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TOURNAMENT STANDINGS
US Championship 1963/64 Tournament
Bobby Fischer11/11(+11 -0 =0)[games]
Larry Evans7.5/11(+6 -2 =3)[games]
Pal Benko7/11(+5 -2 =4)[games]
Samuel Reshevsky6.5/11(+4 -2 =5)[games]
Anthony Saidy6.5/11(+5 -3 =3)[games]
Robert Byrne5.5/11(+3 -3 =5)[games]
Raymond Weinstein5/11(+5 -6 =0)[games]
Arthur Bisguier4.5/11(+3 -5 =3)[games]
William Addison3.5/11(+2 -6 =3)[games]
Edmar Mednis3.5/11(+2 -6 =3)[games]
Robert Henry Steinmeyer3/11(+0 -5 =6)[games]
Donald Byrne2.5/11(+0 -6 =5)[games]
*

Chessgames.com Chess Event Description
US Championship 1963/64

The US Chess Championship (1) played in New York City from December 15th, 1963 to January 2nd, 1964 was the sixth to be attended by American prodigy and world's youngest grandmaster, Bobby Fischer. In addition to Fischer, six other US grandmasters, including former American champions Samuel Reshevsky, Arthur Bisguier, and Larry Evans, three US international masters, and two untitled players competed in a round robin event for the US chess crown. Fischer had won all five of the previous championships he had previously participated in and expectations for performance this time were quite high. Never one to disappoint when it came to chess results, Fischer completely annihilated the competition by earning a perfect score of eleven wins out of eleven games played. Afterwards, Dr. Hans Kmoch jokingly congratulated the runner-up Evans on winning the tournament, then congratulated Fischer on "winning the exhibition."

The final standings and crosstable: 

               1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2  Pts
 1 Fischer     * 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1  11
 2 Evans       0 * 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 1 1 1 1   7½
 3 Benko       0 0 * ½ 1 1 1 1 ½ 1 ½ ½   7
=4 Reshevsky   0 ½ ½ * 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 1 1 ½   6½
=4 Saidy       0 ½ 0 0 * ½ 1 1 1 1 ½ 1   6½
 6 Byrne, R    0 ½ 0 ½ ½ * 0 ½ 1 1 1 ½   5½
 7 Weinstein   0 1 0 1 0 1 * 0 0 0 1 1   5
 8 Bisguier    0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 * 1 0 ½ 1   4½
=9 Addison     0 0 ½ 0 0 0 1 0 * ½ ½ 1   3½
=9 Mednis      0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 ½ * ½ ½   3½
11 Steinmeyer  0 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ * ½   3
12 Byrne, D    0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 0 0 ½ ½ *   2½
(1) Wikipedia article: U.S. Chess Championship.

Original collection: Game Collection: US Championship 1963/64, by User: suenteus po 147, with thanks to <nescio>.

 page 1 of 3; games 1-25 of 66  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. Reshevsky vs R Weinstein 0-1471963US Championship 1963/64A16 English
2. R Byrne vs Benko 0-11011963US Championship 1963/64D80 Grunfeld
3. D Byrne vs A Bisguier 0-1291963US Championship 1963/64D50 Queen's Gambit Declined
4. W Addison vs R H Steinmeyer ½-½411963US Championship 1963/64E94 King's Indian, Orthodox
5. E Mednis vs Fischer 0-1621963US Championship 1963/64C54 Giuoco Piano
6. A Saidy vs Evans ½-½191963US Championship 1963/64A67 Benoni, Taimanov Variation
7. R Weinstein vs W Addison 0-1421963US Championship 1963/64C98 Ruy Lopez, Closed, Chigorin
8. R H Steinmeyer vs D Byrne ½-½261963US Championship 1963/64D91 Grunfeld, 5.Bg5
9. E Mednis vs R Byrne 0-1341963US Championship 1963/64C04 French, Tarrasch, Guimard Main line
10. A Bisguier vs A Saidy 0-1281963US Championship 1963/64B59 Sicilian, Boleslavsky Variation, 7.Nb3
11. Benko vs Reshevsky ½-½591963US Championship 1963/64E19 Queen's Indian, Old Main line, 9.Qxc3
12. Fischer vs Evans 1-0361963US Championship 1963/64C33 King's Gambit Accepted
13. A Saidy vs R H Steinmeyer  ½-½211963US Championship 1963/64D91 Grunfeld, 5.Bg5
14. R Byrne vs Fischer 0-1211963US Championship 1963/64E60 King's Indian Defense
15. Reshevsky vs E Mednis 1-0461963US Championship 1963/64E54 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Gligoric System
16. W Addison vs Benko  ½-½491963US Championship 1963/64A34 English, Symmetrical
17. D Byrne vs R Weinstein 0-1331963US Championship 1963/64A17 English
18. Evans vs A Bisguier 1-0201963US Championship 1963/64D50 Queen's Gambit Declined
19. Benko vs D Byrne  ½-½611963US Championship 1963/64D71 Neo-Grunfeld
20. E Mednis vs W Addison ½-½421963US Championship 1963/64C86 Ruy Lopez, Worrall Attack
21. R Weinstein vs A Saidy  0-1431963US Championship 1963/64E89 King's Indian, Samisch, Orthodox Main line
22. Fischer vs A Bisguier 1-0351963US Championship 1963/64C98 Ruy Lopez, Closed, Chigorin
23. R H Steinmeyer vs Evans 0-1451963US Championship 1963/64A78 Benoni, Classical with ...Re8 and ...Na6
24. R Byrne vs Reshevsky ½-½401963US Championship 1963/64E21 Nimzo-Indian, Three Knights
25. D Byrne vs E Mednis  ½-½431963US Championship 1963/64A15 English
 page 1 of 3; games 1-25 of 66  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)  

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Apr-08-15  Howard: Given the fact that in the post-Fischer era, very few Americans qualified for the Candidates, so I don't think that was a reason for changing the December dates for the U.S. Championship.

