BOARD, LIGHTS, SEATING... More Fischer demands on eve of series

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32966, 12 July 1972, Page 34

BOARD, LIGHTS, SEATING... More Fischer demands on eve of series

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) REYKJAVIK. Worried organisers of the world chess championship yesterday hoped their efforts to meet last-minute demands of the challenger, R. K. Fischer, of the United States, would have his approval.

The series between Fischer and the title-holder, B. Spassky (Russia), was expected to start at the 2000-seat Reykjavik Exhibition Hall this morning (New Zealand time), but there were fears that the temperamental American might still torpedo the championship.

He gave the organisers a long list of complaints about the hall and workmen immediately set to work to try to satisfy him. They took out two rows of seats after he complained that the spectators would be too close to the players, and changed the table boards after Fischer had said he wanted dark green squares instead of black. Organisers believed that, barring any further complaints from Fischer, who only agreed to come to Iceland after a number of tough financial arrangements had been met, the championship would begin on schedule. Spassky and his entourage visited the hall on Sunday and had only one complaint —that the board was a little too large. But, while the rest of Reykjavik slept, the 29-year-old challenger marched into the hall for a two-hour inspection and then declared himself dissatisfied with almost everything. He reaffirmed that he would not accept the Icelandic marble board, complained about the pieces, and demanded that the audience’s seats be moved further back, and that the platform set up for an American with sole

rights to photograph the contest be placed elsewhere and at a different height. Also, he said he did not like the curtains in the playing hall. He preferred heavier drapes. Fischer has already had a special chair flown in for him from New York. The Icelanders are taking all this fairly philosophically. The president of the host

federation, Mr Gudmundur Thorareinsson, after being quoted a local proverb to the effect that after one or two waves there is always a third, replied: “Here, in Iceland, we are used to the breaking of the great Atlantic waves.” One of the outstanding financial disputes appears now to have been settled satisfactorily. The Fischer camp had complained about the contract between the organisers and a United States impresario giving him exclusive rights to move-by-move coverage of the match. Iceland officials said one of Fischer’s lawyers, Mr Andrew Davies, had signed a statement that he was agreeable to the arrangement. Spassky appeared to be more relaxed now than a few days ago—he had a salmonfishing break at the weekend—but Fischer remained the favourite among the majority of chess experts here.

Spassky won the right to make the first move in the match at the draw last Thursday.