ANanaimo Daily News Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada Thursday, April 06, 1972 - Page 2
World Chess Officials Stand Pat On Old Terms
Belgrade (Reuter) — The Belgrade organizers of the Boris Spassky-Bobby Fischer world title chess match made it clear Wednesday they do not intend to negotiate new terms with Fischer as the price of ending the dispute over arrangements for the match.
Paul Marshall, representing both Fischer and the American Chess Federation, is expected here next week to try to persuade the Yugoslavs to change their minds over withdrawing their offer of Belgrade as the location for the first half of the championship encounter.
But the organizers here say there can be no question of further negotiations.
The location and date for the match, due to start June 22, were fixed by an agreement in Amsterdam March 20, but Fischer rejected it, the organizers noted.
The president of the International Chess Federation, Dr. Max Euwe, threatened Fischer with disqualification from the match unless his national federation guaranteed he would play.
The organizers here said that while Fischer now had agreed to play in Belgrade June 22, he had still left open whether or not he agreed to the financial conditions, the main issue in dispute.
Under the original agreement, Belgrade and Reykjavik offered $138,500 total prize money, of which 62.5 per cent would go to the winner and 37.5 per cent to the loser.
But Fischer, who defeated the former champion, Russian Tigran Petrosian in Buenos Aires for the right to challenge Spassky, also of the Soviet Union, is reported to want a larger share guaranteed him, including a proportion of television and other rights.
The Pensacola News Pensacola, Florida Thursday, April 06, 1972 - Page 4
Belgrade Reconsiders Chess Match
Belgrade (AP) — Belgrade may change its mind about refusing to stage the up-coming world chess championship match between Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union and Bobby Fischer of the United States provided the U.S. Chess Federation deposits a $35,000 guaranty against Fischer's nonappearance, a city spokesman said today.
“If the Americans agree to deposit $35,000 pledging that Fischer will arrive to play his match, we would be ready to get the entire machine rolling again,” organizer Aleksandar Matanovic said.
The newspaper Politika Ekspres said Matanovic stressed that efforts of Paul Marshall, Fischer's new representative, to get better financial terms for the American chess wizard are futile. “There is nothing we can talk about with him,” Matanovic said.
Fischer has agreed to abide by the decision of the International Chess Federation to play half the 24 title matches in Reykjavik, Iceland, and half in Belgrade but still is haggling over money.
Fischer's financial demands induced the Belgrade organizers early last week to cancel plans to hold the match starting June 22, as scheduled.
Fischer has insisted that all profits from the match after expenses, be divided equally between himself and Spassky. The original agreement called for 72 per cent of the $138,500 purse to be handed to the winner, with 28 per cent for the loser.
Matanovic told the Politika Ekspres that only an insurance policy against ill-health would be required from the Russian, the current world champion.
The Herald-News Passaic, New Jersey Thursday, April 06, 1972 - Page 32
Fischer Sends Agent in Chess Title Check
Belgrade, Yugoslavia (AP) — Bobby Fischer's representative is due here next week to attempt to straighten out problems surrounding the American challenger's world chess title match with Boris Spassky.
But the Belgrade organizers of the 24-game match—to be played here and in Reykjavik, Iceland, beginning June 22—said yesterday that “no new negotiations will be considered.”
The Belgrade group, angered by Fischer's demands for a share of the profits in addition to the $138,500 prize money they offered to put up —withdrew Friday from the original agreement.
