ANew York Times, New York, New York, Saturday, August 18, 1962 - Page 17
Russians Scored By Bobby Fischer
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Collusive Tactics in Chess Tournament Charged
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By Harold C. Schonberg
Bobby Fischer, former United States chess champion and its ranking player, charged yesterday that the Russians used collusive tactics in chess tournaments.
The 19-year-old grand master said that in the future he would not play in any tournament sponsored by the International Federation of Chess, “because if you start out badly you're eliminated right away; if you start out well, you're eliminated later.”
The gist of Mr. Fischer's charges has long been current in American chess circles, but he is the first to air them publicly. Americans privately have echoed Mr. Fischer's statement that many of the games between Russians at tournaments are pre-arranged, resulting in draws or outright wins.
At the recently concluded Candidates' Tournament in Curacao, eight players started. The tournament, the last in a series of elimination events, was held for the express purpose of establishing a challenger to meet Mikhail Botvinnik for the world's title next year.
Five of the players were Russians (though Mikhail Tal had to drop out because of illness) and one was from Yugoslavia. The two others were Americans —Mr. Fischer and Pal Benko, the Hungarian-born grand master who now lives in New York.
Calls Games Pre-arranged
It is Mr. Fischer's contention that the Russians played pre-arranged games that generally resulted in draws. he pointed out one game, between Tigran Petrosian eventual winner of the tournament, and Paul Keres, in which, according to Mr. Fischer, there was a clear win for Mr. Petrosian. But a draw was offered and accepted.
Mr. Fischer also said that the Russians blatantly broke the rules by talking to each other during actual games, and by studying Mr. Fischer's position and analyzing it. Mr. Fischer said that he had made several protests to the referees but nothing came of them.
The international chess star, Samuel Reshevsky, yesterday refused to comment on Mr. Fischer's charges. He did say, however, that the present setup for the world's championship was “unjust and unfair.”
It is generally conceded that the Russians currently have the strongest players in the world, though Mr. Fischer insists that “there is no player that I can not beat in a match.” Most chess authorities would give him the benefit of the doubt.
But there is little likelihood of a match between him and the world's champion.
It is said in chess circles that Russian chess players do not play as individuals but as members of a team, and that they will throw points to colleagues when necessary. These are grave charges that are almost impossible to substantiate, though at the last few tournaments in which Russians predominated there were a very large number of what are called “grand master draws.” These are games in which, to an expert eye, neither player is out to win. Pieces are quickly traded off and a draw is declared, usually under twenty moves.
Mr. Fischer is the stormy petrel of the chess world. He is believed to be the greatest natural player in history. He also has been in constant difficulties with chess officials the world over. In 1959 his dispute with the American Chess Federation about the system of pairings almost led him to withdraw from the American championship tournament.
Earlier this year he withdrew from a match with Mr. Reshevsky, claiming that the hour of a particular postponed game was against the rules. He subsequently brought suit against Mr. Reshevsky for the purse. The suit is pending. Two years ago his mother went on a hunger strike in an attempt to persuade the American chess Federation to send a team to the Chess Olympics.
