ANew York Times, New York, New York, April 05, 1972 - Page 42
Fischer Announces He Is Ready to Play For the World Title
Bobby Fischer has notified the International Chess Federation—in a cablegram received moments before the deadline set for his disqualification—that he is ready to play for the world championship chess title on the terms already set by the federation.
Fischer denied that he ever intended not to appear for the match against Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union and said he was sorry about any misunderstandings that might have arisen.
The cable was received Monday night by the International Chess Federation. Last week it was reported in the international press that Fischer had made new demands involving money. The federation threatened to disqualify him unless he agreed to all conditions by Tuesday.
At Grossinger's, where Fischer is training for the match, he was said to have spent several hours with Svetozar Gligoric, a Yugoslav grandmaster and long a friend and admirer, and it is believed Gligoric may have been instrumental in helping Fischer come to a decision.
The title match was supposed to start in Belgrade on June 22. After 12 games (the playing schedule calls for three games a week) and a two-week interim, the match was to resume in Reykjavik, Iceland, on August 6. The challenger must get 12½ points to take the title, with a draw counting as a half point and a victory a full point.
Col. Edmund E. Edmondson, head of the United States Chess Federation, indicated the start might have to be delayed a week or two.
Several details still remain to be settled. The amount of the purse is not at issue, but Fischer feels a delay of about two weeks before resuming the match in Reykjavik is too long.
Last week Fischer was quoted as saying he wanted a share of the proceeds in addition to his share of the purse. The purse, put up by Belgrade and Reykjavik, is $138,000—the largest in chess history—of which the winner gets 62½ per cent.
Fischer was not available yesterday for comment.
The Evening Sun Baltimore, Maryland Wednesday, April 05, 1972 - Page 4
Chess Match Is On Again
Amsterdam (AP)—Bobby Fischer's much heralded meeting with Boris Spassky to determine the world chess championship is on again.
The International Chess Federation said Tuesday it had received a telegram from the United States federation stating that the American challenger will meet the Soviet titleholder “at the negotiated time and place.”
The 24-game match is to begin June 22 in Belgrade and finish in Reykjavik, Iceland.
Fischer has been at odds with the international federation over some aspects of the tournament. His demands for a share of the profits in addition to the agreed prize money still remain at issue.
Tampa Bay Times St. Petersburg, Florida Wednesday, April 05, 1972 - Page 41 (★)
Fischer Accepts Belgrade Money Offer
Amsterdam (UPI) — American chess champion Bobby Fischer has withdrawn his objections to the money terms offered by Belgrade as one of the sites for the world chess title match, an official of the International Chess Federation said Tuesday.
The official said Fischer's acceptance came in a telegram from the U.S. Chess Federation.
Fischer had until Tuesday to accept or reject the financial terms offered by Belgrade and Reykjavik, Iceland, for the title match against current champion Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union.
The Morning Call Allentown, Pennsylvania Wednesday, April 05, 1972 - Page 48
Chess Challenger Agrees To Time, Place for Match
Amsterdam (AP) — That foremost current chess problem—whether and under what terms Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky will meet across the checkered board for the world championship—may have moved a step toward solution Tuesday.
The International Chess Federation (FIDE) said it had received a telegram from the U.S. federation stating that the American challenger will meet the Soviet titleholder “at the negotiated time and place.”
But Fischer's demands for a share of the profits in addition to the agreed prize money remain an issue and the organizers in Belgrade, Yugoslavia—one of the two sites for the match—insist on further guarantees.
Fischer's demands prompted FIDE to announce last Friday that lack of a U.S. federation guarantee by Tuesday would be construed as a refusal by Fischer to play the match. The international organization's president, Dr. Max Euwe, said the American challenger could be disqualified.
FIDE's secretariat said Tuesday that a representative of the American federation would meet with the international group to confirm the agreements.
Further complications arose last Friday when organizers in Belgrade withdrew from the initial agreements. The 24-game match is to begin June 22 in Belgrade and finish in Reykjavik, Iceland.
FIDE said Tuesday that Belgrade was sticking by its decision, insisting that FIDE guarantee the match. The Belgrade organizers also said the telegram received Tuesday does not amount to a guarantee from the U.S. federation “that Fischer will play under all stipulations of the March 20 agreement reached in Amsterdam.” E. B. Edmondson, executive director of the U.S. Chess Federation, said Monday in New York that Euwe should get together with Fischer and Spassky to work out the problems. “How can Mr. Fischer be asked to comply with an agreement already apparently invalidated by the withdrawal of one of the parties?” he said. Fischer's attorney, also in New York, declined to comment.
The Billings Gazette Billings, Montana Wednesday, April 05, 1972 - Page 37
Fischer Agrees To Chess Finals
Amsterdam (UPI) —American chess champion Bobby Fischer said Tuesday he would play in a world title match with Russian Boris Spassky at Reykjavik, Iceland, and Belgrade, Yugoslavia, starting June 22 under the financial terms discussed earlier.
Fischer had until Tuesday to accept or reject the money offer. In a telegram to organizers in Belgrade, Fischer said he would withdraw his objections.
However, officials in Belgrade said the match would be cancelled unless Fischer promised not to change his mind again.
An official of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) said in Amsterdam Fischer telegraphed match officials in Belgrade asking if they would agree to resume preparations for the June 22-July 18 match.
The Belgrade organizers said initially they had no reason to reconsider their decision to cancel preparations for the match but Belgrade chess officials said later the match would go ahead as scheduled if they received assurances from FIDE that Fischer would not change his mind again.
The match is scheduled to begin June 22 with 12 matches to be played in Belgrade.
Another set of 12 matches will be played in Reykjavik, ending July 18.
Under the terms of the agreement the two cities would offer a total prize money of $138,500. The winner would receive 62.5 per cent of the total and the loser, 37.5. Fischer later told the organizers he wanted a percentage of the proceeds from television and movie rights in addition to the prize money.
In reply, Belgrade said it was stopping preparations for the match.
The Baltimore Sun Baltimore, Maryland Wednesday, April 05, 1972 - Page 3
Fischer's Compromise Offer On Chess Title Match Rejected
The Hague (Reuter) — Bobby Fischer, the American chess master, offered a compromise yesterday in the dispute over the site of his world title match with the Russian world champion Boris Spassky—but his offer was rejected.
A statement by the secretariat of the World Chess Federation said the organizers of the matches in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, had refused to change the decision they made last week to withdraw Belgrade as a site.
The championship match has been plagued by disputes over where and when Mr. Fischer and Mr. Spassky should meet, and on what financial terms.
On Sunday, Max Euwe, president of the World Chess Federation, said in Australia that unless the United States chess authority could provide satisfactory guarantees Mr. Fischer would be disqualified from the world title match.
Mr. Euwe had earlier rules that the first 12 games would be played in Belgrade, beginning on June 22, and the second 12 in Reykjavik, Iceland. But last Friday the Yugoslav organizers withdrew their offer.
Tonight a chess federation spokesman in Amsterdam said the group had received a telegram from the U.S. Chess Federation and Mr. Fischer saying he was prepared to play the first six matches in Belgrade.
This was passed on to Belgrade, but the organizers of the match there confirmed their refusal to play host.
