ACourier-Post Camden, New Jersey Thursday, August 31, 1972 - Page 8
Fischer, Spassky Sit Down to 21st
(Caption: POSITION of chess pieces after Bobby Fischer climbed to within one point of the world title.)
Reykjavik, Iceland (UPI)—Bobby Fischer, needing only one more point to take the world chess championship from Boris Spassky, set up a Sicilian defense in the 21st game today against the Russian champion's king pawn opening.
Fischer arrived four minutes late butt might have been on time had he not had to detour en route to the playing hall from his hotel because of a traffic accident.
Spassky, on stage for what could be his last game as champion when arbiter Lothar Schmid started the clock, moved his pawn to king four—Fischer's favorite opening. Spassky waited for Fischer to arrive, shook hands with him, and left the stage while Fischer pondered his move.
The American challenger, 29, who started playing chess before his teens and dropped out of high school at 16 to devote all his time to it, got a draw in the 20th game against Russian world champion Boris Spassky yesterday and moved within one point of the magic figure—the 12.5 points necessary to win the title.
Relaxed and smiling, Fischer called over referee Lothar Schmid after the Russian played his 54th move and offered a draw. After a slight hesitation Spassky accepted and put out his hand for the traditional handshake.
The 600 fans on hand for the 20th game, which had been started Tuesday and adjourned in the 41st move yesterday, could hardly believe their eyes at the sight of the gay and smiling Fischer, a far cry from the temperamental and eternally protesting player of previous games.
“Yes, it was very pleasant,” said Schmid. “Bobby asked me if I could point out the position for a repeated move because he could not remember. I had to get my own scoresheet as his was unreadable.”
After the challenger left the stage Spassky remained seated. Suddenly he picked up Fischer's king and started moving it round on the wooden squares, going through a number of positions.
Walked Off Stage
“No,” he finally told Schmid, “I cannot find a win anywhere.”
Then he picked up his thermos of coffee and walked slowly off stage.
Most grand masters agreed with the world champion that there was no alternative to a draw.
But U.S. grandmaster Larry Evans wasn't quite so sure. “I'm not convinced Spassky exhausted all possibilities, but it will take days of careful analyzing to see what he could have done.”
