Chattanooga Daily Times Chattanooga, Tennessee Thursday, December 25, 1958
Teen-Ager Wins From Chess Ace - Fischer Takes Undisputed Lead in Meet by Beating Samuel Reshevsky by Herman Helms © New York Times News Service
New York—The 15-year-old United States chess champion, Bobby Fischer created a sensation Wednesday at the Manhattan chess club by defeating Samuel Reshevsky, America's international ace, in their sixth round game in the Lessing J. Rosenwald Trophy Tournament.
The added point gave Fischer a score of 4-1 in the field of 12 and ended a three-way tie for the lead among Reshevsky, Larry Evans and Fischer. The Fischer-Reshevsky match was played ahead of the regular schedule. In addition, Fischer has an adjourned game pending from the fourth round.
In match, Reshevsky was caught napping on the black side of a Sicilian defense. Eager to be rid of his opponent's king's bishop, Reshevsky at his eighth turn played his knight to the queen's rook file. However, it turned out to be a blunder.
Fischer, aware of the slipperiness of this variation, was prompt to seize the opportunity.
He sacrificed the bishop and followed with a move of his knight that imprisoned the black queen. Reshevsky was forced to abandon that powerful piece in exchange for two minor pieces.
Facing virtually certain defeat, Reshevsky made the best of a bargain and fought it out. Fischer, not to be denied, sacrificed a rook for the bishop to win a pawn. Unable to avoid a further exchange of pieces, Reshevsky was left defending with a rook and night against the white queen.
The fact that Fischer had a passed pawn on the queen's rook file left Reshevsky without hope and he resigned after 41 moves. With a score of 3-2, Reshevsky dropped to third place, leaving Evans second at 3-1.