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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 L 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 L 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. L 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 L 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 1 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Nov-08-12  Benzol: Bobby was definitely the king of American chess. This was a brilliant performance.
Dec-21-12  wordfunph: 11/11 and 3.5 points ahead of 2nd placer Larry Evans.

monster Bobby!

Sep-02-14
Premium Chessgames Member		  GrahamClayton: And what was Bobby's bonus prize for a perfect score - a portable typewriter!
Nov-15-14  thegoodanarchist: This +11 -0 =0 just boggles my mind...
Dec-09-14  SeanAzarin: That performance was insane. It's not like these other people were exactly patzers! In fact, Fischer and Reshevsky had just played a match a year or so before which was broken off tied at 5.5-5.5 after 11 games.

But when Fischer got on one of his rolls (like not only here, but in 1972, when he won 20 straight games en route to winning the right to challenge Spassky for the title) he was absolutely unstoppable.

Jan-30-15  fisayo123: The greatest talent in the history of chess.
Jan-30-15  RookFile: Just take a player like the super solid Robert Byrne for example. Fischer just goes out and destroys him with the black pieces. Truly an unbelievable performance.
Jan-31-15
Premium Chessgames Member		  perfidious: That after the most subtle error of judgment, which required a great player to exploit.
Jan-31-15  madlydeeply: Fischer was 20 years old? 6th championship. Holyshmokomoly
Jan-31-15  madlydeeply: Ha ha mednis went giocco against fischer. Easy peasy
Jan-31-15
Premium Chessgames Member		  Joshka: Why didn't we have a tourney for 1965/66 and 1967/68?? Fischer was still peaking, so it could not have been the lack of interest. I understand many years during the 1970's with the Fischer boom in decline, that tourneys were not played, but these 2 missing in the 60's are puzzling. thanks in advance!
Jan-31-15  Howard: The last one that Fischer won was the 1966-67 edition, and the next one after that was in 1968, which Evans won.

So, perhaps technically, there was a 1967 edition---it would have been the "1966-67" one.

As for the lack of an event in 1965/66.....I should know the answer, personally, because I've read Soltis' books (all three editions !) on the history of the event several times ! I don't recall if he gave an explanation. Perhaps lack of funds was the reason.

By the way, there was no annual championship in 1970 or 1971 ! If I remember correctly, Soltis said there wasn't much interest in holding one during then because all of America was watching Fischer's drive to the world championship during that time.

Jan-31-15
Premium Chessgames Member		  perfidious: <madlydeeply: Ha ha mednis went giocco against fischer. Easy peasy>

Mednis missed a fine opportunity in that game.

Jan-31-15
Premium Chessgames Member		  Joshka: <Howard> hey thanks for your input. The reason I'm curious is that I spent the last week of December 1967 and the following 3 weeks in January of 1968 In New York City where it was so cold, temps had to be in single digits with whipping wind blowing every day it seemed. Was just wondering if I was near to where they were playing, but they really didn't actually play the 1968 tourney until July. Hey thanks!!! PS Didn't know anything really about chess during this time, I was exploring being a beatnik/hippie in the village mostly!!LOLOL
Feb-02-15  madlydeeply: <perfidious: <madlydeeply: Ha ha mednis went giocco against fischer. Easy peasy>Mednis missed a fine opportunity in that game.>

And he missed this because he was playing to draw? As in... psyched out before move 1? Hmm is possible.

Mar-09-15  SpiritedReposte: Outclassed the field here...jeez.
Apr-08-15  A.T PhoneHome: <Howard> and <Joshka>, Fischer indeed played the last time at U.S. Championship (1966) (otherwise known as 1966/1967 U.S Championship because of beginning in December)

Game Collection: Fischer´s 7th national crown - There was 1965/1966 U.S Championship; however this game collection has (only) Fischer's games

As for 1967/1968 U.S Championship, it probably wasn't held as usual due to Sousse Interzonal (1967) being held from October 15 to November 15; instead of the usual December date 1968 U.S Championship was held from July 14 to 31.

