AThe Sydney Morning Herald Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Sunday, June 13, 1971 - Page 77
Big Chess - Fischer To Fore By G. Koshnitsky
THERE were no surprises in the first round of the Candidates' chess matches, all favorites winning.
The most closely contested match was between the youthful Robert Huebner of West Germany and the ex-world champion, Tigran Petrosian (USSR).
The first six games were drawn, but when Petrosian won the seventh Huebner conceded the match on medical advice.
Petrosian will be meeting the USSR champion, Victor Korchnoi, in the semi-final.
In the only all-USSR encounter, Korchnoi defeated Efim Geller, 5½-2½.
The Danish ace, Bent Larsen, defeated East Germany's Wolfgang Uhlmann, 5½-3½, the longest match of the round, while the hot favorite, the American wonder-boy, Bobby Fischer, disposed of the formidable Mark Taimanov (USSR) with the unprecedented score of 6-0.
Before the match, Taimanov optimistically hoped to profit from Fischer's inexperience as a match player. Usually in top match chess contestants do not strive for wins in every game, but try to conserve energy by consolidating a win or two by a few safe draws.
The score shows that Fischer not only wanted to win the match and qualify for the semi-final in which he will play Larsen, but also to prove his absolute superiority.
Few doubt that Fischer will be playing Boris Spassky for the World Championship at the end of the qualifying series, but the path to the world chess crown is not an easy stroll, even for a genius.
