<57th US Open
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
July 16-28, 1956>
"Due to a surprise third round defeat by Donald Fischheimer of Chicago, U. S. Champion Arthur B. Bisguier was forced to come from behind in an exciting finish to win the U.S. Open Championship at Oklahoma City with a 9½-2½ score, tied with James T. Sherwin who also tallied 9½-2½ but placed second on Median points. Robert Steinmeyer of St. Louis, who led the field for a time, placed third with 9-3. Tied at 8½-3½ for fourth to eight place were U. S. Junior Champion Bobby Fischer (aged 13) of Brooklyn, Anthony Saidy of Douglaston, N. Y., former U. S. Junior Champion Edmar Mednis of New York City, Stephan Popel of Detroit, and Anthony DiCamillo of Philadelphia.
"Seven players, tied at 8-4 each, placed ninth to fifteenth on Median points: Anthony Santasiere of New York City, Henry Gross of San Francisco, Edgar McCormick of East Orange, Orest Popovych of Lakewood, N. J., I. Theodorovych of Toronto, Paul Brandts of New York City, and Raymond Martin of Santa Monica, Calif.
"The U. S. Women's Open Championship went to Sonya Graf-Stevenson of Los Angeles, the defending champion, with 6½-5½ score, closely followed by Mrs. Mary Selenskyof Philadelphia with 5½-6½." - Chess Life, August 5, 1956.
Interest in the first round centered in Bobby Fischer (13) vs. Albert M. Swank (78), meeting of the youngest and oldest contestants, won by Bobby. I'm sure that pairing was sheer coincidence, and that Tournament Director Georges Koltanowski had absolutely nothing to do with it. He was probably doing the pairings blindfold anyway.
For the records: One round per day except for Saturday, July 21, which was reserved for the Speed Tourney. Time control 50/2½, followed by 20/1 in succeeding time controls. Hours of play: 7:00 PM-12:00 PM, except round 12 which began at 12:00 Noon. Adjournments played off the next day, except round 12 which was played to a finish.
Site was the Civic Room, Oklahoma Biltmore, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Completely air conditioned.
,Notes>
In the following crosstable, a series of dashes (<---->) indicates an unpaired game, usually due to withdrawal. (<+>) and (<->) indicate forfeit wins and losses. (<Bye>) is a full-point bye assigned by the director, normally due to having an odd number of players.
The Original crosstable (Chess Life, August 20, 1956, p. 7) listed Herbert Avram among the 7-point scorers when he actually score 6.0. The following is a corrected version.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
1 Arthur Bisguier W 50 W 38 L 16 W 45 W 19 D 5 W 17 W 11 W 4 W 3 D 2 D 6 9.5
2 James T Sherwin W 77 W 27 W 55 W 33 W 22 L 3 W 16 D 4 D 5 W 9 D 1 W 14 9.5
3 Robert H Steinmeyer W 66 W 41 W 31 W 16 W 13 W 2 D 4 D 5 D 18 L 1 D 6 W 9 9.0
