AAlbuquerque Journal Albuquerque, New Mexico Sunday, April 15, 1962 - Page 38
Chess Feud Carried to NY Supreme Court by Fischer 15 Apr 1962, Sun Albuquerque Journal (Albuquerque, New Mexico) Newspapers.com
Chess Feud Carried to NY Supreme Court by Fischer
New York (AP)—Chess players have been known to take a long time between moves, but former American champion Bobby Fischer may be out for a new record. He wants to pick up where he left off almost a year ago.
Fischer sought a court order last week, to force resumption of a sixteen-game series with another former national champion, Samuel Reshevsky, which was declared forfeited to Reshevsky last August.
Fischer, an aging boy wonder at 19 and an international grand master, also asked in his suit, filed in state Supreme Court, that Reshevsky be barred from public chess games until the series is finished.
The suit revived interest in the controversial Fischer-Reshevsky series, and a look behind the oft-times stormy scenes of big time chess.
The series began in New York last July 16. After four games, play was shifted to Los Angeles. Although no title was at stake, the two are widely considered the nation's best, and tension mounted between them.
They stopped talking to each other, and refused to ride in the same car from their hotel to the playing room.
After 11 games, each had 5½ points.
Then the moves came fast and furious. The 12th game was scheduled for 7:30 p.m., on Saturday, Aug. 12. Reshevsky, an orthodox Jew, could not play until sundown on Saturday. The game was re-scheduled for 9 p.m.
Then it was decided that a late start could mean play might run as late as 2 a.m., so it was re-scheduled again for 2 p.m. Sunday.
At this stage, Mrs. Gregor Piatigorsky, wife of the noted cello player and one of the principal sponsors of the match, asked for another change of schedule since her husband had a concert that afternoon she wanted to attend. An 11 a.m. Sunday starting time was set.
Fischer said he would not be up that early and refused to play. When he failed to appear, the game was awarded to Reshevsky by default.
The scene shifted to New York, for the 13th game. Walter J. Fried, president of the American Chess Foundation, ordered Fischer to play the 13th game awaiting an official ruling on his protest over forfeiture of the 12th.
Fischer refused to play if the game was called the 13th, instead of the 12th. He said uncertainty over the previous game would affect his play, and also that he got the white pieces, and opening move, in the even-numbered games.
Fried then ruled the series forfeited.
In his suit, Fischer contended the contract prohibited rescheduling of games without the consent of both players. The suit added:
“His reputation as the most skillful and proficient chess player in the United States will be irreparably damaged and tarnished unless defendant (Reshevsky) fulfills the terms and conditions of the contract.”
See The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Monday, August 14, 1961 - Page 73 (★), “Chess Champ Forfeits by Failing to Appear” when a Spokesperson for the Fischer-Reshevsky organizing committee explains the reason the time was advanced from 1:30 P.M. to 11 A.M., was to accommodate the referee's attendance at the San Francisco U.S. Open Tournament.
Chess Champ Forfeits by Failing to Appear 14 Aug 1961, Mon The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com
