The Times and Democrat Orangeburg, South Carolina Saturday, August 19, 1972 - Page 10
Fischer Nearer The Title
By Julie Flint, Associated Press Writer
Reykjavik, Iceland (AP) — Bobby Fischer edged half a point nearer the world chess title he has eyed for nearly 20 years with a draw Friday in the resumed 15th game against Boris Spassky, the world champion.
The draw came less than 30 seconds after play resumed in the game that was adjourned Thursday after 40 moves. The U.S. challenger now leads the Soviet champion, 9-6, and needs only 3½ more points to take the title. As champion, Spassky needs six more points to keep his crown.
Fischer played for a draw, which is a half point, instead of the point for a win. Some experts expressed belief he might have found a way to win the match.
Spassky was in check when the game adjourned Thursday. His next move, sealed and opened Friday by referee Lothar Schmid, moved him out of check. Fischer twice more gave check.
After his 43rd move, Fischer gave Spassky his hand. The champion, though badly in need of a win to bolster his sagging chances, accepted it.
Fischer raced away, Spassky remained seated at the board, fiddling with the pieces, his eight white ones and the six black ones of Fischer.
Schmid walked across and escorted the crestfallen champion away.
Spassky, whose last win was in the the 11th game, had high hopes in the early stages of Thursday's play of crushing Fischer in the 15th.
Opening aggressively with his king's pawn, he thrust back the challenger's Sicilian Defense convincingly. But Fischer weaved a cunning web of counterplay.
Seeking a win, Spassky played recklessly, in an effort to avoid a draw.
He gobbled a pawn, and lost position. Fischer gave him check, time and again.
In Sunday's 16th game, Fischer will have the advantage of the white pieces.
Spassky told the Associated Press the crucial point of the 24-game match would come for him at the 16th game. But no world title series has seen a three-point game deficit made up in only nine games.
Chess fans who had paid 200 kroner each, about $2.25, to see the resumption of the 15th game, were doubly disappointed. They not only saw less than 30 seconds of play, but they watched Fischer choose perpetual check rather than play for a win.
Fischer appeared quit unruffled by the news that filmmaker Chest Fox had filed a $1.75 million suit against him in New York, charging Fischer broke a contract when he refused to permit filming of the match. Fischer had complained the cameras bothered him.
“He didn't show even mild concern,” said Fred Cramer, an aide, after Fischer heard about the suit.
Cramer promised the Americans intend to continue their battle for improved playing conditions in the auditorium.
Both the sponsoring Icelandic Chess Federation and Schmid have ruled the U.S. objections are unreasonable.
Fischer's latest complaint was that the crowd distracted him with noise. Schmid said the noise factor was zero.
Cramer said the president of the International Chess Federation, Dr. Max Euwe, had “read the riot act” to Schmid and “chewed him out completely” for not acting on the U.S. demands.
Schmid replied that this was “quite incorrect.” He said Euwe had informed him that Cramer had protested but he had passed no judgment.
“If Cramer writes another letter,” Schmid said, “I will read it carefully again. If necessary we will answer. If not necessary, we will not answer.
“The trouble is my English is not quite good enough for rude words. I must have these letters translated first. That we acted on Cramer's last letter was just to be kind.”
The Iceland sponsors Thursday rejected all Fischer's main demands, ruling that no seats would be removed from the auditorium and that the noise level was “surprisingly low.”
However, the federation said 10 policemen would be available to patrol the hall, guarding against noisy children and noisy candy wrappers.
