Fischer-Reshevsky Match

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Fort Lauderdale News Fort Lauderdale, Florida Sunday, August 20, 1961

It looks as though the Fischer-Reshevsky match may not be finished. The players were tied 5½-5½ at the end of the eleventh round.
Officials switched the time of the twelfth round from Saturday night to Sunday morning at the request of Reshevsky. Fischer objected saying he “was unable to arise so early and do himself justice at the chessboard.” The officials told him to appear or forfeit; so Bobby forfeited. He said he will not continue the match unless the decision is reversed.

CORRECTION: The schedule was changed twice.

1. Changed from Saturday night to Sunday at 1:30 P.M. to which Bobby Fischer consented.
2. 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”