AThe Vancouver Sun Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Tuesday, July 04, 1972 - Page 1
Boris Checks Chess Match
Reykjavik (AP) — Hours after Bobby Fischer ended his holdout and gave the world chess championship new life, Russian Boris Spassky put the match in doubt again today.
Spassky lodged a formal protest objecting that Fischer, the American challenger, “has violated the rules of the match,” by failing to appear in Iceland for its scheduled start on Sunday.
The world champion told Max Euwe, president of the World Chess Federation, that his decision to allow a postponement in Fischer's favor to today was unacceptable. Fischer arrived Monday night.
Then Spassky and his aides, who were expected to draw lots for tonight's match, staged a glum-faced walkout.
Spassky, asked whether there was a chance for a game today, said: “It is not known.”
Speaking to reporters after the Russian walkout, Euwe was much more forthright.
Asked whether he considered the Russian move threatened to wreck the whole match, he replied: “Certainly.”
Representatives of the American grandmaster later conferred with Spassky and his aides in search of some compromise to what the organizers termed “complications.”
Tass news agency said Spassky accused Fischer of violating rules and wanted him punished.
Less than two hours before the match had been scheduled to begin, Spassky and his second, Yefim Geller, drove to the Soviet Embassy, presumably to consult with authorities in Moscow.
This supported the sentiment that Spassky's belated protest after a week of complications caused by Fischer was on Moscow's orders.
A new starting date for the 24-game series was given on Thursday.
A Tass dispatch said Spassky had refused to play Fischer until the American “is punished by the International Chess Federation.”
“Spassky is of the opinion that Fischer insulted him personally and the Chess Federation of the U.S.S.R. by failing to appear at the ceremony opening the match on July 1,” the official Soviet news agency said.
“Fischer jeopardized his moral right to play in the match. Spassky will return to the possibility of holding the match after sanctions are applied to Fischer,” the dispatch said.
Because of the protest and the walkout there was no drawing of lots to decide which player would play the white piece and have the first move of the match.
The 29-year-old American challenger flew here from New York after accepting London banker James D. Slater's offer to match the $125,000 purse put up by the Icelandic Chess Federation. Now the winner of the 24-game match will get $156,250 and the loser $93,750.
Each will also get 30 per cent of the $250,000 paid for the TV and movie rights to the match — $75,000 each.
The match, which could last two months, had been scheduled to start Sunday afternoon, but Fischer stayed in New York, demanding a 30 per cent cut of the gate receipts.
The International Chess postponed the first game 48 hours and told Fischer he had to be in Reykjavik by noon today or forfeit the match. He arrived about five hours before the deadline.
Fischer, wearing red trousers, a blue sports shirt and a brown suede jacket, was met aboard the plane by a nervous Fredrik Olafsson, an Icelandic grandmaster and friend of the American challenger.
A crowd of reporters and photographers waited at plane-side but when Fischer finally left he bounded down the stairs and into a waiting limousine and pushed newsmen away.
Spassky, who won the world championship in 1969, has been in Iceland two weeks preparing for the 24-match world championship.
Ladbrokes, the London bookmakers, today quoted Fischer as a 5-to-2 favorite to win his challenge against Spassky if they play.
A stewardess on the plane said Fischer appeared calm during the flight of four hours and 40 minutes from New York but slept for only a few minutes at a time.
The Icelandic Chess Federation, after negotiating since last week with one of Fischer's lawyers, Andrew Davis, rejected the demand for a cut of the gate receipts.
But almost simultaneously Slater came forward with his offer to put up $125,000, saying: “Fischer has said that money is the problem. Well, here it is.
“I like chess and have played it for years,” said Slater.
“Many want to see this match and everything has been arranged. If Fischer does not go to Iceland, many will be disappointed.”
Fischer was quoted Monday by a representative in New York as saying of the offer, “stupendous … incredible and generous and brave.”
The spokesman, lawyer Paul Marshall, said Fischer holdout had been a matter of principle: “He felt Iceland wasn't treating this match or his countrymen with the dignity that it and they deserved.”
Marshall also said that Fischer, who abhors reporters and ([protects himself from aggressive Paparazzi]) “was furious about the press censorship.” ([Does that excuse the Soviet and Icelandic Chess Federation colluding to stipulate in their contract, an unconstitutional suppression of journalism? Because that's what it is: Unconstitutional Censorship. Encroachment on Civil Liberties of citizens around the world. But the Soviet knew nothing of “Democratic Principles.” like freedom of speech and free press. Perfectly reasonable that Fischer was furious coverage of the match was being censored by Soviet government, and achieved by connivance.])
The Icelandic federation has restricted move-by-move and photo coverage of the match because of its sale of the TV and movie rights.
The Soviet chess federation condemned Fischer for “blackmail” and said his actions “merit his unconditional disqualification” from play. ([Blah. Blah. Blah.])
The 24-game series is to be played on alternate days, with the extra days allowed to finish incomplete games.
At win counts as one point, a tie half a point each.
As champion, Spassky needs only 12 points to retain his title. Challenger Fischer needs 12½ points to win.
Boris Checks Chess Match 04 Jul 1972, Tue The Vancouver Sun (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) Newspapers.com
World Chess Tourney Again Cast in Doubt 04 Jul 1972, Tue The Vancouver Sun (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) Newspapers.com
U.S. Grandmaster Bobby Fischer Arrives at Reykjavik, Iceland 04 Jul 1972, Tue The Vancouver Sun (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) Newspapers.com