To simplify this, I'll make this sort of "chart" for you guys:

U.S. Championship 1957/1958 (acted as a zonal) - held between December 1957 - January 1958; Portoroz Interzonal (1958) was held between August 5 - September 12, 1958

U.S. Championship 1958/1959 - held between December 1958 - January 1959

U.S. Championship 1959/1960 - held between December 18, 1959 - January 1, 1960

U.S. Championship 1960/1961 (acted as a zonal) - held between December 1960 - January 1961; Stockholm Interzonal (1962) was held between January 27 - early March, 1962

SAMUEL RESHEVSKY - BOBBY FISCHER (1961) MATCH - held between July - August 1961

U.S. Championship 1961/1962 - held between December 17, 1961 - January 4, 1962 (Fischer didn't participate as he was already through to Stockholm Interzonal (1962); Lombardy and Weinstein gave their Interzonal spots to Bisguier and Benko due to IRL commitments)

U.S. Championship 1962/1963 (acted as a zonal) - held between December 16, 1962 - January 3, 1963; Amsterdam Interzonal (1964) was held between May 20 - June 21, 1964 (Fischer didn't participate in this zonal)

U.S. Championship 1963/1964 - held between December 15, 1963 - January 3, 1964 (FISCHER SCORED 11/11!!!!!)

U.S. Championship 1965/1966 (acted as a zonal) - held between December 12 - 31, 1965; Sousse Interzonal (1967) was held between October 15 - November 15, 1967 (Fischer forfeited after playing ten games)

U.S. Championship 1966/1967 - held between December 10 - 29, 1966 (Fischer's last U.S. crown; eight crowns out of eight attempts!!!)

U.S. Championship 1968 - held between July 14 - 31, 1968 (probably one wasn't held between December, 1967 - January, 1968 due to Sousse Interzonal (1967) being held October and November, 1967)

SUMMARY: As you can see, U.S. Championships were usually held between December - January. As Portoroz Interzonal (1958), Stockholm Interzonal (1962) and Amsterdam Interzonal (1964) were held at least a few months before U.S. Championships of those years, U.S. Championships were staged between December - January. ONLY in Sousse Interzonal's (1967) case was the U.S. Championship starting date moved to next year's (1968) July due to Sousse Interzonal starting as late as October and ending in November.

For U.S. Championship years, simple substitutions can be made: 1957/1958 = 1958, 1958/1959 = 1959, 1959/1960 = 1960 and so on, except for U.S. Championship (1968).

Apr-08-15  Petrosianic: <(otherwise known as 1966/1967 U.S Championship because of beginning in December)>

It's sometimes called 1966/7, because the championships played between 1957 and 1968 tended to stretch into the New Year. The 1965 and 1966 championships didn't, though. They were played in December, but ended before the New Year.

As you say, the next championship was played in July, so no such question.

<(Fischer didn't participate in this zonal)>

You meant to say "Interzonal". When Fischer dropped, Larry Evans took his place, and played in his only Interzonal. Although Evans won four US Championship tournaments, he always seemed to do poorly or not show up for the Zonals. The only time he actually qualified for an interzonal was 1951, when he gave up his spot to play in the US Open or something.

The 2nd place finisher in the 1962/3 Championship, Bisguier, also didn't play in the Interzonal. He lost his spot to Benko in a match.

Apr-08-15  A.T PhoneHome: Yes, I meant "Interzonal", thank you for the correction! I guess I wrote "zonal" because I used "this" pronoun.

I figured that due to Sousse Interzonal (1967) leaving only a month, if that, for resting U.S. Championship was moved. Maybe one reason for having U.S. Championship (1968) moved to July was because Fischer (and Byrne and Reshevsky) were wanted to participate there and, organizers may have thought that they could persuade Fischer to play then. (of course one player isn't a reason for hosting a tournament)

I mean, it could've been held between December and January but it wouldn't have been as strong as normally.

Apr-08-15  Petrosianic: Yeah, I don't know why they abandoned the December tournaments. It might have had something to do with the Interzonal, or it might have just been problems getting funding. The US Championship continued to be the Lessing J. Rosenwald through 1969, but I don't know how much of the money Rosenwald put up.
Apr-08-15  A.T PhoneHome: Perhaps the introduction of Candidates Matches is one factor? Prolongs the World Championship cycle. And wasn't 1969 one from November - December? I think it was. Then Palma de Mallorca Interzonal was year later, from November - December, 1970.
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.

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