AThe Daily Reporter Greenfield, Indiana Tuesday, July 11, 1972 - Page 6
Sports Whirled: Bobby and Boris By Paul Nussbaum, Reporter Sports Editor
Today, hopefully, finally, the world's super chess match is going to begin with Russia's Boris Spassky and the United State's Bobby Fischer facing each other in Reykjavik, Iceland.
Despite all the pre-competition excesses — Fischer's demands for more money and a different chair, Spassky's request that the postponed first match be forfeited to him — the scheduled 24 game work championship should be worth the wait and the expense (Fischer and Spassky are playing for $250,000).
As every semi-literate person in the world must know by now, the contest shapes up to be the classic conflict between Communist and capitalist ([WRONG! One man, Robert J. Fischer vs. the Soviet Empire]), experienced champ and one-time boy wonder.
Fischer, always slim and now 28, lives an introverted life centered around an introverted game. He seems to find no time for girl friends or cars or socializing, things that are usually so important to young men. His only constant companions are his chess board, his chess books and his 32 unchanging chessmen.
Spassky, on the other hand, is a gregarious “Russian Bear,” who has trouble keeping his weight down. But he has no difficulties with his chess. Surrounded by the best strategists in the Soviet Union, the 35-year-old defending world champion never lacks advice. And the paternal state has seen that he lacks little else, either. He lives in a luxurious apartment, drives a foreign sports car and draws a salary that is three times as high as that of the average Russian worker.
The two men play very different brands of chess too. Fischer is aggressive, and would much rather take risks to achieve a win that settle for a draw. Spassky is more likely to be satisfied with a draw, preferring the sure tie over a possible loss.
Former meetings between Fischer and Spassky have ended in the Russian's favor: in five previous games, Boris has won two and drawn three. But Fischer's game has improved considerably since he last played Spassky two years ago and so this less-than-expert analyst is going to stick his neck out and predict that when the 24 games have been completed, Bobby Fischer will be the new champion. But whatever the outcome, the contestants' very different personalities and playing styles should make the match worth following.
Sports Whirled: Boris and Bobby 11 Jul 1972, Tue The Daily Reporter (Greenfield, Indiana) Newspapers.com
