The Sydney Morning Herald Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Sunday, April 16, 1972 - Page 7
Australia May Get Big Chess Game
By a Special Reporter
Australia has less than a week to bid for the 1972 world chess championship, which is being billed as the chess match of the century.
President of the World Chess Federation Professor Max Euwe confirmed in Perth last night that Australia has a chance of staging the match between American Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky, of Russia.
But, he said, “Australia will have to make up its mind quickly…within the next two or three days.”
Good chance
Professor Euwe, who leaves today after a chess promotion tour, has been forced to seek a new venue following a decision by Yugoslavia not to stage the first 12 games of the match.
The championship, worth $138,500, must start by June 22.
It's understood the Australian Chess Federation would need about $110,000 to stage the match.
Chess officials say sponsors would be able to recoup this through television rights and copyrights of the actual games.
Professor Euwe originally gave the federation 48 hours in which to make up its mind. But the deadline was extended last night.
Holland, West Germany and France are also in the running for the match.
“But I would like to see it come to Australia. It would be a great boost for chess here,” said Professor Euwe, who will have the final say on the venue.
Professor Euwe, a 70-year-old Dutchman and the last non-Russian to hold the world chess title, said the match would not automatically go to Australia.
“If Holland, West Germany and France don't want to stage the match, then Australia would have a good chance.
“If all four say ‘yes’ a number of things will have to be taken into consideration,” he said.
Professor Euwe said the championship would not “simply go to the highest bidder.”
“All that have to be fulfilled are the original conditions agreed to by Yugoslavia,” he said.
