The Gift of Chess

Notice to commercial publishers seeking use of images from this collection of chess-related archive blogs. For use of the many large color restorations, two conditions must be met: 1) It is YOUR responsibility to obtain written permissions for use from the current holders of rights over the original b/w photo. Then, 2) make a tax-deductible donation to The Gift of Chess in honor of Robert J. Fischer-Newspaper Archives. A donation in the amount of $250 USD or greater is requested for images above 2000 pixels and other special request items. For small images, such as for fair use on personal blogs, all credits must remain intact and a donation is still requested but negotiable. Please direct any photographs for restoration and special request (for best results, scanned and submitted at their highest possible resolution), including any additional questions to S. Mooney, at bobbynewspaperblogs•gmail. As highlighted in the ABC News feature, chess has numerous benefits for individuals, including enhancing critical thinking and problem-solving skills, improving concentration and memory, and promoting social interaction and community building. Initiatives like The Gift of Chess have the potential to bring these benefits to a wider audience, particularly in areas where access to educational and recreational resources is limited.

Best of Chess Fischer Newspaper Archives
• Robert J. Fischer, 1955 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1956 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1957 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1958 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1959 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1960 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1961 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1962 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1963 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1964 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1965 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1966 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1967 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1968 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1969 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1970 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1971 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1972 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1973 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1974 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1975 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1976 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1977 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1978 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1979 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1980 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1981 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1982 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1983 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1984 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1985 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1986 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1987 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1988 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1989 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1990 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1991 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1992 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1993 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1994 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1995 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1996 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1997 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1998 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1999 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2000 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2001 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2002 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2003 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2004 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2005 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2006 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2007 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2008 bio + additional games
Chess Columns Additional Archives/Social Media

Articles From 1967 Index

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U.S. Championship Committee Chairman Maurice Kasper with Robert J. Fischer, Champion for the eighth time, as pairings for the 1966-1967 event were being announced.

January 1967

March 01 1967

Bobby Fischer and Prince Rainier of Monaco, at the beginning of the international tournament in Monte Carlo, 1967.

March 24 1967

William Lombardy vs Robert James Fischer

April 1967

Bobby Fischer's visit to the Philippines in 1967 for the “Beat Bobby Fischer” chess matches. Featured Rosendo Balinas playing white against Bobby Fischer.

Bobby Fischer's visit to the Philippines in 1967 for the “Beat Bobby Fischer” chess matches.


April 04 1967

The American Bobby Fischer and the Soviet Smyslov take their place in Monaco on April 04, 1967.
American Bobby Fischer and Soviet Smyslov during the chess tournament in Monaco, April 4, 1967.

May 1967

Bobby Fischer in Philippines.
Bobby Fischer, Chess Simul.

New Generation -- 25, And Under

The Miami News Miami, Florida Wednesday, January 04, 1967 - Page 22

New Generation — 25, And Under
Its world-famed features range from the computer-like introspection of Bobby Fischer, 23, defending the U.S. chess title in Manhattan last week, the craggy face of French Olympic Skier Jean-Claude Killy, 23, swooping through the slalom gates at Portillo, Chile.

New Generation — 25, And Under

Chess: The Poisoned Pawn Again

The Guardian London, Greater London, England Thursday, January 12, 1967 - Page 5

Chess: The Poisoned Pawn Again
“…Robert Byrne's discovery. The older move 15 NxP was refuted by Bobby Fischer in his game with Tringov at Havana, 1965…”

Chess: The Poisoned Pawn Again

Watching Fischer in Tourney Is a Memorable Experience

The Courier-Journal Louisville, Kentucky Sunday, January 08, 1967 - Page 55

Watching Fischer in Tourney Is a Memorable Experience
While in New York last month, it was my privilege to look in on the U.S. Chess Championship Tournament at the Henry Hudson Hotel.
The tournament was won, as expected, by the all but invincible Bobby Fischer. Larry Evans was runner-up. Several ended in a tie for third place and, surprisingly, a number of the country's top players finished in a tie for last or near last.

