The Lowell Sun Lowell, Massachusetts Wednesday, October 27, 1971 - Page 3
U.S. Chess Grandmaster to Vie For World Title
(c) New York Times, Buenos Aires. Playing in his best form, U.S. chess grandmaster Bobby Fischer has defeated former world chess champion Tigran Petrosian for the fourth straight time to clinch the match at the San Martin theater here.
The victory gave Fischer 6½ points, the amount needed to win in the best out of 12 series. Petrosian's total was 2½ points. The remaining games scheduled will not be played.
It was again a classic example of obtaining a small advantage and building it up into a winning formula. The opening was the French Defense, played by Petrosian in reply to Fischer's 1. P-K4.
Petrosian had tried the same defense in the third game. He varied on his fourth move by developing the queen knight, one of the unusual variations. It led to a symmetrical game in the center, but Fischer had the edge in development. In addition Petrosian was saddled with a set of doubled pawns.
In view of the score, Petrosian might have been expected to adopt a more aggressive line, even with the black pieces. He seemed satisfied to equalize, and offered an exchange of queens.
Fischer made the exchange, which, as it turned out, further exposed the black pawns. Fischer immediately moved to open the Queen Bishop file, which his rook then commanded.
A pawn exchange left Petrosian with a doubled pawn which would be difficult to hold. Giving up defensive tactics, Petrosian embarked on a seemingly desperate sally against the white king.
Fischer's king march to R4, some distance from the menacing black rooks. WHile Petrosian was preparing, Fischer picked up two more pawns. He seemed safe enough, especially with the queens off the board.
With his back to the wall, Petrosian made his last game effort. Using his king and pawns, he set up a surprising mating threat which might have saved the game against a lesser opponent.
Fischer was forced to give up his knight for two pawns, but he had been prepared for this. In the resulting position all the pieces were off with the exception of Petrosian's knight. The mating danger was gone.
Petrosian would have had to contend with five passed pawns, which could not be stopped. He might have adjourned the hopeless game, but decided to resign.
The match was worth $7,600 to Fischer and $4,500 to Petrosian.
The victory earned Fischer the right to meet Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union for the world chess championship. The two will meet in a 24-game match next spring. Fischer has become the first American to reach the final step in the elimination series for the championship.
