Chess cheque carries sting

Press, 23 October 1978, Page 20

Chess cheque carries sting

NZPA-Reuter Baguio; The world chess chain-i pion, Anatoly Karpov, and; the unsuccessful challenger, Viktor Korchnoi, were last night awarded the biggest; prizes in the history of the! game But the loser, who boycotted the ceremony in angry protest at the conditions surrounding the final game, can collect only when he formally acknowledges that the 1978 tournament is really over. The note of uncertainty was the latest, but perhaps not the last, bizarre twist in the longest stormiest and richest world chess championship The Philippines match organiser Florencio Campomanes handed Karpov a chejue for 5U5435.776 for his narrow six to five games win after nearly 200 hours at the chess table.

Korchnoi’s chief second, the British grandmaster, Raymond Keene, was given a cheque for 5U5261,464.95 but it was endorsed with a long stipulation that has left the Korchnoi camp wondering about their protest over the last game. On the back of the cheque were the words: “This! cheque is not valid until signed receipt is received by I

the Philippines Chess Federation. Signature ot the payee signifies he considered the 1978 world championship definitely concluded."

Karpov also showed NZPA-Reutei his cheque. It carried no such endorsement.

Korchnoi has bitterly complained that he was placed under intolerable psychological pressure just before last Tuesday’s crucial game. He is being supported by his Swiss Chess Federation, which is threatening to dispute the validity of the game at next month’s meeting of the International Chess Federation (F.1.D.E.) in Argentina. While the closing ceremonies were taking place in the mountain resort convention centre, Korchnoi and his manager, Petra Leeuwerik, were in Manila preparing to leave for Hong Kong, where Korchnoi will take part in an exhibition of 40 simultaneous matches.

The challenger is also scheduled to join the Swiss team for the chess Olympics opening in Buenos Aires on Wednesday. It was expected that the (Challenger, who has oblig- ! ations to his delegation, will eventually sign the stateiment on his cheque.