AThe Decatur Herald Decatur, Illinois Wednesday, November 03, 1971 - Page 6
The Champion's Reward: Muscle Pays the Most by David Felts
Bobby Fischer's victory over the Russian master, Tigran Petrosian, in the world chess semi-finals at Buenos Aires was worth $7,500 and the right to challenge the champion, Russia's Boris Spassky. Fischer won the scheduled 12-game series when he beat Petrosian in the ninth game.
Fischer's prize money was less than half the World Series share of each Pittsburgh Pirate, and only a fourth of the purse a golfer can pick up for four days tour.
Chess is big in Buenos Aires and each match in the series was a sell-out. Tickets were sold by scalpers for almost double the official price — three pesos. At current exchange the Argentine peso is quoted at not quite 15 cents, U.S.
So much for mind over matter, or muscle.
