Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Saturday, December 28, 1957
14 Vie for U.S. Title
At the new rooms of the Manhattan Chess Club in New York the Lessing Rosenwald Trophy, symbolic of the U.S. chess championship, is in contest among 14 players.
Although it is too early in the match for the standings to reflect real significance, class is beginning to tell and the Central Park atmosphere has become charged with dramatic tension.
Five rounds have been completed except for adjournments. Grandmaster Robert Fischer, 14-year-old comet who is blazing across the chess firmament, has scored 3½-½.
Using a Sicilian Defense, wherein the chromatics elect to respond to 1. P-K4 with P-QB4, thereby diverting a center attack to the left flank, the Wunderkind played white against the champion of the Western World, Sam Reshevsky. They fought through five hours of play in the first sitting to an adjournment which the experts claims is drawish.
Reshevsky sealed after Fischer's 42. P-N3.
It is an indication of Fischer's nerve and self-confidence that he should challenge his famed and feared opponent with the open game, 1. P-K4 and a credit that Reshevsky should answer with the Sicilian.
At adjournment, bishops of opposite color remain as well as six pawns for each. The prodigy has a passed pawn, which however, is blocked.
A dispute of interest developed in the first round when William Lombardy, world junior champion, was challenged by Sidney Bernstein, Marshall Club title-holder, for crossing the time barrier.
Director Hans Kmoch ruled a clock defective and asked that Bernstein continue play. Bernstein declined, influenced doubtlessly by an inferior position. Manhattan Club President Maurice J. Kasper named a committee of three, Al Horowitz, Arnold Denker and Ed McCormick to adjudicate. They found for Lombardy.
