AThey've said Bobby Fischer was too demanding on organizers, but, he had his own reasons. This chess columnist attempts to explain:
The Boston Globe, Boston, Massachusetts, Sunday, December 27, 1959 - Page 21
United States Chess Championship Pairing Difficulties
United States chess champion Bobby Fischer threatened to withdraw from the current championship tournament on a point of procedure. After being notified by mail of the pairings for the tournament, Fischer insisted they be redrawn in public. This, he said, was the custom in Europe.
On Dec. 11 a joint committee of the sponsoring bodies refused to change the rule, which had been in effect for the past two tournaments. Fischer was given until Dec. 13 to change his stand; the deadline was later extended, but Fischer was adamant.
The sponsors claim they have no objections to public drawings and, in fact, would be happy to have one next year. Hans Kmoch, the director, said, according to the New York Times: “It is a completely minor point that has never come up in previous tournaments, and Bobby played in three of them.” Although it was announced that Fischer had been replaced by Anthony F. Saidy, nevertheless the champion is competing; compromise points unknown.
This is the second time this year a major tournament has been marred by pairing difficulties. Samuel Reshevsky withdrew from the opulent Log Cabin tournament last August because the schedule failed to leave his Sabbaths free, and the other players, for their own understandable reasons, felt compelled to refuse adjustments.
Fischer, in the present case, may have had in mind the famous tournaments of the '30s in which two arch-rivals, always the odds-on favorites, just happened to meet in the last round again and again. This was fine for tournament suspense and publicity, but psychologically rough on the participants.
The 1959-'60 championship tourney began Dec. 18 and ends Jan. 3.
