AEdmonton Journal Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Wednesday, September 17, 1958
Chess Whiz, 15, Starts Training
Brooklyn (AP)—If a boxer began training for a championship fight a year in advance of the battle, you'd wonder if he was kidding.
With chess players, it's different.
Bobby Fischer, the 15-year-old whiz kid of world chess—he's the youngest international grand master ever—went back to Erasmus Hall high school in Flatbush Tuesday, but he was mentally figuring out his strategy for next year's challenger's tournament.
In that one, he could wind up challenging Mikhail Botvinnik of Russia, current ruler, for the world championship.
When he showed up in Europe for the candidates' tournament—sort of an elimination for the challengers' event—he wasn't taken very seriously. Still, he wound up in the top six in the competition in Portoroz, Yugoslavia.
“I learned a few tricks,” he said, “and I can't wait a minute to get started with my practice.”
He arrived home Monday and within 10 minutes he had sat down at a chess board.
“You know,” said Bobby, “when I arrived in Yugoslavia, all the international players told me they would beat me. Actually, I lost two games. I should have won them all.”
Bobby pointed out that there is a lot more interest in chess outside the United States than there is here.
“Why,” he said, “I had to sign hundreds of autographs. Abroad everyone knows about chess. It is considered an art.”