It is a memorable experience to watch International Grandmaster Fischer in action and I suspect that many who plunked down $2 a head to crowd into the playing arena went for just that. The contestants were all on stage and as each move was made it was posted immediately on a large overhead board so that it was easy to follow all games simultaneously.
Fischer is almost never in time trouble, making his moves with clock-like precision and then roaming about to watch the other games while awaiting his opponent's reply. When he returns to his board he is such a study in concentration that one gets the impression he has a built-in computer as he analyzes the most complicated positions with uncanny accuracy and speed.

It wasn't often that the late Dr. Emanuel Lasker, world champion for 27 years, lost a game, least of all a “quickie.” But he does it here after slipping in the opening. Before playing, study the diagram. Lasker, playing Black, has just moved 12 … P-N4. How does White reply?

Watching Fischer in Tourney Is a Memorable Experience

Castro's No Pawn in Game of Chess

Star Tribune Minneapolis, Minnesota Sunday, January 08, 1967 - Page 44

Castro's No Pawn in Game of Chess
Cuban Premier Fidel Castro, who has won world acclaim as an orator, baseball pitcher and back-country guerrilla, also has creditable skills as a chess player.
This is reported by Fred Cramer, a former president of the U.S. Chess Federation and the official U.S. representative at the recent FIDE (International Chess Federation) meetings and World Chess Olympiad in Havana, Cuba.
Cramer, 54, who is a partner in a lighting fixture manufacturing company in Milwaukee, Wis., spoke at the Downtown YMCA Saturday and showed slides of his Cuban travels. The meeting was sponsored by the Minnesota State Chess Association.

THE HAVANA meetings marked a departure for the U.S. State Department. After years of intransigence, the State Department decided that “the national interest” would be served by allowing the American chess team to travel to Havana for the competition.
As Cramer described the setting in an interview, the Olympiad was the biggest thing to hit Havana since the revolution.
He said about 400 players and officials from 52 countries were the only guests in the splendor of the 630-room former Havana Hilton for the five weeks of meetings and chess play. They were celebrities. “Ever since I left Mexico City I was surrounded with newspaper photographers,” Cramer said.

NEWSPAPERS were filled with tournament news. Store windows were filled with giant chess displays. “It was like Christmas.”
Just to open the games took three days, Cramer said. “In Minneapolis, we'd say, ‘O.K., everybody go to your tables and start playing.’”
The formal opening festivities were conducted at the Coliseum, where the Cuban treason trials were held only six years earlier.
Cramer said 15,000 filled the stands, although many were young, uniformed children who obviously had been trucked to the Coliseum.
After the speeches and formalities, Castro played a young Mexican in an ex-officio game, Cramer said. “The Russian champion was kibitzing Castro, and Fischer (Bobby Fischer, the No. 1 American player) was helping the Mexican. It was a very serious game.”

CRAMER SAID photographers, particularly the two who stay at Castro's side, had a field day. The game lasted two hours.
“One of the funniest things I saw was the Russian waving to the other Russian to help because Castro was losing.”
But, in the end—Cramer said—Castro won, and the whole entourage was taken across the street from the hotel for ice cream. (“You have to eat ice cream to be a good Cuban,” Cramer reported.)
Cramer started to quote Fischer as saying Castro was a good player, but he stopped short. “Well, Fischer won't say anybody's good,” Cramer said, reinforcing the out-spoken public image of the young chess champion.
“Fischer gave him his book and told Castro he hoped it would help him.”

CRAMER CITED several instances when school children or audiences cheered the American entries. On several occasions, Cramer, who speaks Spanish, visited Havana slums, and got the same impression.

