AThe Vancouver Sun Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Thursday, September 02, 1971 - Page 6 ★
Chess Talks Continue - Vote Could Settle Venue
A democratic vote here Friday at the World Chess Federation (FIDE) Congress could decide the site of the challengers' elimination match between grandmasters Bobby Fischer of the U.S. and Tigran Petrosian of the Soviet Union.
Ed Edmondson of the U.S. and Boris Rodionov of the U.S.S.R have been negotiating here for several days, and it was previously expected that FIDE President Dr. Max Euwe of The Netherlands would break any deadlock.
But Euwe asked the Congress general assembly Wednesday whether it wished to rule on the site if the negotiators fail to come to an agreement.
The assembly said it would, and the vote, if necessary, will take place Friday morning.
At issue is the choice of four sites: Skopje and Umag in Yugoslavia, Athens, and Buenos Aires. The Russians have vetoed every city but Athens, while the U.S. favors Buenos Aires but is willing to compromise.
The bid from Buenos Aires seems to be the better one. It has bid $12,000 to stage the match, plus a $1,500 donation to FIDE and expenses for seven persons from each country.
The $1,500 donation would be a major gain for FIDE. The 70-member federation has an annual budget of only $15,000. Athens has bid $10,000, plus expenses.
Winner of the 12-game Fischer-Petrosian match will meet world champion Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union next spring in a 24-game match for the title.
