Albuquerque Journal Albuquerque, New Mexico Sunday, May 07, 1972 - Page 85
Fischer Agrees To Iceland Site For Chess Title
Amsterdam (UPI) — The International Chess Federation said it received confirmation from U.S. chess grandmaster Bobby Fischer Saturday that he will challenge Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union for the world championship title in Reykjavik, Iceland.
Spassky had informed the federation Friday of his willingness to play in the Icelandic capital.
Both said they were ready to start the 24-game series July 2.
ORIGINALLY, the first half of the match was to be played in Belgrade and the second half in Reykjavik — a compromise since Fischer had wanted to play the series in the Yugoslav capital and Spassky had favored Iceland.
Max Euwe, president of the federation, split the match between the two cities when the two men failed to agree on a site.
The Belgrade sponsors backed out when they were faced with new financial demands from Fischer. They said they had no solid financial guarantees that the American would play under the original arrangement.
REYKJAVIK SAID it still was willing to organize the match there, and Euwe decided that it should be played in Iceland. He said Fischer would be deprived of his right to challenge Spassky if he refused.
A chess federation spokesman said Fischer had until Saturday to decide.
Fischer said in a statement issued through his attorney in Grossinger, N.Y., Friday night that he never had been contacted by the federation about the deadline. He said the organization had violated its rules in the way it selected the Icelandic bid.
Fischer said the site should have been chosen in a face-to-face meeting between him and Spassky, but the Soviet government would not permit such a meeting or permit Spassky to travel freely.
