ANew York Times, New York, New York, Friday, July 7, 1972 - Page 01,14
Chess Play Will Start Tuesday; Spassky Wins Draw for White by Harold C. Schonberg
Reykjavik, Iceland, July 6 — After months of bickering and battling, protests and postponements, the world championship chess match formally began today.
The champion, Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union, and the American challenger, Bobby Fischer, met, shook hands and drew for the right to play white, and make the first move in the first game, now scheduled to begin Tuesday.
The ceremony, at which Spassky won that right, took place after Fischer wrote and delivered by hand an apology to Spassky.
“Please accept my sincerest apology,” the letter said, “for my disrespectful behavior in not attending the opening ceremony.”
‘Simply Carried Away’
Fischer, who had submitted an earlier, unsigned apology that was transmitted by his second—and that was rejected by the Russians — said he “simply became carried away by my petty dispute over money ([…with the Icelandic chess organizers.” whom the Soviets had wedged out, i.e., $225,000 offered by Australia and $175,000 by Mexico. The Soviet couldn't allow that, so the lowest bid possible was mandatory to win Soviet approval.]).”
“I know you to be a sportsman and a gentleman,” Fischer said in closing, “and I am looking forward to some exciting chess games with you.”
He signed it: “Sincerely, Bobby Fischer.”
The match was originally scheduled to start last Sunday, but was postponed to Tuesday by Dr. Max Euwe, president of the International Chess Federation, when Fischer failed to show up. Dr. Euwe warned Fischer he would forfeit the match if he did not arrive by noon Tuesday.
Fischer left New York Monday night after a British millionaire doubled the $125,000 purse. He arrived five hours before the deadline.
The Soviet delegation then demanded that Fischer apologize and be punished, and that Dr. Euwe also apologize for having granted the postponement. Dr. Euwe complied—and Fischer submitted his unacceptable ([absolutely unacceptable for an authoritarian, totalitarian Empire like the Soviets whose Draconian policies would mandate the immediate transportation of a rebel like Fischer, directly to the nearest Gulag/labor camp and wait in line for the firing squad, gas chamber or worked to death til starvation; Democracy, Life liberty and the pursuit of happiness shall not be tolerated]) apology—but the resolution of the dispute did not come until today, following negotiations that lasted all night and continued well into the day.
With the dispute apparently amicably settled, Dr. Euwe left today for the Netherlands. He may return before the end of the match, which will last until Fischer scores 12½ points or Spassky scores 12 (a victory counts one point and a draw a half a point).
The winner is to get five-eighths of the purse ($156,250) and the loser three-eighths of the purse, which is more than 20 times larger than any chess purse in history.
The Russians have dropped — for the time being anyway — their demand that the first game be forfeited by the 29-year-old American. Fischer referred to this demand in his note of apology, as well as to the half-point edge Spassky has simply as the defender.
Spassky, who is 35, arrived on time for the first-move ceremony. Fischer was 20 minutes later. Both met backstage and then went onto the stage of the 2,500-seat Exhibition Hall for the draw.
This was done in the time-honored chess way of holding a black piece in one first and a white piece in the other.
The referee, Lothar Schmid, gave each player an envelope. Spassky chose the one that notified him he would hold the pieces. Spassky concealed the pieces and Fischer pointed to Spassky's left hand. The champion opened his hand to reveal a black pawn.
Fischer's face did not change expression, though the player of the black pieces is at a disadvantage. Fischer will play white in the second game, and the first move then continues to alternate.
Special Chair Flown In
Fischer will not be using the chairs provided by the Icelandic Chess Federation. Instead, he will be sitting in a special chair flown in from New York—the same one he used in his match against Tigran Petrosian of the Soviet Union.
The match with Petrosian, a former world champion, was the last chess-playing hurdle Fischer faced on his way to the championship match.
The chess board, made of inlaid marble, had some glare. It was treated with acid to reduce the glare, but Fischer has not yet made up his mind about it. He has tentatively accepted it, but attempts will be made to get one more to his liking.
During the ceremony tonight, various features of the hall were tested. Of primary interest was the screen above the stage, which has a close-up of the board. The definition tonight was not altogether clear. Much better was a diagrammatic representation, with the clocks of the players on one side. This will let the audience know the elapsed time between moves, and the time pressure problems of the players.
Each player has two and a half hours in which to make 40 moves. Games not completed at the end of five hours are to be adjourned to the following day. Games are scheduled to start at 5 P.M. on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.
After the ceremony the two players shook hands, looking at each other the way Joan Sutherland and Maria Callas would—not with love, perhaps, but with mutual respect. They were a study in contrasts—Fischer tall, lumbering, looking somewhat ill at ease; the shorter Spassky collected and smiling.
Immediately after the ceremony, Fischer left the hall and went to Keflavik Airfield to bowl at the United States Air Force base there. The base has the only bowling alley in Iceland.
The match is being delayed until Tuesday to give both players a chance to recover from the nervous strain of the last few days. In general, Spassky and Fischer seemed pleased with the physical surroundings of the hall, though Fischer has reserved judgment. He wants to return and examine the stage and its lighting at his leisure.
During the day, there was a threat from the American delegation that a Sunday game was mandatory. Fischer was eager to play on Sunday, and it was with difficulty that he was persuaded to go along with the Tuesday opening. The American delegation works entirely in accordance with the American grand master's wishes. “We will insist on whatever Fischer wants us to do,” one member said.
