APacific Daily News Agana Heights, Guam Wednesday, December 29, 1971 - Page 21
Fischer Won't Play In Russia
New York (AP)—America's Bobby Fischer, who plays Russian defender Boris Spassky for the World Chess Championship in 1972, said Monday he would not play in Russia for fear of harassment and other unfair tactics.
The title match will probably be played in Amsterdam or in Yugoslavia.
Fischer, who will be 29 next March, has previously charged publicly that the Russians have blocked him and other non-Russians from reaching a title challenge. He told in a television interview on the Columbia network why he barred a Russian site.
“The Russians wants to keep the world championship so badly they don't care how they win,” the challenger declared.
As an example of harassing tactics he suggested: “Well, they might have a chambermaid barge into my hotel room and wake me up at 6 a.m. saying she wanted to collect my laundry.”
“And there are lots of other things they can do—like bullying. “They can promise me a certain kind of lighting, but when I get there I don't get it.”
Fischer, whose major characteristic is self-confidence, won his crack at the championship by defeating Russian Tigran Petrosian this year in Buenos Aires.
