“Portrait of Bobby Fischer during photo shoot outdoors. Jerry Cooke, June 30, 1972”—Gettys Images
Detroit 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.
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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.”
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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.”
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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.
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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.”
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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.
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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.
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New York Times, New York, New York, Tuesday, June 27, 1972 - Page 37 — Spassky Rates Fischer Stronger Than in Last Meeting by Harold C. Schonberg — Reykjavik, Iceland, June 26 — Boris Spassky, the chess champion of the world, who has played Bobby Fischer five times and never been beaten by the American, said today that since their last encounter Fischer's game had become “much stronger than before.” Fischer is scheduled to meet Spassky in the opener of their 24-game match for the world title here on Sunday. Fischer, the Soviet grandmaster said, has a style that is “very practical, with immense energy.” He compared his American challenger to Jose Raoul Capablanca, a dashing Cuban who held the world chess championship from 1921 to 1927. In a rare public interview, held in the Saga Hotel before a group of Western journalists — the four Soviet newsmen who are expected to cover the championship have not yet arrived—Spassky said his chess style tended to be less classical than that of Fischer or Capablanca.
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The Orlando Sentinel Orlando, Florida Tuesday, June 27, 1972 - Page 10 — Spassky Confident Bobby Will Come —Reykjavik, Iceland (UPI) — World chess champion Boris Spassky of Russia said he hoped his American challenger, Bobby Fischer, would show up in time for their first match next Sunday even though he failed to arrive as scheduled Monday at this tournament site. “I don't know why he didn't arrive,” Spassky told a news conference. “Only commander-in-chief Fischer knows,” he added with a broad smile. But Spassky, 35, said he was confident that Fischer would turn up at the capital of Iceland for the start of their 26-game match for the world chess title.
“I am hopeful we will play the first game next Sunday as planned,” Spassky said.
Officials of the Icelandic Chess Federation said they expected the 29-year-old challenger Wednesday. He had been scheduled to arrive early Monday but officials said he cancelled his bookings at the last minute.
CHESS SOURCES said Fischer was in seclusion in Los Angeles and quoted him as saying he had every intention of flying to Reykjavik in time for the first game.
Spassky told his news conference he had arrived last week in order to get used to conditions and climate and was doing physical exercises and playing some chess in preparation for the match.
The Russian player said he was satisfied with arrangements and not even the 24-hour daylight bothered him. “I have good curtains in my hotel,” he said.
SPASSKY LOOKING calm and relaxed, refused to predict the outcome of the match. Asked whether Fischer was the best chess player of the 20th century, he said, “I will answer that one when the match is over.”
Fischer, he said, was “more of a classical chess player than I am. He is a very practical player.”
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Tampa Bay Times St. Petersburg, Florida Tuesday, June 27, 1972 - Page 27 — ABC To Telecast Chess Championship —New York — The American Broadcasting Company said Monday it has acquired exclusive rights to televise the world chess championship between Bobby Fischer of the United States and Russia's Boris Spassky in Iceland. Highlights of the championship games, to start next Sunday, will be shown on ABC's “Wide World of Sports,” starting July 8. Games will be played Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday for up to eight weeks, with ABC showing highlights on “Wide World” each Saturday.
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Springfield Leader and Press Springfield, Missouri Tuesday, June 27, 1972 - Page 12 — As We See It: Bobby vs. Boris —The Attention of some 25,000 Americans who play tournament chess, plus a considerable number of amateurs who simply play for fun, will be focused on Reykjavik, Iceland, Sunday and for several days thereafter. That is the day that Bobby Fischer, representing the United States and Russian Boris Spassky, the current world champion, begin a 24-game title match. At least, that's when they are supposed to start play. As of now, it may depend on whether Challenger Fischer's hassle with television crews over lighting arrangements can be resolved. Fischer claims he can play only under fluorescent lights. The tv people say that kind of lighting won't produce good results for their color cameras. This may or may not produce an impasse — probably not. This isn't the first argument that has developed over the championship match. There was a considerable amount of wrangling over where the games would be played. Fischer preferred Belgrade; Spassky held out for Iceland's capital. Spassky won. Fischer wanted rules which would require playing to win; Spassky insisted on being allowed to force tie games, which would be to his advantage. Spassky prevailed. (For non-chess players, it is possible for an adroit player to maneuver a game so that a draw results.) Fischer must score 12½ points to take the championship; Spassky can keep his title by scoring 12. (A win counts one point, a tie half a point.) Finally, Spassky has defeated Fischer in all five of their previous meetings.
So, it may appear to a lot of observers that the cards are stacked against the American, but it doesn't appear that way to Bobby Fischer. He has repeatedly expressed supreme confidence in his ability to win the championship. And, despite his record in his previous games against Spassky, he is given a slightly better than even chance to win this match.
If he does, he'll upset a long-standing tradition. Russians have monopolized the international title since organized competition began in 1948. All challengers in the final rounds have been Russians. One reason for this may well be that chess is a top-ranking sport among Soviet citizens, about four million of whom regularly compete in tournaments. On the other hand, most Americans are inclined to regard the game as pretty dull stuff, strictly for the intellectuals.
It does, of course, require a considerable amount of cerebration, but it also demands a great deal more brawn than a none-player might think. An experiment conducted at Temple University a couple of years ago showed that chess is as physically taxing as a strenuous session of boxing or football. For that matter, pro football players frequently play chess because, they say, it sharpens their mental ability on the field.
In any case, Fischer — and presumably Spassky, although he doesn't talk about it — follows a strict physical training regimen, including calisthenics, swimming, tennis and bowling.
And Bobby says he is ready for the confrontation in Iceland — which, incidentally, has for centuries been just about as interested in chess as have the Russians. Ready, that is, if he can just get the right lighting.
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The Raleigh Register Beckley, West Virginia Tuesday, June 27, 1972 - Page 4 — With Braun And Brain Can Bobby Beat Boris? —Championship chess is a contest that calls for prodigious amounts of physical as well as mental exertion. To determine how much energy is actually expended by a chess player in a tournament game, a bio-kinetic experiment was conducted at Temple University in 1970. Pulse, heartbeat and other physiological measurements were taken on 12 volunteers during play. The surprising result: Chess is as physically taxing as a strenuous session of boxing or football.
Thus, both Bobby Fischer of the United States and Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union are keeping their bodies in fighting trim as they prepare for their world championship chess match in Reykjavik, Iceland, starting July 2. The close-lipped Spassky has declined to reveal details of his training program, although it is known he likes to play tennis. Fischer's daily regimen includes morning calisthenics in front of his television set, followed by swimming, tennis and bowling.
By the same token, professional football players find that chess sharpens their mental agility on the field. Ron Johnson and Bob Tucker, both of the New York Giants, are engaged in a marathon match that has been in progress for several years. But Harold C. Schonberg argues in Harper's that chess brings greater rewards: “It is an affirmation of personality. The game requires imagination and creativity—the ability to see, or sense, possibilities hidden to less refined minds.”
DESPITE THE NEED for brawn as well as brain, chess is regarded with indifference, at best, by most Americans. The game is thought of as boring and strictly for the cerebral elite. As a result, the United States ranks about as poorly in world chess circles as it does in international Ping Pong competition. The Soviet Union has around four million chess players who compete in tournaments, the United States only about 25,000.
Still, the unofficial world champion of chess in the mid-19th century was Paul Morphy of New Orleans. Since organized international competition began in 1948, the Russians have had a monopoly on the title. Not only that, all challengers in the final rounds have been Russians, too. Now, Fischer is given a slightly better than even chance of dethroning Spassky. But skeptics point out that Spassky has beaten Fischer in all five of their previous meetings.
THE TWO FINALISTS already have jousted over a sire for their showdown match. Fischer wanted Belgrade, while Spassky favored Reykjavik. A compromise under which games would be played in both cities finally fell through. The entire match, consisting of a maximum of 24 games, will take place in the Icelandic capital. As, challenger, Fischer must amass 12½ points to win, while Spassky needs only 12 to defend his title.
Iceland may seem an odd choice for a championship sporting event of any kind. But as chess columnist Harry Golombek of The Times of London pointed out, “There is a long tradition of the popularity of chess in that country, going right back almost to the beginning of the game in Europe.” The oldest known European set of chessmen, now on display in the British Museum, is believed to have been made in Iceland in the 12th century.
Many other countries, including India, China and Spain, also have contributed to the lore of chess. The word checkmate, signaling the end of the game, comes from the Persian phrase shah mat. Appropriately enough, it means “The king is dead.”
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Asbury Park Press Asbury Park, New Jersey Tuesday, June 27, 1972 - Page 5 — ABC To Air Telecasts Of Title Chess —New York (AP) — The American Broadcasting Co. said yesterday it has acquired exclusive rights to televise the world chess championship between Bobby Fischer of the United States and Russia's Boris Spassky in Iceland. Highlights of the championship games, to start next Sunday in Iceland, will be shown on ABC's “Wide World of Sports,” starting July 8. Games will be played Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday for up to eight weeks, with ABC showing highlights on “Wide World” each Saturday.
A spokesman for ABC said the network had not heard a report that Fisher was dissatisfied with the type of lighting proposed under the six—figure TV contract. Fischer reportedly insisted on only fluorescent lights.
The network said it will test lighting approved by Fisher, and if necessary, photograph with film rather than tape because film requires less light.
However, the spokesman said, there will have to be sufficient light or the games just won't be televised.
