Infighting in Reykjavik

Like the variations on some tricky gambit, the moves in Reykjavik, Iceland, last week were wild, wicked and just plain wearying. First, World Chess Champion Boris Spassky of the U.S.S.R. requested and was granted a two-day postponement of the 14th game in his title match with Bobby Fischer of the U.S. Bobby, never one to miss an opening, immediately filed a formal protest, charging that Boris' excuse of "not feeling well" was too "vague and indefinite" to justify a delay. Actually, Fischer was just twisting the knife, for he and everyone else in Reykjavik could easily diagnose Spassky's complaint. Behind 8-5 in the best-of-24-games match, the champion was understandably suffering from an advanced case of the blahs.

When the 14th game finally got under way, however, Fischer temporarily restored Spassky's spirits. As Bobby made his 21st move, U.S. Grand Master Larry Evans, who was following the play on a pocket chess set in the press room of the Reykjavik Sports Hall, gasped, and declared, "Bobby's blundered! He's dead lost!" Sure enough, Spassky forced an exchange of pieces that left Fischer a pawn behind and in dire straits. Then, just as shockingly, Boris committed a far more obvious blunder on his 27th move. "They've gone to pieces! It's like they're playing on brennevin!" exclaimed one grand master, referring to the potent Icelandic drink that the locals fondly call "Black Death." Fischer's second, the Rev. William J. Lombardy, a Catholic priest and a grand master, concurred. Following the game, which plodded on to an inevitable draw after 40 moves, he observed: "They played like two drunks."

The action away from the board was just as hectic. In yet another formal protest, Fischer called the Icelandic Chess Federation and Chief Referee Lothar Schmid "arrogant and inconsiderate" for not complying with his demands to reduce spectator noise and remove the first seven rows of seats. (Officials patiently replied that the distance between stage and spectators was greater than at any previous chess match and that they had taken such precautions as forbidding the sale of noisy, cellophane-wrapped candies in the hall.) A little later, Film Producer Chester Fox got into the act; he announced that he was suing Fischer for $1.5 million to cover the losses incurred from Fischer's refusal to allow the match to be filmed.

The 15th game proved a refreshing respite from the week's extracurricular infighting. Fischer, playing black, again fell behind in the early going. Then, beginning with a daring pawn sacrifice on his 28th move, he engaged Spassky in a furious battle that equalized their forces. Playing brilliantly under fire, Spassky countered with a checkmating threat that after 43 moves forced each player to accept one-half point for a draw. That gave Fischer a 9-6 lead (he needs 12 1/2 points to win the match, Spassky needs 12) and led Arpad Elo, official statistician for the World Chess Federation, to make a prediction: if each contestant continues to play at the present level of his capabilities, the match will be over on Sunday, August 27, and Bobby Fischer will be the new world champion.

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