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The Game of Kings 10 Apr 1969, Thu The Gazette (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) Newspapers.com
Uneasy Lies the Head
World champion, Tigran Petrosian, whose match record is much superior to his tournament record, was queried on this by a group of Moscow University students recently. A pertinent question, for, as everybody knows previous world champions have been outstanding in both these fields of action, with the possible exception of Steinitz. The difference is in the value of a drawn game. You cannot lose a match by drawing every game, but transfer that result to tournament play and you would finish far down the final tabulation — although undefeated!
Students: “Your tournament appearances can hardly be called good for a World Champion. How can this be explained?”
Petrosian: “Play in a tournament with a mixed set of opponents is not the same as a World Championship match. I used to play calmly in tournaments just to enjoy my self. Now many opponents play quite openly for a draw against me because I am World Champion.”
Students: “What is your main aim in playing in the Palma (Majorca) tournament? Will Fischer be there?”
Petrosian: “I want to test my play once more and have a look at the other grandmasters. In particular at Boris Spassky.
“Fischer is not on the list of invited players. For a long time I thought Fischer's caprices were impulsive gestures, but at the Olympiad I formed the impression that his 'tricks' have a definite purpose. The point is that in the West an aureole of invincibility has been created for him. If however he were to meet the best Soviet grandmasters and lose, his renown would be shaken. That means it is not to his advantage to meet the really stronger players in the world. No, its not by accident that Fischer arranges these incidents.”
World Championship Match
World champion Tigran Petrosian has a built-in advantage in his forthcoming match with challenger Boris Spassky. If the best of 24 games match ends in a tie, Petrosian retains the title. In other words he can play for draws, whereas Spassky must have a one point lead, at least, at the end to take the title. The challenger has protested against this, practical and psychological disadvantage, but FIDE insists on the ruling, otherwise a match could go on indefinitely. Play will start this Saturday at the Variety Theatre, Moscow.
In the Majorca tournament, as reported earlier, Petrosian finished behind Korchnoi, Spassky and Larsen.
