AThe Orlando Sentinel Orlando, Florida Wednesday, July 05, 1972 - Page 10
Spassky Turns Tables, Demands Punishment
Reykjavik, Iceland (UPI) Russian chess champion Boris Spassky stalked out of a meeting Tuesday, charging he and the Soviet Union had been insulted by Bobby Fischer and demanding the American challenger be punished before they play for the world title. ([And who will “punish” the Soviet Union for months and years of meddling, maneuvering off the chessboard, disruption of many, many chess tournaments through false and misleading published reports and misrepresentations of players in the press? Arm twisting, to gain personal advantage, to monopolize a large cross-section of sports titles?])
Spassky's walkout forced another postponement of the world championship match until Thursday, at the earliest. The match is worth a total prize of $250,000 to be apportioned between the two contenders. The winner is to get $150,000 and the loser $100,000.
REPRESENTATIVES OF Spassky and Fischer met for two and one-half hours late Tuesday but failed to resolve differences.
Attorney Paul Marshall, who with the Rev. William Lombardy spoke for Fischer, said Spassky's advisers submitted two statements — one by Spassky and the other from the Soviet chess federation.
“The matter is so delicate that I don't want to reveal the contents,” Marshall said. He added that the discussions “were frank and we will hopefully be able to resume them tomorrow.”
“WE ARE HOPEFUL that we will solve the problems tomorrow so the match can be played,” Marshall said. He refused to answer questions from newsmen and hurriedly left the conference room with the Rev. Lombardy, a Catholic priest and a chess grand master.
The Russians refused to comment.
The incident was touched off when Spassky arrived for the drawing of lots. When he found Fischer was not there—he was sleeping after his transatlantic flight—Spassky delivered his protest and stomped out of the room, followed by his advisers.
FIVE OFFICIALS huddled for a quarter of an hour, then called a news conference to announced that the Russians had delivered a protest—in Russian, which the officials could not read.
“We don't know what they are protesting. We need a translation first,” said Dr. Max Euwe, president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE).
Spassky and Fischer had not met yet. All the talking was being done by their advisors and seconds. “But I don't think there is any personal animosity between them,” Dr. Euwe said. “They want just to be good friends.”
The postponement was the second of the 24-game series which originally was scheduled to start Sunday. It was first postponed until Tuesday because Fischer demanded more money. It was postponed Tuesday after Spassky said Fischer had insulted him by not showing up in time for play to begin Sunday.
“By this, Fischer insulted me personally and the Chess Federation of the USSR which I represent,” Spassky, 35, said. He said he would not play until the International Chess Federation (FIDE) punished Fischer.
Spassky left the door open, however, for the match to be played.
“I still want to play the match if there is a solution. I will not play today. I will make my decision in the next few days,” he said.
FIDE President Max Euwe did not share Spassky's confidence.
“The situation is critical. I don't know if the match will be played at all. I am very pessimistic,” Euwe said.
Euwe said later he hoped play could start Thursday because “both parties have declared that they are ready to play the match.”
He said new talks between representatives of Spassky and Fischer would be held later in the day. But if the talks—on “personal relations” between the two players—failed “then the match is off,” Euwe said.
Euwe granted Fischer a two-day postponement, ostensibly for medical reasons, while Fischer bargained for more money. He agreed to play Spassky after a British banker said he would double the prize money to $250,000.
London millionaire James D. Slater said he would put up the extra money out of his own pocket because he loves chess. About 60 per cent of the total will go to the winner.
Following Slater's offer, Fischer flew to Reykjavik early Tuesday and went to his hotel room to rest to prepare for the first game, scheduled to start at 1 p.m. EDT.
Before the game, however, both men were to meet to draw lots to see who would get the first move.
Fischer, 29, stayed at the hotel and sent his second, the Rev. William Lombardy, and two attorneys, Paul Marshall and Andrew Davis to the meetings.
Spassky went, tossed down a statement in Russian and walked out.
THE STATEMENT, translated by the official news agency, Tass, said Spassky was indignant because Fischer did not show up for the pre-match ceremonies allowing the match to begin as originally scheduled on Sunday.
“The public opinion in the USSR and I, personally, are indignant over Fischer's conduct. Under all human notions he discredited himself completely,” Spassky said.
“By this he jeopardized his moral right to play in the match for the world chess crown. Fischer must beat the just punishment before there is a hope of holding the match. Only after this can I return to the question about the possibility of holding the match,” Spassky said.
FISCHER BALKED earlier over selection of a site for the match. Initially, 12 matches were to be played in Reykjavik and 12 in Belgrade.
The Belgrade sponsors withdrew their support when they could not reach agreement with Fischer over money and other terms, leaving Reykjavik as the site for all 24 games.
Fischer four times postponed his trip to Iceland while he bargained for higher stakes.
SPASSKY, WHO has held the world championship title since 1969, arrived in Reykjavik two weeks ago to prepare for the series.
Under the rules, games will be played on alternate days with the extra days to be used to finish incomplete games. A win counts as one point and a tie is one-half point.
Spassky, as champion, needs 12 points to win but Fischer needs 12½.
Spassky Demands Fischer Punishment 05 Jul 1972, Wed The Orlando Sentinel (Orlando, Florida) Newspapers.com
