AThe Windsor Star Windsor, Ontario, Canada Thursday, August 26, 1971 - Page 4
Chess Champ Sees Fischer in Playoffs
Vancouver (CP) — Boris Spassky, reigning king of world chess, says he will begin training in secret next month for a planned defense of his crown next March.
The Soviet grandmaster said in an interview he believes Bobby Fischer of the United States will emerge as the winner of the current elimination series being held to select a challenger to meet Spassky for the world championship he has held since 1969.
The U.S. grandmaster is scheduled to meet another Soviet grandmaster, Tigran Petrosian, in the final round of the challengers' series in a best-of-10-game match starting next month. Site for the series has not yet been chosen.
Relaxing at his hotel between duties as a U.S.S.R. delegate to the World Chess Federation Congress and as an entrant in the Canadian Open chess championship, both now underway at the University of British Columbia, the world champion said he felt Fischer holds an edge over Petrosian.
Fischer now has won 12 straight games in the challengers' round.