Castro's No Pawn in Game of Chess

Fischer, Evans Top U.S. Title Tourney

The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Sunday, January 08, 1967 - Page 70 ()

Fischer, Evans Top U.S. Title Tourney
With all results in, U.S. Chess Champion Bobby Fischer demonstrated once again his vast superiority over anyone else on the American chess scene.
Fischer won his final round game with Arthur Bisguier of New York in the current title tournament, to finish two full points, ahead of runner-up Larry Evans of Las Vegas.
This was the last game to finish, after an adjournment, an indication of Fischer's eagerness to win and to pile up the points. He had already clinched the championship trophy and the $2500 first prize the round before.
Fischer was the only undefeated player. This was a considerable improvement over his result last year, when he lost twice, to Robert Byrne of Indianapolis and Samuel Reshevsky of Spring Valley, N.Y.
On the other hand it was not up to Fischer's fantastic performance three years ago, when he scored 11-0 against the best opposition that could be mustered. Fischer, who will be 24 in March, has now won the championship eight times.
Evans was a strong second, his performance paling only in comparison with Fischer. He lost only once, to tailender Donald Byrne of State Park, Pa. It is to be noted that Evans won the championship in 1961, when Fischer did not compete.
Since 10 of the 12 contestants were in last year's tournament, some comparisons and changes in form might be of interest.
Last year Evans did poorly, finishing in a tie at 5-6 with Pal Benko of New York and Dr. Anthony Saidy of San Francisco. Benko improved sufficiently to tie for third, whereas Saidy wound up with the identical score.
Robert Byrne and Reshevsky tied for second last year with final tallies of 7½-3½. Both slumped badly this time, to end up in another tie at 4½-6½, along with Nicholas Rossolimo of New York.
This is a particularly depressing result for Reshevsky, who first won the championship in 1936, and was the American ace for over 20 years.
Last year's event was the more important from an international standpoint, as it was a zonal tournament in the sequence leading to the selection of a world championship challenger.
Fischer, Byrne and Reshevsky qualified for the interzonal tournament, which will be held later this year in Tunis.
Following are the final results and games from the championship:

Fischer, Evans Top U.S. Title Tourney

Chess: Attacking the Sicilian

The Guardian London, Greater London, England Thursday, January 05, 1967 - Page 5

Chess: Attacking the Sicilian
THE latest idea for White against Sicilian is an amalgam of two earlier attacking plans which have lost a little of their gloss. Bobby Fischer had much success for some years with the development of White's king bishop at QB4, followed by the pawn advance P-KB4-5. A plan against the Najdorf and similar variations of the Sicilian is for White to castle on the queen's side and advance his KNP, supported by the rook at KN1.
The new method, which is analyzed this week, combines features from both ideas. It was already illustrated here by a game Tal-Bolbochan a few weeks ago. The latest example is from the recent England v. Holland match, which the Dutch won narrowly 11-9. Hartston, on current performance England's best young player, continued his good form from the student world championship and the Havana Olympics by winning the best game of the Dutch match. The notes here are based on those contributed by the winner.

Chess: Attacking the Sicilian

Great Games by Chess Prodigies

Sunday Gazette-Mail Charleston, West Virginia Sunday, January 29, 1967 - Page 39

Great Games by Chess Prodigies
WE RECENTLY discussed Great Games by Chess Prodigies, the late Fred Reinfeld's last chess book and one of his best. The book gives some of the outstanding early games of Paul Morphy, J. R. Capablanca, Sammy Reshevsky and Bobby Fischer. Of course, Morphy never played any of these other players, but Reshevsky was a link between Capablanca and Fischer. Sammy first met the Cuban in 1935 at Margate, at age 23, and scored a notable victory. Capablanca evened the score, however, the following year in a crucial game in the great Nottingham tournament.
Reshevsky's first tournament meeting with (thirteen-year-old) Bobby Fischer ended a draw; Reshevsky went on to win the national championship — for the last time. The following year young Fischer astounded Reshevsky by winning his queen on move 12! And he astounded the chess world by winning the tournament and the United States Chess Championship. At age 14!
Reshevsky did win games from the new chess star after that crushing defeat, but he topped him only once more in a tournament. However, that was the great Buenos Aires Tournament of 1960 and Reshevsky topped everybody there except the Soviet champion, Boris Spassky, who tied him for first place. That was Reshevsky's last great tournament achievement, while Fischer will probably go on to the chess championship of the world.

