Another chess draw; fans protest

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32737, 14 October 1971, Page 24

Another chess draw; fans protest

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter —Copyright) BUENOS AIRES. R. K. Fischer (United States) and T. Petrosian (Russia) yesterday drew the fourth game of their best-of-12-match series to decide which will challenge B. Spassky for the world championship. The game lasted an hour and 20 minutes—the shortest of the series so far. The result kept the score level, at two points each, with a win and two draws to each player.

For the first time since the series started on September 30, protests were heard from the spectators at the San Martin Theatre, as they voiced their disappointment against an apparent lack of determined play by both men. But chess experts were generally satisfied at the brief display of technique by the two contenders for the world title. “We saw today a good fight, along with profound chess concentration. The game came to a draw according to chess theory, and both players realised it,” the international player, ,M. Luckis, said.

The draw was offered by Fischer after his twentieth move. Petrosian, a former world- champion, accepted it immediately. . Petrosian, leading whites, tried for an English opening, but at the fifth move the game veered into the Maroc?y variant of the Sicilian defence. Both players followed acknowledged theory from there onwards and at move 14 they began a quick exchange of queens and other pieces. Fischer’s fans yesterday looked more worried than their rivals. After the comfortable defeats of his two : previous opponents, M. Taii manov (Russia) and B. Lar- ■ sen (Denmark), Fischer now ■ seems to have lost the initia- . tive.