AExpress and News San Antonio, Texas Sunday, March 18, 1962 - Page 23
Championship Chess 18 Mar 1962, Sun Express and News (San Antonio, Texas) Newspapers.com
Fischer Worries The Russians
The Interzonal Chess Tournament is at an end and all the players have left Stockholm, with the possible exception of Benko and Gligoric, and the reason for their stay will be explained.
As expected, Bobby Fischer of the United States won hands down with a tremendous score of 17½-4½, two and one half points ahead of his nearest rivals, Geller and Petrosian of Russia.
Losing no games, Fischer has shown the chess world that he is ready to win the Candidates' Tournament, and ready to take on Botvinnik in a match for the world championship.
I cannot emphasize too much what a victory would mean to the morale of the United States and Russia. If Fischer wins, the blow to Russian chess prestige will be shattering, knocking the wind completely out of their sales.
They pride themselves on being first in chess. It is their national game. They have heroes like we do in baseball, football, basketball, and golf.
There are over one million chess players in Russia today and about 500,000 participate in tournaments. They don't want to lose, and they will lost if Fischer wins the Candidates' Tournament.
Will there be a tacit agreement among the Russian players to “get Fischer, block Fischer?”
Also qualifying for the candidates' is Filip and Korchnoi with 14-8. Benko and Gligoric and Stein are bracketed with 13½-8½. Since Stein is Russian and the Federation rules say that no more than three players may qualify from any one country, he will not be among the contenders for sixth place.
Only Benko and Gligoric fall in this category and they may play a match to decide this issue. Perhaps they are in Stockholm now for this purpose.
It is hardly feasible that they should return to their native lands, only to return to some suitable point to play a match, especially in view of the fact that the Candidates' Tournament is only two months away.
On the other hand, they are no doubt exhausted from the tournament they just finished. Maybe they will flip a coin!
Portisch and Uhlmann finished with 12½-9½, while Olafsson and Pomar both totaled 12-10.
Fischer and Alekhine
Alekhine won two tournaments head and shoulders above the other participants at Margate and Bled, proving that he was in a class by himself, just as Fischer has done.
We can concede that Smyslov, Keres or Tahl, might have won this Interzonal Tournament by a score of, perhaps, 16½-5½. Botvinnik may have won the same event with a score of 17-5. But Fischer won 17½-4½. Look out, Botvinnik!