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Tallahassee Democrat Tallahassee, Florida Tuesday, June 27, 1972 - Page 9 — Wet Chess — We'd like to see Bobby Fischer try this one. Two ambitious teenage chess players in Edinburgh, Scotland, wanted to play an uninterrupted and peacefully quiet game. The only place they could find that fit their needs was the bottom of a local pool. (NANA Photo)
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The Orlando Sentinel Orlando, Florida Wednesday, June 28, 1972 - Page 12 — Fischer's Flight Set For Today —Reykjavik, Iceland (UPI) — American chess challenger Bobby Fischer will be in Iceland in time for the start of his 24-game world championship match against Boris Spassky of Russia, one of his advisers said Tuesday. Fred Cramer, a former president of the U.S. Chess Association, said Fischer “will be here in time” but he did not give a date for his arrival.
IT WAS understood Fischer planned to fly in from New York Wednesday.
Fischer, 29, was scheduled to arrive Monday but he cancelled his flight at the last minute and sent Cramer instead to inspect the facilities.
THERE WERE unconfirmed reports that Fischer had objected to the lighting in the sports hall where the games will be played.
But speaking to news-men, Cramer said only that he American challenger objected to the umpire of the match — Lothar Schmidt of Germany. Cramer did not elaborate.
Spassky, the 35-year-old world champion, has been in Reykjavik preparing for the match since June 21.
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The News-Item, Shamokin, Pennsylvania, Wednesday, June 28, 1972 - Page 8 — Soviet Chess Master Awaiting Fischer — World chess champion Boris Spassky, shown here playing with his son, Vasya, was reported in Reykjavik, Iceland, Tuesday, awaiting the arrival of U.S. chess champion Bobby Fischer. Their 24-game match for the world title, is scheduled to start in Reykjavik Sunday. Photo from Sovphoto (AP Wirephoto)
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The Indianapolis News Indianapolis, Indiana Wednesday, June 28, 1972 - Page 83 — World's Eyes Focus On A Chess Board —It will begin quietly next Sunday afternoon, in Iceland. Promptly at 2 p.m. (Icelandic time), a Russian and an American will sit down to play a game of chess in a small auditorium at Reykjavik. During the five hours that follow they probably will not exchange a dozen words. Nor will the audience. To a casual observer, it all might seem about as exciting and dramatic as a visit to a mausoleum. But there will be no casual observers. For this will be the first in a series of 24 games to decide the chess championship of the world — and this confrontation has drawn more worldwide interest than any other event of its kind in history. The characters in this drama are pure Dostoyevsky:
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The Salina Journal Salina, Kansas Wednesday, June 28, 1972 - Page 23 — Fischer and Spassky Will Split a Bundle of Money —The Icelandic Chess Federation has put up close to $200,000 for the 24-game match. The games will be played in the Reykjavik Sportshall, which seats about 3,000 people. The match will be open to the public, and tickets will cost $5 a game or $75 for the 24 games. Of the $200,000 put up, some $125,000 will be paid in prizes to the players, according to the federation. Fischer, 29, and Spassky, 35, will also divide 60 per cent of the income from films and television.
The federation has signed a 99-year contract with Chester Fox and Co., Inc. for exclusive worldwide visual rights, including rights to film the match and still photos of the match taken inside the Sportshall.
In the United States, ABC has contracted for exclusive film rights. The Fox film segments will be shown Saturdays on the ABC program, “Wide World of Sports.”
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Florida Today Cocoa, Florida Wednesday, June 28, 1972 - Page 1C — Chess Moves To Television —You can come out into the sun and rejoice, chess players, because your sport finally has hit the “big time.” In other words, after hundreds of years of being reserved for the intelligentsia, chess is going on network television. The event is the world championship, which is scheduled to begin this Sunday in one if the sports capitals of the world —Reykjavik, Iceland. The contestants are “Broadway” Bobby Fischer of America and Boris “Boom Boom” Spassky of the Soviet Union. Television, in its subtle way, is billing it as the “Chess Match of the Century.” Orlando's Channel 24 will carry all Sunday matches, starting at approximately 1 p.m. and running until a decision or adjournment at 6 p.m. I'm told the Central Brevard cable hookup provides channel 24 (as channel 4). If you can't get channel 24, Wide World of Sports will show the highlights on July 8.
Fischer and Spassky are the best players in the world today. More than that, they have just two common bonds — chess and a mutual hatred.
From Spassky's point of view, Fischer is an arrogant savage without any couth.
From Fischer's point of view, Spassky is a snob and a chicken.
Instant Replay?
If television can capture the personalities of these two masters, it could be intriguing. However, if the TV people attempt to force the round game of chess into the square hole of conventional sports telecasting, the world championship may win an Emmy for best comedy of the year.
The coverage could turn out to be something like this…
“Hi there, sports fans… This is Frank Brady in beautiful downtown Reykjavik, where the sun never sets on the action game of chess.
“While you were watching a commercial for refrigerators, the first match between Fischer and Spassky got underway after the toss of the coin. Fischer won the toss and took black, so Spassky kicked off with his traditional opening of P-Q4 or pawn to Queen four for you housewives out there in videoland.
“Fischer has taken 15 minutes without making his first move, so that gives us a little time to give you an instant replay of Spassky's first move. To analyze our slow-motion, split-screen instant replay, let's call on my renowned colleague Wilfred Hyde Thames…”
“Ah, thank you, Frank. Ah, it certainly is a pleasure to be here in Reykjavik where Sol never descends on the dynamic conflict of two men commanding their armies in this game which is so symbolic of Man's eternal warlike nature and, ah…”
Coming to Grips
“Wilfred, please…”
“Ah, yes, quite right … Ah, as you can see in the instant replay of Spassky's first move, he prefers to grip the pieces with the thumb and forefinger of his right hand —moving them in a slow, deliberate manner … Now, ah, notice as Spassky places the pawn into its new space how he hesitates and takes one final, searching look before releasing his grip.”
“Isn't that something, folks! Tell us, Wilfred, how does Fischer's style contrast with Spassky's?”
“Ah, yes, quite right … Well, when Fischer decides to make his first move, you will notice he covers the pawn with his entire hand and moves quickly and aggressively…”
“Wonderful, Wilfred, but unfortunately we have run out of time and will have to sign off before Fischer's first move.
“However, you fans should stay tuned because we have a real treat in store for you … By popular demand, we're repeating ‘Heidi!’”
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The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Wednesday, June 28, 1972 - Page 27 — Players Can Follow Games On Own Boards —Each game of the world chess championships will be reported in a form called the Descriptive Notation, which enables other players to follow the game by duplicating each move on their own boards. Each chess piece has its own letter symbol: K-king, Q-queen, R-rook, N-knight, B-bishop, and P-pawn. Pieces on the king's side of the board (the right side, when the white pieces are at the bottom) have the letter K preceding the name of the piece itself (i.e., KP, king's pawn, KR, king's rook, KN, king's knight). Pieces on the queen's side (left) are designated queen's rook, knight, pawn, bishop, etc.
Each file takes the name of the piece that stands on it when the game begins and ranks are numbered from 1 to 8, from the side of the board making each move.
Each move is recorded by identifying the piece moved, following it by a hyphen and then naming the square on which it has been placed. Thus, a king's pawn opening is: KP-K4. Black's countermove is recorded opposite, in a separate column.
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Quad-City Times Davenport, Iowa Wednesday, June 28, 1972 - Page 2 — Chess Interest Grows —New York (AP) — Promotional aspects of the Fischer-Spassky world championship chess match are becoming as important as they are in any big league sport. Chess matches are not usually world happenings. But with the keen interest sparked by American Bobby Fischer challenging Russian Boris Spassky for the world title, it's a different situation. The Icelandic Chess Federation has put up close to $200,000 for the 24-game match, to be held for two months in Reykjavik, Iceland, starting July 2.
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Austin American-Statesman Austin, Texas Wednesday, June 28, 1972 - Page 53 — Fischer-Spassky Duel Becoming 'Big League' — …He has asked for bids from interested television stations in countries throughout the world. He is concerned with the highest bidders in each country, and if a contract is signed, he will send them film clips as the match progresses. “We'll be negotiating straight through Sunday and beyond. It's been very hectic. There's a lot of interest in it, more so in the rest of the world than in the U.S.,” said Fox, who adds that the only two countries which have sent cables saying they would not bid are Kuwait and Jordan.
“We've spoken with Tass, briefly… There hasn't been that much interest from the Russians,” says Fox, adding that he will not name countries negotiating, or those which have signed contracts, until negotiations are finalized.
In the United States, ABC has contracted for exclusive film rights. The Fox film segments will be shown Saturdays on the ABC program, “Wide World of Sports.”
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Reno Gazette-Journal Reno, Nevada Wednesday, June 28, 1972 - Page 2 — Fischer Leaves For Chess Match —Los Angeles (AP)—American challenger Bobby Fischer has left Los Angeles after a final round of training for his world champion chess series in Iceland and is scheduled to leave New York tonight for Reykjavik, local sources said today. The secretive Fischer spent about a week in California preparing for his series of 24 matches, set to start Sunday with the recognized champion, Boris Spassky of Russia, the sources said. They said Fischer attended a local chess tournament and visited his sister in San Francisco during his stay. Meanwhile promotional aspects of the match are becoming as important as they are in any big league sport.
Chess matches are not usually world happenings. But with the keen interest sparked by American Bobby Fischer challenging Russian Boris Spassky for the world title, it's a different situation.
The Icelandic Chess Federation has put up close to $200,000 for the match.
The match will be open to the public, and tickets will cost $5 a game or $75 for the 24 games. Of the $200,000 put up, some $125,000 will be paid in prizes to the players, according to the federation. Fischer, 29, and Spassky, 35, will also divide 60 per cent of the income from films and television.
