The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Sunday, June 23, 1963 - Page 91
Keen Competition In Piatigorsky Cup
Spectators at the Piatigorsky Cup Tournament, starting July 2 at the Ambassador Hotel, will have a rare opportunity to see the world chess champion in action. This will be the first appearance of Soviet grandmaster Tigran Petrosian since he won the title from Mikhail Botvinnik last month.
The last previous occasion that a world champion participated in an American tournament was in Pasadena in 1932. Dr. Alexander Alekhine, then at the peak of his form, was the winner, with your editor in second place.
Though his title is not at stake, Petrosian will certainly make every effort to improve his international stature in the tournament. This will be no easy task with the formidable opposition he will face.
Petrosian may have most difficulty with his compatriot, Paul Keres of Estonia. Keres finished in second place in five tournaments where the stake was a match for the world championship. Though he never made it, he has been recognized for years as one of the three or four greatest players of his generation.
The man with perhaps most to gain is former United States champion Samuel Reshevsky. He was well in the forefront on the American chess scene until the advent of youthful Bobby Fischer…