AThe Sacramento Bee Sacramento, California Thursday, July 22, 1971 - Page 22
Bobby Fischer — Dazzling U.S. Chess Ace
Bobby Fischer, the young American chess genius presently engaged in grueling matches to determine a challenger for world champion Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union, already has scored what many regard as chess history.
Fischer, of New York, has done his country proud with a display of abilities which can only be compared with the spectacle of a Soviet baseball team beating the American World Series champions.
In his first match of the candidates' playoff series, Fischer faced one of Russia's most promising young stars, Mark Taimanov. He defeated Taimanov in six straight games, an event almost unparalleled in competition between international grandmasters. Usually, the majority of games end in a draw, with the winner edging out victory by the margin of only one or two victories out of a number of games.
But that was not all. They young Fischer, whose fighting spirit has been admired by chess devotees the world over including much of Russia where the game is practically the national sport or pastime, then went on to tackle the formidable Danish master: Bent Larsen.
Fischer has achieved the nigh incredible feat of winning six straight games from Larsen, with no draws.
Most observers in the chess world believe now it is inevitable Fischer will emerge the challenger against Spassky for the world title.
Whatever the outcome, the young American already has stirred the excitement of the chess world and his countless fans in the U.S. by the victories he has scored so far.
May he go all the way.
