AThe Ottawa Journal Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Saturday, January 10, 1970 - Page 36
Match In Jeopardy
The latest on the proposed best of 18 games match between Bobby Fischer, U.S.A., and ex-world champion, Mikhail Botvinnik, USSR, is that Bobby now insists that the match decision be based on the first to score six wins, draws not to count. He also stipulates that there must be no spectators or photographers in the playing room. This may seem far-fetched but these conditions are the some as those laid down for the Capablanca vs. Alekhine world championship match of Buenos Aires in 1927.
However, the Leiden Chess Club, sponsors of the match, insist the earlier conditions, which Fischer is reported to have agreed to, verbally, must be accepted, and have set a deadline. If Bobby turns it down they will arrange a quadruple round robin tourney among Botvinnik, Spassky, Larsen and Jan Henk Dormer, Dutch grandmaster.
Larsen Wins
Bent Larsen, Denmark, now the main representative of western chess prestige, won the international at Palma, Majorca, in a very strong field, which included world champion Boris Spassky, ex-champion, Tigran Petrosian, and Viktor Korchnoi, all of USSR. His victory was all the more remarkable in that he had only scored 1½ pts. in his first five games! Spassky and Petrosian were undefeated but drew too many.
A game by the winner:
The Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, California, Sunday, January 11, 1970 - Page 108
Fischer vs. Botvinnik
Bobby Fischer, in a personal note to this editor, stated that he made only one new condition in the negotiations with the Leiden, Holland Chess Club for a proposed match with former world champion Mikhail Botvinnik of the USSR.
As reported in the chess column on Dec. 21, Fischer wants the match to go to the first winner of six games, with draws not to count, rather than a total of 18 games, as proposed.
According to a Reuters dispatch, which quotes an official of the Leiden Club, Fischer also stipulated that there should be no spectators or photographers, and only one judge in the room with two players.
Fischer denies that he ever made the latter condition. The nearest to it was a request, which caused no problem, that no photos were to be taken without the express permission of both players.
We are glad to clear up this point. Fischer also writes:
“Let me state emphatically that at no other time did I ever make any of those new playing conditions you mentioned, such as one judge, private room, no photographers, no spectators, etc.”
We would be most interested to learn whether or not the match is on. The note does not indicate whether negotiations are still in progress.
The Boston Globe Boston, Massachusetts Sunday, January 11, 1970 - Page 218
Russians Favorites in Match
It is now definite that the Soviet Union will play a chess match against the West, a euphemism for the rest of the world. The match was proposed by the Yugoslavian Chess Federation and is scheduled as a four-rounder for the first week in April.
Our information is that there will be 12 players on each side. The Yugoslavs have proposed as players from the West, Fischer and Reshevsky of the United States, Portisch of Hungary, Larsen of Denmark, Hort of Czechoslovakia, Gligoric, Ivkov and Matulovich of Yugoslavia, Najdorf of Argentina, Uhlmann and Unzicker of Germany and Mecking of Brazil.
We have a very strong premonition of disaster for the West, for a number of reasons. We think the Soviets are stronger and will have good attendance, as a matter national policy. Also, many of the Western all - stars, such as Fischer, the world's highest rated player under the United States and German rating systems, may show no interest in playing or may have other tournament commitments.
We do not know the Russian team, but just for fun, we made out the following list, which includes three world's champions: Spassky, Petrosian, Botvinnik, Tahl, Geller, Keres, Polugaevsky, Korchnoi, Bronstein, Smyslov, Cholmov and Stein. Then we realized we had left off Taimonov, Lutikov, Suetin, Gipslis, Averbach and Zaitsev.
We are not optimistic about the West's chances, nor is rating expert Arpad Elo, who predicts a victory for the Russians.
Three young players to watch on the world scene are Henrique Mecking, Walter Browne and Julio Kaplan. Mecking is a potential Bobby Fischer. He recently scored very well at Palma de Mallorca, defeating Larsen and Najdorf. Below is a game of considerable beauty by Kaplan against Donner of the Netherlands.
