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.
