The Vancouver Sun Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Monday, January 31, 1972 - Page 48
Fischer in Amsterdam for Chess Title Talks
Amsterdam (UPI) — U.S. grandmaster Bobby Fischer arrived in Amsterdam Sunday for talks concerning the date and site of his world chess title match with world champion Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union.
Fischer was welcomed at Amsterdam airport by Max Euwe, president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) and world champion from 1935 to 1937. Fischer, accompanied by his U.S. Chess Federation official Ed Edmondson, said he was tired and went straight to bed.
Euwe later said Spassky had submitted a list of four countries where he wanted to play. Fischer had listed only two possible sites, and neither of these were on Spassky's list, he said.
Euwe said he expected Fischer to name two more sites that were agreeable to him, and he said he hoped one of these would also be on Spassky's list.
Euwe did not say which sites were listed, but it is known that Yugoslavia, Argentina, Iceland, the U.S., Brazil, The Netherlands, Canada, West Germany and Greece submitted bids to host the championship.
Two bids were submitted from Yugoslavia: $152,000 on behalf of Belgrade and $120,000 on behalf of Sarajevo. Canada's bid was $75,000 on behalf of Montreal.
Winner of the match gets 62½ per cent of the money and the loser, 37½ per cent.
Fischer has said he would prefer to play in the country that offered the biggest amount of prize money. Spassky has said he also would strongly take into account the climate of the site.
Fischer earned the right to challenge Spassky for the chess crown by trouncing his three opponents in the candidates' tournament last year.
He defeated Mark Taimanov of the Soviet Union and Bent Larsen of Denmark by unprecedented 6-0 scores. In the final, he beat former world champion Tigran Petrosian of the Soviet Union 6½ points to 2½.
The date of the world title match also has to be negotiated. Euwe has said he wanted the match to start some time in May, but both players have said they preferred to start later in the year, in June or July.
