Local hero Fischer disappoints supporters

THE SECOND half of the Great Revenge Chess Match of the 20th Century, as its promoters call it, began badly for the 1972 world champion, Bobby Fischer, defeated by Boris Spassky in 54 moves. Fischer now leads 5-3 (with four draws) in this first-to-10-wins contest.

At the start of the 12th game, the first in the Belgrade leg of the match, play was delayed for a few minutes by cheers of hundreds of fans chanting 'Bobby] Bobby]'. Fischer acknowledged the applause, walking in front of a glass partition erected to satisfy his demands for soundproofing.

The Belgrade crowd had come to witness a resurrection, but Fischer proved to be mortal after all. Missing the subtle point of Spassky's new idea in the opening, Fischer drifted into a passive position and never had an answer to a powerfully prepared attack on his king. At move 32, Fischer had to lose a piece, after which the result was never in doubt. Those who watched Fischer suffering over the last 20 moves finally drifted away in almost total silence.

Yesterday, they returned for the start of game 13, but the shouts of 'Bobby] Bobby]' were distinctly more muted. The game was drawn in 45 moves. Here are the moves of the 12th game.

----------------------------------------------------------------- White: Spassky ----------------------------------------------------------------- Black: Fischer ----------------------------------------------------------------- 1 d4 Nf6 28 Ne1 Rg7 2 c4 g6 29 Nf3 Rbf7 3 Nc3 Bg7 30 Rh6 Qd7 4 e4 d6 31 Qh5 Qxg4 5 f3 0-0 32 Rxg6 Qxh5 6 Be3 Nc6 33 Rxg7+ Rxg7 7 Nge2 a6 34 Rxh5 Bg4 8 h4 h5 35 Rh4 Bxf3 9 Nc1 e5 36 Bxf3 Nxg5 10 d5 Ne7 37 Bg4 Rh7 11 Be2 Nh7 38 Rxh7 Kxh7 12 Nd3 f5 39 Kc2 Be7 13 a4 Nf6 40 Kd3 Kg6 14 Nf2 a5 41 Nc7 Kf7 15 Qc2 c5 42 Ne6 Kh7 16 0-0-0 b6 43 Bh5 Kg8 17 Rdg1 Nh7 44 Be1 Nf6 18 Nb5 Kh8 45 Bh4 Kh7 19 g4 hxg4 46 Bf7 Nxd5 20 fxg4 f4 47 cxd5 Bxh4 21 Bd2 g5 48 Bh5 Kh6 22 hxg5 Ng6 49 Be2 Bf2 23 Rh5 Rf7 50 Kc4 Bd4 24 Rgh1 Bf8 51 b3 Kg6 25 Qd3 Rb8 52 Kb5 Kf6 26 Qh3 Rbb7 53 Kc6 Ke7 27 Nd3 Kg8 54 Ng7 1-0 Analysis, page 30 -----------------------------------------------------------------