Maybe a factor was that the tournament loosened its "New York moorings", as Andy Soltis put it, after 1969. Up through 1972, it was always held in New York state, and often in NYC itself. But in 1973, it was in El Paso. Chicago had it in 1974, and it was in Ohio in '75 and '77.

There's probably a connection between the calendar change AND the venue changes, but I don't know what it would be. It doesn't sound like a coincidence though.

Apr-08-15  A.T PhoneHome: Good point, I thought that the addition of the Candidates Matches would be a factor because I had in mind that U.S. Championships might've not received as extensive/much coverage as they did prior to the introduction of Candidates Matches due to Candidates cycles overlapping with U.S. Championships.

Of course that's assuming Soviets wiping the floor with their opponents was more interesting to Americans than their OWN Championship.

Maybe money was an issue after all. I mean, if the Championship started to move from city to city... I guess that, securing the funds for U.S. Championships post-1969 meant that host cities may have had liberties regarding the dates. I mean, why would another city host U.S. Championship, then ask New York about every single detail?

Apr-08-15  Petrosianic: <Given the fact that in the post-Fischer era, very few Americans qualified for the Candidates, so I don't think that was a reason for changing the December dates for the U.S. Championship.>

Well, an American DID qualify for the 1968 Candidates, and he also played in the 18968 US Championship, so the idea isn't out of the question.

Apr-08-15  Petrosianic: <Maybe a factor was that the tournament loosened its "New York moorings", as Andy Soltis put it, after 1969.>

Well, really after 1972. The 1973 championship, played in El Paso was is what got it started. The only previous championship played outside of New York City had been the 1948 Championship, played in upstate New York. (South Fallsburg). I could be wrong, but I don't think the tournament has ever returned to New York City since 1972.

Apr-08-15  A.T PhoneHome: It could've had to do with the "Fischer Boom"; the membership of U.S. Chess Federation skyrocketed after Fischer became the World Champion. Like, if the amount of chess players increased a lot, it would've been a treat for them and a matter of prestige and such for other cities to host U.S. Championships. Perhaps there was a demand for chess back then as people might have been quite fired up about Fischer.

And because it's a bloody long distance between New York City and El Paso. :P

Apr-08-15
Premium Chessgames Member		  Fusilli: Weinstein didn't draw any game either... but no one says anything about that! :)
Apr-08-15  A.T PhoneHome: Good catch <Fusilli>; too bad he didn't get a plus score! I think Weinstein was third at U.S. Championship (1960/1961) but he became a priest if my memory serves me correctly (he gave his Interzonal spot to Benko or Bisguier).
Apr-08-15
Premium Chessgames Member		  perfidious: <A.T> It was Lombardy who entered the priesthood; Weinstein's story took a rather unpleasant turn.
Apr-08-15  A.T PhoneHome: Oh yes, forgot. And yes, I know of Weinstein's story... (when I'm not busy mixing up Lombardy and Weinstein of course)

Thank you for saving me <perfidious>! By the way, three Roberts were playing here. Funny detail.

Apr-09-15  Howard: Yes, Weinstein has probably been living at the same facility for quite, quite some time now. I remember seeing on some website once the name of the facility and the rules they have about visitors who go there.
Apr-09-15  A.T PhoneHome: It's very sad thing to happen. There are those who can live normal life with their mental problems and others can't. And I wouldn't use the word "luck" here as in "others aren't that lucky" because that would be quite a pathetic word to use in this context.
Apr-09-15  Howard: Weinstein and Bisguier, by the way, are cousins.
Apr-09-15  A.T PhoneHome: That's interesting. Weren't Alekhine and Bogoljubow related as well?
Apr-11-15  Howard: Can't believe that ! If they were, I almost certainly would have read about that !
Apr-11-15  A.T PhoneHome: I remember reading something like that.

Not that everything one reads is necessarily true but still!

Apr-11-15  Howard: Well, let me just Google that !
Apr-11-15  A.T PhoneHome: I read about it in relation to Alekhine accepting Bogoljubov as his challenger for the World Championship.
Apr-11-15  Howard: By the way, one Spassky game which did NOT make that 399-list, was his draw against Stein at the 1971 Alekhine Memorial.

Spassky missed a win in that game, though it was deeply hidden. Kasparov analyzed it in MGP.

You might want to check it out.

Apr-11-15  A.T PhoneHome: Thanks, you always seem to have something interesting for me! :P

Appreciated as usual <Howard>.

Apr-12-15  Howard: Oh, I've been a diehard chess trivia buff for 40 years !

Just looked up that draw against Stein last night, in fact, in MGP.

Jan-02-17  Kamagong42: domination!!!
Apr-30-18  Olavi: I think there were only four grandmasters besides Fischer, R. Byrne and Mednis got their titles later. And only Weinstein and D. Byrne were IMs. I suggest the introduction is mistaken.
Apr-30-18
Premium Chessgames Member		  Sally Simpson: Just sailing by...

Never heard before that Alekhine and Bogoljubov may have been related.

The Spassky game mentioned.

Spassky vs Stein, 1971

Jan-16-22  Woahzees: One of the best tournament wins of all time. Evans was a beast.
Jan-16-22
Premium Chessgames Member		  Dionysius1: Well, he HAD been a beast anyway :-).

True he won US Open C'ship, US Closed C'ship and US Lightning C'ship all in one year, but that was back in 1951.

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