The San Bernardino County Sun San Bernardino, California Sunday, August 13, 1961
Fischer Fails to Show Up, Rocks Chess Circles
Los Angeles (AP)—Sixteen(sic)-year-old Bobby Fischer, defending U.S. chess champion, failed to show up for the 12th game in his match with challenger Samuel Reshevsky yesterday.
The referee called it a forfeit victory for Reshevsky and set off a storm that could rock chess circles for weeks.
Referee Irving Rivise gave this account:
A week ago the game was rescheduled from Saturday evening to 11 a.m. Sunday. Fischer protested. Officials warned him to appear or lose. When Fischer didn't show up, Rivise declared the forfeit.
“I never expected this,” said Reshevsky. And he left.
Fischer was not available for comment.
Rivise said the change was ordered because Reshevsky would not play on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath. The referee added:
“I think Fischer felt this was done to accommodate Reshevsky and wouldn't have anything to do with it. We haven't been unreasonable—he has.”
Another official said, “he's a late riser—he doesn't like to play early.”
The match moves to New York this week for its final four games. Reshevsky leads in victories, 3-2.
There have been 7 draws.
CORRECTION: The schedule was changed twice.
- Changed from Saturday night to Sunday at 1:30 P.M. to which Bobby Fischer consented.
- Changed from 1:30 P.M. Sunday to 11 A.M. Sunday, by Referee Irving Rivise, to accommodate his own trip to San Francisco for the U.S. Open which opened the following day, Monday.
Young Fischer protested that the schedule should be returned to the originally scheduled time of 1:30 P.M. This clarification is documented in the August 14, 1961 Los Angeles Times “Chess Champ Forfeits By Failing to Appear”