Great Games by Chess Prodigies

Fischer In Eighth Title Triumph

The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Sunday, January 01, 1967 - Page 27

Fischer In Eighth Title Triumph
Bobby Fischer did it again, and about as easily as anticipated. He won the U.S. Chess Championship for the eighth time in the tournament contested at the Henry Hudson Hotel in New York.
With one round to go as this is written, Fischer had won seven games and drawn three for a score of 8½-1½. None of his opponents could reach this total in the 12-man round robin event.
Larry Evans of Las Vegas, who drew with Fischer by resourceful play after getting an inferior ending, was in second place with a score of 7-3. He had won five games, drawn four and lost one to Donald Byrne of State Park, Pa.
Others with plus scores and good prospects for top prizes were two New Yorkers, Pal Benko with 5½-3½ and Arthur Bisguier with 5-4. Each had an unfinished game besides the final round to complete.
Dr. Anthony Saidy of San Francisco, who had started poorly, had a good week with two wins and three draws, to pull up to a 5-5 score. Tied with 4-6 were Nicholas Rossolimo and Bernard Zuckerman, both of New York.
Other totals, with some adjourned games to make up, were James Sherwin, New York, 31/2-41/2; William Addison, San Francisco, Robert Byrne, Indianapolis, and Samuel Reshevsky, Spring Valley, N.Y., 3½-5½, and Donald Byrne, 3-6.
The most disappointing performance was that of Reshevsky, who held the championship for many years before Fischer came on the scene. Rarely has he had a minus score, clear evidence of his poor form.
Fischer, who will be 24 in March, won the title for the first time in 1957. He has been victorious every time he competed in the event. Following are the details of last week's play, and games from the tournament.

Fischer In Eighth Title Triumph

Chess: Fischer Wins Again

The Guardian London, Greater London, England Thursday, January 26, 1967 - Page 10

Chess: Fischer Wins Again
BOBBY FISCHER has just won the United States championship for the eighth time at the age of 23. His continued success when the incentive which brought the first victory is long past is a remarkable achievement. Fischer scored 9½ out of 11, conceding only three draws and finishing two points ahead of the runner-up. Larry Evans, who was himself 1½ points clear of Benko and Sherwin in third place. Reshevsky, once the undisputed king of American chess, scored only 4½ points to finish a modest eighth.
Here are two of Fischer's wins from the US championship.

Chess: Fischer Wins Again

U.S. Championship

The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Sunday, January 15, 1967 - Page 105

U.S. Championship
In our report on the U.S. Chess Championship last week, the final standings of the players were omitted in error. They follow, along with additional games from the tournament.
Champion Bobby Fischer easily outdistanced the field, as had been expected, Evans also showed to good advantage. The rest of the players were all closely bunched. Note that the two point margin between Fischer and Evans is the same as that between third place and last.

U.S. Championship

Chess: Fischer Tops Chess World

The Boston Globe Boston, Massachusetts Sunday, January 15, 1967 - Page 76

Chess: Fischer Tops Chess World
Robert J. Fischer, who has authored a chess book called “Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess,” which we must review one of these days, has won his eighth U.S. championship in a row.
His victory in the Rosenwald was certain by the 10th round by which time Fischer had 8½ out of 10 points.

The tournament, which included 12 players, featured some surprises. Robert Byrne and Sam Reshevsky were not far from the bottom, while Larry Evans and Pal Benko were up close to Fischer.

Though Fischer's win was hardly a surprise, it is a fact that no player in the world with the possible exception of Spassky has matched Fischer's recent form.
In the Olympiad, Fischer beat such players as Portisch, Gligoric, Pomar and Olafsson. Here he massacres Gligoric in a game featuring a quiet and ancient opening, but which is virtually over by the 18th move.

Chess: Fischer Tops Chess World

Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess

Honolulu Star-Bulletin Honolulu, Hawaii Sunday, January 01, 1967 - Page 104

Chess Champ: Young Bobby Fischer, one of the world's great chess players (he taught himself at six and won the U.S. Chess Championship at 14), has come up with a wonderful new book on chess called “Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess.” Together with two educators, Drs. Stuart Margulies and Donn Mosenfelder, he's developed a new technique for teaching the complicated game in a simple picture quiz form.

Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess

Bobby Fischer's Furious Attack

Asbury Park Press Asbury Park, New Jersey Sunday, January 29, 1967 - Page 24

Bobby Fischer's Furious Attack
By Harry T. Conover, Press Staff Writer
“Not new, but old enough to be new,” said the late, great William Ewart Napier of the opening of a game published in his “Amenities and Background of Chess Play.”
U.S. champion Bobby Fischer may have had this idea in mind as he made his opening moves against Yugoslavian grand master Svetozar Gligoric in the 17th Chess Olympics held in Havana.
Playing the all-but-discredited, ancient Exchange Variation of the Ruy Lopez, Fischer mounted a furious attack to defeat Gligoric in 25 moves.

Bobby Fischer's Furious Attack

1967 Bobby Fischer Newspaper Article Archive

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This article also appears in,

Honolulu Star-Bulletin Honolulu, Hawaii Sunday, January 01, 1967 - Page 104

Chess Champ: Young Bobby Fischer, one of the world's great chess players (he taught himself at six and won the U.S. Chess Championship at 14), has come up with a wonderful new book on chess called “Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess.” Together with two educators, Drs. Stuart Margulies and Donn Mosenfelder, he's developed a new technique for teaching the complicated game in a simple picture quiz form.

Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess

The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Sunday, January 01, 1967 - Page 27

Fischer In Eighth Title Triumph
Bobby Fischer did it again, and about as easily as anticipated. He won the U.S. Chess Championship for the eighth time in the tournament contested at the Henry Hudson Hotel in New York.
With one round to go as this is written, Fischer had won seven games and drawn three for a score of 8½-1½. None of his opponents could reach this total in the 12-man round robin event.
Larry Evans of Las Vegas, who drew with Fischer by resourceful play after getting an inferior ending, was in second place with a score of 7-3. He had won five games, drawn four and lost one to Donald Byrne of State Park, Pa.
Others with plus scores and good prospects for top prizes were two New Yorkers, Pal Benko with 5½-3½ and Arthur Bisguier with 5-4. Each had an unfinished game besides the final round to complete.
Dr. Anthony Saidy of San Francisco, who had started poorly, had a good week with two wins and three draws, to pull up to a 5-5 score. Tied with 4-6 were Nicholas Rossolimo and Bernard Zuckerman, both of New York.
Other totals, with some adjourned games to make up, were James Sherwin, New York, 31/2-41/2; William Addison, San Francisco, Robert Byrne, Indianapolis, and Samuel Reshevsky, Spring Valley, N.Y., 3½-5½, and Donald Byrne, 3-6.
The most disappointing performance was that of Reshevsky, who held the championship for many years before Fischer came on the scene. Rarely has he had a minus score, clear evidence of his poor form.
Fischer, who will be 24 in March, won the title for the first time in 1957. He has been victorious every time he competed in the event. Following are the details of last week's play, and games from the tournament.

Fischer In Eighth Title Triumph

The Miami News Miami, Florida Wednesday, January 04, 1967 - Page 22

New Generation — 25, And Under
Its world-famed features range from the computer-like introspection of Bobby Fischer, 23, defending the U.S. chess title in Manhattan last week, the craggy face of French Olympic Skier Jean-Claude Killy, 23, swooping through the slalom gates at Portillo, Chile.

New Generation — 25, And Under

The Guardian London, Greater London, England Thursday, January 05, 1967 - Page 5

Chess: Attacking the Sicilian
THE latest idea for White against Sicilian is an amalgam of two earlier attacking plans which have lost a little of their gloss. Bobby Fischer had much success for some years with the development of White's king bishop at QB4, followed by the pawn advance P-KB4-5. A plan against the Najdorf and similar variations of the Sicilian is for White to castle on the queen's side and advance his KNP, supported by the rook at KN1.
The new method, which is analyzed this week, combines features from both ideas. It was already illustrated here by a game Tal-Bolbochan a few weeks ago. The latest example is from the recent England v. Holland match, which the Dutch won narrowly 11-9. Hartston, on current performance England's best young player, continued his good form from the student world championship and the Havana Olympics by winning the best game of the Dutch match. The notes here are based on those contributed by the winner.

