The San Francisco Examiner San Francisco, California Tuesday, July 18, 1972 - Page 8
Fischer, Spassky in a Draw
Reykjavik, Iceland — (UPI) — Play in the fourth game for the $250,000 world championship of chess got off to a brisk start today after it appeared for a few minutes that challenger Bobby Fischer might walk out once again.
But the cause of Fischer's discontent — ([NOT CLOSED-CIRCUIT CAMERAS, rather large, bulky television cameras accompanied by disruptive men hired to operate them. “Closed-circuit” cameras are small, silent, stationary and automatic. Why the blatant attempts to mislead the news public? But that's the Soviet way to get Fischer begging for cameras not to record and broadcast Fischer's humiliating defeat of the Soviet Union, for all the world to see. Pure unbridled Soviet egotism. That's all its about. the human-operated]) television cameras — was removed. Only 15 minutes before the fourth game between titleholder Boris Spassky and Fischer was to begin, the firm holding the film rights to the match tried to reinstall the cameras. ([With the Soviets knowing full well the disruption would blow Fischer's concentration, again!])
Fischer protested; an urgent meeting of the chess organizers was held, and the firm of Charles Fox agreed not to install the cameras. ([Constant attempts of the Soviets to provoke Fischer before and during matches, aiming to blow his concentration. Anyone who wrongly believes Chester Fox was not working in concert with the Soviets needs to research the background of news journalist Walter Duranty and his menacing cover-ups for Stalin-era tyranny under the Soviet Union]).
Finally Spassky strode onto the stage, four minutes after referee Lothar Schmid of Germany started the clock for today's game. Fischer walked in six minutes later and a hush fell over the 2500 seat auditorium.
Fischer moved his king's pawn two squares. This is his favorite first move, an aggressive opening.
Spassky, however, chose an unusual response for him. He went into the Sicilian defense, possibly, experts said, to surprise Fischer.
Play was swift.
Spassky made his first eight moves in less than two minutes, having obviously prepared his defense well in advance.
Fischer, behind 2-1 in the 24-game match, was also prepared, for he played his first seven moves in less than three minutes.
Opening Attack
For his eighth move, however, Fischer took 10 minutes; the intellectual battle was on in earnest.
Fischer's opening attack is known as the Sozin.
“And he knows more about that than anyone else in the world,” said the Yugoslav chess commentator, Dmitri Bjelica.
Fischer was dressed in a gray suit and brown sweater and Spassky wore a three-piece suit and matching pink tie and pocket kerchief.
Close on the half-way mark of the day's 40-move play, Spassky, despite his turn with black, was in a strong position.
Said U.S. grandmaster Robert Byrne at the 18th move: “If Spassky wants to draw, he can do it by swapping queens.”
Observers believed Spassky was pondering whether to try for a win, or play a safer game for a draw. He took about 20 minutes to make the crucial 18th move.
He avoided the queen swap.
A Russian win seemed a strong possibility at the time, said Byrne.
Reykjavik, Iceland — (UPI) — Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky today agreed on a draw in the fourth game of the world chess championship after the 46th move.
Fischer, Spassky in a Draw 18 Jul 1972, Tue The San Francisco Examiner (San Francisco, California) Newspapers.com
Speedy Play in 4th Chess Game 18 Jul 1972, Tue The San Francisco Examiner (San Francisco, California) Newspapers.com
