ACourier-Post Camden, New Jersey Monday, July 03, 1972 - Page 5
Chessmen Refuse Fischer's Demands
Reykjavik, Iceland (UPI) - The Icelandic Chess Federation refused today to meet U.S. chess challenger Bobby Fischer's demands for more money to play the Soviet Union's Boris Spassky for the world championship.
“A dangerous precedent would be created if we gave in to Fischer. He is threatening to kill the game of chess by insisting on his own conditions,” ([Nonsense. Chess has never been so popular or profitable. Stubborness is not a badge of honor.]) said Gudmundur Einarsson, a member of the Icelandic organization committee.
The 24-game Fischer-Spassky match was scheduled to start Sunday but was postponed until Tuesday by Dr. Max Euwe, president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE).
Fischer, 29, is hiding out in New York, apparently in a move to force the sponsors of the match to pay him more money for playing Spassky.
Show Up or Forfeit
If Fischer does not show up by noon Tuesday (8 a.m. EDT), he will be disqualified and lose his right to challenge the 35-year-old Russian.
In Hilversum, the Netherlands, Max Euwe told the Dutch radio in a telephone interview that neither the world federation nor Iceland was willing to accept Fischer's additional financial demands.
“However,” Euwe said, “if the American Chess Federation would be willing to pay extra to Fischer, the world federation would not mind.”
Euwe stressed that if this solution would be possible the world federation and the Icelandic chess federation would accept it but would be no parties to it.
An Icelandic friend of Fischer, Freystrinn Thorbergsson, flew to New York Sunday to try to persuade the American grand master to return with him. He said he was acting as “a friend of Bobby Fischer” and said only “I know where to find him.” He refused to answer other questions.
Fischer, who has kept the Icelandic organizers nervously rushing to Keflavik international airport to meet every flight from New York for a week, simply did not show up Sunday.
Four Bookings Canceled
Officially there was no explanation. He has not been in touch with the Icelandic Chess Federation or FIDE since he sent a cable through the U.S. Chess Federation some time back saying he would show up for the match “under protest.”
Four times since then, Fischer has canceled bookings on flights to Iceland.
The Icelandic federation, which stands to lose much money if the match does not come off, pleaded for Fischer, Sunday and convinced Euwe to postpone the start of the match 48 hours to give Fischer a last chance.
Spassky Undisturbed
“But I am not very hopeful,” said Euwe, the last non-Russian to hold the world title from 1935 to 1937. He is Dutch.
The decision came after several rounds of closed negotiations involving Spassky, Euwe, the Icelandic organizers and Americans representing Fischer but not authorized by him to negotiate.
Spassky appeared undisturbed by the crisis surrounding his first defense of the title he won in 1969 from fellow countryman Tigran Petrosian.
Fischer Wants More
He was calm and relaxed in Sunday's negotiations and his seconds said he was in fine spirits.
The total prize money of $125,000—more than ten times bigger than any before in the history of chess ([not to dismiss the bids by Australia and Mexico which were a whopping $225,000, with $200,000 in prize money, and Mexico with a bid of $175,000! but the Soviets would have nothing to do with such a thing. It might inspire too many non-Soviets as challengers.])—will be split with five-eighths to the winner and the rest to the loser. On top of this the two players are guaranteed 30 per cent of net incomes on televisions and film rights.
But Fischer wants more. He has asked the Icelandic organization for a 30 per cent share of the gate receipts—something which in the words of Icelandic Chess Federation president Gudmundur Thorarinsson would spell “economic disaster” for the tiny federation in a nation of only 200,000 inhabitants ([backed by the all-powerful Soviet Empire and their accomplice, Chester Fox who has rigged the contract to later sue Fischer for 3.3 million when he denies access to Fox's noisy cameramen.])
