AJuly 22 1956
The Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, California, Sunday, July 22, 1956
Champions Compete In U.S. Open Tourney
The tournament for the Open Championship of the United States Chess Federation got under way Monday night in Oklahoma City with 115 chess players gathered from all parts of the United States and Mexico.
Arthur B. Bisguier, U.S. champion, was among the winners in the first round, defeating Thomas Jenkins of Detroit. Edmar Mednis, New York State champion, won from F. E. Bartholy of Binghamton, N.Y. Newly crowned Junior Champion Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn started with a victory over F. Swan of Midwest City, Okla.
The upset of the opening round was the defeat of Col. Jose J. Araiza, Mexican champion, by Dr. Steven J. Shaw, professor of economics at the University of Florida. Another surprise was the defeat of Dr. Peter Lapiken of Los Angeles by relatively inexperienced Rex V. Wilcox of Salinas, Cal.
Other winners in the early play were Gilbert Ramirez of San Francisco, James T. Sherwin, Anthony E. Santasiere, Paul Brandts and Jeremiah F. Donovan of New York, Ivan Romanenko of Plainfield, N.J., Edgar T. McCormick of Orange, N. J., Robert Steinmeyer of St. Louis and A. DiCamillo of Philadelphia.
Nicholas Rossolimo, who won the 1955 Open Championship in Long Beach, was expected to defend his title but withdrew at the last moment. Samuel Reshevsky and Larry Evans, high scorers in 1955, are also among the missing this year.
Among the Californians in the tournament, who will undoubtedly make their presence felt, are Sven Almgren, Ray Martin and Sonia Graf Stevenson of Los Angeles and Guthrie McClain, Henry Gross, W. G. Addison, S. H. Van Gelder and W. Bills of San Francisco.
