ADetroit Free Press Detroit, Michigan Monday, June 26, 1972 - Page 34
Fischer Mystery: Chess Challenger Cancels Flight
Reykjavik—(UPI)—Bobby Fischer, American challenger to Russian world chess champion Boris Spassky, abruptly canceled his flight ticket to Reykjavik, Icelandic Chess Federation officials said Sunday.
Fischer, of Brooklyn, was scheduled to arrive here Monday morning to prepare for the 24-game world chess championship match starting July 2. The prize money totals $125,000 with five-eights going to the winner.
T. Thorarisson, president of the Icelandic federation, told the island nation on television that Fischer had canceled the flight aboard Islandic (Loftleider) Airlines but did not know the reason.
Officials said they did not rule out the possibility Fischer would arrive at Reykjavik on Wednesday, aboard a Pan Am flight.
HOWEVER, a spokesman for Pan Am in New York said the Wednesday flight, its only one this week to Reykjavik, was booked solid and Fischer's name was not on the reservation list.
The reason for the cancellation was not known although a spokesman for the American Chess Foundation in Manhattan said Fischer reportedly was in Los Angeles Sunday and may have decided to take a later flight to Reykjavik.
The Honolulu Advertiser Honolulu, Hawaii Monday, June 26, 1972 - Page 24
Spassky vs. Fischer: Sixth Time Around By Charlotte Saikowski
Christian Science Monitor Service
Moscow, Russia—Boris Spassky wears an air of cool composure these days.
It may be only a psychological pose, but the Soviet world chess champion gives every appearance of being in full control of himself as he prepares for the forthcoming match Sunday with American challenger Bobby Fischer.
“I am in a very good mood,” he said at a rare press conference. generally look on this match as a big holiday because it is quite a rare event, maybe once in a lifetime. Objectively, Fischer is the strongest rival. I don't know the outcome of the match: Maybe he will win, maybe he will lose; but in any event it seems to me the match between us will be very interesting in terms of chess art.”
QUIET IN MANNER and laconic of speech, Spassky is a marked contrast to the 29-year-old American “enfant terrible” of the chess board. Bobby Fischer is known for his brashness and bombast. His squabble over the venue of the match and over the television and film rights has done nothing to enhance his popularity.
Spassky tended to downplay what he described as the “painful” haggle over the site of the 24-game match, which will be held in Reykjavik, Iceland. He suggested that Fischer's interest in money may not be purely venal but a “struggle for individuality.”
He also gave Fischer his due as a chess player.
“He is of course a brilliant player.” said Spassky.
“If he did not exist, it would be very dull without him in the chess world.”
FISCHER HAS OFTEN charged that the Russians deliberately schemed to keep anyone else from winning the world chess championship which they have held since 1948. Pressed for his opinion about such charges. Spassky said he felt the American has acquired a “persecution complex.”
Guarding his strategy. Spassky refused to talk about his physical and other training for the match or to analyze Fischer's play. He obviously did not want to divulge his own approaches to the game.
“SO FAR THIS REMAINS a secret,” he said with a smile. “After the match with Fischer. I think I'll be able to tell you more details on how I prepared.”
Queried about his life, Spassky gave a few spare details. He is a graduate in journalism from Leningrad University. He likes literature and sports, especially tennis.
Spassky left for Iceland Wednesday along with his trainer, Yefim P. Geller, and two friends. This will be his sixth confrontation with Fischer. The previous five ended in three wins for Spassky and two draws.
Spassky vs. Fischer: Sixth Time Around Mon, Jun 26, 1972 – 24 · The Honolulu Advertiser (Honolulu, Hawaii) · Newspapers.com
The Herald-News Passaic, New Jersey Monday, June 26, 1972 - Page 3
Fred Cramer on Fischer and Lighting at Reykjavik
The long awaited chess match between the Russian world champion Boris Spassky and the American challenger, Bobby Fischer, in Reykjavik, Iceland, may be stalemated in a dispute over lighting, Fred Cramer, past president of the U.S. Chess Federation, said last night. Cramer, a consulting illumination engineer and a friend of Fischer, said a battle was brewing between Fischer and a television producer who has arranged for the right to televise the 24-game match scheduled to start July 2. Speaking to newsmen at Kennedy International Airport before boarding Icelandic Airlines Flight 508 to Reykjavik, Cramer said, “Fischer won't play under anything but fluorescent lighting — it is very important to him.”
St. Louis Post-Dispatch St. Louis, Missouri Monday, June 26, 1972 - Page 17
Bobby Fischer Cancels Flight To Chess Match
New York, June 26 — Bobby Fischer, the unpredictable challenger for the world chess championship, abruptly canceled last night his flight to Reykjavik, Iceland, where he is to begin his match next Sunday with Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union.
Col. Edmund W. Edmondson, head of the U.S. Chess Federation, said he had no reason to believe that Fischer would not appear for the match.
Paul Marshall, a lawyer who has been active in behalf of the American grandmaster, said that some detailed “ground rules” of the match remained to be settled. But that he did not expect them to prevent Fischer's arrival in time to play.
Fischer was to have flown to Iceland from New York on Icelandic Airlines this evening.
However, Fred Cramer, past president of the federation, indicated that the long awaited chess match might be canceled because of a dispute over lighting.
