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:
“Learn of the green world what can be thy place
In scaled invention or true artistry,”
—Ezra Pound (1885–1972)
“It’s a great huge game of chess that’s being played—all over the world—if this is the world at all, you know. Oh, what fun it is! How I wish I was one of them! I wouldn’t mind being a Pawn, if only I might join—though of course I should like to be a Queen, best.”
—Lewis Carroll [Charles Lutwidge Dodgson] (1832–1898)