ADes Moines Tribune Des Moines, Iowa Wednesday, June 28, 1972 - Page 9
Soviet Chess Champ Sore At Lensmen
Reykjavik, Iceland (AP) — Russian Boris Spassky, who has a reputation for glacial calm, had an outburst of nerves Wednesday, less than a week before he risks his world chess championship against American Bobby Fischer.
Spassky stormed off a tennis court and went to his hotel after three photographers began taking pictures of him with Jivo Nei, a compatriot helping him train for the match.
“You are ruining our program,” Spassky said.
Outside
The photographers were not interfering with his tennis game. They stood outside a fence that surrounds the asphalt court in a schoolyard.
The Russian refused requests from the photographers for two minutes of his time, although they promised they would leave afterward.
After 15 minutes in the hotel, Spassky returned to the court with Nei.
Loser
To the delight of a bunch of Icelandic kids who shagged balls for the players, Nei thrashed Spassky in two straight sets.
Because of the great physical strain of the 24-game chess competition that will begin Sunday, both Spassky and Fischer have been working out regularly for months.
Fischer, 29, expected to arrive Thursday, is a good tennis player and swimmer. He is six years younger than the champion.
Chess players say the loser will be the man who tires first.
