APittsburgh Sun-Telegraph Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Saturday, September 13, 1958
15-Year-Old Bobby Places 5th in Chess Tournament
America's 15-year-old Robert Fischer finished fifth at Portoroz, Yugoslavia, in a tournament which captured more of the chess world's interest than any other in 20 years.
This makes the youth a grand master automatically.
Fans familiar with the preparatory work that goes into a great tournament like the Interzonal have some idea of the research the Russians devoted to the games of the players that were entered against them.
THE TALENT, the money and the facilities for analysis and screening for weaknesses of all the players was available as well as the will to exploit every advantage to win.
Especially was the teenaged American champion centered in the Soviet sights.
We do not doubt that even the attitude of sporting magnanimity, as each of the Russian grand masters defeated him in turn, was rehearsed.
His tournament games above others were distilled for prepared variations. Condescending acknowledgment for a “good try” were held at the ready for the defeats of young Robert.
HOWEVER IT DID not work out quite that way, for all four of the Russians were lucky to escape with draws. Four times the great bear from the Steppes came forward to masticate none-too-gentle Robert and four times he extracted one of bruin's incisors.
No prepared innovations for the American, just catch-as-catch-can chess, taken them as they come, play them as you see them.
Still we must credit the legendary Soviet chess giants with a “good try” and maybe next time, with a little more preparation they may have better luck!