The federation has signed a 99-year contract with Chester Fox and Co., Inc. for exclusive worldwide visual rights, including rights to film the match and still photos of the match taken inside the Sportshall.
In the United States, ABC has contracted for exclusive film rights. The Fox film segments will be shown Saturdays on the ABC program, “Wide World of Sports.”
In the United States, Channel 13—WNDT, New York, and Teleprompter Cable T.V. have planned programs discussing the action at the match, with-out the use of the Fox film.
Channel 3 plans a move-by-move commentary and analysis on the match, by chess master Shelby Lyman, who will work from a studio in Albany, N.Y., using vertical boards to illustrate the moves.
The extensive coverage would start Sunday, July 2 and run from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., nationally. It would continue three times a week throughout the match, with shorter broadcasts Tuesday and Thursday for cities on the Eastern Seaboard.
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Asbury Park Press Asbury Park, New Jersey Wednesday, June 28, 1972 - Page 29 — Sports Angles: You'd Never Guess This About Chess —Want to be a good chess player? Then start a weightlifting program, jog 10 miles a day, do calisthenics, climb mountains, get in shape, get physical. I know. “This guy is nuts,” you're muttering to yourself. “Chess isn't even as strenuous as tiddlywinks.” We've all maybe played a little chess on rainy days and watched others play it — old codgers who couldn't see the men without glasses and tender tykes not suited to contact sports. Trouble with us, though, is we just didn't know what we were watching. We always looked at two guys playing chess as just sitting there with their brains going a mile a minute. One guy would frown if the other guy shuffled his feet too much or drummed his fingers too loudly or scratched himself.
It's impolite in chess, we always thought, to indulge in any little mannerisms which might distract your opponent. We have seen some of the hot shots who play 20 or 30 people at a time and figured they put in a little walking from board to board, but usually their evenings didn't last long — they would whip everyone in a few moves.
JUST SHOWS YOU how dumb you can be.
Now we learn from researchers a game of chess is as tough physically as a go at football or boxing. Something called a “bio-kinetic” experiment at Temple University in 1970 proved all of this we are advised.
Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky, who are going to square off in Iceland for the world championship, are both physical persons, we are informed. Spassky, being Russian, won't divulge his training regimen, but we know it probably includes tennis.
Fischer, being American, tells all of the details of his training. He does calisthenics in front of a television set, in the morning and follows it up with tennis, swimming and bowling.
THE MATCH, to consist of no more than 24 games, will begin Sunday. Just like in boxing, a draw means Spassky will retain his title. He has beaten Fischer in five previous meetings, but the American feels he is in better form now and is predicting he'll take the Russian master out in less than the 24-game distance. Maybe he feels Spassky is over the hill, or maybe he has developed a new punch since the last match.
The match will be judged on the point system — one for a win and a half for a draw. Fischer has to score 12½, to win, while Spassky needs only to 12 to retain his title.
CHESS HAS never ranked very high in the United States. Nothing at all like horse racing, demolition derbies, or even soccer, a game invented by some South Americans who got hold of a basketball and thought you kicked it. Probably it is because we Americans always only saw two guys sitting across from each other looking down at some carved figures. We always missed all of the physical action in the game.
But for a long while I've been trying to figure out why chess was carried on sports pages and when I was young enough to keep asking all I got was grunts and dirty looks from sports editors. Then I became ashamed of showing my ignorance by asking such a question.
NOW I KNOW. Temple University says chess is as tough as football or boxing. Maybe that's why Ron Johnson and Bob Tucker of the New York Giants play it all the time — to get in shape for football. And come to think of it, I remember seeing the New York Giants Dick Barnett playing chess during the NBA play-offs.
I was so dumb I thought he was relaxing after a tough game the night before. I didn't know he was working strenuously to get in shape for the next game.
Maybe we ought to send Yancy Durham or Ray Arcel over to work in Fischer's corner during the matches. They're the best cut men in the business.
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Springfield Leader and Press Springfield, Missouri Wednesday, June 28, 1972 - Page 13 — It's $5 a Game To See Champs —By Ann Hencken, New York (AP) — Promotional aspects of the Fischer-Spassky world championship chess match are becoming as important as they are in any big league sport. Chess matches are not usually world happenings. But with the keen interest sparked by American Bobby Fischer challenging Russian Boris Spassky for the world title, its a different situation. The Icelandic Chess Federation has put up close to $200,000 for the 24-game match to be held for two months in Reykjavik, Iceland, starting July 2. The games will be played in the Reykjavik Sportshall, which seats about 3,000 people. The match will be open to the public and tickets will cost $5 a game or $75 for the 24 scheduled games.
Of the $200,000 put up, some $125,000 will be paid in prizes to the players, according to the federation.
Fischer, 29, and Spassky, 35, will also divide 60 per cent of the income from films and television.
The federation has signed a 99-year contract with Chester Fox and Co., Inc. for exclusive worldwide visual rights, including rights to film the match and still photos of the match taken inside the Sportshall.
Fox and the federation will split the profits equally.
The price Fox paid for the rights is undisclosed. But he did say he would have to spend some $200,000 for the color filming.
“I guess it's a coup, but it's quite an undertaking,” Fox said in New York.
He has asked for bids from interested television stations in countries throughout the world. He is concerned with the highest bidders in each country, and if a contract is signed, he will send them film clips as the match progresses.
“We'll be negotiating straight through Sunday and beyond. It's been very hectic. There's a lot of interest in it, more so in the rest of the world than in the U.S.,” said Fox, who adds that the only two countries which have sent cables saying they would not bid are Kuwait and Jordan.
“We've spoken with Tass, briefly… There hasn't been that much interest from the Russians.” says Fox, adding that he will not name countries negotiating, or those which have signed contracts, until negotiations are finalized.
In the United States, ABC has contracted for exclusive film rights. The Fox film segments will be shown Saturdays on the ABC program “Wide World of Sports.”
Fox declined to say how much ABC paid for the rights. He did comment that he has not suggested bid prices for those interested.
“I find the news media have their own way of evaluating this. They're immensely fair,” said Fox, adding he has used a sliding scale depending on the country.
However, in the United States, Channel 13—WNDT. New York, and Teleprompter Cable T.V. have planned programs discussing the action at the match, without the use of the Fox film.
Channel 13 plans a move-by-move commentary and analysis on the match, by chess master Shelby Lyman, who will work from a studio in Albany, N.Y. using vertical boards to illustrate the moves.
The extensive coverage would start Sunday, July 2 and run from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., nationally. It would continue three times a week throughout the match, with shorter broadcasts Tuesday and Thursday for cities on the Eastern seaboard.
Richard Gitter, lawyer for Channel 13—WNDT, said Fox and the federation threatened to go to court, if these plans were not abandoned.
He told them that plans were being continued and that he was authorized by Teleprompter to similarly inform.
“There's something outrageous about the Chess Federation and Fox trying to limit coverage,” said Gitter, “It could have been any kind of major news event.”
“I think the people who'll be watching us will not be the same people who're watching Wide World of Sports. I don't think we're competitive,” said Frank Leicht, vice president and director of programming and administration at Channel 13—WNDT.
“We have stated that we are in favor of absolute the total dissemination of the news. However where a device is used to recreate or simulate private property, well, that is not the use of news but an abuse,” said Richard C. Stein, lawyer for Fox.
He further added, “Mr. Fox has exclusive film rights granted to him by the federation and those are his rights. Any reproduction would appear to infringe on those rights to the detriment of the Federation and Mr. Fox.
James Halperin, lawyer for the Icelandic Chess Federation, denied a report they were served an injunction.
“Our law office hasn't served anyone with a restraining order, he said, adding he would not comment on future plans.
Roone Arledge, president of ABC Sports, has no objections to the proposed plans for outside program on the match.
“I think that would be excellent programming and a good thing for them to do… We're going to do it in a condensed, limited way. As long as we can do what we want to do, we'd be delighted to cooperate,” said Arledge.
“If they do a move-by-move thing, I'll be watching,” he said.
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Philadelphia Daily News Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Wednesday, June 28, 1972 - Page 2 — Taking Pawns Takes Brawn —If Bobby Fischer should beat Russia's Boris Spassky in the world's chess championship tournament next month, Fischer could try checkmating Joe Namath or Joe Frazier next. He'll certainly be in condition for it. According to an experiment at Temple University, chess is every bit as physically taxing as a rugged session of football or boxing.
THE EXPERIMENT was conducted at Temple in 1970 by Charlotte Leedy, a chess player herself who was then a teaching fellow working on her doctorate. Now she is an assistant professor of recreation at the University of Maryland.
And, the professor insists, one must be in good shape to push those queens, castles and bishops around.
“My tests showed that the heart of a man running hard beats at the rate of 180 a minute,” she said. “That same heartbeat rate showed up in those concentrating on a tough game of chess.”
FISCHER, 29, has trained as physically hard for the match, set to begin Sunday in Reykjavik, Iceland, as any athlete. His daily regimen includes morning calisthenics in front of his television set, followed by swimming, tennis and bowling.
Though Fischer canceled his flight to Iceland last Monday and had the chess world wondering if he would show up for the event, an adviser yesterday promised the star would be there. The adviser, Fred Cramer, said Fischer objected to the umpire, Lothar Schmidt of Germany.
Despite the need for brawn as well as brain, chess gets the ho-hum treatment from most Americans. Russia has about 4 million chess players who compete in tournaments, America about 25,000.
But Fischer is our big hope to win the world championships. Brash and big-mouthed, he's sort of a sullen Muhammad Ali of the chess board.
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The Berkshire Eagle Pittsfield, Massachusetts Wednesday, June 28, 1972 - Page 1 — World Champion — Boris Spassky, right, with an interpreter, talks over the chess match in Reykjavik.
