The New York Times New York, New York Saturday, August 28, 1965 - Page 19
Fischer Defeats Smyslov In Chess
Russian Telephones His Resignation From Cuba
When Bobby Fischer, America's 22-year-old chess champion, returned to the Marshall Chess Club in Greenwich Village yesterday, he was expecting to continue his long-distance game with Vassily Smyslov, former world chess champion.
Smyslov, a Russian, is In Havana competing in the Capablanca Memorial Chess Tournament. Fischer is competing in the tournament from New York, exchanging moves with his opponents by Teletype because the State Department refused him permission to go to Cuba.
Smyslov was supposed to send his next move on the Teletype at precisely 10 A.M. yesterday. Instead, the telephone rang. It was the “hot line” of sorts—a direct telephone line between the two players to supplement the Teletype.
On the other end of the line, the Russian spoke to Fischer in English. He was resigning, he said, conceding defeat in the game. He congratulated Fischer on winning, and then the two discussed possible moves that might have been made in the game, which began on Thursday.
The victory put Fischer into the lead in the tournament. Now after two rounds in the 22-round tournament, he is the only one to have scored two victories. Four players are tied with one victory and one draw.
600 Watch In Cuba
The game between Fischer and the 44-year-old Russian had attracted great interest in the Havana Libre Hotel, where the tournament is being held. More than 600 persons were gathered to follow the play on a special chessboard on the wall.
This was not the first meeting between Fischer and Smyslov, who first won the world championship in 1957. During a challengers' tournament in Yugoslavia in 1959, Fischer and Smyslov met four times. Each won a game and two games were tied.
In the game ended yesterday, Smyslov had allowed his king's pawn to be doubled on his 11th move. Later he incurred other pawn weaknesses. He apparently had confidence in his ability to defend the end game and proposed a draw on his 24th move, Fischer declined and with careful incisive play built up a winning position.
There will be no play today, but the tournament will resume at 3 P.M. tomorrow. The players tied for second are Borislav Ivkov of Yugoslavia, Johannes Donner of the Netherlands, Raimir Cholmov of the Soviet Union and Alberic O'Kelly of Belgium.
Below is Fischer's victory over Smyslov
Other results of the second round follow: Alberic O'Kelly of Belgium drew with Wolfgang Pietzsch of East Germany. Robert Wade of England adjourned with Zbygnev Doda of Poland, Lazslo Szabo of Hungary drew with Ewfim Geller of the Soviet Union, Radimir Cholmov of the Soviet Union drew with Bruno Parma of Yugoslavia, Francisco Perez of Cuba drew with Georghin Tringov of Bulgaria, Heinz Lehmann of West Germany and Victor Cioealtea, of Rumania adjourned.
Borislav Ivkov of Yugoslavia defeated Eliazer Jimenez of Cuba, Istvan Bilek of Hungary drew with Ludek Pachman of Czechoslovakia. Elvis Cobo of Cuba lost to Karl Robatsch of Austria, Johannes Donner of the Netherlands beat Gilberto Garcia of Cuba.
Results of the first round follow: Fischer defeated Lehmann. Cholmov defeated Tringov. O'Kelly defeated Doda, Smyslov defeated Pietzsch. The following games were tied: Victor Ciocalteca and Perez, Parma and Donner, Robatsch and Pachman and Irkov, Jimenez and Szabo, Geller and Wade. The game between Garcia and Cobs was adjourned.
