AThe Cincinnati Enquirer Cincinnati, Ohio Tuesday, August 22, 1972 - Page 2
Bobby Fischer Boiling Mad Over Chess Spectator Noise
Reykjavik, Iceland (UPI) — Spectator noise at the world chess championship match has Bobby Fischer so angry that he may present an ultimatum before the next game to move the board to a private room, U.S. sources said Monday.
The sources said Fischer asked his aide, Fred Cramer, to draft a new protest to referee Lothar Schmid early Monday. The challenger then went bowling with U.S. grandmaster Lobumir Kavaled.
“Yes, Bobby is very angry,” Cramer said. “He told me there was no excuse for the amount of noise in the hall during Sunday's game. He said he could not concentrate properly.” The game, the 16th of the match, ended in a draw.
Asked what Fischer would do if a new protest were rejected by Schmid, Cramer said, “Don't ask me to predict about the future, but Bobby is extremely upset and will not tolerate inferior playing conditions. He is here to play chess, not to please the crowd, however much he would like to.”
Tuesday's 17th game is scheduled for 5 p.m. (1 p.m. EDT) with defending champion Boris Spassky playing white and moving first.
FISCHER PICKED up another half-point in the drawn 16th game for a 9½ to 6½ point lead in the 24-game match, putting the temperamental challenger within three points of becoming the first American ever to become world chess champion. Spassky needed 5½ points to retain his title.
Three times during Sunday's game Fischer shot out of his $470 swivel chair and walked across the brightly lighted stage to protest to Schmid. Each time Spassky looked up from the board but expressed no emotion.
