The Daily Oklahoman from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma • 156

Oklahoman Replays Matches Where U. S. Was Checkmated at the Chess Table By Mary Jo Nelson is a Hungarian refugee and not yet a U. S. citizen.

So he also was lost. "He did come' over late and helped us analyze our mistakes in adjourned games," Spann said. The No. 4 man. Bill Lombardy broke rules and took out a car loaned the U.

S. team in the wee early hours, wrecked it and lost himself for two days of play. "He was only bruised," but his act cost the team dearly. Besides his playing services, there will be a financial settlement, and Spann couldn't measure the headaches it cost him. The No.

5 players 'a trio is tied for this spot) Larry Evans. Arthur Bisguier and Nicholas Rosolimo, were most dependable, but Rosolimo could only be used as an alternate. No. 6 man, Isaac Kashdan, international grand master from Los Angeles, couldn't go at the last minute. Since he was registered as one of the team, this cut the crew down one man from the start.

Spann played one game to relieve the regulars, and drew the former champion of Spain. Ordinarily the captain doesn't play, and Spann had his liands full elsewhere. Accommodations in the hotel, plus food service were "terrible." There were poor bath and toilet facilities, rooms were "cracker boxes," and other woes were thrown in. Spann finally got better rooms Next time he captains the United States Olympic chess learn that'll be in liWO Norman businessman G. Spann vows he ll be a much more efrective captain.

Hack borne after the biennial Olympiad, played for "21 October days in Munich, West Cermany. Spann is conducting a personal -adjourned analyzing his and other team members" mistakes. The fact that V. S. players came in fourth of nations playing was a bit hard for United States Chess Federation president Spann to take.

Hardest blow was that the country's greatest rival, the Soviet Union, 'won again, darn it." V. S. S. was first. "We did make a creditable showing, however." Spabn admits, especially when you consider that of the country's four top-seeded players, two could not go at all.

ami I be other two could play only part time. (July two ol the six lop were available throughout the Karnes. "We actually were playing a 41 man team throughout the tourney, whereas other teams were playing six men. 'I feel that next time, when we have nil our top players there, it will be a different story. One thing I learned is rotation or players on the boards.

And next time, I'll have the team together tor a week in New York before we go to the Olympics. Then we ll learn to play as a team," Spann said. This time the Americans met in Germany. Few of the many things that went wrong ran be laid to Spann. however.

Most involved the old, old. diplomatic frictions of east versus west, or more specifically, V. S. versus U. S.

S. It. When he lined up his team. Spann hoped he could take the country's top six players. But the V.

S. champion, Bobby Fischer. IVyear-oM Brooklyn school boy couldn't go. Truancy laws in his sUitu wouldn't yield to the team's great need lur (lie hoy genius. No.

1 seeded player Samuel Reshevsky of New York i lie has never played U. S. champ Fischer and because he held the championship lor so many years, still is seeded first is an Orthodox Jew and was lost lor eight days Jewish Rosh Hashan-' nab. Ynm Kippur and the weekly snb- Cold" war is forgotten (almost) when chess players get together. U.

S. Captain Spann, (left) city businessman and Norman resident, chats amicably with the Russian team captain Kotov. bath. He played only 11 of the 19 tourney rounds, and only a few of the vital finals. Spann had written permission of the tourney director that Reshevsky would be clocked to play from 7 p.m.

to midnight on Saturday and holy days, since sundown heralds and concludes the Jewish sabbath. "But we were scheduled to play Russia on Saturday, and they would not agree. So we had to play at the regular time of la whlioiiL The S. team drew Russia's to a 2-2 score. "I think we would have defeated them with Rwnmy." In the final outcome, Russia compiled the highest point total.

Other teams also refused to honor the late hours play agreement for Reskevsky. "They said they were tired of the 'Reshevsky problem'." Paul Benko, seeded third behind Fischer, Russian players shown during pUy in the game with the U. S. team included world champion Mikhail Botvinnik (nearest camera) and former world champion Vassily Smyslov. Even against this tough competition, the thin-ranked American crew managed a draw.

by threats and $1 extra per day per room. After he threatened to use pressure of tho Munich American Chamber of Commerce, the consulate, business firms, U. S. Sen. Robert S.

Kerr "there came a real revolution. Everything improved so that wo got thank-you notes from the other teams." With attending official business sessions held frequently, and all his little problems, Spann had little time for sight seeing. About the only thing lie saw was tho vast Congress hull of Munich's Deutsche museum, where the games were played. He wrote reports hack to the U. S.

chess federation directors, however, nnd managed to gel a curd or two hack home. All this sounds like Spann didn't hnvo much fun. "I wouldn't have missed It for the world," lie grinned. "I can hardly wail "til Mi tida ol table) Captain Spann watchee play during the U. S.

match. American playert'Tii William Lombardy, Now York, nd Larry Evani of Loi Angeles. The game ended in a 2-2 tie. THE DAILY OKLAHOMAN 1 SUNDAY. NOVEMBER 2).

H5i.