New York Times, New York, New York, Tuesday, December 31, 1957
Fischer Widens U.S. Chess Lead
Beats Mednis in 39 Moves of Pirc Defense for 7-1 Tally—Reshevsky Adjourns
Bobby Fischer widened his lead in the United States chess championship last night with a victory in thirty-nine moves over Edmar Mednis at the Marshall Chess Club.
Fischer, the 14-year-old national open champion from Brooklyn, has a score of 7—1. Samuel Reshevsky, an international grandmaster, is second in the field of fourteen with 5½—1½.
Mednis, of the host club, resorted to the Pirc defense in the lively encounter.
Fischer castled on the queen's side of the board to evade the advance of the black pawns on the opposite wing. Mednis deferred castling until his nineteenth turn and then endeavored to launch a drive along the open king's file.
Fischer in Retreat
Bobby retreated his king into the corner and found a sound defense by posting his knight on the home square. He then took command and engineered a drive that kept Mednis on the defensive.
A brilliant sacrifice of a rook at his twenty-eighth move created intense excitement since both players were hard-pressed for time. Fischer kept up the pressure and finally cornered the black king after thirty-nine moves.
Reshevsky, meanwhile, was kept busy by Hans Berliner of Washington, who accepted the Queen's Gambit.
Honors were even throughout the opening and middle game until Reshevsky, on his thirtieth move, played P-Q5. This could have been captured in two ways, but in either case the outcome would have been disastrous for Berliner.
Nevertheless, Reshevsky was able to push his advantage, winning a pawn. Later, he gained access to the black wing and captured the exchange. Berliner chose to play on and, after forty moves, sealed his move in an unpromising position.
Seidman and Sherwin Draw
Games were drawn between Herbert Seidman and James T. Sherwin in a Sicilian defense lasting forty-three moves and between Arthur Feuerstein and George Kramer in a King's Indian defense after thirty-seven moves.
Adjournments were taken. A. Di Camillo and Abe Turner in a Ruy Lopez; Arnold S. Denker and William Lombardy in a Nimzowitsch defense, and Sidney Bernstein and Arthur B. Bisguier in a Two Knights defense.
