ANew York Times, New York, New York, Friday, July 7, 1972 - Page 14
Text of Fischer's Apology
Reykjavik, Iceland, July 6 (UPI) — Following is the text of Bobby Fischer's letter to Boris Spassky:
Dear Boris,
Please accept my sincerest apology for my disrespectful behavior in not attending the opening ceremony. I simply became carried away by my petty dispute over money with the Icelandic chess organizers. I have offended you and your country, the Soviet Union, where chess has a prestigious position.
Also, I would like to apologize to Dr. Max Euwe, president of FIDE [Federation Internationale des Echecs] to the match organizers in Iceland, to the thousands of chess fans around the world and especially to the millions of fans and the many friends I have in the United States.
After I did not show up for the first game, Dr. Euwe announced that the first game would be postponed without prejudice to me. At that time, you made no protest. Now I am informed that the Russian Chess Federation is demanding that the first game be forfeited to you. The timing of this demand seems to place in doubt the motives for your federations not insisting at the first for a forfeit of the first game.
If this forfeit demand were respected, it would place meat a tremendous handicap. Even without this handicap, you will have an advantage to begin with of needing 12 points out of 24 to retain your title, whereas I will need 12.5 to win the world title.
If this demand were granted, you would need only 11 points out of 23 but I would still need 12.5 out of my 23. In other words, I must win three game without losses, just to obtain the position you would have at the beginning of the match and [I] don't believe that the world champion desires such an advantage in order to play me.
I know you to be sportsman and a gentleman, and I am looking forward to some exciting chess games with you.
Sincerely, Bobby Fischer