Calgary Herald Calgary, Alberta, Canada Wednesday, June 28, 1972 - Page 10 — Chess Star May Yet Be Holdout —Reykjavik, Iceland (Reuter) — Preparations for the world chess championship opening here Sunday now are in full swing—but there is still no sign of the U.S. challenger Bobby Fischer. The Russian world champion Boris Spassky arrived here a week ago to get acquainted with the surroundings and Icelandic chess officials are becoming nervous at the non-appearance of Fischer. The officials became worried when the American failed to arrive by air Monday and immediately telephoned New York after they learned that he had cancelled his ticket on the flight.
In a telephone conversation with Fischer's lawyer in New York, the officials were advised that the American would arrive Thursday. But officials doubt that Fischer will he aboard Thursday's flight.
However, Fischer's representative, Fred Cramer, has arrived here and has stated that the American star wants to arrive in complete secrecy.
But officials of the Icelandic Chess Federation are mindful that Fischer threatened last winter he would not accept Reykjavik as the site of the championship.
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The Boston Globe Boston, Massachusetts Wednesday, June 28, 1972 - Page 71 — For all you chess fans, Ch. 2 —The 25-year wait by the chess crowd since television's inception is about to end, thanks to the fame of Bobby Fischer. Both Channel 2 and the American Broadcasting Co. yesterday revealed plans for coverage of the American's world-title match with the Russian Boris Spassky, which begins Sunday. No live coverage will be available from Iceland for two reasons, the concentration factor and the dead air time. But Ch. 2, through Eastern Education Network and Public Broadcasting hookups will provide the next best thing: simulated moves on camera immediately after they occur, with experts in an Albany, N.Y. studio to explain and speculate about counter plays.
Iceland is five hours ahead of Boston, so the matches on Ch. 2 will begin at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday of next week, ending at 4 p.m. on the first and third days and at 3 p.m. on the second day. If the matches extend beyond the five-hour TV time limit, Ch. 2 will offer one-minute summaries at 5, 5:30 and 6 p.m.
The hookup to Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland and site of the matches, will be via teletype, with a phone line to provide instant color appraisals, presumably describing the players' facial grimaces.
The format calls for matches on the same three days for eight consecutive weeks if necessary until either Fischer or Spassky gets 12½ points. One point is awarded for a victory, a half-point for a tie.
Now the bad news for chess folks. The coverage on Ch. 2 will run only one week unless $3500 in contributions are received from the public, the cost for the full eight weeks.
For those of us ignorant of the game, good old Wide World of Sports will come in each Saturday starting July 8 with a recapitulation of the three previous days' action. Bill Flemming, a familiar and friendly voice, will be the commentator, with Larry Evans as the expert.
A special spice will be provided by ABC cameras that will be taping at the scene. Fischer's demand for privacy apparently is exceeded by his quest for money, because the network reportedly is paying $100,000 in rights fees for the coverage. The participants will get a piece of it, although the Russian's share may well end up in the Kremlin petty-cash coffin.
In any case, both the Ch. 7 and local Ch. 5 coverage will be unique. And only the chess hardcore probably will really be able to grade the coverage.
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Albuquerque Journal Albuquerque, New Mexico Wednesday, June 28, 1972 - Page 4 — Physical Training for Chess — Many persons smirked when they read about Bobby Fischer's physical fitness program as he prepared for the world championship chess match against Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union. Fischer's daily regimen includes morning calisthenics in front of his television set, followed by swimming, tennis and bowling. (Close-lipped Spassky won't disclose his own training program, although it is known he likes to play tennis.) All this for a game in which the opponents mostly sit, wait, cerebrate and occasionally move a pawn, bishop or queen? Science has proved, however, that Fischer isn't merely a health nut. A bio-kinetic experiment was conducted at Temple University to determine how much energy is actually expended by a chess player in a tournament game. Pulse, heartbeat and other physiological measurements were taken on 12 volunteers during play.
The surprising result: Chess is as physically taxing as a strenuous session of boxing or football.
Bobby seems to have the last laugh.
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Des Moines Tribune Des Moines, Iowa Wednesday, June 28, 1972 - Page 9 — Soviet Chess Champ Sore At Lensmen — Reykjavik, Iceland (AP) — Russian Boris Spassky, who has a reputation for glacial calm, had an outburst of nerves Wednesday, less than a week before he risks his world chess championship against American Bobby Fischer. Spassky stormed off a tennis court and went to his hotel after three photographers began taking pictures of him with Jivo Nei, a compatriot helping him train for the match. “You are ruining our program,” Spassky said.
Outside
The photographers were not interfering with his tennis game. They stood outside a fence that surrounds the asphalt court in a schoolyard.
The Russian refused requests from the photographers for two minutes of his time, although they promised they would leave afterward.
After 15 minutes in the hotel, Spassky returned to the court with Nei.
Loser
To the delight of a bunch of Icelandic kids who shagged balls for the players, Nei thrashed Spassky in two straight sets.
Because of the great physical strain of the 24-game chess competition that will begin Sunday, both Spassky and Fischer have been working out regularly for months.
Fischer, 29, expected to arrive Thursday, is a good tennis player and swimmer. He is six years younger than the champion.
Chess players say the loser will be the man who tires first.
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The Ottawa Journal Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Wednesday, June 28, 1972 - Page 6 — Eagle and Fox? — Sirs: — It was a pleasant surprise to find your editorial on chess (Journal, June 24); the royal game is usually neglected by the press. However, I disagree with your metaphor. Fischer may be a chess eagle, but Spassky is no bear. On the chessboard he is as elusive and decisive as a fox. Thus the fascinating encounter: though eagles fly, many a bird has been tricked by the fox. P. Stark, Ottawa.
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The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Thursday, June 29, 1972 - Page 2 — Chess Champ Objects — Russia's Boris Spassky storms off tennis court at Reykjavik, Iceland, disturbed by the presence of newsmen. Spassky, who will defend his chess title against Bobby Fischer of the United States next week, later returned to the court. Both he and Fischer have been in rigorous physical training.
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Greeley Daily Tribune Greeley, Colorado Thursday, June 29, 1972 - Page 38 — Will Bobby Fischer Show Up For Chess Match in Iceland —By Ann Hencken, Associated Press Writer, New York (AP) — Bobby Fischer's flight reservation to Reykjavik, Iceland, has been canceled again. The American chess star is scheduled to play Russia's Boris Spassky there for the world championship in chess. There are just a few more flights In Iceland before the chess match is scheduled to start next Sunday. Will Fischer show up for the match? “He said he was going,” grandmaster Larry Evans said Wednesday evening before boarding a plane for Iceland, Evans has known Fischer for years.
However, Chester Fox, who has exclusive visual rights to the match, and his lawyer, Richard Stein, were not so definite. And Fischer couldn't be reached for comment.
A reporter asked Fox and Stein after they met with Fischer here Wednesday evening whether the chess champ was definitely going to show up.
“I think so,” said Fox, before taking off for Reykjavik.
“You said too much,” Stein told Fox.
Why did Fox say too much? Stein answered that “unless you have firm commitments” there should be no comments.
Stein added that although this is a big moment for Fischer, he has walked out on matches before.
Stein said he did ask Fischer if he would show tip for the match. But he refused to give Fischer's answer.
Stein and Fox said they met with Fischer “to discuss different considerations” of the coming match. Stein said the meeting was very satisfying. Fox said he was very happy about it.
“I think he's in a good frame of mind,” Fox said of Fischer.
Stein said he had asked if he shouldn't be in Iceland early, to adjust to the climate. But Fischer replied that a climate change used to bother him, but it doesn't now.
Fox has bought worldwide visual rights to the games from the Icelandic Chess Federation and plans to film the match. Fred Cramer, a friend of Fischer's and past president of the U.S. Chess Federation, said Sunday that Fischer objected to the type of lighting proposed for filming the match.
On Sunday, Fischer canceled his flight to Iceland, without explanation. Cramer, who was to have flown with Fischer, went on to Reykjavik. Fox said Wednesday evening there are no lighting problems. “If he has any problems he didn't confide in me,” said Fox.
Meanwhile, news agencies and television services were protesting restrictions on move-by-move coverage and in-play photographs of the contenders announced in Reykjavik on Wednesday by the organizers of the match.
Gudmundur Thorarinsson, chairman of the Icelandic Chess Federation, said the restrictions were made because photographic and move-by-move coverage rights had been sold.
He said journalists would he allowed to transmit move-by-move reports only three times during each game and that newsmen would be required to sign a pledge to abide by the agreement to get accreditation.
The Associated Press and United Press International said they were lodging protests against any curtailment of news coverage. TelePrompter Manhattan Cable TV and Channel 13-WNDT New York, which have announced plans for telecasts based on move by move wire service reports, also protested.
The federation has sold U.S. broadcast television rights to the American Broadcasting Company, which plans to use the film on its Wide World of Sports program. However, Rome Arledge, president of ABC Sports, said its coverage would be “condensed, limited,” and he had no objections to the other organizations' move-by-move coverage.
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The Orlando Sentinel Orlando, Florida Thursday, June 29, 1972 - Page 18 — Fischer Not On Flight —New York — Chess whiz Bobby Fischer, expected to leave Wednesday night for the world chess championships, failed to show up for either flight leaving for Iceland.
One of his advisers, already in Reykjavik to prepare for the start of the championship match Sunday against the Soviet Union's Boris Spassky, said 29-year-old Fischer would be there in time to play but refused lo specify his arrival time.
