LaviChess

Boris Spassky

Boris Spassky was world champion from 1969 to 1972. He was as much at home attacking as defending. He lost the title to Bobby Fischer in the famous Reykjavík match of 1972, and after Fischer's sixth game he applauded.

  • BornJanuary 30, 1937, Leningrad (today St. Petersburg)
  • DiedFebruary 27, 2025, Moscow
  • CountrySoviet Union, later France
  • World champion1969–1972
  • In the line of championsNo. 10 of 18
  • Highest rating2690 (July 1971)
    FIDE's official lists (from July 1971)

The road to the title

Spassky became a grandmaster in 1955, at 18. He reached the title match in 1966 but lost narrowly to Tigran Petrosian, 11½–12½. Three years later he was back, and this time he won, 12½–10½.

The title matches

Spassky's points come first, then wins (+), losses (−) and draws (=) in the classical games. A rapid tiebreak is given separately.
YearAgainstResultWhere
1966Tigran Petrosian11½–12½ (+3 −4 =17)
Lost		Moscow
1969Tigran Petrosian12½–10½ (+6 −4 =13)
Won the title		Moscow
1972Bobby Fischer8½–12½ (+3 −7 =11)
Lost the title		Reykjavík

How he played

Spassky had no particular style, and that was his strength. He could attack and he could defend, and he chose whatever the position called for. It is often called a universal style.

Reykjavík 1972

The match against Bobby Fischer in Iceland in the summer of 1972 was called the Match of the Century. Fischer lost the first game and did not turn up for the second, so Spassky led 2–0. Then the match turned.

After Fischer's sixth game, Spassky applauded along with the audience. Fischer won in the end, 12½–8½.

Afterward

In 1976 Spassky moved to France, and he played for France for many years. In 1992 he played a return match against Fischer, with no world title at stake. He died in Moscow in February 2025, aged 88.

Spassky's games here

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Fischer vs. Spassky, Game 6. After 20.e4: the key move of the game strikes at Black's center.

Sources

  • Wikipedia: Boris Spassky
  • Store norske leksikon: Boris Spasskij
  • AP: Boris Spassky dies at 88 (February 27, 2025)
  • OlimpBase: the title matches 1966–1972 and FIDE's rating lists
  • PGN Mentor: the title matches' games

The facts on this page come from the sources above, checked against each other. Where the sources disagree, only what they agree on is given. The match results are also checked against the games themselves.

Updated November 8, 2026