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The King's Men Sun, Feb 20, 1972 – Page 58 · The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky) · Newspapers.com
The King's Men: Yugoslavia, Iceland Get Chess Match by Merrill Dowden
The big news for which chess players throughout the world have been waiting is now out, and it's official.
Dr. Max Euwe, president of the International Chess Federation, has announced in Amsterdam that American grandmaster Bobby Fischer will meet the reigning world champion, Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union, in a 24-game match. The first 12 games will be played in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, and the second 12 in Reykjavik, Iceland. Dr. Euwe said the match must begin no later than June 25.
Belgrade has offered the biggest prize money for the title match—$152,000—and Reykjavik's bid of $125,000 was third highest. Buenos Aires, Argentina, where Fischer defeated former world champion Tigran Petrosian of Russia in the final challenge round last fall, had offered $150,000 for the most heralded confrontation in the history of the royal game. The winner is to get 62.5 per cent of the purse and the loser, 37.5 per cent.
According to Tass, the Soviet Government press agency, agreement was reached in a five-hour meeting February 8 between Colonel Edmund Edmondson, executive director of the United States Chess Federation, and Victor Baturinsky, secretary of the Soviet Chess Federation. However, formal announcement of the agreement was held up until Fischer and Spassky could be consulted.
It is possible, of course, that the match will not go to the scheduled 24 rounds. The first player to score 12½ points will be world champion.
Fischer visited both the selected sites with Edmondson, but did not accompany him to Moscow.
Fischer had named Belgrade as his first choice, and Spassky had favored Reykjavik.
