ADayton Daily News Dayton, Ohio Tuesday, July 18, 1972 - Page 2
Bobby Beats Boris
Reykjavik, Iceland—It was the greatest triumph in his career, yet Bobby Fischer missed the moment by arriving late.
Ten minutes before the 29-year-old American challenger rushed into the exhibition hall, titleholder Boris Spassky resigned, giving Fischer his first win in the drive to take the world chess championship. His win the third game in the 24-match world championship cut Spassky's lead to 2-1.
THE FOURTH GAME is scheduled to start a 1 p.m. today with Fischer playing white, thus giving him the first move.
The end of third game — begun Sunday and adjourned until Monday — was swift. German referee Lothar Schmid and Spassky were alone on the stage with no sign of the American when the clock passed 5 p.m.
Schmid opened a large, brown envelope, read the move Fischer had written down Sunday night when the game adjourned and moved Fischer's bishop.
THE CROWD HELD its breath and waited for the 35-year-old Spassky to sit down. For 30 seconds the Russian stood by the board and looked at the pieces. Then he calmly stopped the clock to his right. He tipped over his king indicating he resigned, nodded curtly to Schmid and left.
The hall was almost empty and Schmid ready to leave when Fischer rushed in. He looked around but could not find Spassky.
“What happened? Has he resigned?” Fischer asked, Schmid nodded and in one swift movement Fischer grabbed his pencil and signed the game sheet.
“IS THAT ALL?” he asked. Not a flicker of emotion showed on his face although he had scored his first victory against Spassky.
Spassky's decision to resign on the 42nd move came as no surprise for the large gathering of grand and international masters in the hall. Fischer had the advantage of a pawn and a stronger attacking position.
With his protégé back in the presidential suite, the Rev. William Lombardy, Fischer's second, told newsmen, “This could be the turning point.
“DON'T FORGET Bobby came through a lot of trouble. After four defeats and two draws against Spassky (including previous non-championship games) he has finally broken the ice with more to come. I think it was one of Bobby's best and most important wins.”
Fischer resigned the first game on the 56th move and lost the second game last Thursday by forfeit when he failed to show up in protest against the presence in the hall of ([disruptive men, creating both visual and audible distractions, operating]) television cameras.
MONDAY IT WAS the Russian champ's turn to lodge a protest against playing conditions. Spassky had agreed to play the third match Sunday in a secluded table tennis room on the first floor of the hall, but protested against outside noise.
At an emergency meeting Monday morning Schmid ruled the match should return to the main hall.
“Mr. Spassky said he could hear children playing and traffic noise below. He did not like the lighting and also objected to the board. Comparing conditions there was no doubt in my mind that the smaller room was vastly inferior to the hall,” Schmid said.
Bobby Beats Boris 18 Jul 1972, Tue Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Ohio) Newspapers.com
