AHonolulu Star-Bulletin Honolulu, Hawaii Friday, July 21, 1972 - Page 25
Fischer and Spassky Now in Chess Tie
Reykjavik, Iceland (AP)—Bobby Fischer took the fifth game of the world chess championship last night after a bad blunder by Boris Spassky and only 3½ hours of play, evening the score at 2½-all.
“It was just what we expected,” said Frank Skoff, vice president of the U.S. Chess Federation. “The general opinion of the American camp is that Fischer will win—even with the forfeit.”
Spassky was awarded the second game by forfeit on July 13, when Fischer refused to play because three movie cameras ([accompanied by crews of disruptive camera men which were both visible and audible]) were stationed in the hall to film the match. The cameras were removed before the third game, and Fischer has refused to play if they are brought back.
Spassky defeated Fischer in the first game ([Fischer complained even then the disruptive men operating the cameras distracted his concentration]), then lost to him in the third, and the fourth was a draw.
SO IN terms of actual play, Fischer now has won two games to the Russian's one.
The sixth game in the 24-game series is scheduled for Sunday afternoon.
With a win counting one point and a draw half a point, Fischer needs 12½ points to take the title and with it $153,125 of the $245,000 prize money. The Russian, as the defending champion, needs only 12 points to keep his crown and collect the winner's share of the money.
Playing the white pieces yesterday afternoon, Spassky led with his favorite queen's pawn opening. Fischer went into a Nimzo-Indian defense, moving his knight to king's bishop three.
The first five moves repeated the first game, which Spassky won, then Fischer took a new tack, exchanged his bishop for a knight and steadily increased the pressure.