4 Anthony Saidy W 68 D 11 W 48 W 34 W 9 W 25 D 3 D 2 L 1 D 7 W 17 D 5 8.5
5 Attilio Di Camillo W 32 D 52 W 39 D 17 W 27 D 1 W 23 D 3 D 2 D 10 W 18 D 4 8.5
6 Edmar J Mednis W 89 W 36 D 17 D 25 D 7 W 26 D 9 D 10 W 35 W 18 D 3 D 1 8.5
7 Stephan A Popel W 80 W 42 L 33 W 59 D 6 L 11 W 31 W 29 W 16 D 4 D 8 W 20 8.5
8 Robert James Fischer W 98 D 12 D 45 W 35 D 20 D 10 D 21 D 54 W 46 W 11 D 7 W 25 8.5
9 Ivan Theodorovich W 70 W 21 D 25 W 10 L 4 W 38 D 6 W 12 W 17 L 2 W 15 L 3 8.0
10 Anthony Santasiere W 79 D 19 W 46 L 9 W 55 D 8 W 36 D 6 W 13 D 5 D 20 D 12 8.0
11 Orest Popovych W100 D 4 W 52 L 13 W 79 W 7 W 44 L 1 D 23 L 8 W 26 W 29 8.0
12 Henry Gross W 57 D 8 L 19 D 96 W 50 W 28 W 22 L 9 D 27 W 16 W 37 D 10 8.0
13 Raymond Martin W 64 W 47 D 34 W 11 L 3 W 24 L 18 W 38 L 10 D 21 W 45 W 39 8.0
14 Edgar Thomas McCormick W 99 L 18 L 79 W 88 W 62 L 19 W 28 W 39 W 26 W 44 W 22 L 2 8.0
15 Paul Brandts W 65 L 55 W 61 W 37 L 21 L 44 W 51 W 59 W 33 W 27 L 9 W 30 8.0
16 Daniel Fischheimer W 97 W 40 W 1 L 3 W 33 W 21 L 2 D 35 L 7 L 12 W 60 W 37 7.5
17 Jack O'Keefe W 76 W 60 D 6 D 5 W 28 W 22 L 1 W 33 L 9 W 23 L 4 D 19 7.5
18 Derwin Kerr W 72 W 14 W 37 L 22 D 44 W 34 W 13 W 19 D 3 L 6 L 5 D 21 7.5
19 Charles C Crittenden W 87 D 10 W 12 D 26 L 1 W 14 W 47 L 18 D 24 D 30 W 28 D 17 7.5
20 Brian E Owens W 88 L 33 W 89 W 36 D 8 L 23 W 34 D 27 W 54 W 25 D 10 L 7 7.5
21 Kenneth Ray Smith W 82 L 9 W 69 W 50 W 15 L 16 D 8 L 23 W 40 D 13 W 47 D 18 7.5
22 Geza Fuster W101 W 59 W 95 W 18 L 2 L 17 L 12 D 30 W 5 W 24 L 14 W 40 7.5
23 Joaquin Medina L 58 W 64 D 41 W 30 W 48 W 20 L 5 W 21 D 11 L 17 D 29 W 49 7.5
24 John A Hudson L 46 W 99 W 29 D 57 W 39 L 13 W 59 D 44 D 19 L 22 W 58 W 35 7.5
25 Jeremiah F Donovan W 74 W 56 D 9 D 6 W 95 L 4 L 33 W 49 W 45 L 20 W 27 L 8 7.0
26 Ivan Romanenko W 54 D 48 W 53 D 19 W 31 L 6 L 35 W 69 L 14 W 46 L 11 W 45 7.0
27 Robert Sinclair Brieger W 84 L 2 W 70 W 60 L 5 W 89 W 69 D 20 D 12 L 15 L 25 W 47 7.0
28 Jose Joaquin Araiza Munoz L 34 W 75 W 58 W 53 L 17 L 12 L 14 W 89 W 68 W 36 L 19 W 44 7.0
29 Carl R Freeman L 59 W 93 L 24 W 85 W 68 D 31 W 89 L 7 W 38 W 54 D 23 L 11 7.0
30 Glenn E Hartleb D 75 L 34 W 82 L 23 W 81 W 57 D 58 D 22 W 66 D 19 W 44 L 15 7.0
31 Boris Garfinkel W 78 W 62 L 3 W 46 L 26 D 29 L 7 L 57 D 73 W 80 W 69 W 51 7.0
32 Russell Koutz L 5 W 92 L 47 L 68 W 93 L 50 L 76 W 83 W 87 W 70 W 46 W 59 7.0
33 Jack F Shaw W 92 W 20 W 7 L 2 L 16 W 65 W 25 L 17 L 15 L 51 W 61 D 42 6.5
34 Steven J Shaw W 28 W 30 D 13 L 4 W 52 L 18 L 20 D 68 L 43 W 50 W 72 D 36 6.5
35 Peter Lapiken L 62 W 63 W 65 L 8 W 61 W 58 W 26 D 16 L 6 L 37 W 38 L 24 6.5
36 William A Bills W 93 L 6 W 73 L 20 W 60 W 45 L 10 L 46 W 52 L 28 W 68 D 34 6.5
37 Erich Watkinson Marchand W 71 W 58 L 18 L 15 W 56 L 47 D 68 W 70 W 41 W 35 L 12 L 16 6.5
38 Bela Rozsa W 67 L 1 W 62 D 79 W 57 L 9 W 42 L 13 L 29 W 53 L 35 W 58 6.5
