World Chess Championship 1975
The 1975 World Chess Championship was never played due a dispute over the match format. Champion Bobby Fischer (USA) was to play Anatoly Karpov (Soviet Union) in Manila, commencing June 1, 1975.
Fischer refused to play the standard "Best of 24 games" match, instead asking for the old-style "First to win x games" format. He also requested that the champion retain the title in the event of a 9–9 score. As a compromise, FIDE offered a "Best of x games and must win y of them" format. Fischer refused and telegrammed his resignation as FIDE World Champion. FIDE then agreed to a "First to win 10 games" match, but did not concede the 9–9 score request. Deadlines were extended for Fischer's reconsideration, but he did not respond, so Karpov was named World Champion by default on April 3, 1975.
Read more about World Chess Championship 1975: 1973 Interzonal Tournaments, 1974 Candidates Tournament
Famous quotes containing the words world and/or chess:
“No man, however benevolent, liberal, and wise, can use a large fortune so that it will do half as much good in the world as it would if it were divided into moderate sums and in the hands of workmen who had earned it by industry and frugality. The piling up of estates often does great and conspicuous good.... But no man does with accumulated wealth so much good as the same amount would do in many hands.”
—Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1822–1893)
“But compared with the task of selecting a piece of French pastry held by an impatient waiter a move in chess is like reaching for a salary check in its demand on the contemplative faculties.”
—Robert Benchley (1889–1945)