AReno Gazette-Journal Reno, Nevada Wednesday, June 28, 1972 - Page 2
Fischer Leaves For Chess Match
Los Angeles (AP)—American challenger Bobby Fischer has left Los Angeles after a final round of training for his world champion chess series in Iceland and is scheduled to leave New York tonight for Reykjavik, local sources said today.
The secretive Fischer spent about a week in California preparing for his series of 24 matches, set to start Sunday with the recognized champion, Boris Spassky of Russia, the sources said. They said Fischer attended a local chess tournament and visited his sister in San Francisco during his stay.
Meanwhile promotional aspects of the match are becoming as important as they are in any big league sport.
Chess matches are not usually world happenings. But with the keen interest sparked by American Bobby Fischer challenging Russian Boris Spassky for the world title, it's a different situation.
The Icelandic Chess Federation has put up close to $200,000 for the match.
The match will be open to the public, and tickets will cost $5 a game or $75 for the 24 games. Of the $200,000 put up, some $125,000 will be paid in prizes to the players, according to the federation. Fischer, 29, and Spassky, 35, will also divide 60 per cent of the income from films and television.
The federation has signed a 99-year contract with Chester Fox and Co., Inc. for exclusive worldwide visual rights, including rights to film the match and still photos of the match taken inside the Sportshall.
In the United States, ABC has contracted for exclusive film rights. The Fox film segments will be shown Saturdays on the ABC program, “Wide World of Sports.”
In the United States, Channel 13—WNDT, New York, and Teleprompter Cable T.V. have planned programs discussing the action at the match, with-out the use of the Fox film.
Channel 3 plans a move-by-move commentary and analysis on the match, by chess master Shelby Lyman, who will work from a studio in Albany, N.Y., using vertical boards to illustrate the moves.
The extensive coverage would start Sunday, July 2 and run from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., nationally. It would continue three times a week throughout the match, with shorter broadcasts Tuesday and Thursday for cities on the Eastern Seaboard.