39 Blake W Stevens W 73 D 53 L 5 W 71 L 24 W 70 D 41 L 14 D 60 W 66 W 51 L 13 6.5
40 Guthrie McClain W 94 L 16 W 68 L 95 L 69 D 51 W 64 W 58 L 21 W 41 W 57 L 22 6.5
41 Sonja Graf-Stevenson W 90 L 3 D 23 L 43 D 96 W 63 D 39 W 84 L 37 L 40 W 79 W 57 6.5
42 R F McGregor W 83 L 7 L 60 D 64 W 53 D 48 L 38 W 86 W 49 L 45 W 56 D 33 6.5
43 Robert B M Potter L 49 D 71 D 72 W 41 L 58 W 74 L 45 W 76 W 34 L 57 D 48 W 60 6.5
44 Herbert Avram L 56 W 74 W 66 W 49 D 18 W 15 L 11 D 24 W 47 L 14 L 30 L 28 6.0
45 C Fred Tears W 63 D 61 D 8 L 1 W 46 L 36 W 43 W 48 L 25 W 42 L 13 L 26 6.0
46 Dale Ruth W 24 W 49 L 10 L 31 L 45 W 75 W 95 W 36 L 8 L 26 L 32 W 68 6.0
47 Joaquin Camarena W 91 L 13 W 32 L 55 W 77 W 37 L 19 W 65 L 44 W 61 L 21 L 27 6.0
48 William M Byland W 96 D 26 L 4 W 51 L 23 D 42 W 56 L 45 L 61 W 71 D 43 D 52 6.0
49 William E Kaiser W 43 L 46 W 88 L 44 L 65 W 62 W 55 L 25 L 42 W 73 W 54 L 23 6.0
50 Thomas A Jenkins L 1 W 78 W 85 L 21 L 12 W 32 L 54 L 52 W 77 L 34 W 86 W 72 6.0
51 Richard Long Bye L 95 D 96 L 48 W 73 D 40 L 15 W 75 W 71 W 33 L 39 L 31 6.0
52 Simon Delgado W 69 D 5 L 11 W 54 L 34 D 71 L 60 W 50 L 36 D 63 W 74 D 48 6.0
53 James E Warren W 81 D 39 L 26 L 28 L 42 W 88 D 61 W 80 D 59 L 38 D 55 W 70 6.0
54 Wilmer Stevens L 26 D 91 W 81 L 52 W 82 W 79 W 50 D 8 L 20 L 29 L 49 W 69 6.0
55 P W Morrell W 85 W 15 L 2 W 47 L 10 L 69 L 49 D 74 L 79 W 67 D 53 W 71 6.0
56 Spencer H Van Gelder W 44 L 25 L 57 W 98 L 37 W 80 L 48 L 72 W 62 W 79 L 42 W 63 6.0
57 W A Thomasson L 12 W 98 W 56 D 24 L 38 L 30 W 86 W 31 L 22 W 43 L 40 L 41 5.5
58 John A Nowak W 23 L 37 L 28 W 78 W 43 L 35 D 30 L 40 W 84 W 65 L 24 L 38 5.5
59 Kamalakar Raut W 29 L 22 W 80 L 7 W 75 W 95 L 24 L 15 D 53 L 60 W 66 L 32 5.5
60 Charles Weldon Bye L 17 W 42 L 27 L 36 W 72 W 52 L 66 D 39 W 59 L 16 L 43 5.5
61 E J Van Sweden W 86 D 45 L 15 D 75 L 35 D 66 D 53 W 64 W 48 L 47 L 33 D 62 5.5
62 Re Wilcos W 35 L 31 L 38 W 97 L 14 L 49 L 74 W 93 L 56 W 64 W 77 D 61 5.5
63 Mary Selensky L 45 L 35 W 93 L 69 W 97 L 41 W 78 L 71 W 74 D 52 W 65 L 56 5.5
64 Ernest F Chace L 13 L 23 W 83 D 42 L 70 W 67 L 40 L 61 W 88 L 62 W 84 W 79 5.5
65 William Whisler L 15 W 84 L 35 W 74 W 49 L 33 W 71 L 47 D 69 L 58 L 63 W 76 5.5
66 John Rinaldo L 3 W100 L 44 L 80 W 91 D 61 W 73 W 60 L 30 L 39 L 59 W 82 5.5
67 Frances Frazier L 38 L 68 D 86 L 77 W 92 L 64 W 88 L 73 W 82 L 55 W 81 W 75 5.5
68 Lewis J Isaacs L 4 W 67 L 40 W 32 L 29 W 77 D 37 D 34 L 28 W 86 L 36 L 46 5.0
69 A M De La Torre L 52 W 90 L 21 W 63 W 40 W 55 L 27 L 26 D 65 D 72 L 31 L 54 5.0
70 E H Gill L 9 W 97 L 27 D 99 W 64 L 39 W 79 L 37 D 72 L 32 W 78 L 53 5.0
71 R F Kelly L 37 D 43 W 91 L 39 W 99 D 52 L 65 W 63 L 51 L 48 W 80 L 55 5.0
72 Ronnie Taylor L 18 D 82 D 43 L 89 W 78 L 60 W 93 W 56 D 70 D 69 L 34 L 50 5.0
