AThe Philadelphia Inquirer Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Monday, August 30, 1971 - Page 3
Reds Hit Fischer for Chess Boast
Moscow (UPI).—Russia's leading sports newspaper accused America's Bobby Fischer Sunday of “trying to stir up an unhealthy hullabaloo” against Russian chess players.
A commentary published by Sovietsky Sport denied that the Russians conspire unfairly to defeat foreigners.
At the same time, the commentary praised Fischer for the brilliance of his world championship challenge round victories over Russia's Mark Taimanov and Denmark's Bent Larsen.
“In both matches Fischer showed he is an all-around chess player, unusually strong in both positional and combinational games,” Sovietsky Sport said.
“He may well have some vulnerable points, but that does not prevent us from viewing him as an outstanding chess player and one of the important challengers from the chess crown.
“However, we cannot ignore a number of recent statements Fischer mad … which can only cause a determined protest in any unprejudiced man.”
The newspaper quoted Fischer as saying he had been the best chess player in the world for the past 10 years. It said he accused Soviet players of conspiring to play draws against one another while playing to defeat foreign players.
“He has not been the best chess player in the world for the past 10 years. He has yet to prove he is now … certainly, Soviet grandmasters did not arrange any plots.”
The newspaper said it admired “Fischer the chess player.”
“But the Fischer who is trying to stir up unhealthy hullabaloo around the struggle for the world championship . . . the Fischer who is trying to soil his fellow grandmasters, can only arouse astonishment, not to say something stronger against him,” the commentary by Sovietsky Sport said.
