In October 2022 – 50 years later – the FISHER Chess World Cup will be held in Iceland. The semi-finals will be played on Saturday, but so far there has not been as much commotion as there was 50 years ago. – I have nothing to do with them, Thorarinsson replied when he received the unknown phone. – But at the meeting last Sunday you were elected president, answered the man on the other end of the phone. Gudmundur Thorarinsson knew little about what his weasel brother did the weekend before. He had nominated his older brother for the presidency – and Gudmundur Thorarinsson was elected. At first he was furious. “Why on earth did you nominate me for president?” Veslebror argued well: – Just be president for two or three years, then you can resign. There is nothing going on here. But the weasel brother was to be thoroughly mistaken. PRESIDENT: It is 50 years since all eyes were on Gudmundur Thorarinsson. Photo: PIA RIVELSRUD / news The letter he didn’t want It is over 50 years since Gudmundur Thorarinsson received the unexpected phone call. In the following years, Thorarinsson involuntarily found himself in the crossfire between east and west. In 1972, all eyes were on Thorarinsson in Reykjavík. It started with a letter shortly after he took over as chess president. Iceland was wanted as the host city for the WC match between Boris Spasskij and Bobby Fischer. – It’s buzzing. We don’t have money for this. No one is suggesting that we should do this. They only create work for me, Thorarinsson thought. Once again he was persuaded. They submitted an application to become the host city, but still only came up with the third largest stall. – What did I say? They only create work for me. The Icelandic chess president still believed in calm days ahead, and that the city with the best bid would get the WC match. But Boris Spassky, the reigning world champion, wanted to play in Iceland. Then only the challenger, Bobby Fischer, was missing. It involved more than booking plane tickets. – Do you know if he exists? – There are only two men sitting at a table and playing chess. So we can arrange that, says Thorarinsson. But the WC match was a spectacle few have seen the likes of. – I argued a lot with Bobby Fischer’s lawyers, says Gudmundur Thorarinsson to news. START: Chess president Gudmundur Thorarinsson flanked by Bobby Fischer and Boris Spasskij. Photo: AP The American refused to go to Iceland. Spassky had been in the Icelandic capital for several days, but no one had seen the face of the American challenger. The match was postponed for a couple of days, and while he was arguing with the lawyers, Thorarinsson appeared at a funny press conference. – Are you worried, Mr. Thorarinsson? – … no, the president answers hesitantly – and is met with laughter from a huge press corps. A couple of minutes later came the question that says everything about the chess chaos: – Have you ever seen him? Do you have any proof that he actually exists? Was dragged onto the stage After much back and forth, after arguments with lawyers and disputes over prize money, it seemed that everything would start in July 1972. The only thing missing from the opening ceremony was Gudmundur Thórarinsson, who was still sitting and discussing with Fischer’s lawyers . – I should have had five minutes, but that was out of the question. Representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs almost dragged Iceland’s chess president onto the stage. – Here, US Foreign Minister Henry Kissinger has sent Fischer to take the Soviet Union, so you will be too late, they said to me in despair, Thorarinsson says. IN ICELAND: The sea of people in Reykjavík was large when Fischer came to the island in the Atlantic Ocean. Photo: J. Walter Green / AP He got some extra work, the Icelandic chess president. After one game, Bobby Fischer was furious. He was disturbed by the TV camera and demanded to play the rest of the WC match in the back room. The WC match was decided in the “ping-pong room” at the back of the playing arena. Bobby Fischer won one of the most legendary WC matches. But without Iceland, Bobby Fischer would not have been the same today, Thorarinsson believes. Legend status Iceland even up as the only alternative as a WC city. The host cities were fed up with Fischer’s demands, but Iceland gave Fischer a chance. – If we hadn’t taken care of this, Bobby wouldn’t have been world champion. It was the Icelanders, the tiny nation in the Atlantic Ocean, who took the risk. It was more than one WC match for Bobby Fischer in Iceland. In 2005, he received Icelandic citizenship after he was internationally wanted and arrested in Tokyo. He died in Iceland in 2008 and is buried in the small town of Selfoss. And if there was any doubt. This is how Thorarinsson answered the question in 1972: – That’s a good question. But I think we can agree that Mr. Fischer exists.
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Was chess president against his will and got history’s biggest chess drama in his lap – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