ICELANDIC Airlines has two flights daily from Kennedy Airport. Pan Am has one flight a week, leaving every Wednesday night. It was understood Fischer was to be aboard the Pan Am flight but he did not arrive at the airport, according to Pan Am spokesmen.
It was understood that Fischer was in New York, staying at a hotel, and “confident” of victory in the matches.
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The Orlando Sentinel Orlando, Florida Thursday, June 29, 1972 - Page 18 — Coverage Of Chess Match Restricted — Reykjavik, Iceland (AP) Organizers of the Bobby Fischer-Boris Spassky world championship chess match will restrict move-by-move coverage and photographs of the contenders inside the contest hall, it was announced Wednesday. The announcement brought protests from news wire services and from two television outlets which are planning in-depth accounts of the 24-game match based on move-by-move reports from The Associated Press. The first game is scheduled for Sunday.
GUDMUNDUR Thorarinsson, chairman of the Icelandic Chess Federation, said the restrictions were decreed because photographic and move-by-move coverage rights had been sold.
Channel 24 In Orlando had been scheduled to receive the move-by-move analysis from Channel 13 in New York. Ronald Morrisseau, Channel 24 executive vice president and general manager, said his station had looked forward to the presentation. “We see it as news coverage and purchasers of the television rights,” he said.
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The Des Moines Register Des Moines, Iowa Thursday, June 29, 1972 - Page 6 — Chess Tourney Coverage Fuss —Reykjavik, Iceland (AP) — Organizers of the Bobby Fischer-Boris Spassky world championship chess match will restrict move-by-move coverage and photographs of the contenders inside the contest hall, it was announced Wednesday. The announcement brought protests from news wire services and from two television outlets which are planning in-depth accounts of the 24-game match based on move-by-move reports from the Associated Press. The first game is scheduled for Sunday.
Gudmundur Thorarinsson, chairman of the Icelandic Chess Federation, said the restrictions were decreed because photographic and move-by-move coverage rights had been sold.
Thorarinsson said journalists would be allowed to transmit move-by-move reports only three times during each game between the Soviet world champion, Spassky, and the American challenger. He said newsmen would be required to sign a pledge to abide by the agreement in order to obtain accreditation.
Spokesmen for AP and United Press International said they were lodging protests against any curtailment of news coverage.
Joseph G. Groth, general manager of the TelePrompTer Manhattan Cable TV, said in New York: “If this capricious move succeeds, a large and interested segment of the public served by TelePrompTer Manhattan CATV will be deprived of one of the most exciting showdowns in the history of chess.”
The firm has announced plans for a move-by-move analysis of each of the matches, utilizing the AP service and comment from a U.S. chess grand master.
The Icelandic Chess Federation contends that TelePrompter's use of the AP reports infringes on its property rights, the company said. The federation has sold U.S. broadcast television rights to ABC.
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The Des Moines Register Des Moines, Iowa Thursday, June 29, 1972 - Page 6 — Where Is Bobby Fischer? —New York, N.Y. (AP) — Bobby Fischer failed to make his scheduled flight for Iceland Wednesday night and gave no indication when he would depart for his World Championship chess match with Boris Spassky, scheduled to get under way Sunday in Reykjavik, Iceland. Fischer did not take his place on a Pan American Airways jet-liner that left for Reykjavik. The next scheduled flights to the Icelandic capital are today and Saturday.
Chester Fox, an entrepreneur who has exclusive visual broadcast rights to the match, said he had spoken to Fischer earlier in the evening but was unable to say when Fischer planned to leave for Iceland. He would not disclose where the conversation took place.
Fischer was not available for comment, and his whereabouts were unknown.
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The Ogden Standard-Examiner Ogden, Utah Thursday, June 29, 1972 - Page 4 — Bobby Fischer Still Not in Iceland; Adviser Says He'll Play Russian — New York (UPI)—America's chess wizard Bobby Fischer will be in Reykjavik, Iceland, in time for the start of the world chess championships Sunday, a Fischer adviser said Wednesday. The reassurances came after Fischer failed to show up at the airport for any flights leaving for Iceland. He had been scheduled to leave for the world championships Wednesday night. The adviser, already in Reykjavik making preparations for the start of the championship match against Russian chess master Boris Spassky, refused to specify Fischer's arrival time. But he did say Fischer would be there in time for the match.
A spokesman for Pan-Am said Fischer had been expected aboard the weekly Pan-Am flight to Iceland, but that he never showed up at the airport.
Pan-Am has just one regularly scheduled flight to Reykjavik a week, but Icelandic Airlines has two flights daily from Kennedy airport.
Fischer caused consternation among Icelandic officials last weekend when he failed to arrive on schedule. He is understood to be staying at a New York Hotel, “confident” of victory in the championships.
In Reykjavik newsmen and welcoming officials waited in vain at Reykjavik Airport when the Pan Am plane landed. Fischer was not aboard.
Chess sources in the Icelandic capital said Fischer might delay his arrival until Sunday just a few hours before the first game is scheduled at 1 p.m. EDT.
If so, he will miss the official opening ceremony, scheduled for Saturday, officials said.
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Democrat and Chronicle Rochester, New York Thursday, June 29, 1972 - Page 17 — Limit Coverage Of Chess Match —Reykjavik, Iceland (AP) — Organizers of the Bobby Fischer-Boris Spassky world championship chess match will restrict move-by-move coverage and photographs of the contenders inside the contest hall, it was announced yesterday. The announcement brought protests from news wire services and from two television outlets which are planning in-depth accounts of the 24-game match based on move-by-move reports from The Associated Press. The first game is scheduled for Sunday.
WXXI said it plans to carry the world chess championship matches between Fischer and Spassky beginning Sunday at 10 a.m. Commentary will be provided by American Chess Master Shelby Lyman, who will monitor the championships (transmitted from Reykjavik, Iceland) from a studio in Albany.
Lyman will analyze the potential course of the game using a demonstration chess board. On Sunday, WXXI will broadcast the matches from 10 a.m. until completion. During the week, telecasts of the matches begin at 1 p.m., with periodic bulletins after 4 p.m., when regular programming starts.
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Nanaimo Daily News Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada Thursday, June 29, 1972 - Page 19 — Chess Challenger Still Missing —New York (Reuter) — U.S. challenger Bobby Fischer failed to show up Wednesday night for two flights that were to have taken him to Reykjavik, Iceland for his world chess championship meeting with Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union. Officials of Pan American World Airways said that Fischer, 29, cancelled his reservation on their flight to Reykjavik. A spokesman for Loftleidir, the Icelandic Airline, said that Fischer had also reserved a seat on Wednesday night's flight, demanding that no one be seated in the row in front of him or the row behind.
But he failed to show up without cancelling the reservation, the airline said.
Spassky has been in Iceland for a week, preparing for the match, which has been threatened with cancellation several times because of demands made by Fischer.
The championship is scheduled to begin Sunday.
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Dayton Daily News Dayton, Ohio Thursday, June 29, 1972 - Page 87 — Fischer Gets Chess Title Shot Sunday —Reykjavik — (UPI) — Bobby Fischer's big dream comes true Sunday when he sits down at the checkered board to play world chess champion Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union. The American chess genius considers the world championship match a mere formality. HE HAS SAID time and again that if he just gets a shot at the 35-year-old champion, he is certain of defeating him. If he succeeds — and there are many experts who believe he will — he will become the second American world champion in the long history of chess and the first non-Russian to rule as champion since Max Euwe of the Netherlands held the title briefly in the 1930s.
He would also pocket five-eighths of the prize money, which totals $125,000. The money was put up by the Icelandic government and city of Reykjavik to win the right to stage the match in this unlikeliest of settings — on an island in the storm-tossed North Atlantic.
The games will be played Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays with adjourned games being finished on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
THE MATCH is scheduled for 24 games, but as is customary in world championship play, the remaining games will be canceled when one of the two has reached 12.5 points or more. The players get one point for a win and half a point for a draw.
To retain his title, Spassky needs only 12 points — a draw. To win the title, Fischer will have to score 12.5 points or more.
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Daily News New York, New York Thursday, June 29, 1972 - Page 374 — The Super Bowl of Chess —When Bobby Fischer sits down across the board from Boris Spassky in Reykjavik, Iceland this Sunday, one of the most controversial battles in chess history will be under way.
Fischer is a rebel whose attack is world famous… Spassky is a maverick who can counterattack mercilessly. To the victor goes the world's championship. On the scene in Iceland for Daily News chess fans will be Robert Byrne, a grand-master himself and the author of countless articles and special stories on the game. Byrne, a close friend of Fischer's — when he's not facing him as an opponent — will bring you detailed reports on the world championship matches throughout the games.
Be sure to read Robert Byrne's exclusive stories and detailed scoring beginning this week in …
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The Greenwood Commonwealth Greenwood, Mississippi Thursday, June 29, 1972 - Page 9 — Chess Master On The Court — Russian chess champion Boris Spassky returns volley, Wednesday, as he works out in Reykjavik for upcoming world chess title against American Bobby Fischer. Earlier, Spassky stormed off the court after photographers began taking pictures. “You are ruining our program,” Spassky said. “This is a daily routine which I must get on with.” —AP Wirephoto via cable from Reykjavik.
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Daily News New York, New York Thursday, June 29, 1972 - Page 8 — Bobby Off To Play — Los Angeles, June 28 (AP)— American challenger Bobby Fischer has left Los Angeles for his world champion chess series in Reykjavik, Iceland, local sources said today. The secretive Fischer spent about a week in California preparing for the 24 matches, set to start Sunday with world champion, Boris Spassky of Russia.