Chess: Attacking the Sicilian

The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Sunday, January 08, 1967 - Page 70 ()

Fischer, Evans Top U.S. Title Tourney
With all results in, U.S. Chess Champion Bobby Fischer demonstrated once again his vast superiority over anyone else on the American chess scene.
Fischer won his final round game with Arthur Bisguier of New York in the current title tournament, to finish two full points, ahead of runner-up Larry Evans of Las Vegas.
This was the last game to finish, after an adjournment, an indication of Fischer's eagerness to win and to pile up the points. He had already clinched the championship trophy and the $2500 first prize the round before.
Fischer was the only undefeated player. This was a considerable improvement over his result last year, when he lost twice, to Robert Byrne of Indianapolis and Samuel Reshevsky of Spring Valley, N.Y.
On the other hand it was not up to Fischer's fantastic performance three years ago, when he scored 11-0 against the best opposition that could be mustered. Fischer, who will be 24 in March, has now won the championship eight times.
Evans was a strong second, his performance paling only in comparison with Fischer. He lost only once, to tailender Donald Byrne of State Park, Pa. It is to be noted that Evans won the championship in 1961, when Fischer did not compete.
Since 10 of the 12 contestants were in last year's tournament, some comparisons and changes in form might be of interest.
Last year Evans did poorly, finishing in a tie at 5-6 with Pal Benko of New York and Dr. Anthony Saidy of San Francisco. Benko improved sufficiently to tie for third, whereas Saidy wound up with the identical score.
Robert Byrne and Reshevsky tied for second last year with final tallies of 7½-3½. Both slumped badly this time, to end up in another tie at 4½-6½, along with Nicholas Rossolimo of New York.
This is a particularly depressing result for Reshevsky, who first won the championship in 1936, and was the American ace for over 20 years.
Last year's event was the more important from an international standpoint, as it was a zonal tournament in the sequence leading to the selection of a world championship challenger.
Fischer, Byrne and Reshevsky qualified for the interzonal tournament, which will be held later this year in Tunis.
Following are the final results and games from the championship:

Fischer, Evans Top U.S. Title Tourney

Star Tribune Minneapolis, Minnesota Sunday, January 08, 1967 - Page 44

Castro's No Pawn in Game of Chess
Cuban Premier Fidel Castro, who has won world acclaim as an orator, baseball pitcher and back-country guerrilla, also has creditable skills as a chess player.
This is reported by Fred Cramer, a former president of the U.S. Chess Federation and the official U.S. representative at the recent FIDE (International Chess Federation) meetings and World Chess Olympiad in Havana, Cuba.
Cramer, 54, who is a partner in a lighting fixture manufacturing company in Milwaukee, Wis., spoke at the Downtown YMCA Saturday and showed slides of his Cuban travels. The meeting was sponsored by the Minnesota State Chess Association.

THE HAVANA meetings marked a departure for the U.S. State Department. After years of intransigence, the State Department decided that “the national interest” would be served by allowing the American chess team to travel to Havana for the competition.
As Cramer described the setting in an interview, the Olympiad was the biggest thing to hit Havana since the revolution.
He said about 400 players and officials from 52 countries were the only guests in the splendor of the 630-room former Havana Hilton for the five weeks of meetings and chess play. They were celebrities. “Ever since I left Mexico City I was surrounded with newspaper photographers,” Cramer said.

NEWSPAPERS were filled with tournament news. Store windows were filled with giant chess displays. “It was like Christmas.”
Just to open the games took three days, Cramer said. “In Minneapolis, we'd say, ‘O.K., everybody go to your tables and start playing.’”
The formal opening festivities were conducted at the Coliseum, where the Cuban treason trials were held only six years earlier.
Cramer said 15,000 filled the stands, although many were young, uniformed children who obviously had been trucked to the Coliseum.
After the speeches and formalities, Castro played a young Mexican in an ex-officio game, Cramer said. “The Russian champion was kibbutzing Castro, and Fischer (Bobby Fischer, the No. I American player) was helping the Mexican. It was a very serious game.”