Cramer, a consulting illumination engineer and a friend of Fischer, said a dispute was brewing between Fischer and a television producer who had arranged for the right to televise the 24-game match scheduled to start July 2.
Speaking to reporters at Kennedy International Airport before boarding Icelandic Airlines Flight 508 to Reykjavik, Cramer said, “Fischer won't play under anything but fluorescent lighting — it is very important to him.”
Cramer said that the television contract, “in six figures,” called for filming the match in color and that fluorescent lighting did not have “the proper color spectrum for color film.”
“The television people have insisted that they will use additional lighting such as incandescent or tungsten-halogen,” Cramer said.
Fischer is opposed to any additional lighting, Cramer said.
The Central New Jersey Home News New Brunswick, New Jersey Monday, June 26, 1972 - Page 18
First Move In Match - A Dispute
New York (AP) — The long awaited chess match between the Russian world champion Boris Spassky and the American challenger, Bobby Fischer, in Reykjavik, Iceland, may be stalemated in a dispute over lighting, Fred Cramer, past president of the U.S. Chess Federation, said Sunday night.
Cramer, a consulting illumination engineer and a friend of Fischer, said a battle is brewing between Fischer and a television producer who has arranged for the right to televise the 24-game match scheduled to start July 2.
Speaking to newsmen at Kennedy International Airport before boarding Icelandic Airlines Flight 508 to Reykjavik, Cramer said, “Fischer won't play under anything but fluorescent lighting—it is very important to him.”
Cramer said that the television contract, “in six figures,” calls for filming the match in color and that fluorescent lighting does not have “the proper color spectrum for color film.”
“The television people have insisted that they will use additional lighting such as incandescent or tungsten-halogen,” Cramer said. Fischer is opposed to any additional lighting, Cramer said.
The unpredictable Fischer was supposed to have left on the same flight with Cramer but cancelled his reservation at the last minute. Cramer shrugged when asked why Fischer did not show up.
“He makes his own decisions,” he said.
Cramer said he would also report back to Fischer on hotel room accommodations, the amount of noise in the tournament hall, proximity of the audience and light glare.
“Everything has to be perfect.”
Cramer said he did not know when Fischer would leave for Iceland nor would he say where the player was staying but said he was “not too far away. He's very sensitive about the press.”
The Tampa Times Tampa, Florida Monday, June 26, 1972 - Page 2
Chess Match Still 'On'
Los Angeles (UPI) - When Bobby Fischer didn't show up in Reykjavik, Iceland as expected Sunday there was concern he had changed his mind about meeting Russian Boris Spassky in the world chess championship there July 2.
But Fischer, in seclusion here, has every intention of playing Spassky, a chess source said today. Like his game, however, the exact time the American champion will make his move is uncertain.
Fischer and world chess officials have been at odds over the conditions under which the $125,000 world championship match will be played.
Chess Match Still 'On' Mon, Jun 26, 1972 – 14 · The Tampa Times (Tampa, Florida) · Newspapers.com
The Salt Lake Tribune Salt Lake City, Utah Monday, June 26, 1972 - Page 16
Television Today: PBS to Re-create Chess Test by Harold Schindler, Tribune Television Editor
Next week Bobby Fischer of New York will meet Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union in a tournament to determine the world champion of chess. The match will not be televised, since the site of the 24-game showdown is Reykjavik, Iceland, one of the lesser known market areas on the Nielsen survey.
Fischer, a young man with a single purpose — to destroy Boris Spassky — is a heavy favorite to do just that. But he is unhappy with Iceland because of the lack of television facilities which will cheat him of a fat slice of potential video rights and the satisfaction of permitting the world to look in on his moment of victory. If nothing else, Fischer is confident.
Re-create Action
Chess fans in America have felt keen disappointment that the matches will be without television: however, they can take consolation in the announcement that the Public Broadcast Service starting with the opening moves next Sunday at 1:30 p.m. will provide five hours of coverage re-creating the action in Iceland.
To nonplayers, chess is as exciting as watching the paint rust on an old care, but perhaps the PBS on KUED coverage will change that.
Telephone Contact
Here's the plan: Shelby Lyman, chess master and instructor, will receive play-by-play information via teletype direct from Iceland. He will duplicate the moves on a demonstration chessboard and on a second board will provide explanations of possible counter-moves.
Lyman also will be in telephone contact with chess writer Frank Brady in Reykjavik, as well as expects from the Marshall Chess Club in New York. Brady will provide tape recorded interviews and background on the participants and the setting, which the chess experts provide what football fans would call “color commentary.”
Of the 24 games, Spassky must win 12 to keep his world title. Thus Fischer, the grand master, must win at least 12 and draw one to win. Games will be played every other day beginning July 2, but not on Saturday.
Adjourned games are to be played on the following day.
KUED and the Public Broadcasting System will be concerned with only Sunday games, when play-by-play action will be aired by Lyman and his crew of chess experts. However, a recap of the games played during the week will be included in the Sunday summaries until a winner is decided.
At stake is the world chess championship which Fischer claims the Soviets have conspired to keep within their own ranks. The prize — other than the title — is minimal considering that Mohammed Ali and Joe Frazier split millions for punching each other silly.
The chess champions will play for $125,000 — 60 percent will go to the winner.
★
Television Today: PBS to Re-create Chess Test Mon, Jun 26, 1972 – 16 · The Salt Lake Tribune (Salt Lake City, Utah) · Newspapers.com