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The Evening Sun Baltimore, Maryland Thursday, June 29, 1972 - Page 26 — Here's How To Get In Shape For a Chess Championship — They say chess is a great mental game, but you'd never know it from the way U.S. king Bobby Fischer prepares. Fischer meets Russia's Boris Spassky beginning July 2 in Reykjavik, Iceland, and he's been playing tennis and punching the bag at Grossinger, N.Y., for the past month. Maybe he figures the Russian will tire just watching.
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News-Journal Mansfield, Ohio Thursday, June 29, 1972 - Page 8 — Q: Will the chess championships be on television, and who will be playing? — A: Your question came just in time. The title matches, featuring Bobby Fischer of the United States and Boris Spassky of Russia, will be seen Saturday, July 8 from 5-6:30 p. m. on the Wide World of Sports. The show will be presented from Reykjavik, Iceland, the first time in history that the matches have been held outside the Soviet Union. Spassky has held the world title for the past 23 years and has faced Fischer five times, winning three times and tying twice. Yet Fischer, a prodigy who won the U. S. national championship at the age of 14, is a favorite to many to win the world championship following his relatively easy succession of wins in preliminary competition. A maximum of 24 games will be held with Spassky needing only a tie to retain his title.
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The News Paterson, New Jersey Thursday, June 29, 1972 - Page 26 — DePaul's Chessmen Boast No Fischer But Fly High — “We may not have a Bobby Fischer, but we're working on it.” You see, Bobby Fischer may be the greatest chess player in the country, and maybe the world, if the American beats the Russian, Boris Spassky, come July 2 in Reykjavik, Iceland.
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The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Thursday, June 29, 1972 - Page 94 — ABC Specials — Martin Starger, program head of the ABC-TV network, at a press conference Tuesday expanded on his announcement of last spring concerning network schedule of specials … He also announced ABC will air the World Chess Championship between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky from Iceland, beginning July 8 on the ABC Wide World of Sports, as well as a number of quality movies in their first TV showings …
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The Miami Herald Miami, Florida Thursday, June 29, 1972 - Page 96 — Bowling: Herald Tourney Lets Bowlers Pick Winning Moves by Dick Evans — Bobby Fischer probably would make a good contestant for The Herald's $1,000 Bowling Classic, which opens this weekend …
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Ridgewood Herald-News Ridgewood, New Jersey Thursday, June 29, 1972 - Page 57 — World Chess Championship Tournament — Move-by-move coverage of the competition between Bobby FIscher of the U.S. and Boris Spassky of Russia.
The Evening Sun Baltimore, Maryland Friday, June 30, 1972 - Page 2 — Fischer In Retreat — Bobby Fischer, American chess champion, runs away from newsmen at New York's Kennedy Airport. He did not leave for Iceland, however, and his world chess championship match against Russia's Boris Spassky. The World Chess Federation is threatening Fischer with blacklisting after reports he is holding out for cut of receipts from match.
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The Charleston Daily Mail Charleston, West Virginia Friday, June 30, 1972 - Page 9 — Hot Line — Q: Why doesn't one of the newspapers give the news every day of the Bobby Fischer chess match which takes place later this month? D. N., Sissonville — A: Bobby Fischer's match with Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union begins Sunday at Reykjavik, Iceland, and the Daily Mail plans stories this week and during the match. You may have seen the story Monday concerning Fischer's unhappiness with the lighting at the match site.
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New York Times, New York, New York, Friday, June 30, 1972 - Page 37 — Iceland, a Chess Land, Waits on Edge for Fischer by Harold C. Schonberg — NYTimes — Reykjavik, Iceland. June 29—There are about 80,000 people here, and at least that many seem concerned day and day—there is no night at this time of the year—with the saga of Bobby Fischer. Everybody is talking about Fischer's demands, about his temperament, about some derogatory things he ALLEGEDLY has said about Iceland. And especially about his nonappearance. When he did not arrive this morning for his world championship chess match with Boris Spassky, scheduled to start Sunday, even the hot springs that heat this city seemed to bubble more furiously. Journalists and chess followers have been descending on Reykjavik, just below the Arctic Circle, putting a more-than-usual strain on its limited supply of hotel rooms. The match, to be played in July and August, will coincide with the tourist season, and the Icelandic Chess federation has set itself up as a clearing house for people looking for private homes in which to stay. Iceland bid to be host to the match because of an unusual degree of chess interest among its people. It has one grandmaster, Fridrik Olafasson, and two international masters. Chess clubs abound, and every newspaper has a chess columnist.
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New York Times, New York, New York, Friday, June 30, 1972 - Page 37 — Media Oppose Limits On Chess-Match News — An attempt to limit news transmissions from the world chess championship in Iceland has met strong resistance from the news media, including the Associated Press, United Press International and The New York Times. All three said last night that they had instructed their correspondents not to agree to the restrictions. As a condition of their access to the games, reporters have been told they must sign an agreement not to file move-by-move reports of the games and to file no more than three reports in the course of a game. That would delay press reports on the action and frustrate radio and television plans to report moves as they are made. Richard Gitter, counsel for Channel 13 here, which has planned running television commentary based on the move-by-move reports by The Associated Press, said last night: “We are willing and anxious to litigate this in a court of law.”
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New York Times, New York, New York, Friday, June 30, 1972 - Page 37-36 — Chess? It's Two Armies on the March — By McCandlish Phillips — “…as Mr. Lyman talked, the fog parted a little. There was a clearing through which he could spy the plain outline of an intelligible system. It is a good thing that the man can talk well, for he has been selected as the narrator of the world match on Channel 13's exhaustive television coverage of the Bobby Fischer-Boris Spassky match, which will Often require five continuous hours of talk— analyses, interviews, demonstrations and illuminating asides. […] “One of the variables is your opponent's psychology. So you attack a person's psychological weaknesses. You put him under tremendous strain, push him to where he consumes his energy, where he gets exhausted. “When he reaches a point of demoralization, a player can crash, go to pieces, lose. “Bobby Fischer says he waits for the moment when his opponent's ego is crushed.”
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The Daily Reporter Dover, Ohio Friday, June 30, 1972 - Page 3 — Fischer Threatened With Blacklisting If He Fails To Show For Chess Match —Amsterdam (AP) — The president of the World Chess Federation has threatened American champion Bobby Fischer with blacklisting following reports he is holding out for a cut of the gate receipts from his World Series with Boris Spassky of Russia. Dr. Max Euwe, the world federation president and veteran Dutch grandmaster, said Thursday night that if the 29-year-old American fails to appear Sunday for the start of the world chess championship in Reykjavik, Iceland, he stands to lose his rights to play for the world title not only this time but perhaps forever.”
Fischer was seen Thursday night at New York's Kennedy airport, but Icelandic Airlines said he did not board its flight to Reykjavik. When newsmen tried to question him, his bodyguards fended them off.
The next flight from New York to Iceland is tonight. But Fischer in the past has refused to fly on the Jewish Sabbath, between sundown Friday and sundown Saturday.
Informed sources in Reykjavik said that Fischer informed the Icelandic Chess Federation that he wouldn't play unless he got 30 per cent of the gate receipts. This would be in addition to his share of the $125,000 purse and 30 per cent of the receipts from the sales of television and film rights already agreed to.
The Icelandic federation was reported seeking a compromise in negotiations with Fred Cramer, former president of the American Chess Federation, who is acting as Fischer's advance man. The Icelanders said they have already spent about $200,000 on preparations, and if they meet Fischer's demand they can't break even.
The gate receipts probably will be considerable. Matches will be played three to six days a week in a 2,500-seat sports palace with seats at $5 each. And the series is expected to last two months.
Euwe said he didn't expect the Icelandic Chess Federation to meet Fischer's demand. He added that it would have grounds for legal action against the American challenger if he didn't show up Sunday.
“I don't like Mr. Fischer in our chess world,” said Euwe. “He's a good player but every day we are getting another ultimatum from him like this.”
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Journal and Courier Lafayette, Indiana Friday, June 30, 1972 - Page 26 — Fischer Threatened With Blacklisting —Amsterdam (AP) — The president of the World Chess Federation has threatened American champion Bobby Fischer with blacklisting following reports he is holding out for a cut of the gate receipts from his World Series with Boris Spassky of Russia. Dr. Max Euwe, the world federation president and veteran Dutch grandmaster, said Thursday night that if the 29-year-old American fails to appear Sunday for the start of the world chess championship in Reykjavik, Iceland, he stands to lose his rights to play for the world title “not only this time, but perhaps forever.” Fischer was seen Thursday night at New York's Kennedy airport, but Icelandic Airlines said he did not board its flight to Reykjavik. When newsmen tried to question him, his bodyguards fended them off.
The next flight from New York to Iceland is tonight. But Fischer in the past has refused to fly on the Jewish Sabbath, between sundown Friday and sundown Saturday.
Informed sources in Reykjavik said that Fischer informed the Icelandic Chess Federation that he wouldn't play unless he got 30 per cent of the gate receipts. This would be in addition to his share of the $125,000 purse and 30 per cent of the receipts from the sales of television and film rights already agreed to.
The Icelandic federation reportedly was seeking a compromise in negotiations with Fred Cramer, former president of the American Chess Federation, who is acting as Fischer's advance man. The Icelanders said they already have spent about $200,000 on preparations, and if they meet Fischer's demand they can't break even.
The gate receipts probably will be considerable. Matches will be played three to six days a week in a 2,500-seat sports palace with seats at $5 each. And the series is expected to last two months.
Euwe said he didn't expect the Icelandic Chess Federation to meet Fischer's demand. He added that it would have grounds for legal action against the American challenger if he didn't show up Sunday.
“I don't like Mr. Fischer in our chess world,” said Euwe. “He's a good player but every day we are getting another ultimatum from him like this.”
