Honolulu Star-Bulletin Honolulu, Hawaii Tuesday, June 05, 1973 - Page 14
Friends of Reclusive Champ Think So
Has Bobby Fischer Quit Chess?
By Harold C. Schonberg
New York—Friends of Bobby Fischer, the world chess champion, are beginning to doubt that he will ever play again.
Since he won the title from Boris Spassky in Reykjavik, Iceland, last Sept. 1, Fischer has been in virtual seclusion.
He has even failed to accept an offer of $1.4 million from the International Hilton in Las Vegas for a rematch with Spassky, or, if the former champion were not available, any other opponent of Fischer's choice.
After a few public and television appearances on his return from Reykjavik, Fischer retired to an apartment in Pasadena, Calif., the site of the headquarters of the Worldwide Church of God. He saw very few people and refused to give interviews.
RECENTLY THERE have been reports that Fischer has become disenchanted with the church. He is now staying in Denver with a man who used to be associated with it.
Contrary to general belief, Fischer has never been a member of the church, a fundamentalist group headed by Herbert W. Armstrong that “follows biblical teachings 100 per cent.”
Several months before his match with Spassky, Fischer said that when he became world champion he would not be like “those Russian commies.” He said he would not wait for the completion of the three-year cycle of formal elimination contests, but would defend his title two or even three times a year “if the price is right.”
Under the terms of the Hilton contract, Fischer would have to pay his opponent's purse and all other expenses out of the $1.4 million.
THE HILTON, remembering Fischer's demands and complaints before and during the match with Spassky, insisted that Fischer handle all details himself.
But instead of accepting the proposition, he asked for $10 million.
One source formerly close to Fischer said the demand was not indicative of greed. Rather, he believes, it is Fischer's method of retreating from the possibility of playing chess in public.
“Bobby” said the source, “doesn't really care about money. When he returned from Reykjavik he had $2.5 million cold in offers, and another $7 million or so pending. All he had to do was sign his name to various offers. He didn't sign a thing.”
THE ICELAND match itself boasted a purse of $250,000 more than 10 times the size of any previous chess purse.
Fischer keeps in touch with various friends by telephone. A night owl whom sleeps most of the day and comes to life in the late after noon, he often telephones friends at 4 a.m., wanting to talk.
Fischer has “retired” from chess before.
Before he returned to action in the Russia-versus-the-world tournament in 1970, he had been in seclusion for about 18 months. There are those who believe that when his chess hunger becomes strong, Fischer will again enter the arena.
But at least one person who recently spoke to him thinks otherwise.
“BOBBY'S IN a state.” he said, “He is reclusive and suspicious, especially about the press. In any telephone conversation he is apt to say, ‘Are you going to pass this on to the papers?’ He is absolutely frightened of the press.”
A person in occasional touch with Fischer said that for the first time in his life the champion is not keeping abreast of the chess literature. He used to play over every published game of every major tournament. Now he is unfamiliar with the latest theoretical innovations.
“That,” said the friend, “is a bad sign.”
