Korchnoi decides to go ahead

Press, 27 February 1981, Page 18

Korchnoi decides to go ahead

NZPA-Reuter Hong Kong The Soviet exile chess player, Victor Korchnoi, has definitely decided to go ahead with his challenge for Anatoly Karpov’s world chess title, dropping his previous precondition that his family be allowed to leave the Soviet Union. Korchnoi said his previous statement that he would not play Karpov unless his wife and son were allowed to join him in exile was made in the heat of the moment after winning the challenge championship. “I realise that if I do not play him Karpov will retain the title for lack of a challengand that would be too good for the Soviets,” Korchnoi said. He said that the match would be held in the second'

half of this year, probably in July or August, in Reykjavik, Milan or Las Palmas, in the Canary Islands. The three bids had been submitted and he and Karpov had to state their preferences within the next three weeks. The International Chess Federation will then decide on the venue. Korchnoi, aged 49, said that all three had advantages and disadvantages and had not decided which he preferred. Korchnoi, who is in Hong Kong to play a number of exhibition matches, also announced that he had accepted an invitation to visit China for the first time and would play three or four matches against leading Chinese players next month..