ADaily News New York, New York Tuesday, July 04, 1972 - Page 3
Bobby Takes Sterling Move: He'll Play For Bundle From Briton
Reykjavik, Iceland, July 3 (Special)—Confronted with an ultimatum to show up by noon tomorrow or forfeit his bid for the world chess title, Bobby Fischer was reported tonight to have accepted a bid by a British buff of the game to almost double the pot.
Fischer was believed to be at a New York City hideaway, but in London, the buff, British investment banker James D. Slater said Fischer's attorney had accepted the offer, and Fischer was preparing to fly to Reykjavik. Slater said Fischer's lawyer had telephoned him acceptance of the offer.
The six-member Icelandic Chess Federation board, sponsor of the 24-game match, turned down Fischer's demand for 30% of the gate receipts in the match against Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union.
Present terms call for the winner to get $78,125 and the loser $46,875, with each taking a 30% cut of TV and photo sales income.
Slater, president of the philanthropic group Friends of Chess, offered to put up $130,000, which would roughly double the previously agreed purse, thus giving the winner about $156,000. As an alternative, Slater said, the entire $130,000 could be tacked onto the winner's share, making the first prize total some $308,000.
Slater said: “The idea is to remove the problem of money from Fischer and see if he has any others.”
He said he was acting basically because of his love of chess. “Many want to see this match … Fischer does not go to Iceland, many will be disappointed.”
Max Euwe, president of the International Chess Federation, said Slater's offer to sweeten the pot should satisfy Fischer. “I do hope that he will now decide to come here and play,” he added.
Euwe—who granted the delay in the start of the match—and the world federation drew criticism and complaints today from the Soviet camp. In Moscow, the Soviet Chess Federation protested against Fischer's failure to appear yesterday for the scheduled beginning of the match and said this action merits the American's “unconditional disqualification.”
Here in Reykjavik, Spassky complained that he had been incorrectly reported to have agreed to the delay. “I want to declare,” he said, “that I have not given any such permission, not to (Euwe) or anybody.”
The Icelandic federation turned down not only Fischer's bid for the 30% slice of the gate receipts. ([Repeats an idle falsehood which is omitted here due to being nothing but a vapid rumor, the product of an irrational mind, and spread by Fischer's Soviet detractors. Apparently the Soviet-controlled Icelandic Chess Federation is the source of this odious rumor. Fischer agreed to the additional Slater funds to be EQUITABLY DIVIDED between himself and Spassky, and so history shows it was done.])
The Icelandic federation also discussed a Fischer demand for a quarantine from the press and public during his stay in Iceland.
Bobby Takes Sterling Move 04 Jul 1972, Tue Daily News (New York, New York) Newspapers.com
Fischer OKs Bonus Offer 04 Jul 1972, Tue Daily News (New York, New York) Newspapers.com
