The Vancouver Sun Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Thursday, April 27, 1972 - Page 42
Puerto Rico Bids For World Chess Match
Kuala Lumper, Malaysia (Reuter) — Puerto Rico has offered to be host for the much-disputed chess match between world champion Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union and his American challenger, Bobby Fischer, Max Euwe, International Chess Federation president said here Wednesday.
Euwe said Puerto Rico's offer was made in a telephone call to him while he was in Singapore recently.
The contest was to have been played in two stages, first in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, beginning June 22, and next in Reykjavik, Iceland. But after disagreements over fees and venues for the match, Yugoslavia announced two weeks ago it would not stage the first half in Belgrade.
Euwe said Wednesday: “If it is impossible to hold the whole match in Europe, I will consider Puerto Rico.”
Meanwhile, in Sarnia, Ont., Phil Haley, president of the Chess Federation of Canada, said the Canadian group has resubmitted a bid made last year to hold the first 12 games of the match in Montreal, beginning before July 1.
He said in an interview that the Canadian federation had made the offer in writing to the International Chess Federation, but has received no answer.
Meanwhile, in Moscow, Tass reported today the Soviet Chess Federation insists the match must be held in Iceland.
Tass said the Soviet organization, speaking for the champion, had conveyed this to the federation in a telegram Wednesday.
“The Chess Federation of the USSR warns that it will not support the intentions of the president Max Euwe of Holland to arrange for another round of talks and search for a venue of the match,” Tass reported.