73 Norval Stamm L 39 W 77 L 36 D 81 L 51 W 82 L 66 W 67 D 31 L 49 L 75 W 92 5.0
74 Arthur Bernhart L 25 L 44 W 90 L 65 W 83 L 43 W 62 D 55 L 63 W 84 L 52 D 80 5.0
75 William R Trinks D 30 L 28 W 94 D 61 L 59 L 46 W 77 L 51 L 80 W 92 W 73 L 67 5.0
76 E Forry Laucks L 17 L 89 L 98 L 83 W 94 W 87 W 32 L 43 W 86 L 81 W 91 L 65 5.0
77 Frank A Day L 2 L 73 W 84 W 67 L 47 L 68 L 75 W 78 L 50 W 85 L 62 W 86 5.0
78 Mildred Morrell L 31 L 50 W 92 L 58 L 72 W 97 L 63 L 77 W 83 W 91 L 70 W 85 5.0
79 Ben Thurston L 10 W 83 W 14 D 38 L 11 L 54 L 70 W 82 W 55 L 56 L 41 L 64 4.5
80 Fred Cramer L 7 W 86 L 59 W 66 L 89 L 56 W 90 L 53 W 75 L 31 L 71 D 74 4.5
81 Louis A Somma L 53 W101 L 54 D 73 L 30 L 84 L 82 L 88 Bye W 76 L 67 W 90 4.5
82 Armstrong Chinn L 21 D 72 L 30 W 92 L 54 L 73 W 81 L 79 L 67 W 87 W 88 L 66 4.5
83 Ralph G Houghton L 42 L 79 L 64 W 76 L 74 L 93 W 92 L 32 L 78 W 94 W 87 D 88 4.5
84 Chester A Lyon L 27 L 65 L 77 W 90 D 88 W 81 W 85 L 41 L 58 L 74 L 64 W 97 4.5
85 Charles Ames L 55 Bye L 50 L 29 W 98 L 86 L 84 W 90 L 89 L 77 W 92 L 78 4.0
86 Reed W Payne L 61 L 80 D 67 D 91 W 87 W 85 L 57 L 42 L 76 L 68 L 50 L 77 4.0
87 Jesse Davis L 19 L 88 L 99 W100 L 86 L 76 W 94 W 97 L 32 L 82 L 83 W 93 4.0
88 T E Makens L 20 W 87 L 49 L 14 D 84 L 53 L 67 W 81 L 64 W 90 L 82 D 83 4.0
89 Frederick E Bartholy L 6 W 76 L 20 W 72 W 80 L 27 L 29 L 28 W 85 ---- ---- ---- 4.0
90 James A Creighton L 41 L 69 L 74 L 84 Bye W 91 L 80 L 85 D 94 L 88 W 93 L 81 3.5
91 Thomas P Holmes L 47 D 54 L 71 D 86 L 66 L 90 L 97 Bye W 93 L 78 L 76 D 94 3.5
92 Robert Harvey L 33 L 32 L 78 L 82 L 67 W 98 L 83 W 94 W 97 L 75 L 85 L 73 3.0
93 J R Cassingham L 36 L 29 L 63 W 94 L 32 W 83 L 72 L 62 L 91 W 97 L 90 L 87 3.0
94 Charles W Payne L 40 L 96 L 75 L 93 L 76 Bye L 87 L 92 D 90 L 83 W 97 D 91 3.0
95 Marvin C Palmer Bye W 51 L 22 W 40 L 25 L 59 L 46 ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 3.0
96 F Dennis Gibson L 48 W 94 D 51 D 12 D 41 ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 2.5
97 Robert D Offenberg L 16 L 70 Bye L 62 L 63 L 78 W 91 L 87 L 92 L 93 L 94 L 84 2.0
98 A M Swank L 8 L 57 W 76 L 56 L 85 L 92 W102 ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 2.0
99 Paul Ligtvoet L 14 L 24 W 87 D 70 L 71 ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 1.5
100 G Hardesty L 11 L 66 L101 L 87 ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 0.0
101 T L Goddard L 22 L 81 W100 ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 0.0
102 Walter Otteson --- --- --- --- --- --- L 98 ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 0.0
MILESTONES
10: Glenn E Hartleb, Edgar Thomas McCormick
PREVIOUS: 56th US Open (1955).
NEXT: 58th US Open (1957).
SEE ALSO: Game Collection: US Open Tournament Index.
Original collection: Game Collection: US Open 1956, Oklahoma City, by User: Phony Benoni.
Kibitzing
