05 November 2013

Young Bobby Punched the Wrong Clock

Today I wanted to post a followup to Endgame: Geller - Fischer, 1970 Interzonal, but got bogged down in analysis. Instead I'll go with a backup Fischer piece.

Finding early references in the chess press to future chess celebrities is an easy pastime for amateur chess historians. A few years ago I noted Carlsen's TWIC Debut, while the article on the left is the earliest reference I have to Bobby Fischer. It appeared on page two of the February 5, 1956 issue of Chess Life (Vol. X, No. 11, in case you were wondering).

The event was recorded on p.95 of Bobby Fischer's Chess Games by Wade and O'Connell (Doubleday 1972). All games were marked 'The result, opponent's name and score of this game are not available'.

I haven't yet looked through issues of Chess Life before 1956, so I still might find an earlier reference to Fischer. The columnist, Allen Kaufman, is undoubtedly the future Executive Director of the American Chess Foundation, an influential group whose history appears not to have been written.

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