CRAMER SAID photographers, particularly the two who stay at Castro's side, had a field day. The game lasted two hours.
“One of the funniest things I saw was the Russian waving to the other Russian to help because Castro was losing.”
But, in the end—Cramer said—Castro won, and the whole entourage was taken across the street from the hotel for ice cream. (“You have to eat ice cream to be a good Cuban,” Cramer reported.)
Cramer started to quote Fischer as saying Castro was a good player, but he stopped short. “Well, Fischer won't say anybody's good,” Cramer said, reinforcing the out-spoken public image of the young chess champion.
“Fischer gave him his book and told Castro he hoped it would help him.”

CRAMER CITED several instances when school children or audiences cheered the American entries. On several occasions, Cramer, who speaks Spanish, visited Havana slums, and got the same impression.

Castro's No Pawn in Game of Chess

The Courier-Journal Louisville, Kentucky Sunday, January 08, 1967 - Page 55

Watching Fischer in Tourney Is a Memorable Experience
While in New York last month, it was my privilege to look in on the U.S. Chess Championship Tournament at the Henry Hudson Hotel.
The tournament was won, as expected, by the all but invincible Bobby Fischer. Larry Evans was runner-up. Several ended in a tie for third place and, surprisingly, a number of the country's top players finished in a tie for last or near last.

It is a memorable experience to watch International Grandmaster Fischer in action and I suspect that many who plunked down $2 a head to crowd into the playing arena went for just that. The contestants were all on stage and as each move was made it was posted immediately on a large overhead board so that it was easy to follow all games simultaneously.
Fischer is almost never in time trouble, making his moves with clock-like precision and then roaming about to watch the other games while awaiting his opponent's reply. When he returns to his board he is such a study in concentration that one gets the impression he has a built-in computer as he analyzes the most complicated positions with uncanny accuracy and speed.

It wasn't often that the late Dr. Emanuel Lasker, world champion for 27 years, lost a game, least of all a “quickie.” But he does it here after slipping in the opening. Before playing, study the diagram. Lasker, playing Black, has just moved 12 … P-N4. How does White reply?

Watching Fischer in Tourney Is a Memorable Experience

The Guardian London, Greater London, England Thursday, January 12, 1967 - Page 5

Chess: The Poisoned Pawn Again
“…Robert Byrne's discovery. The older move 15 NxP was refuted by Bobby Fischer in his game with Tringov at Havana, 1965…”

Chess: The Poisoned Pawn Again

The Boston Globe Boston, Massachusetts Sunday, January 15, 1967 - Page 76

Chess: Fischer Tops Chess World
Robert J. Fischer, who has authored a chess book called “Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess,” which we must review one of these days, has won his eighth U.S. championship in a row.
His victory in the Rosenwald was certain by the 10th round by which time Fischer had 8½ out of 10 points.

The tournament, which included 12 players, featured some surprises. Robert Byrne and Sam Reshevsky were not far from the bottom, while Larry Evans and Pal Benko were up close to Fischer.

Though Fischer's win was hardly a surprise, it is a fact that no player in the world with the possible exception of Spassky has matched Fischer's recent form.
In the Olympiad, Fischer beat such players as Portisch, Gligoric, Pomar and Olafsson. Here he massacres Gligoric in a game featuring a quiet and ancient opening, but which is virtually over by the 18th move.

Chess: Fischer Tops Chess World

The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Sunday, January 15, 1967 - Page 105

U.S. Championship
In our report on the U.S. Chess Championship last week, the final standings of the players were omitted in error. They follow, along with additional games from the tournament.
Champion Bobby Fischer easily outdistanced the field, as had been expected, Evans also showed to good advantage. The rest of the players were all closely bunched. Note that the two point margin between Fischer and Evans is the same as that between third place and last.

U.S. Championship

The Guardian London, Greater London, England Thursday, January 26, 1967 - Page 10

Chess: Fischer Wins Again
BOBBY FISCHER has just won the United States championship for the eighth time at the age of 23. His continued success when the incentive which brought the first victory is long past is a remarkable achievement. Fischer scored 9½ out of 11, conceding only three draws and finishing two points ahead of the runner-up. Larry Evans, who was himself 1½ points clear of Benko and Sherwin in third place. Reshevsky, once the undisputed king of American chess, scored only 4½ points to finish a modest eighth.
Here are two of Fischer's wins from the US championship.

