The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Sunday, September 09, 1962 - Page 86
Fischer vs. Russians 09 Sep 1962, Sun The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com
Fischer Vs. Russians
Last week we reported on an article by Bobby Fischer entitled “The Russians Have Fixed World Chess” which appeared in the Aug. 20 issue of Sports Illustrated. The brilliant 19-year-old grandmaster brought up some issues that can stand clarification.
Following are our comments in the form of an open letter to Fischer.
Dear Bobby:
I am concerned at your statement that you will never again face the Russians in challenge tournaments leading to the world championship. In your modest way you will probably agree that you have the best chance of any American to bring the title here.
You are young enough to keep trying, even if success does not come immediately. I have never believed that the Russians are 10 feet tall, or that they are invincible in chess or anything else.
What are the problems? You state that the system of selecting a challenger must lead to a Russian victory, but you give no evidence of this inevitability. Actually the system was worked out over a period of years by a group headed by former world champion Dr. Max Euwe of Holland, as fair-minded an individual as ever played chess.
The cycle of zonal, interzonal and candidates' tournaments was intended to develop chess interest all over the world as well as lead to a championship match. Theoretically a completely unknown player could go through the series and get to the top. All he has to do is win enough games.
Paul Keres, one of your opponents at Curacao, recently proposed a change in the system in an article in FIDE, the magazine of the International Chess Federation. Keres would limit world championship play to grandmasters.
Would that be fairer? Under that method you would not have qualified for the candidates' tournament in 1959, which you actually did at the age of 16. Incidentally, that rates as the greatest achievement in chess history for anyone of that age.
Yes, more Russians get into the candidates' tournaments than any other nationals. But let us face the fact that Russia has more fine chess players than all the rest of the world put together. This does not mean that we should give up the struggle, but it points up the need to develop more chess interest. This will not come about through changing a system of tournaments.
What about the Russians drawing so many games with each other? Do you really believe, Bobby, that this is why three Russians finished ahead of you in Curacao? Remember that every drawn game loses half a point for each player. If the Russians wanted to be certain of victory, they should have arranged to have one of them win most of the games in their interplay, rather than to level out by drawing.
In the Stockholm Interzonal, which you won so brilliantly, part of your advantage was the same series of draws among the Russians. If you recall, you also drew six of the games against your top seven opponents. Your winning margin was an almost clean sweep against the bottom half.
In Curacao your score against the top four Russians was 6½-9½. That accounts quite simply for your not winning the tournament. You have done better before and I am quite sure you will do better many times in the future.
You make a point that the Russians consulted in their games with you. If this was done openly it indicates lax refereeing, which is certainly wrong. This is a problem that has existed for many years. There undoubtedly is strength in numbers, and again it points up our major task.
Bobby, let us resolve not to quit, but to develop more and better players so that you will have more support in your rise to the top. You can help by co-operating with American chess organizations, playing in American tournaments more frequently and in other ways working with those who would be your friends. Unfortunately you have not always adopted this course.
Actually American chess is in far better shape today that it was some 30 years ago when I headed several teams that went on to win the Chess Olympics four times in succession. We were a group of brash youngsters that decided that no one could beat us. I think basically you have that spirit, and my message to you is to keep going.
