Evening Star, Washington, District of Columbia, Friday, January 17, 1958
The Rambler by George Kennedy
After The Talk, the Rambler met Albert Fox, a tax lawyer and member of the club, in the lounge.
“The Secretary did not mention one front of East-West tension,” he said, “although he is well aware of it.
“That is chess. The Russians are beating the chess players of the free world.
“The champion of the world is a Russian, Vasili Smyslov. I am afraid that our man, Sam Reshevsky, won't be able to stalemate him—get a tie, that is.
“Where was our man born? In Poland! In Russia they subsidize their top chess players and treat them with the respect that is due major intellectuals.
“There is only one ray of hope. A 14-year-old Brooklyn boy named Bobby Fischer won the open. I think if he is brought along properly he may beat Smyslov in time.
“Right here in the club we have a situation. Valentin Ivanov, first secretary of the Soviet Embassy, has won in the first round of the National Press Club Chess Tournament.
“If he beats us—I'm among the survivors of the first round—there is only one man in Washington who has a chance to take him, and he is that excellent chess player, John Foster Dulles.”
