Chattanooga Daily Times Chattanooga, Tennessee Monday, December 29, 1958
Reshevsky Gains; 3 Tied Up For 2nd - Child Champion Fischer Is Still Out Front in U.S. Chess Tournament By Hermann Helms ©New York Times News Service
New York—Samuel Reshevsky, America's international ace and claimant to the chess championship of the Western world, tightened up the race Sunday in the annual U.S. championship for the Lessing J. Rosenwald Trophy at the Marshall Chess Club. The one-time child marvel, now 46, married and with two little ones of his own, won in 39 moves his seventh-round game from Larry Evans, former U.S. champion and grandmaster.
Evans, who was and still is crowding 15-year-old champion Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn for first place, thus sustained his first defeat and found himself in a triple tie at 4-2 with Reshevsky and Arthur B. Bisguier ex-champion, for second place. Fischer, by half a point, continued, with 4½-1½, at the head of the field of 12.
Reshevsky was in superb form with the white pieces against the Nimzowitsch defense set up by Evans, who lost time with his king's bishop at an early stage. Having developed to his satisfaction, Reshevsky started a king's side attack with an advance of pawns. He sacrificed one to obtain control of the king's bishop file, whereafter Evans was kept distinctly on the defensive. Step by step, Reshevsky gained until his pursuit of the black king was rewarded.
Faced by a threatened checkmate, Evans gave up his queen for a rook, but obtained only temporary relief. He was actually checkmated on the 39th move.
Bisguier joined the trio by winning his adjourned sixth-round game from Charles Kalme of Philadelphia. In the same round, James T. Sherwin, New York, drew with Edmar Mednis, New York University. Sherwin, 3½-2½, moved up to fifth place.
