The Montgomery Advertiser Montgomery, Alabama Friday, July 07, 1972 - Page 4
The Chess War
IN THE LONG cold war between American chess player Bobby Fischer and defending champion Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union, the world has seen in microcosm just how difficult international diplomacy is.
There have been charges of capitalistic chicanery against Fischer, wounded pride on both sides, silly arguments, disputes over protocol and agenda, boycotts, etc.
The funniest aspect of the imbroglio was the charge in Moscow that a group of Americans had set up a computer in New York to assist the 29-year-old U.S. star.
There was no explanation as to how this would be accomplished, except that the American secret weapon would somehow be fed each move, analyze the situation and relay advice back to Fischer by some mysterious means.
The charge brought hysterical laughter among the chess experts in Iceland, including the referee of the match, Lothar Schmid, who said “that's nonsense.”
Even a member of Spassky's entourage, laughing with the rest, doubted that the system would work even if it did exist, since computers play “very bad” chess.
In any case, the impasse, while it lasted, gave the world an insight into the difficulties arising between competing individuals and thus between nations with conflicting interests on a far larger scale.
The Chess War 07 Jul 1972, Fri The Montgomery Advertiser (Montgomery, Alabama) Newspapers.com
