AThe Baltimore Sun Baltimore, Maryland Thursday, August 16, 1962 - Page 31
Fischer Says Russ Chessmen Prevent Honest Competition 16 Aug 1962, Thu The Baltimore Sun (Baltimore, Maryland) Newspapers.com
Fischer Says Russ Chessmen Prevent Honest Competition
New York, Aug. 15 (AP)—Bobby Fischer, the American chess champion, charges in a copyrighted article in Sports Illustrated that “Russian control of chess has reached a point where there can be no honest competition for the world championship.”
In the article in the August 20 issue of the magazine, Fischer says under the system set up by the Russians only a Russian can win the preliminary tournament that determines the challenger for the champion.
“I will never again play in one of these tournaments,” he said.
‘Russians Substitute Propaganda’
“The Russians have substituted propaganda for money as the incentive for holding on to the title,” he said.
The 19-year-old New Yorker said the current champion, Mikhail Botvinnik, of Russia, is far past his prime.
He said he would be willing to play Botvinnik, “at any time, letting him decide the minimum and maximum stakes we would play for, and the time and place. I would go so far as to spot him the advantage of 2 points in a match of 24 points.”
Fischer finished fourth in the recent world candidates chess tournament held in the Dutch Antilles to decide the challenger to Botvinnik. Five of the eight contestants were Russians.
The tournament was won by Russia's Tigran Petrosian who won eight games and drew in his nineteen other games. Two other Russians, Paul Keres and Ewfim Geller, finished in a tie for second.
Fischer charges “there was open collusion between the Russian players. They agreed ahead of time to draw the games they played against each other. Each time they drew they gave each a half point.”
He said “they consulted during the games,” adding that this was against the rules.
“If I was playing a Russian opponent,” he said, “the other Russians watched my games, and commented on my moves in my hearing. Then they ridiculed my protests to officials. They worked as a team.”
