The Guardian London, Greater London, England Saturday, February 12, 1972 - Page 2
Champions Reach Stalemate by Leonard Barden
The simmering disagreement over the venue of this year's world chess title match between the Russian holder, Boris Spassky, and his American challenger, Bobby Fischer, erupted into a public squabble yesterday, when the Russian Chess Federation issued a statement criticising both Fischer and the International Chess Federation's president, Dr. Max Euwe, of Holland.
The Russians accused Fischer of trying to impose conditions favourable only to himself. They also claimed that Dr. Euwe had violated his organization's ruling on a deadline for Soviet and American lists of acceptable sites.
Earlier this week Colonel Edmondson, president of the American Chess Federation and Fischer's manager, flew to Moscow to discuss the venue with Victor Baturinsky, director of Moscow's Central Chess Club. They agreed that the match should be held in Reykjavik. The Icelandic capital was the top Russian choice with its cool climate favouring Spassky, while the Icelanders were also willing to grant a generous concession for television rights to make them comparable with the higher bids from Fischer's choice of the Yugoslav cities Belgrade and Sarajevo.
When Colonel Edmondson returned to New York, Fischer, who had more than once claimed that the International Chess Federation is Communist-dominated, refused to play in Reykjavik. According to the rules, Dr. Euwe should now make the final choice on behalf of the world body, and International Chess Federation officials were at pains last night to rebut the Russian charges.
“They have completely misunderstood our telegrams,” Mr. H.J.J. Slavekoorde, the Federation's secretary, told me from Amsterdam. The Russians were asked to send their list of preferred venues by January 27, the day Edmondson and Fischer were expected in Amsterdam. In fact the American arrived two days late, but the Russian choices were kept secret until Mr. Edmondson announced the American list.
Dr. Euwe is expected to announced his final choice of venue this weekend “after a few inquiries.” In view of the suspicions and distrust between Fischer and the Russian officials, there could still be some arguments to come before Fischer, who is widely tipped to capture the title from Spassky, pushes his king's pawn forward into action.
