FISCHER IN RICHMOND

Editor's Note: Another dip into the Virginia Chess historical archives... Below we reprint a newspaper clipping about the Richmond Chess Club stop on Bobby Fischer's famous 1964 simultaneous exhibition tour. The photocopy in my possession is rubber stamped March 10, 1964. There is no indication what newspaper it is from, but my guess would be the Times-Dispatch. Readers interested in learning more about this event or Fischer's tour might want to check out John Donaldson's book Legend on the Road. Browse http://www.insidechess.com/legend.html#Legend for details and purchasing information.

Confidence Paid Dividend

by Charles Ashworth

The national chess champion knocked his king on its side.

Although he moves so quickly that he frequently knocks over pieces, in this case it was for keeps.

His king stayed on its side and Robert Fischer of New York acknowledged defeat by resigning. The winner was Charles Powell, the Richmond chess champion.

The victory came last. Thursday at t.he Virginia Home here. Fischer came to Richmond to play chess with 50 Virginians simultaneously. 

Earlier in the evening, before the games started, Powell had fidgeted uneasily behind his card table. His black pieces were before him. The white were beside an aisle to be used by Fischer.

The national champion arrived four hours late at 11:10 pm and gave a brief lecture on chess. 

At 11:10, the competition began, and, at 11:25 am Fischer acknowledged that Powell had beaten him. 

Confidence had come to Powell during the game. Less than an hour after the match started, Fischer was willing to declare a draw. 

Powell decided to play on. 

"I just thought I could beat him. We both ended up attacking each other's king, and it was a question of who got the other guy's, king first." 

More than an hour after the Powell victory, the games concluded with three last-minute victories by Virginians: S G Mathews of Charlottesville, Julian Allen of Richmond and Carl R Nichols of Richmond. 

Two other players, Bob Vassar and Jesse Burke, both of Richmond, achieved draws. 

Carl Stutz, a member of the club, later asked Fischer if such victories were common. Fischer indicated not, although, he said, there have been wins in several of his multi-game exhibitions. 

Powell, 19, was graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School last June. He is now a freshman at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland. He plans to major in mathematics or physics.

He ]earned chess from his father, B G Powell of 3106 Rendale Ave. He has been a member of the Richmond Chess Club for three years and is an avid promoter of the club.

He ran through the winning game the other day for a reporter. While moving the pieces with great agility and rapidity he kept up a running commentary on the game, interspersed with plugs for the club. 

If it's not too much, Powell said, he would like the story to mention that the 1964 city championships will begin at 7 pm Saturday at the Virginia Home and will continue on Thursday and Saturday nights for two weeks. 

Having said this, his hand was on his queen, which had the opposing king in check. Although the game could have been prolonged, checkmate of his opponent was only a few moves away.

At that point the real game had ended. Powell mentioned that the Richmond Chess Club would like more members, put his chessmen away, folded his board and departed.