Chess: Fischer Wins Again

Sunday Gazette-Mail Charleston, West Virginia Sunday, January 29, 1967 - Page 39

Great Games by Chess Prodigies
WE RECENTLY discussed Great Games by Chess Prodigies, the late Fred Reinfeld's last chess book and one of his best. The book gives some of the outstanding early games of Paul Morphy, J. R. Capablanca, Sammy Reshevsky and Bobby Fischer. Of course, Morphy never played any of these other players, but Reshevsky was a link between Capablanca and Fischer. Sammy first met the Cuban in 1935 at Margate, at age 23, and scored a notable victory. Capablanca evened the score, however, the following year in a crucial game in the great Nottingham tournament.
Reshevsky's first tournament meeting with (thirteen-year-old) Bobby Fischer ended a draw; Reshevsky went on to win the national championship — for the last time. The following year young Fischer astounded Reshevsky by winning his queen on move 12! And he astounded the chess world by winning the tournament and the United States Chess Championship. At age 14!
Reshevsky did win games from the new chess star after that crushing defeat, but he topped him only once more in a tournament. However, that was the great Buenos Aires Tournament of 1960 and Reshevsky topped everybody there except the Soviet champion, Boris Spassky, who tied him for first place. That was Reshevsky's last great tournament achievement, while Fischer will probably go on to the chess championship of the world.

Great Games by Chess Prodigies

Asbury Park Press Asbury Park, New Jersey Sunday, January 29, 1967 - Page 24

Bobby Fischer's Furious Attack
By Harry T. Conover, Press Staff Writer
“Not new, but old enough to be new,” said the late, great William Ewart Napier of the opening of a game published in his “Amenities and Background of Chess Play.”
U.S. champion Bobby Fischer may have had this idea in mind as he made his opening moves against Yugoslavian grand master Svetozar Gligoric in the 17th Chess Olympics held in Havana.
Playing the all-but-discredited, ancient Exchange Variation of the Ruy Lopez, Fischer mounted a furious attack to defeat Gligoric in 25 moves.

Bobby Fischer's Furious Attack

'til the world understands why Robert J. Fischer criticised the U.S./British and Russian military industry imperial alliance and their own Israeli Apartheid. Sarah Wilkinson explains:

Bobby Fischer, First Amendment, Freedom of Speech
What a sad story Fischer was,” typed a racist, pro-imperialist colonial troll who supports mega-corporation entities over human rights, police state policies & white supremacy.
To which I replied: “Really? I think he [Bob Fischer] stood up to the broken system of corruption and raised awareness! Whether on the Palestinian/Israel-British-U.S. Imperial Apartheid scam, the Bush wars of ‘7 countries in 5 years,’ illegally, unconstitutionally which constituted mass xenocide or his run in with police brutality in Pasadena, California-- right here in the U.S., police run rampant over the Constitution of the U.S., on oath they swore to uphold, but when Americans don't know the law, and the cops either don't know or worse, “don't care” -- then I think that's pretty darn “sad”. I think Mr. Fischer held out and fought the good fight, steadfast til the day he died, and may he Rest In Peace.
Educate yourself about U.S./State Laws --
https://www.youtube.com/@AuditTheAudit/videos
After which the troll posted a string of profanities, confirming there was never any genuine sentiment of “compassion” for Mr. Fischer, rather an intent to inflict further defamatory remarks.

This ongoing work is a tribute to the life and accomplishments of Robert “Bobby” Fischer who passionately loved and studied chess history. May his life continue to inspire many other future generations of chess enthusiasts and kibitzers, alike.

Robert J. Fischer, Kid Chess Wizard 1956March 9, 1943 - January 17, 2008

The photograph of Bobby Fischer (above) from the March 02, 1956 The Tampa Times was discovered by Sharon Mooney (Bobby Fischer Newspaper Archive editor) on February 01, 2018 while gathering research materials for this ongoing newspaper archive project. Along with lost games now being translated into Algebraic notation and extractions from over two centuries of newspapers, it is but one of the many lost treasures to be found in the pages of old newspapers since our social media presence was first established November 11, 2017.

Special Thanks