1967 Chess Interzonal Sousse
For sale is the book 1967 Interzonal Sousse. Here are the games of this great tournament. The tournament took place in October and November 1967 as part of the World Chess Championship cycle, serving as the qualifier for the Candidates Matches, a format change that had been suggested by Fischer himself to replace the traditional Candidates Tournament. This event attracted a strong field of 22 players, with an average Elo rating of 231, featuring leading Soviet grandmasters like Viktor Korchnoi, Efim Geller, and Svetozar Gligorić, as well as prominent international players including Bent Larsen, Lajos Portisch, Samuel Reshevsky, and the American Bobby Fischer.Bent Larsen emerged as the clear winner, scoring an impressive 15.5 points out of 21 games, securing his place as one of the world’s elite players and advancing to the Candidates Matches. Other top finishers included Viktor Korchnoi, Efim Geller, and Svetozar Gligorić, who tied for second place, each with 14 points.One of the tournament’s defining moments was Bobby Fischer’s withdrawal after 10 rounds despite leading the standings with 8.5 points. Fischer, a Seventh-day Adventist, requested accommodation for religious observances, which included not playing on Fridays and before sunset on Saturdays. While organizers initially cooperated by adjusting scheduling and starting some Saturday games late, Fischer became increasingly dissatisfied with playing conditions and the tournament schedule, which demanded long stretches of consecutive rounds with minimal rest. This led to escalating tensions and Fischer threatening to withdraw if granted no additional rest days.His refusal to continue playing culminated in a dramatic walkout and a forfeit loss that impacted the tournament. Despite this, Fischer briefly returned to complete a few games, including a notable win against Samuel Reshevsky, but ultimately withdrew fully after defaulting several games and issuing ultimatums to the organizers. This marked an early episode in Fischer’s career showing his uncompromising demands and foreshadowing his later turbulent interactions with tournament officials.The event was also remarkable for its grueling schedule and logistic challenges, which tested the players' stamina and adaptability. Several players shared points in various rounds, and the tournament demonstrated a rich variety of openings and fighting styles, making it a memorable and intense competition in chess history.Following the Interzonal, a playoff was held among the tied players to
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