AThe Vancouver Sun Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Friday, May 14, 1971 - Page 29 / ★
That's one for the Russians as Chess Dispute Solved by Bill Rayner
The Russians have won the first skirmish in the Great Chess War here.
Max Euwe, president of the International Chess Federation, ruled Thursday that the world chess championship quarter-final match between Bobby Fischer of the U.S. and Mark Taimanov of the Soviet Union be played in the Student Union Building movie theater at the University of B.C.
His decision ended two days' search for playing facilities after Taimanov rejected the TV room at UBC's graduate center Wednesday.
That room was selected by Canadian Chess Federation officials in deference to Fischer's request for a private playing area with no spectators.
Euwe's choice of the theater means spectators will be allowed to watch the 10-game match. It also is a victory for the four-man Russian delegation, whose veto Wednesday forced a three-day postponement of the match.
Fischer took the decision calmly.
“Let's play,” he said “I'm willing to play anywhere.”
Neither Fischer nor Taimanov have seen the theater, on SUB's lower level.
First game, originally scheduled for Thursday, will be played at 4 p.m. Sunday. By then fluorescent lighting, another condition of Fischer's will be installed in the theater.
First player to score 5½ points wins the match (wins are worth one point, draws half a point). He then will advance to the semi-finals of the challenger's round.
Winner of the eight-man playoffs will meet world champion Boris Spassky of Russia in 1972 for the title.
Meanwhile, in Moscow, Viktor Korchnoi of Russia defeated fellow-countryman Yefim Geller in Thursday's first game of their quarter-final match.
At Las Palmas, in the Canary Islands, Bent Larsen of Denmark and Wolfgang Uhlmann of East Germany, adjourned their first quarter-final match in the 44th move after six hours' play. It will be finished today.
And at Seville, Spain, Tigran Petrosian of Russia and Robert Huebner of West Germany, adjourned their first quarter-final match in the 41st move after five hours of play.
It will be finished Saturday. The second match of 10 will be played today.
