The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Wednesday, October 27, 1971 - Page 24
Fischer Will Challenge World Chess Champion
Buenos Aires (AP)— U.S. chess genius Bobby Fischer defeated Tigran Petrosian of the Soviet Union in the ninth game of their match Tuesday night, thus winning the tournament, $7,500 and the right to challenge world champion Boris Spassky.
Fischer was triumphant in 46 moves, scoring his fourth victory in a row and his fifth in the match. The demoralized Petrosian, who won only one game and could find no way to block the onrushing American, received $4,500 as the loser. Three games ended in draws.
The biggest prize for Fischer was the opportunity to match his skill against Spassky, also of the Soviet Union, in a tournament next spring for the world's championship.
No American has ever held the world title and this is the first time in 23 years that anyone except a Soviet grand master has even been a challenger.
It was a bitter defeat for the 42-year-old Petrosian, who was world champion from 1962 to 1969. He made the bid despite his age, which is considered old for the exhausting demands of tournament play. Fischer, 28, is at the peak of his powers, according to most chess experts.
The tournament was scheduled to run through 12 games, but Fischer's charge in the last four made the three final games unnecessary. His victory in the ninth gave him the 6½ points required for tournament victory. Petrosian had 2½ points. A win scored one point and a draw a half point.
When Petrosian resigned cheers and tremendous applause broke out from more than 1,000 spectators in the auditorium of the San Martin theater. It was followed by more cheers from nearly 2,000 fans in the lobby who were unable to obtain seats in the crowded theater.
Reporters and photographers rushed onto the stage but Fischer fled, trying to go out one door and then another.
Finally he told newsmen, “It's over,” and added “I had a very good opening and that's how I won.”
The crowd in the lobby swelled to more than 5,000 persons, calling for Fischer to appear, but he refused.
Petrosian, tired and despondent, stood up and walked dejectedly toward his dressing room. His wife, who had sat in the fourth row throughout the tournament with Soviet and Argentine analysts, came on stage, picked up Petrosian's coffee container and followed her husband to the dressing room.
