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Chess Sun, Jan 9, 1972 – Page 29 · Sunday Gazette-Mail (Charleston, West Virginia) · Newspapers.com
Chess by Edward M. Foy
Following Robert Fischer's decisive defeat of Tigran Petrosian last Fall, a player in Moscow's Central Chess Club was heard to remark, hopefully, “But we've still got Spassky,” True. But the results of the recently completed Alekhine Memorial Tournament in Moscow might raise the question, So what?
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Spassky, meanwhile, could do no better than tie (with Mikhail Tal) for sixth position, one-half point behind Petrosian and one-half point ahead of the only American in the event, Robert Byrne. Vlastimil Hort and David Bronstein also equaled Byrne's 9 to 8 performance. V. Savon, the new USSR champion, tied for 12th place. Incidentally, Spassky lost to both Petrosian and Korchnoi.
In spite of the Alekhine Memorial, Moscow, 1971, however Boris Spassky is still the chess champion of the world and he will be the most formidable opponent Robert Fischer ever faced—when these two grandmasters square off for their title match in the Spring. Referring once more to the Alekhine Memorial tournament, it should not be overlooked that Grandmaster Robert Byrne turned a more-than-creditable performance. Byrne's FIDE rating (2510) was better than that of only one of the 18 contestants, L. Lengyel—who finished in last place! For that matter, Karpov's 2540 rating was surpassed by 13 of the 18 players.
