AThe San Francisco Examiner San Francisco, California Wednesday, July 12, 1972 - Page 2
1st Game to Spassky -- Fischer Protests TV
Reykjavik — (UPI) — World chess champion Boris Spassky of Russia defeated Bobby Fischer in the first game of their $250,000 championship match today, putting the unpredictable American one point behind in what could be a 24-game series.
Fischer, who had stopped play in the game for 35 minutes to protest the presence of two closed circuit television cameras high above the contest stage, conceded to the Russian on the 56th move.
He gave up when he saw he could not prevent Spassky moving his only surviving pawn to Fischer's side of the board, thus turning it into a queen, the most powerful piece in game.
Fischer stood up, made a helpless gesture to the audience and walked off. The second game was scheduled for tomorrow.
Cameras Covered
Play in the interrupted first game resumed on time, but Fischer walked out after three moves to protest the two television cameras. Match organizers covered the cameras with a cloth, but Fischer said they still bothered him.
Spassky made the first move today, taking one of Fischer's remaining pawns. Fischer then took a pawn from Spassky with his king.
After 40 moves and 4½ hours of play yesterday, Spassky held the advantage with a bishop and three pawns against Fischer's five pawns. Play was halted when Spassky, 35, asked for an adjournment and Fischer agreed.
Experts agreed that only the Russian master could win the first game. They said the best Fischer could hope for was a draw.
One Point
The match may go for 24 games. Spassky as champion must get 12 points to win. Fischer as challenger must get 12½. Each win counts for one point and a draw ½ point.
The two chess masters have played each other five times in the past. Spassky won three of the matches and two were draws.
Fischer, 29, arrived for yesterday's opening game eight minutes after Spassky, playing the white pieces, made his first move. The American challenger responded to Spassky's opening queen gambit by setting up a Nimzo-Indian defense.
The two exchanged major pieces, including the queens in the 11th and 12th moves of the game.
Playing briskly, Fischer pulled a bishop back to queen two on the 14th move to prepare the way for active use of his rooks.
Ended Chance
Then Fischer made a move that most experts said ended his chance of winning the game.
The American took Spassky's king rook pawn with his bishop, but left his last remaining major piece trapped.
Spassky then showed why he is world champion by quickly taking Fischer's bishop while losing only two of his pawns.
Chess experts could not explain why Fischer moved into what appeared to be a trap by Spassky.
“He took a chance to win a chance,” said Danish grandmaster Jens Enveoldsen.
Walks Around
Fischer, obviously displeased with his playing, fidgeted in his special swivel chair and frequently got up and walked behind the stage.
The first game was delayed nine days when Fischer, demanding ([the prize money, as it was reduced by arm-twisting tactics by the Soviets, be increased to a more equitable sum, such as bid by Australia, a grand total of $225,000 which the Soviet snubbed by their whining, tantrums, and threats that Spassky would not be allowed to play unless the Soviet always gets IT'S way]) did not show up for the opening ceremonies ([and Fischer was correct to boycott the scheming, plotting that went on for months, including refusal of organizers to properly meet with him, to iron out the arrangements long before the match began instead of throwing it together as they went along]) and when Spassky ([who had Moscow breathing down his back]) angered by the American's behavior ([because if he didn't appear angered, the repercussions back in Moscow would be unthinkable]) demanded that he ([Fischer]) be punished.
The match itself was in doubt until Fischer personally delivered an apology ([but the Soviets have yet to offer their apology for choosing the RACIST HAVEN of Iceland, whose “professional class” strongly sympathized with Adolf Hitler during World War II and made secret agreements forbidding persons of color to serve at the Keflavik base, but we're not supposed to know that, according to Powers That Be controlling FIDE and upper echelons of the chess world. Neatly brushing their White Supremacist racism under the rug. Along with rampant Anti-American hostility which pre-existed in Iceland before 1972, the Soviet carefully calculated Iceland's virulent anti-American hostility would demoralize Fischer during the match]) to the Russian and Spassky withdrew his demand that Fischer forfeit the first game.
Caption: ACTION (IF THAT'S THE WORD) IN THE GREAT INTERNATIONAL CHESS MATCH
Bobby Fischer carefully studies the board before making his move against Boris Spassky. — AP Photo
