Nanaimo Daily News Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada Friday, October 01, 1971 - Page 2
Fischer Takes Chess Lead
Buenos Aires (Reuter)—Bobby Fischer, 28-year-old U.S. grandmaster, defeated former world champion Tigran Petrosian Thursday night in the first game of a 12-game match to decide who will challenge Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union for the world chess title.
Fischer, playing whites, displayed his usual adamant will to win, and at the 28th move refused an offer for a draw by his 42-year-old Armenian opponent opening the way to victory with a pawn heading for coronation in the king's sector, and finally winning at the 40th move.
The game was played to a full house in the 1,200-seat San Martin Theatre.
Petrosian surprised experts with a very aggressive variant of the Sicilian defense against Fischer's pawn-king-four opening.