The Record-Gazette, Banning, California, Thursday, July 06, 1972 - Page 10
Chess Tourney to Get Started
Reykjavik, Iceland (UPI) — The president of the World Chess Federation (FIDE) said today the much-postponed match between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky may finally get under way Sunday.
Dr. Max Euwe, president of FIDE, said “The match will start on Sunday or at the latest Tuesday.” He said he felt the major outstanding differences had been settled at a meeting between FIDE, the Icelandic organizers and Spassky's advisers early today.
But Lothar Schmid, the FIDE referee for the match, wasn't so optimistic. “This is if everything goes according to plan,” he said. “Things can still go wrong.”
Fischer Challenges Spassky
Fischer, a 29-year-old chess genius from Brooklyn, is challenging Spassky, a Russian for the world championship Spassky now holds. The match originally was to have started last Sunday but Fischer failed to show up in time, touching off a furor.
Schmid said the draw of lots to decide who is to play white in the first of the 24 games in the $250,000 match will be held tonight 4 p.m. EDT.
Euwe said a new meeting, also involving Fischer's advisers, will be held today.
He said he felt the Soviet demand for a penalty for the American challenger for showing up late for the start of the match “might be settled later” at the FIDE congress in Skopje, Yugoslavia.
But Schmid said the Soviet demand that Fischer forfeit the first game — and a crucial point in the battle for the world title — was still not completely solved.
One Other Point
There may also be a signed apology from Fischer. No such document has yet been presented to the Russian world champion but Euwe said he was satisfied that it would be forthcoming.
Fischer presented an apology of sorts Wednesday when he broke his silence with a statement regretting the delay of the match. Fischer said it was not Spassky's fault that the match had been delayed and said he “respected grandmaster Spassky as a player and man.”
Russian officials said the statement was expected to satisfy Spassky if delivered to him with Fischer's signature attached.
