AThe Cincinnati Enquirer Cincinnati, Ohio Sunday, February 09, 1975 - Page 111
How Do You Pick Winner?
How should the World Championship Match be scored? Should ties count? What score should decide the winner?
Recognizing the frequency of draws in match play, should a limit be imposed on the number of games to be played? If so, how many?
These questions have been a prime concern at International Chess Federation (FIDE) congresses over the last four years. They have not been successfully resolved.
During July and August 1972, Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky played a match for the Men's World Chess Championship. It had a limit of 24 games. Twelve and one-half points for either side won the match.
EACH PLAYER received one point for a win and a half point for a draw. In the event of a tied match, 12 to 12, Boris Spassky would have retained his title. Fischer actually won this match with a score of 12½ to eight and one-half when Spassky resigned the 21st game.
In 1971, before his match with Spassky, Fischer petitioned FIDE to adopt different rules for the World Championship Match. Fischer wants a 10 win, draws don't count, no limit match. If the match reaches nine to nine, it would be declared a draw, with the champion retaining his title. A spread of at least 10 to eight, therefore, would be required to declare a winner. FIDE accepted Fischer's proposal for the 1975 match with one exception. It reduced the number of wins from 10 to six.
Fischer continued pressing for 10 wins without success—at Skopje in 1972 and at Helsinki in 1973.
THE LAST FIDE congress scheduled to convene prior to the World Championship Match in 1975 was held in Nice, France, in June, 1974. Fischer repeated his request for 10 wins. This time the congress voted and narrowly adopted Fischer's position.
His victory was short-lived, however, as the congress then reversed itself on the match length issue and imposed a 36-game limit. The rule was formally changed from six wins, no limit, to 10 wins, 36-game limit. If no one had 10 wins before the 36-game limit was reached, then ties would count and the winner would be the player with the highest score.
The rule was changed on June 26, 1974. On June 27, 1974, Fischer resigned his FIDE World Chess Champion title. Who's right in this issue. What should the rules be?
