The Orlando Sentinel Orlando, Florida Tuesday, June 27, 1972 - Page 10
Spassky Confident Bobby Will Come
Reykjavik, Iceland (UPI) — World chess champion Boris Spassky of Russia said he hoped his American challenger, Bobby Fischer, would show up in time for their first match next Sunday even though he failed to arrive as scheduled Monday at this tournament site.
“I don't know why he didn't arrive,” Spassky told a news conference. “Only commander-in-chief Fischer knows,” he added with a broad smile.
But Spassky, 35, said he was confident that Fischer would turn up at the capital of Iceland for the start of their 26-game match for the world chess title.
“I am hopeful we will play the first game next Sunday as planned,” Spassky said.
Officials of the Icelandic Chess Federation said they expected the 29-year-old challenger Wednesday. He had been scheduled to arrive early Monday but officials said he cancelled his bookings at the last minute.
CHESS SOURCES said Fischer was in seclusion in Los Angeles and quoted him as saying he had every intention of flying to Reykjavik in time for the first game.
Spassky told his news conference he had arrived last week in order to get used to conditions and climate and was doing physical exercises and playing some chess in preparation for the match.
The Russian player said he was satisfied with arrangements and not even the 24-hour daylight bothered him. “I have good curtains in my hotel,” he said.
SPASSKY LOOKING calm and relaxed, refused to predict the outcome of the match. Asked whether Fischer was the best chess player of the 20th century, he said, “I will answer that one when the match is over.”
Fischer, he said, was “more of a classical chess player than I am. He is a very practical player.”
