AValley Morning Star Harlingen, Texas Tuesday, July 04, 1972 - Page 7
Bobby Fischer May Play Chess
Reykjavik (UPI) — Gudmundur Thorarinsson, president of the Icelandic Chess Federation, said Monday night he was 95 per cent sure U.S. challenger Bobby Fischer would arrive in Reykjavik, Tuesday morning to play world chess champion Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union for the world title.
“I have it from very good sources—sources which I trust—that Fischer will come Tuesday,” Thorarinsson said.
He said he had received word, from sources he would not identify, that Fischer had accepted an offer from a wealthy British banker doubling the prize money from $125,000 to $250,000.
(In London, the Independent Television News (ITN) quoted Fischer's lawyer, Paul Marshall, in the United States, as saying the American champion had accepted the offer made by Jim Slater, chairman of Slater-Walker securities.)
“I am 95 per cent sure he will come before noon Tuesday,” Thorarinsson said and then added a note of caution: “But of course with Fischer you never know. You know he was at the airport in New York once but never got on the plane.”
Icelandic radio also reported Monday that Fischer had accepted Slater's offer.
Fischer had been stalling and forced the International Chess Federation (FIDE) to postpone the start of the 24-game match from Sunday until Tuesday—a move which was sharply criticized by Soviet Chess authorities Monday.
Dr. Max Euwe, president of FIDE, said he had not heard of Fischer's reported acceptance of the new offer and also expressed some fears over what Spassky might do if Fischer turns up two days later. Spassky earlier Monday issued a statement in which he said he had never given FIDE any permission to postpone the game.
The 24-game match between Fischer and the Russian world champion was scheduled to open Sunday but Fischer refused to board a plane until the sponsoring Icelandic Chess Federation promised him more money. Euwe reluctantly agreed to a 48-hour postponement Sunday, making the new deadline for the start of play Tuesday at 1 p.m. EDT.
Euwe said he expected Fischer to accept the new offer but reiterated that if he does not arrive before 8 a.m. EDT Tuesday he will be disqualified from the match.
“We will know by 10 p.m. New York time if Fischer is on one of the planes to Reykjavik,” Euwe said. “If he is not, then the game is off.” No other planes that would get Fischer to Iceland in time for the match leave after 10 p.m.
By doubling the $125,000 prize money the winner would get $150,000 and the loser $100,000 under the present terms calling for a five-eighths split for the winner and three-eighths for the loser.
Slater said that if this did not satisfy Fischer he would offer an outright $125,000 extra to the winner, bringing his prize money to $200,000, with nothing extra for the loser.
“Fischer has said that the money is the problem,” Slater said in London. “Well, here it is. What I am saying to Fischer now is: “Come out and play.”
In addition to the prize money each player also will get 30 per cent of television and film rights from the Icelandic sponsors. Fischer also had asked for 30 per cent of the gate receipts from the 3,000-seat theater where the match was to be played.
