Deseret News and Salt Lake Telegram Salt Lake City, Utah Thursday, July 25, 1957
Let's Play Chess: Utahn, 15, Plays Well In U.S. Open Tourney
Richard Owen, Utah's 15-year-old budding chess genius, returned from the United States Junior Open Chess Championship in San Francisco with the remarkably high score of 4½-4½. This was Richard's first major tournament.
A high point of his play was his drawing with Gilbert Ramirez, California Junior and Open champion.
Winner of the tournament was Bobby Fischer, 14, of Brooklyn who retained his title. Bobby, about whose chess talents this column was devoted three weeks ago, scored 8½-½.
He was matched with most of the leaders in the 33-player Swiss System tournament. Defeating eight of his opponents, Bobby played to a draw with Ramirez in the fifth round.
Ramirez took second prizes with a 7½-1½ score. He also was undefeated but drew three times, with our Richard Owen, Ronald Thacker of Richmond, Calif., as well as Fischer.
Richard came home with several prizes—and also the memory of being a room mate of Fischer and Ramirez, for whom he has high praise.
Final Standings…