The young American has waged a relentless campaign to push championship chess toward the financial leagues hitherto reserved for the Namaths, the Hulls and the Seavers of professional sports. It is a campaign in which he gets no cooperation from the Soviet champions, who already enjoy the status of public heroes, well subsidized by their government.
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The Pittsburgh Press Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Friday, June 30, 1972 - Page 21 — Man To Beat — Boris Spassky, hero of Russia's national sport with “a great deal more to lose than Fischer” in Iceland, meets the press with Soviet international chess master Jivo Nei, left, and interpreter.
The Pittsburgh Press Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Friday, June 30, 1972 - Page 21 — Fischer Hides, May Seek Bigger Purse —By Philip Finn, New York — Bobby Fischer, the 29-year-old grand master of chess and mystery, has been in “hiding” in New York while a row about him boils in Iceland. The Brooklyn-born genius booked into room 1003 at the elegant Yale Club on Tuesday and has rarely ventured out. He has refused to comment or say anything about his forthcoming world championship match against Russia's Boris Spassky, scheduled to start in Reykjavik Sunday.
He canceled scheduled flights there Tuesday and again Wednesday, and gave rise to speculation it was part of a war of nerves. But friends in New York and sources in Iceland indicate the chess man with the love of seclusion is hoping to get a better deal.
He and Spassky are to share a purse of $125,000, the winner getting five-eighths after the 24-game match in a 2,500-seat sports arena where tickets sell for $5.
Fischer is believed to be seeking 30 per cent from receipts from sales of television and film rights for the match.
Asked whether Fischer would keep his appointment with Spassky, a friend said: “I have no idea—no one knows.”
London Express Service
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Pensacola News Journal Pensacola, Florida Friday, June 30, 1972 - Page 23 — Fischer Demands More Cash To Play Chess Champion — Reykjavik, Iceland (AP) — Bobby Fischer has made a last-minute demand for more money to play in the world chess championship against Russian Boris Spassky, in-formed sources said Thursday. They reported that the 29-year-old American challenger has sent an ultimatum to the Iceland Chess Federation “two or three days ago,” saying he would not show up unless he got 30 per cent of the gate receipts on top of the unprecedented sums already guaranteed.
Under the agreement Fischer and Spassky signed with the federation, the players will share a purse of $125,000, with the winner getting five-eighths of it. In addition it was agreed that they would each get 30 per cent of receipts from sales of television and film rights for the match.
Fischer canceled scheduled flights to Reykjavik, Tuesday and Wednesday. This had led to speculation that he was waging a war of nerves with titleholder Spassky.
The 24-game match is due to start on Sunday in a 2,500-seat sports palace where seats are sold for $5 a game.
Since receiving Fischer's new demand, Icelandic Chess Federation officials have been in almost constant touch with Fred Cramer, a former president of the American Chess Federation, acting as Fischer's advance man, the informants said.
It was learned that the Icelandic federation wanted to avoid a rupture and was seeking a compromise. Officials were said to feel the federation could not afford any additional expenses.
However, the sources said that while the federation might have trouble breaking even if the match went on as scheduled, it would not stand to lose if the match were canceled.
Lothar Schmidt, the West German chosen to referee the match, expressed shock when he was told of the stand off shortly after his arrival Wednesday, informants said. The news was conveyed to him by Fridrik Olafsson, an Icelandic grandmaster, they added.
The sources contended the deadlock over money was the main reason Fischer did not arrive from New York as expected.
One ranking American chess expert, who knows Fischer well—but may not have known about the financial dispute—said he felt Fischer was waging a war of nerves against Spassky.
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The Atlanta Constitution Atlanta, Georgia Friday, June 30, 1972 - Page 42 — Absent Fischer Playing 'Nerves'? — Reykjavik, Iceland. (NYT) — American chess grandmaster, Bobby Fischer, expected here Thursday, again failed to show up. His championship match with Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union is scheduled to begin on Sunday, but although Fischer had been booked on a flight from New York, he never boarded the plane. There was hope, however, that he would arrive on Friday. The worried members of the Icelandic Chess Federation, who have put considerable time and money into the match, are working on that hope. In any case, Fischer will have very little time to adjust his biological clock. Spassky, for instance, arrived here June 21.
Although Fischer did not arrive on the 9 a.m. plane, another American grandmaster did. He was Larry Evans, a former U.S. champion, here as a journalist. He said that he had not been in communication with Fischer, but he expressed confidence that he would show up for the match.
“Fischer is playing a war of nerves,” Evans said. “That is my personal theory. I would not even be surprised if Fischer does not turn up until Sunday, just before the game.”
Whether or not Evans is correct, there is no doubt that Fischer's tactics have built interest in the match almost to unbearable tension.
Even the normally suave and apparently unflappable Boris Spassky may be feeling the strain.
Wednesday, he snapped at photographers and for a while there was a yelling match, in the process, Fischer is assuming mythic proportions. His name is on the lips of everybody in Reykjavik.
In the meantime, many details of the match still remain to be settled. Fred Cramer of Milwaukee, Fischer's representative here, said that Fischer and his attorney were still negotiating with the Icelandic Chess Federation and the International Chess Federation over certain demands.
For example, Fischer has asked for 30 per cent of box office receipts. The Icelandic Chess Federation is not happy about this. If Fischer gets 30 per cent, Spassky is entitled to the same, and that would not leave much for the federation, which by the time the match is over will have put up nearly $200,000. That is about a dollar for every man, woman and child in the country.
With three days to go, everything is nearly ready. But will Bobby Fischer come? Or, having come, will he play?
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Courier-Post Camden, New Jersey Friday, June 30, 1972 - Page 12 — Fischer Has Dreams of World's Chess Title —By Ian Westergren, Reykjavik (UPI)—Bobby Fischer's big dream comes true Sunday when he sits down at the checkered board to play world chess champion Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union. The American chess genius considers the 24-game world championship match a mere formality. He has said time and again that if he just gets a shot at the 35-year-old champion, he is certain of defeating him. Ever since he learned to play chess in Brooklyn at the age of six, the lanky American grand master, now 29, has cherished one big dream —to become the world champion in the oldest and most sophisticated of games. If he succeeds—and there are many experts who believe he will—he will become the second American world champion in the long history of chess and the first non-Russian to rule as champion since Max Euwe of the Netherlands held the title briefly in the 1930s.
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The Capital Times Madison, Wisconsin Friday, June 30, 1972 - Page 21 — State Champ to Analyze World Chess Match —(Editor's Note: Peter Dorman, a U.W. graduate who now lives in Madison, is the Wisconsin state chess champion. He will contribute occasional articles to The Capital Times sports pages analyzing the world chess championship match that starts Sunday between Bobby Fischer of the U.S. and Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union.) Peter Dorman, (Wisconsin State Chess Champion), Sunday, July 2 is the scheduled beginning of the most dramatic contest in chess history: Bobby Fischer, former child prodigy whose play sometimes approaches absolute perfection, finally gets his crack at the world championship. It's been a long time coming. Fischer first gained national attention in his early teens, when he won a spectacular game from Robert Byrne, one of America's best. Bobby, just 13 at the time, gave up his queen for a knight and a bishop in a long forced series of moves. A year later he won his first U.S. Championship. Fischer's first stab at the world championship was back in 1958, when he was 15. With the death of the legendary Alexander Alekhine at the end of the Second World War, FIDE, the international chess federation, established a regular 3-year cycle for the world title. They divided the world into zones, each to hold its own championship. Then the top players would play in a worldwide interzonal tournament. The finalists from this event, plus the runners-up from the previous cycle. would compete in a candidates' tournament, and the winner of the final contest would play the reigning world champion in a 24-game match.
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The Windsor Star Windsor, Ontario, Canada Friday, June 30, 1972 - Page 22 — Chess Goes Other Way —In Golf Some Players do better at match, rather than stroke play. However, almost all prominent competition today is conducted at stroke play which has two main features - it rewards consistency and hurts the hot and cold competitor, and it keeps the field and more major names around longer. Chess has gone the other way, in part at least because Bobby Fischer demanded it. And this is the principal reason Fischer, the 29-year-old American, is favored in many circles to dethrone Russia's Boris Spassky in a 24-game match starting Sunday at Reykjavik. Iceland. Fischer, conceded by his peers the most exciting chess player in the world, decreed several years ago he would never again compete in tournament play against force of Russian numbers. He argued, and so did others, that no single Westerner could hope to win the world championship because the Russians were able to exert so much massive candidacy. It is a simple fact that Russia mass produces more chess masters than any other country or even any group of nations. For that reason they have owned the world title for 45 years, a crushing domination broken only for three years in the middle thirties when Dr. Max Euwe, a Hollander and now head of FIDE, the ruling body, intervened between tenures of the first of great modern Russian champions, Alexander Alekhine.
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Arizona Republic Phoenix, Arizona Friday, June 30, 1972 - Page 17 — Chess Pros Boris Spassky and Bobby Fischer — Chess pros Boris Spassky, left, of the Soviet Union and Bobby Fischer of the United States ponder moves at matches.
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The Times Munster, Indiana Sunday, July 02, 1972 - Page 46 — World Title Match in Secret —New York (UPI) — The more Bobby Fischer thinks about it the more it bugs him. Why Reykjavik, Iceland? “Why not Rome?” Fischer would like to know. “Why not Paris, Oslo, Zurich, Dallas or New York? Or even Moscow? Any large city where there's people, activity and decent restaurants would be fine. Some place at least where there's something to do at night.” Bobby Fischer, America's 29-year-old chess genius, has a theory about why Reykjavik was picked as the site of the world championship which starts this Sunday. The Russians are the ones who picked Reykjavik.
