AThe Boston Globe Boston, Massachusetts Tuesday, July 11, 1972 - Page 33
Fischer, Spassky Play Chess -- Finally
Reykjavik, Iceland (AP) — Unpredictable American challenger Bobby Fischer turned up late for the opening of the world chess championship today, but made his first move in response to title-holder Boris Spassky's opening play.
The 29-year-old American was not in the hall when Spassky formally opened the 24-game match by moving his white pawn to queen four.
Icelandic officials at first said Fischer was staying away because they had not met his demands about moving back some seats in the audience.
But Fischer walked on to the stage seven minutes after Spassky's opening move, and replied by moving his knight.
Fischer's clock was running from the moment Spassky completed his first move and the time he was late will come off his total playing time.
Each player has a clock with 2½ hours of time in which to make 40 moves — making a total of five hours for the match.
As soon as one player moves, his clock stops and his opponent's starts.
Fischer and Spassky are playing for a purse totaling $250,000.
Spassky, after making his move, stood up and wandered around, apparently unconcerned at the absence of his opponent.
Fischer, who would have been disqualified only if he had turned up an hour later, walked onto the stage seven minutes later.
A murmur ran through the audience and a giant “silence” sign immediately lit up.
Icelandic sources said later that Fischer's advisers had a difficult time persuading him to go to the hall at all.
Fischer had complained bitterly at the organizers refusal to meet his demands that the front 10 rows of audience seating be removed.
