January 1966 'On the Cover'

We start a new year of American chess magazines from 50 years ago with echoes of the previous year. The January 1965 'On the Cover' also highlighted Chess Life's 'See you at the NATIONAL OPEN!' -- for that initial event the cover girl was named. The same magazine, for its December 1965 'On the Cover', showed Pal Benko as 'First American Open Champion'.

Left: 'See you at the NATIONAL OPEN!'
Right: 'Winner of American Open at Santa Monica'

Chess Life (two page ad)

Announcing the Great Second Annual
NATIONAL OPEN
THE STARDUST HOTEL, LAS VEGAS
FEBRUARY 27 - MARCH 4, 1966
$4,600 IN CASH PRIZES
Biggest Ever in an 8-Round Swiss!

Chess Review

ON THE COVER: The Mission Bay Open at the Steiner Chess Group of San Diego, which drew 30 participants and about 100 spectators, was won, not surprisingly, by grandmaster Pal Benko of San Diego with a 5-0 sweep. [...] Benko later won the American Open.

The equivalent CL ad for the 1965 National Open had announced '$4,500 IN CASH PRIZES!'. The 1966 event offered early-bird hotel rooms at the Stardust for $8 single and $10 double.