Daily News New York, New York Friday, July 07, 1972 - Page 326
Spassky to Go 1st Tuesday by Robert Byrne
Reykjavik, Iceland, July 6 — Bobby Fischer, debonair in a pale green suit, pointed to Boris Spassky's closed left hand tonight ([other reporters claim it was the right hand)] and discovered he had selected the black pawn concealed in it. That meant that Spassky, who smiled slightly as he opened his hand, will have the first move in the first game Tuesday of the 24-game world championship match.
The draw was made as Fischer, the American challenger, and Spassky, the Soviet world champion, stood face to face on the stage of the Laugardalshoell, Reykjavik's sport exhibition palace. But it was done in the same manner as park bench chess players, with Spassky taking a black pawn and a white pawn in each hand, juggling them behind his back and extending his closed hands to Fischer.
Fischer, the 29-year-old chess genius from Brooklyn, and Spassky, 35, of Moscow met for the draw after Fischer sent a handwritten letter of apology to Spassky this morning. In the letter Fischer asked the Russian to accept his apology for “my disrespectful behavior in not attending the opening ceremony.”
Fischer had delayed the opening of the match, scheduled for July 2, by haggling with the Icelandic Chess Federation over the proceeds of the match.
The stalemate over the money was broken unexpectedly Tuesday when British banker James Slater, an avid chess fan, offered to contribute $125,000 to the prize fund. Fischer then left New York for Reykjavik.
Slater's doubling of the original purse put up by the Icelanders will give the winner $156,250 and the loser $93,750—the biggest purse ever for a championship chess match.
Spassky, showing the strain of waiting out the pregame gambits, requested a delay of his own to repair his frayed nerves. Lothar Schmid of West Germany, the head referee, granted the request and set the first game for 5 p.m. Tuesday at Laugardalshoell.
After Fischer and Spassky met tonight for their first personal encounter since both arrived here, no more was heard of a Russian chess federation demand that Fischer be penalized by forfeiting the opening game.
In his letter to Spassky, Fischer explained his behavior by saying: “I simply became carried away by my petty dispute over money with the Icelandic Chess Federation.”
“I Have Offended You”
“I have offended you and your country, the Soviet Union, where chess has a prestigious position,” Fischer said.
“I know you to be a sportsman and a gentleman and I am looking forward to some exciting chess games with you,” he added.
Fischer also asked Spassky to withdraw the demand that he forfeit the first game.
