AThe Lexington Herald Lexington, Kentucky Thursday, July 20, 1972 - Page 35
Uncertainty Keys Chess Match
Reykjavik, Iceland (AP)—The score of 2½ points for champion Boris Spassky and 1½ for challenger Bobby Fischer was the only matter of certainty on the eve of Thursday's fifth game of the world chess title match.
Still alive was the question whether Chester Fox's movie cameras will be back in the hall for the fifth match. Fox, who has sunk a reported $160,000 into exclusive movie rights, says they will.
But Fischer's personal representative, Fred Cramer, said the 29-year-old American challenger “has not changed his mind” about his objections.
Fischer claims the ([disruptive men operating large, bulky television]) cameras disturb his concentration. Their presence was a prime reason for his boycotting the second game, which he ([the Icelandic/Soviet organizers illegally]) forfeited to the 35-year-old Soviet titleholder, and for removal of the third game to a private room devoid of ([disruptive television]) cameras ([crew men]).
The chess genius from Brooklyn had threatened to fly back home if the third match was not played privately ([so the circulated rumors suggested for weeks, however, Fischer's second William Lombardy made the disclaimer he knew nothing of it, and the same confirmed by Fischer's lawyer who stated his purpose for being in Reykjavik, was because Fischer intended to compete]). The fourth game was moved back to the main exhibition hall, but still without ([large, bulky television]) cameras.
Chess grandmasters, not known to agree on anything, were split on who would hold the title after the 24-game series.
“In this match anything is possible,” said a Yugoslav, Dragoljub Yanosevic. “Perhaps Fischer is playing better than Spassky, but Spassky is one point up. He can now be content with draws.”
American Robert Byrne did not agree: “The match is going well. Bobby will win, but by how many games I don't know.”
Spassky needs only 12 points to retain the title. Fischer must score 12½ to take it out of the Soviet Union, where it has reposed since 1948. A win is worth one point, a draw one-half point.
After meeting with officials of the sponsoring Icelandic Chess Federation, Fox said he might be reimbursed by the federation for the third game.
“I am hopeful everything will work out,” he said. ([Actually, based on the track record of Fox Inc., I doubt that was ever the case, or things would have went smoothly, since after all, Fischer wanted only silent, automatic, stationary closed-circuit cameras and Fox brought in an army of television camera crews fit for a major league soccer tournament to swarm Fischer and Spassky… hoping Fischer would drop points in the process]) “The Icelandic people are very honorable.” ([and very racist. Is it honorable to restrict entry of persons who are of African ancestry, for instance? Or perhaps the raving Anti-American atmosphere that's flaming in Reykjavik over the NATO base at Keflavik resulting in threats on Fischer's life and the lives of “foreigners” patronizing the match. But Chester Fox Inc., thinks racism and chauvinist nationalism, is “honorable,” which reveals how colored his personal judgment has become clouded by Soviet Imperialism.])
Spassky won the first game ([due to Fischer reporting his concentration was disrupted by Fox's crews of distractive camera men]) and had a 2-0 edge when the second was declared a forfeit ([and illegally handed to the Soviet team by Icelandic officials.]) Fischer beat the Russian for the first time ever in the third game ([due to the absence of the Soviet ally Chester Fox Inc.'s army of camera crews]). In Tuesday's contest, Spassky beat off an opening attack by the challenger, to force a draw ([also, without the menacing distraction of Fox Inc's army of audibly, and visually disruptive crews of men operating large, bulky television cameras.])