Fischer thinks the Russians have a motive.
HE THINKS they want to “hide” the championship because he feels he's going to take it from the Soviet Union's Boris Spassky. What's more, Fischer thinks the Russians know he's going to do it.
In this own way, Fischer is a demonstrator.
He has been demonstrating the way he feels about having to play in Reykjavik by taking his good old time getting there.
This has shaken up a lot of people but Fischer had a reason for his actions. Call it oneupsmanship if you like.
Boris Spassky needn't worry about Fischer not making it for their first match though.
BOBBY HULL may or may not play for the Winnipeg Jets next season and Rick Barry may or may not play for the Golden State Warriors, but there is no way Bobby Fischer ever is going to miss playing for the world championship of chess. Even in Reykjavik.
Mainly because he thinks he's going to win.
I wouldn't be at all surprised if he's right, and that has nothing to do with chauvinism.
Spassky is good, but Fischer is better, and when the tall, curly-haired New Yorker is right, he's like Joe Frazier and Tom Seaver when they're right. Meaning nobody's going to beat him.
Fischer doesn't hold back.
He is exceptionally outspoken and honest, and when you hear his objections to playing in Reykjavik, they do make a good deal of sense.
Fischer has been there, so when he talks about Reykjavik he isn't doing so from hearsay but from personal experience. He says there is so little to do there, particularly at night, a guy can go out of his ever-loving mind.
NOT THAT Fischer is a rounder. If anything, he's much more of a loner, but there are times he would like to become part of the general mix, or at least observe it, and how can he possibly do that when there is no general mix?
He also says the television coverage will be limited. If he beats Spassky, he doesn't see why it should be some kind of secret.
Fischer originally planned to go to the world championships with only one
other person; Spassky is already in Reykjavik with what amounts to an entourage. Fischer reads significance into that also because the championship goes on for some time and while Spassky will have people to talk to and help him relax, Fischer won't.
Fischer doesn't think any of these things are pure accidents. He sees them all as part of a general program by the Soviets to try to beat him psychologically.
“THE WORLD champion has the right to pick the site of the championships,” says Fischer.
“Spassky wasn't even there when the international governing body chose the site. A Russian delegation was there and they picked the site.”
Fischer feels the championships have become a political matter. That annoys him.
But it hasn't lessened any of his desire to beat Spassky. Fisher has a lot of that same “killer instinct” Jack Dempsey had when he was fighting. Some of that instinct shows up even when he's not sitting at the chess board.
Earlier this month, for example, he competed with 15 other top athletes in the Dewars Sports Celebrity tennis championships at LaCosta, Calif., and it was a little funny to watch such headliners as Rick Barry, Deacon Jones and Elgin Baylor all ask Fischer for his autograph.
IN THE FINALS of the tournament, Hank Greenberg, the baseball Hall of Famer, and Bob Boyd, the basketball coach at Southern California, beat 0. J. Simpson and Gail Goodrich for the title. Bobby Fischer was among the losers. “Next year,” he said. “I'm going to win.” He said it as if he meant it, too.
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Daily News New York, New York Friday, June 30, 1972 - Page 5 — It Takes 2 to Play Chess & Bobby Hasn't Moved — By Gene Spagnoli, The continued absence of U.S. chess genius Bobby Fischer in Reykjavik, Iceland, where on Sunday he is due to begin his match against Russia's Boris Spassky for the world championship — at first attributed to temperament—might realistically be blamed on Fischer's last - minute demand for more money, informed sources said yesterday. Fischer, 29, who canceled flight reservations last Sunday and again Wednesday, is reported to have issued an ultimatum to the Iceland Chess Federation several days ago for 30% of the gate receipts on top of the unprecedented pay-off to which he has already agreed.
Under the agreement, Fischer and Spassky will share a purse of $125,000, with the winner getting five eighths, in addition to receiving 20% apiece from the sale of television and film rights of the match.
Seemingly oblivious to Fischer's absence in Reykjavik, Spassky, who has been on the scene for the past 10 days, shrugged off the unexplained ramifications with a noncommittal, “If he doesn't come we will all go home. It's as simple as that.”
If and when he shows up, Fischer, who has been seeking the match for years, would be the first American ever to play in an official match for the world championship.
Asked precisely where Fischer was, Edmund Edmondson, executive director of the United States Chess Federation, said: “He's somewhere in the metropolitan area, but where I have no idea. I don't think that anyone will know if he will play until game time, 5 p.m. Icelandic time. He's putting on some kind of an act—for what I don't know.”
A scheduled Icelandic Airlines flight to Reykjavik left New York early today but an airline spokesman said Fischer was not aboard. Fischer was seen at the airport late last night but refused to talk to newsmen.
In Reykjavik, Chester Fox, who has the television and film rights to the championship, said: “I think Bobby will come here and I think he'll win. I saw him a couple of days ago and he's really ready—relaxed, calm and sure of himself.”
Fred Kramer of Minneapolis is acting for Fischer in Iceland. The Russians, who take their chess seriously, have sent a small squad to aid Spassky. His entourage includes two grand masters, an international master and a psychologist.
Spassky was asked recently about reports that he was demanding a room temperature of 21 degrees Centigrade —about 70 degrees Fahrenheit—while Fischer wanted 24 degrees.
Spassky said one solution would be to add 24 and 21 and divide by two.
The 24-game match—three games a week—could take two months if it runs its full course. The winner needs 12½ points.
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The Tampa Times Tampa, Florida Friday, June 30, 1972 - Page 12 — Fischer — Wants Profit Cut
Springfield Leader and Press Springfield, Missouri Friday, June 30, 1972 - Page 1 — Tass Blames Bobby Fischer for Situation Created by Soviets & Icelandic Chess Federation — The Soviet news agency Tass said there is no certainty that the world championship chess match will be held at all and it blamed the situation on Bobby Fischer, the American challenger to Russian Boris Spassky.
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Tampa Bay Times St. Petersburg, Florida Friday, June 30, 1972 - Page 46 — Organizers Seek To Restrict Coverage Of Chess Match —Reykjavik, Iceland (AP) — Organizers of the Bobby Fischer-Boris Spassky world championship chess match will restrict move-by move coverage and photographs of the contenders inside the contest hall, it was announced Wednesday. The announcement brought protests from news wire services and from two television outlets which are planning in-depth accounts of the 24-game match based on move-by-move reports from The Associated Press. The first game is scheduled for Sunday.
Gudmundur Thorarinsson, chairman of the Icelandic Chess Federation, said the restrictions were decreed because photographic and move-by-move coverage rights had been sold.
Thorarinsson said journalists would be allowed to transmit move-by-move reports only three times during each game between the Soviet world champion, Spassky, and the American challenger. He said newsmen would be required to sign a pledge to abide by the agreement in order to obtain accreditation.
Spokesmen for AP and United Press International said they were lodging protests against any curtailment of news coverage. Joseph G. Groth, general manager of the TelePrompTer Manhattan Cable TV, said in New York: “If this capricious move succeeds, a large and interested segment of the public served by TelePrompTer Manhattan CATV will be deprived of one of the most exciting show-downs in the history of chess.”
The firm has announced plans for a move-by-move analysis of each of the matches, utilizing the AP service and comment from a U.S. chess grand master.
The Icelandic Chess Federation contends that TelePrompTer's use of the AP reports infringes on its property rights, the company said. The federation has sold U.S. broadcast television rights to the American Broadcasting Company.
Spokesmen for Channel 13-WNDT New York, which also has announced plans for telecasts based on move-by-move reports, said it was “absolutely outrageous to attempt to stop the free dissemination of news.”
“We are performing a service for the chess devotee,” the Channel 13 spokesmen said. The station's plans call for five hours of continuous coverage on each day of the match.
ABC plans to use the film to which it has acquired rights on the network's “Wide World of Sports” program.
Roone Arledge, president of ABC Sports, indicated he has no objections to the proposed plans for outside programs on the match.
“I think that would be excellent programming and a good thing for them to do … We're going to do it in a condensed, limited way. As long as we can do what we want to do, we'd be delighted to cooperate,” Arledge said. ★
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Sioux City Journal Sioux City, Iowa Friday, June 30, 1972 - Page 4 — Who Is Chess 'Bad Guy?' — The forthcoming chess match for the world championship between Bobby Fischer, the U.S. whiz, and Boris Spassky, the Soviet expert, is receiving what politicians would call a “good press.” At least, there has been a lot of coverage of the big event well in advance, much of it centering around Fischer's chest-beating over the playing site and so on.
We noted the other day a news article written from Moscow by an American correspondent for an Eastern newspaper. It was an interview with Spassky, whom the writer described as “quiet in manner and laconic of speech,” while portraying Fischer as the 28-year-old “enfant terrible” of the chess board.
“Bobby Fischer,” the writer explained, “is known for his brashness and bombast, and his squabble over the venue of the match and over the television and film rights has done nothing to enhance his popularity.”
Something like the old horse operas and “rassling” matches, where there's always a “good guy” and a “bad guy.” But — and this worries us a little — the good guy is supposed to win. Hopefully, this traditional pattern won't preclude the U.S. champion from check-mating the “good guy” from the U.S.S.R.
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America's Bobby Fischer Duels Soviet Boris Spassky for the World Chess Title Next Sunday Sun, Jun 25, 1972 – 34 · Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, Florida) · Newspapers.com
U.S. Chess Ace Bobby Fischer Is Getting in Shape For a World Championship Thu, Jun 29, 1972 – 25 · Pacific Daily News (Agana Heights, Guam) · Newspapers.com
