Spassky directly qualified for this match as the loser of the Spassky - Fischer World Championship Match (1972). Byrne qualified from the Leningrad Interzonal (1973). The three other quarterfinal matches were Petrosian - Portisch Candidates Quarterfinal (1974), Korchnoi - Mecking Candidates Quarterfinal (1974) and Karpov - Polugaevsky Candidates Quarterfinal (1974). Each match was a maximum 16 games, and the first to three wins would be the winner. If 8-8, the winner would be determined by a drawing of lots.1 The matches were held in order to select a challenger for Bobby Fischer, the World Champion.

Spassky and Byrne had played only two games before, in the San Juan (1969) tournament, where Spassky won, and in Moscow (1971), where they drew. Byrne had an occasion to follow Spassky's games from close quarters at the Fischer - Spassky match, where he worked as a reporter for the New York Times.2 Spassky's last major event was the USSR Championship (1973) in October, and Byrne's last major event was the interzonal (in June). Now the two would meet again in San Juan, Costa Rica, which had been selected by FIDE as the host city. Spassky arrived there on 3 January, accompanied by Clarissa (his wife), Igor Bondarevsky (second) and Boris Gromov, who was a kind of technical director.3 Byrne came one week later, with his wife, Bernard Zuckerman (second) and Lubomir Kavalek (unofficial second, delegation leader, and a member of the Appeals Committee of the match).2, 3 Both Byrne and Spassky were staying at the Racquet Club4 hotel. This was near the airport, and both complained of aircraft noise.5 Bondarevsky had feared how Spassky would adapt to the climate in Puerto Rico. But it was believed that Spassky could defeat Byrne anywhere, "be it the Sahara or Greenland".2 A controversy was reported over Byrne's selection of advisors and over the scheduling of the games.6

The main organizer was Narciso Rabell-Mendez, Deputy-President of the FIDE.2 The official opening was on 12 January. It was attended by the FIDE president Max Euwe, and by members of the FIDE Bureau which at the time was holding a meeting.2 After the ceremony, the players turned up at the Salon Theatre of the Society of Engineers, Architects and Surveyors. They tried the chairs, checked on the chess table, and the lights. Spassky found everything ideal. Byrne found the chess pieces "a little shiny", and said the overhead lighting "could be a little brighter". The auditorium furnished for the match drew high praise from Ed Edmondson, the Executive Director of the USCF.7 Spassky also complimented the height and breadth of the Brazilian rosewood table, noting that there was plenty of leg room beneath it. "I think even Bobby Fischer would be glad to play", he cracked.7 The arbiter was Wilfried Dorazil, whose assistant Manuel Paniaguas was also medical officer of the match.3 The winner of the match would receive 3500 USD, the loser 1500 USD.8

Discussing the conditions: http://www.mark-weeks.com/cfaa/cfa-...

Game 1 started at 3:30 pm.9 More than 75 persons watched in the auditorium. Another 200 persons jammed a nearby assembly room to watch over closed-circuit television, and 50 more could watch a monitor in the bar of the building. IM Julio Kaplan analyzed the game for the spectators on a huge chessboard.9 Spassky bravely sacrified the exchange on c3 in a Sicilian; Byrne gave the quality back 18 moves later, and the game was a fervent draw.2 In Game 2 (also a Sicilian), Byrne held the draw in a RP vs R ending.2 Game 3 was "the most interesting game of the match".2 Spassky sacrificed his queen for two pieces. This was the only victory achieved with Black in all four quarterfinal matches.2 In Game 4, Byrne lost while offering little resistance.2

Video Game 4: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/P...

Game 5 was deferred when Byrne complained he could not sleep. Paniaguas certified that the chain-smoking professor suffered from insomnia, and granted him a two-day delay "of what is expected to become his execution".5 Byrne said before the game that "my chances are poor, but I am not giving up".10 The game was a fighting draw, and presented Byrne in a favorable light.2 He used the Sicilian Keres attack, but could not break through. Game 6 marked the end. Spassky went for a BSC ending in which Byrne had the 'weak' bishop.2 The game was adjourned in a blocked position, with Spassky a pawn up. He broke through the next day, on the eve of his birthday.2

San Juan, Puerto Rico, 14-28 Jan 1974

              Elo*  1 2 3 4 5 6  Pts 
1 GM Spassky  2655  ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1  4½ 
2 GM Byrne    2605  ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 0  1½

Bent Larsen had predicted that the match would be competitive. Byrne admitted that he did not play well. "I was unable to live up to the prediction of my friend Larsen, and even now, I fail to explain to myself how everything turned out so bad".11

*FIDE Rating List July 1973.

1) Harry Golombek in The Times 15 Jan. 1974 p. 5; Tidskrift för Schack Feb. 1974 p. 33.

2) Bozidar Kazic in Candidates' Matches 1974 by Mikhail Botvinnik, Aleksandar Matanovic, Bozidar Kazic and Mikhail Yudovich Sr (Belgrade 1974).

3) Lubomir Kavalek in Jaque 27 (March 1974) p. 7.

4) http://images-00.delcampe-static.ne....

5) UPI report in Lodi News-Sentinel 25 January 1974 p. 9.

6) Register-Republic 14 January 1974 p. 1.

7) Mobile Register 14 January 1974 p. 8.

8) Oregonian 15 January 1974 p. 2.

9) State Times Advocate 15 January 1974 p. 4.

10) Times-Picayune 26 January 1974 p. 4.

11) Kavalek in Jaque 27 (March 1974) p. 8.

Original collections: Game Collection: WCC Index (Spassky-Byrne 1974) by User: Hesam7 and Game Collection: Spassky - Byrne Candidates Quarterfinal 1974 by User: Tabanus. Thanks to User: OhioChessFan for improving the English.