July 1955
July 12 1955
Yank Chess Star Comes Home a Hero 12 Jul 1955, Tue Independent (Long Beach, California) Newspapers.comYank Chess Star Comes Home a Hero
New York (UP)—Samuel Reshevsky came home from Moscow a conquering hero today.
Reshevsky, 43, was the top United States chess player when he set out for Russia, and he returned the victor over World Champion Mikhail Botvinnik of the Soviet Union.
The American team lost to the Russians by a score of 25 to 7, but Reshevsky saved the day by trouncing the champ in Moscow last week.
He did not take Botvinnik's world title, however. Their match was not an official world championship.
“I feel, however, that if I had an opportunity to play Botvinnik in a world title match, I'm confident that I would win,” Reshevsky said in an airport interview.
“I think that Botvinnik is as strong a player as he has always been, but I feel that my game has improved. I felt that I outplayed him in every game in our recent match.”
Reshevsky flew immediately to his Spring Valley, N.Y., home, for “a good long rest” before resuming his chess-playing career.
August 08 1955
Six Against One 08 Aug 1955, Mon The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.comSIX AGAINST ONE Samuel Reshevsky, right, Western Hemisphere chess champion, plays simultaneously against six of California's top players, in exhibition match here. Times photo
Chess Expert Sure He Can Beat Russ Champion 08 Aug 1955, Mon The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.comChess Expert Sure He Can Beat Russ Champion
Western Hemisphere's Top Player Says His Challenges to Botvinnik Have Been Ignored
Samuel Reshevsky, Western Hemisphere chess champion, is convinced that, if given the chance, he can take the world championship from the Russians.
Reshevsky, in Los Angeles yesterday for an exhibition match in which he played against six of California's outstanding chess players simultaneously, said he has repeatedly challenged World Champion Mischa Botvinnik of Russia and has been repeatedly ignored.
Home From Russia
Reshevsky and Alexander Bisno appeared yesterday at the home of Herman Steiner, international chess master, former U.S. champion and chess editor of The Times, at 108 N Formosa Ave., for the one-against-six exhibition.
Bisno was captain of the American team which recently returned from contests in Russia during which the U.S. players were greeted warmly by top Red officials.
Bisno Confident
“We have challenged Botvinnik to play a series of 20 games, 10 in Russia and 10 in America,” Bisno said. “I think Reshevsky can defeat anyone in the world who will play him. So far the Russians have ignored the challenge, but we are pressing them.”
America has not held the world championship since 1857 when Paul Morphy captured the crown Bisno and Reshevsky will play in the U.S. Open Tournament scheduled at Long Beach today through Aug. 20.