ANew York Times, New York, New York, Sunday, March 12, 1972 - Page 209
Chess: Nobody Seems Happy About It by Al Horowitz
An AP dispatch from Reykjavik, Iceland, in regard to the Fischer-Spassky match reads: “The president of the Icelandic Chess Federation expressed surprise at the decision to hold the world championship match in both Reykjavik and Belgrade, Yugoslavia.”
Gudmundur Thorarinsson said Iceland was not fully consulted and planned to seek clarification of the terms under which the match will be split. The International Chess Federation in Amsterdam announced that the Soviet titleholder, Boris Spassky, and the American challenger, Bobby Fischer, will play 12 games in Belgrade, the final 12 in Reykjavik.
Thorarinsson said an agreement between the two cities must be reached on how to split costs and payment of the winner's purse. “The match was divided because the players could not agree on a location for the match, set to begin no later than June 25. Spassky wanted Reykjavik, and Fischer favored Belgrade,” he added.
To boot, the Russians have indicated a protest was forthcoming from their end, which means at least another week will go by before the venue is clear.
A treasury of Spassky victories has come to hand from the 9th Canadian Open held last year at Vancouver, Canada. The event, a Swiss System, attracted an entry of 156, of which 40 were American.
Before the second last round, Walter Browne of Australia, Hans Ree of Holland and Duncan Suttles of Canada were leading with 7½ each. Spassky trailed with 7. In the last round, Browne and Ree drew, as did Suttles and Kavalek. But Spassky won from Kuprejanov and pulled up to the leading Ree. Thus, the finish saw Spassky and Ree in a first-place tie with 9 points; Suttles, Vranesic and Browne with 8½, and others following.
Spassky-Zuk is a King's Indian Defense, one of Fischer's favorites. It may therefore, serve as a cardinal example to observe White's treatment—the opening deployment and the follow-up campaign.
The line that Black uses, however, is not orthodox. Black, for example, fianchettoes his queen-bishop and permits White to continue with 9. P-Q5, cutting the scope of the bishop. Undoubtedly, the bishop is better on its original square. Black, therefore, should not play as Zuk. There are many alternatives.
During the first ten moves in a game, there are infinite possibilities. It has been reckoned as the digit 1 with 30 zeroes. This delineates the problem.
In the Sicilian Defense with Kuprejavov, it is interesting to observe Spassky's treatment. For here, again, the Sicilian is a favorite of Fischer, White enters a profound combination, “sacking” a knight, before he has contemplated its recovery.
As in most deep combinations, it is important to see the denouement from beginning to end before establishing a reputation for courage. Now, Black picks a tail-end flaw in the technique, as expected, and White must resign.
In the Center Counter Defense, Spassky vs. Banks of Canada, the Canadian ventures on a line academically unsound. For in the opening, after 2. PxP, Black can hardly afford 2. … QxP at the cost of a precious tempo, 3. N-Q3.
In the circumstances, Black plays 2. … N-KB3, trusting to recover the pawn without incurring any weaknesses. Without much precedent for the line, the players are on their own. White could obtain the edge, for example, with 11. NxB, followed by 12. P-Q4 — the bishop for the knight — but by attrition the position follows reductio ad absurdum and the edge is patently minimal.
Black executes a stratagem with 22. … BxN. For White must recapture with the pawn. After 23. QxB, P-B4 opens critical lines to White's king thus: 24. PxP PxP; 25. QxB QR-N1, threatening mate! Therefore, White lays the groundwork for a better ending or a powerful incursion. 33. BxPch spells finis.
Boris Spassky vs Robert D Zuk Canada (1971) King's Indian Defense: Saemisch Variation. Double Fianchetto (E82) 1-0 https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1128874 George Kuprejanov vs Boris Spassky CAN (1971) Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen. Modern Variation (B83) 0-1 https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1128879 Boris Spassky vs Derek J Banks Canada (1971), CAN Scandinavian Defense: Modern Variation (B01) 1-0 https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1128880
