geller vs. Filip, Tal vs. Fischer, Korchnoi vs. Benko, Petrosian vs. Keres. The first players named will have the white pieces.
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Arthur Bisguier, who has held every United States title at different times and who is a grand master in his own right, is the third American representative at the tournament. He is the official “second” for Bobby Fischer.
His duties in the main are to protect the rights of his principal off the board and to brief him on technical matters over the board. “Over the board,” of course, does not mean while the game is in progress. It refers specifically to adjournment time only.
Already acquainted with the styles of all of Fischer's opponents, Bisguier, nevertheless, must meticulously follow the concurrent games to search for new opening ideas for Fischer's scrutiny.
During adjournments, he is at liberty, according to the rules of the governing body, to suggest moves on strategy and tactics in any of Fischer's “hanging” games.
That Bisguier is eminently qualified for this post is confirmed by his victories against many of the greatest chess players of the world, particularly the Russians.
Bisguier was an aspirant for the Curaçao Candidates Tournament, but failed to qualify in the the preceding Stockholm Interzonal. His speculative tendencies, no doubt, reckoned in this result.
The game below, played in the Bruno Forsberg Memorial Tournament at the Marshall Chess Club, which he won, is an example of the success of his dashing play. On move 12 he offered a rook for a bishop. Fearing the myriad possibilities, particularly in having his king tied to the center of the board in an exposed position by the opposing knight, White declined. From a practical point of view, the offer certainly was justified. Whether this conclusion can be borne out under analysis with unlimited time is another matter. After White's possible error, Black's queen-side initiative decided.
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Apropos, here is Bisguier's definition of the difference between a master and a grand master. “A master,” says he, “cogitates carefully, perhaps a half-hour on a move. Finally, he chooses the correct square for the correct piece and place it there. A grand master is much more skillful. He hardly thinks at all. He throws the piece into the air and it just falls on the right squares.”
