AThe Gazette Montreal, Quebec, Quebec, Canada Saturday, April 17, 1971 - Page 52
Foreigners to Battle on Canadian Soil
After a long conference of FIDE officials at Amsterdam, Canada was the only site which the Americans and Russians could agree to as the battle-ground for the forthcoming struggle between Bobby Fischer and Mark Taimanov in the first round of the Challengers (or Candidates) Knockout Match Tourney of the world series. The ten game match will be played in the Graduate Center of the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, starting Thursday, May 13. Winner will be the first to score 5½ pts., and in case of a tie play will continue until a win is scored. However, if after four games the score is still tied, decision will be made by a toss-up. Play will be on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, with adjourned games in between. B. Kasic, of Yugoslavia, will referee.
The other matches will start about the same time: Larsen, Denmark, vs. Uhlmann, E. Germany (Las Palmas, Canary Islands); Petrosian, USSR, vs. Huebner, W. Germany (Seville, Spain); Korchnoi, USSR, vs. Geller, USSR (Sochi, Crimea). The match winners will meet in the next round in July, with the final two survivors fighting it out in a best of 12 games match in September for the right to play world champion Boris Spassky, USSR, in a title match next year.
The Gazette Montreal, Quebec, Quebec, Canada Saturday, April 17, 1971 - Page 52
Whistling Past the Graveyard
There is naturally great interest in Russia, as everywhere else, in the forthcoming match between their representative, Mark Taimanov, and the American genius, Bobby Fischer, whose avowed aim is the overthrow of the Russian hegemony which has dominated the world championship for two decades. Alexander Roshal was assigned by the Soviet chess newspaper “64” to interview Taimanov about his opinions and prospects. The translation is from “Chess Canada”.
TAIMANOV: “I have absolutely no complex about Fischer. For me the most difficult opponent from the first group (Geller, Korchnoi, Petrosian, Huebner) would have been Petrosian, then Korchnoi. But the most interesting opponent, I believe, is Fischer, and secondly, Larsen. I've always wanted to play Fischer. It will be very interesting.
Fischer has certain defects, primarily he has no match experience. His tournament skill may not show in our match. Besides, I repeat, he is an exceptionally interesting opponent and, it seems to me, he has changed as a person. It was quite unexpected but nice to hear his opinion of me: ‘Taimanov — a great guy!’ Although …”
ROSHAL: “Although you haven't done anything special to deserve such a compliment? On the contrary …”
TAIMANOV: “Yes, on the contrary! More than anyone else I was always against him. This time (it began at the Olympiad) my opinion of him changed sharply. Fischer is, of course, childish and naive. Yet, as every talented man, he possesses many attractive characteristics. He's got charm.
“I am curiously, finding more and more new qualities of Fischer's. I consider him a grandiose chess player, but I am also convinced there is a certain discrepancy between what he is capable of; what he deserves; and what he produces.”
ROSHAL: “But when someone produces many times, it must mean he is capable.”
TAIMANOV: “True, of course, but the nature of his accomplishments lies partially in the sphere of psychology and that has an explanation. Fischer is now, perhaps, a unique chess player who always plays exceptionally steadily and strongly throughout the game, from beginning to end. Having a pure classical style, he indeed dislikes unclear tactical complications. Yet he is like a good machine which works flawlessly. That is why, encountering him, his opponents very often make pitiful mistakes and, as it seems to me, incomprehensible mistakes. For the time being I haven't experienced such a feeling. I recall, in the past, it has been very hard for me to play Smyslov. And when I had to play Tal, frankly, I was afraid of him. I was afraid of his power.
Yet Fischer's power does not scare me. Curiously, Fischer, does not change his manner of playing, even when he is in a worse position. In his place, Tal would begin looking for complications, confusion, and yet this one does not build illusions, does not apply any violent measures. He plays like before, strictly logical, clear and simple chess, trying hard to neutralize the pressure of his adversary.”
The Gazette Montreal, Quebec, Quebec, Canada Saturday, April 17, 1971 - Page 52
The recent Interzonal at Palma, Majorca, was the first time these two players have met, so far as we know. [Note: D.M. Le Dain forgot about 1960 Buenos Aires ]
21. Bxf6 Nxf6(a)
35. Qxe5(b) Rdb8
36. Bf5(c) Qxe5
(a) Black is reduced to defending his two weak Pawns at Q3 and QN3.
(b) White has increased his advantage in space as Black cannot exchange either G or R without immediate loss.
(c) Preventing N-K3 and pointing up the advantage of B and R vs. N and R in an open position. That, plus the engineering of a passed QRP proves decisive.
Robert James Fischer vs Mark Taimanov
Palma de Mallorca Interzonal (1970), Palma de Mallorca ESP, rd 19, Dec-06
Sicilian Defense: Paulsen Variation. Modern Line (B44) 1-0
https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1044335
The Gazette Montreal, Quebec, Quebec, Canada Saturday, April 17, 1971 Problem No. 1243 by C.R. Flood. White mates in...
Posted by Bobby Fischer's True History on Thursday, May 7, 2020
Problem No. 1243 by C.R. Flood. White mates in two moves.
FEN 8/8/2r1p1pp/Q3Bbbp/1pk3qR/pN6/P1PRP1N1/3K1B2 w - - 0 1
B-R1/Ba1
