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Chess Chats Sun, Dec 12, 1971 – 31 · The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, California) · Newspapers.com
In Buenos Aires, the Candidates' Final started off with fireworks, Bobby Fischer winning the first game, Tigran Petrosian taking the second. Then the match seemed doomed to settle down to a series of draws, a phenomenon all too common in high level chess. Game No. 3 and Game No. 4 were draws.
After the fourth game, critics thought that Petrosian was chicken, that he should have played for a win when he had the White pieces. Someone else said Fischer would have stayed ahead had he not suffered from a bad cold in Games 2 and 3.
Petroff Defense Used
In the fifth, Fischer was really taken aback when his opponent used the Petroff Defense in the opening 1. P-K4 P-K4; 2. N-KB3 N-KB3 rarely played in tournament games.
Only the 18th move, Petrosian could have won a pawn that would have given Fischer good attacking chances. But once again, or should we say in his usual style, Petrosian refused to get into complications and offered his opponent a draw on the 34th move.
Fischer refused only to counter with a draw offer on the 38th move which the Russian quickly accepted.
