Fort Lauderdale News Fort Lauderdale, Florida Sunday, August 27, 1961
Fischer Forfeits
Bobby Fischer, 16-year-old United States Chess Champion, refused to continue the 16-game match against Sam Reshevsky and was declared the loser by forfeit. He protested the rescheduling of the twelfth game from Saturday night to Sunday morning against his wishes and the resultant forfeiture of that game.
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”
Fischer wrote the officials:
“The rescheduling of the twelfth game was without my consent and the breach of contract therefore was not mine.”
Bill Lombardy, well liked American grandmaster, sided with Fischer. “I think there should have been a little more leeway,” he said. “It appeared that the officials threatened Fischer. I know Bobby well enough to know he would not consent to play any game at 11 o'clock in the morning.”
