Courier-Post Camden, New Jersey Monday, July 10, 1972 - Page 1
U.S. Chess Master To Analyze Match by Dr. Leroy Dubeck, President, U.S. Chess Federation
THE CHESS MATCH between grandmasters Robert Fischer of the United States and Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union will commence in Reykjavik, Iceland, either tomorrow or Thursday.
Commentators have referred to this as the match of the century. This is the first time that the Soviets have been challenge by the United States for the world chess championship since they won the title immediately after World War II. All world championship matches since then have been between two Russian Grandmasters.
The prestige of the Soviet Chess Federation, with its three or four million members, is at stake. The Soviets have claimed that their chess superiority is an indication of their general cultural superiority over other countries ([do I smell Fascism?]) These past boasts will return to haunt them if Fischer becomes world chess champion.
In the United States, chess is only recently beginning to receive the attention in the mass media which is quite common in the Soviet Union and in other European countries. The United States Chess Federation, which is the official U.S. representative to the World Chess Federation, has about 30,000 members and subscribers.
Games are played on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday of each week. Each player has 2½ hours in which to make his 40 moves. Games that are not finished within the five hour playing period are continued on the following day.
Each player may postpone up to three games because of illness. The first player to achieve a score of 12½ points is declared the winner of the match. Each win counts for one point, a draw for half a point, and a loss is scored as a zero. If the match lasts 24 games without either player scoring 12½ Spassky retains the World Championship. In short Spassky needs to score 12 points to win, while Fischer must score 12½ points out of the 24 games maximum.
The road to this historic match has been a rocky one indeed. Extended negotiations were held between the Icelandic organizers, and representatives of Fischer, Spassky, and the World Chess Federation. For a while, it appeared as though Fischer would not play, allegedly because of dissatisfaction with financial arrangements.
The two contestants were originally scheduled to divide $125,000, in prize money, with ⅝ going to the winner, When a wealthy British banker donated another $130,000 to the prize fund, Fischer flew to Iceland and is now, hopefully, ready to play chess. Then Spassky and the Soviet Chess Federation refused to play and demanded an apology from Fischer for his earlier actions which involved a two-day delay in the start of the match. This has led to a further day of at least a week and possibly nine days in the start of play.
Fischer and Spassky played five games with each other in the past. Spassky has won three of these games and two have ended in draws. However, Fischer is now playing better than in his previous encounters with Spassky and is generally favored to win the match.
Anyone wanting a free chess kit from the United States Chess Federation should write to me, care of this newspaper.
I plan to write a number of articles on the progress of this memorable match. I have met both Fischer and Spassky on a number of occasions in my capacity as president of the United States Chess Federation. Both are strong competitors and great players.
Chess is far more of an all consuming activity for Fischer than for Spassky. For example, Spassky has been giving regular news conferences, signing autographs, etc. and in general mixing with the chess public in Iceland. Fischer on the contrary has remained in relative seclusion since his arrival. ([An “Anti-American” underbelly is well documented since 1951. Reports in newspaper cite a 10% Soviet population in Iceland spreading Anti-American propaganda. Icelandic government had secret agreement with U.S. Government forbidding blacks to serve at Keflavik NATO base. Fischer's mentor/guest Archie Waters reports being the ONLY black man at or anywhere near the Sports Arena during the match! Anti-Americanism is “why” the Soviet Union/Russian Empire chose the racist haven for the match, hoping to demoralize Bobby Fischer and zap his will]) More on the similarities and differences on these two in later installments.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Dr. Leroy Dubeck, of 932 Edgemoor Rd., Kingston Estates, Cherry Hill, is president of the United States Chess Federation, representing more than 30,000 members.
In addition, he is rated a chess master of the United States, currently ranked 36th, and is vice president of the New Jersey State Chess Federation.
A native of Maplewood, N.J., Dr. Dubeck is single, an associate professor of physics at Temple University and plays chess at the Moorestown Chess Club, in addition to competing in national and international tournaments.
He knows personally Bobby Fischer, challenger of the United States and the world champion Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union. Dr. Dubeck will provide an exclusive analysis of the games played between Fischer and Spassky for Courier-Post readers.
U.S. Chess Master To Analyze Match 10 Jul 1972, Mon Courier-Post (Camden, New Jersey) Newspapers.com
