Petrosianic: <WhiteRook48: Korchnoi offered Petrosian a win or a draw.>Yes, Korchnoi offered, and in a way I've often seen used by people who have just hung a piece on chess.com.
PETROSIAN: <"In the final, tenth game, I obtained a large plus, and offered a draw, but Korchnoi refused. As it turned out, the tension of the struggle was so great that my opponent did not realize how difficult his position had become. Later on, Korchnoi's game became hopeless, and when the time for adjournment arrived, he addressed me in the following manner: "I could resign here or agree a draw." From a sporting point of view, a draw and a win in this game had the same significance, so I replied "Of course, a draw.">
How many times have you seen a game where an opponent hung a piece, offered a draw, and then resigned a moment later if you didn't take it?
<Howard: Fischer, as I recall, suspected that the match was rigged. Korchnoi made a brief reference to that allegation in a January, 1978 interview with Chess Life and Review, but I don't recall what he said.>
Nothing about it in January 1978, but here's what Korchnoi had to say on the matter:
KORCHNOI: <32 years after the events described, Anatoly Karpov spoke out. In the book Russians vs. Fischer he stated that the Petrosian-Korchnoi match was decided beforehand, in the USSR Sports Committee, and that for losing the match I was promised participation in three international tournaments. How should I comment on this statement? Morally unscrupulous people skillfully spread obnoxious rumors. As a result the ecology of the Earth suffers.>
Hmm, this seems to fall slightly short of a confession.
Kibitzing
