Asbury Park Press, Asbury Park, New Jersey, Sunday, October 19, 1958
Bobby Fischer Has Chess Experts Agog
Portoroz, Yugoslavia (AP)— It's October, a little more than a month after the interzonal chess tournament, and in America the talk is of football.
But here in Yugoslavia and throughout Europe, the people have never heard of Navy Joe's Tranchini or Ohio State's Frank Kremblas.
And even if they had, they would prefer to talk about Bobby Fischer, the 15-year-old Brooklyn boy with the mind of a quarterback, the self-discipline of a linebacker, and the title of grand master of chess.
Chances are Bobby, the boy, or Robert, as he prefers to be called when playing chess, has never heard of Tranchini or Kremblas either. And they may not have heard of him.
Started at Age 6
Bobby's mother says there was a time when he used to be very good at athletics, but that must have been before he reached the age of six. That's when he learned the moves of chess and he hasn't stopped studying them since. He says he is interested in virtually nothing else.
This is exceptional in the United States where the game is taken far less seriously than football, and even in Europe, where chess has undergone more refinements than the split - T, the chess masters are amazed at the genius of the gangling Fischer.
A tall boy with the classic adolescent slump, he doesn't look like a quarterback. He just thinks like one.
Youngest in History
He became the youngest grandmaster in history by his expert play at the Interzonal tournament here.
He left behind him eight world best grand masters and seven international masters. He failed to place first but captured the title of grand master and qualified for the Tournament of Candidates, the third stage in world championship competition.
Bobby impressed fellow competitors with his mature play in his first international tournament. He knew exactly what he wanted. The toughness of the will with which he fulfilled his aim was wonderful.
He is now a candidate for the world championship held by Russian Grand Master Mikhail Botvinnik. Fischer can challenge Botvinnik in 1960 if he wins next year's Tournament of Candidates.
Most Serious Player
Bobby, who won the U.S. Junior title in 1956 and the U.S. Open this year, was the most serious player in the interzonal tourney.
Only the Russians with their famous discipline could match him. But while the Russians occasionally went for a swim or a walk, Bobby remained in the tournament hall or in his hotel room. His self-imposed discipline was amazing, and he grew angry at reporters who kept stressing his age. He said he wanted to be judged only on his play.
When the tournament began Bobby said privately: “I plan to qualify for the tournament of candidates. To achieve that it is necessary to draw with the great players and some of the weaker. That will bring me enough points to qualify.”
Followed Plan
He followed his plan stubbornly and with success. Some of his foes thought they could trap “The Boy” by bizarre variations or surprise him with an unusual move to break his opposition.
But the lad proved them wrong. Johnny Lujack never called a cooler football game.
Bobby is regarded here as the first challenger in years to Russian chess supremacy.
But like the football players, he must go to school while Russian stars dedicate almost their entire time to chess.