The Courier-Journal Louisville, Kentucky Sunday, January 18, 1970 - Page 54
Fischer Forces Black's Resignation in Three
I'm always happy to present a Bobby Fischer game, because of his pretty combinations and almost flawless technique. Before playing, study the diagram. Fischer's opponent, as Black, has just played 20 …Q-B3, pinning White's King Bishop. How does White untangle the web and force Black's resignation in three?
The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Sunday, January 25, 1970 - Page 98
U.S.S.R. vs The World
At the annual meeting of the International Chess Federation in Puerto Rico, a proposal was made for a match between the championship Soviet team and a group representing the rest of the world.
Plans have been approved, and the match, with 10 players on each side, will take place in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, the first week in April.
Former world champion Dr. Max Euwe of Holland will captain the “Rest of the World” team. Certain to be invited are the two American aces, Bobby Fischer and Samuel Reshevsky.
Others on the list who are expected to participate are Bent Larsen of Denmark, Vlastimil Hort of Czechoslovakia, Lajos Portisch of Hungary, Svetozar Gligoric, Borislav Ivkov and Milan Matulovic of Yugoslavia, Wolfgang Uhlmann of East Germany and Miguel Najdorf of Argentina. Wolfgang Unzicker of West Germany and Henrique Mecking of Brazil are the reserves.
Chess Oscar
For the second year the Association of International Chess Journalists, of which this writer is a member, met in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, during the grandmaster tournament there last month.
A major result of the deliberations was a list of the 10 best players of the year. The overwhelming winner was newly crowned champion of the world, Boris Spassky of the USSR.
Second and third places were also awarded to Soviet stars, Victor Korchnoi and former world champion Tigran Petrosian.
Fourth on the list and leader of the “rest of the world” (see above) was Bent Larsen, who had won the top award for 1968.
Others of the honored group were: Lev Polugaevsky, Vlastimil Hort, Lajos Portisch, Vassily Smyslov, Eufim Geller and Svetozar Gligoric.
Bobby Fischer, who probably would have made the list in any year in which he participated, did not play a single match or tournament game in 1969.
The Mercury, Pottstown, Pennsylvania, Monday, April 06, 1970 - Page 25
Soviet Union Captures World Chess Matches
BELGRADE, Yugoslavia (AP)—The spectacular chess match between the Soviet Union and the rest of the world, billed as the match of the century, ended here Sunday with a marginal victory for the Russians.
The 10 Soviet grandmasters scored 20.5 points and the rest of the world 19.5 points.
The fourth and final round, played Saturday and Sunday ended in a 5-5 draw.
Bobby Fischer, the 26-year-old Los Angeles, Calif. grandmaster played to a draw with former world champion Tigran Petrosian of Russia in the final round.
Clarion-Ledger, Jackson, Mississippi, Friday, August 21, 1970 - Page 26
U.S. Chess Star Topped By 16-Yr. Old
Buenos Aires (AP)—Bobby Fischer, the U.S. chess star and winner of the recent city of Buenos Aires chess tournament, was beaten Thursday night by a 16-year-old amateur.
Carlos Garica Palermo reached his unexpected victory during an exhibition of simultaneous matches held by Fischer at a local sports club. Fischer played 25 matches and was defeated only by Garcia Palermo.
The Courier-Journal Louisville, Kentucky Monday, September 07, 1970 - Page 72
Fischer Checkmates Miyasaka
Siegen, Germany (AP) — Robert Fischer made his first appearance for the United States chess team in Siegen's Olympic Tournament yesterday defeating Miyasaka of Japan in 30 moves.
The Times-News, Twin Falls, Idaho, Wednesday, September 23, 1970 - Page 15
CHESS Champion for the U.S. for eight times, Bobby Fischer, (right) ponders his next move against world champion Boris Spassky in the sixth round of the 19th chess Olympiad. Fischer lost to Spassky. (UPI)
