Spassky, born in 1937, learned to play chess at the age of five while on a train evacuating his hometown Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) during World War II.He made steady progress, and by the age of 10 was a recognized talent. There is a famous photo from 1947 of Spassky giving future World Champion Botvinnik a tussle in a simultaneous exhibition, when the former was a 10-year old boy. It was clear that young Boris had more potential than the other kids.
In 1955, Boris Spassky became the 3rd World Junior Chess Champion, in the process becoming an International Grandmaster. Spassky had achieved the GM title at 18 years old, and while today this would not be considered a big deal, it was a world record at that time!
Continuing his climb, Spassky played with great success in international tournaments, and survived the incredibly tense Moscow Zonal tournament of 1964, then tied for first in the 1964 Interzonal at Amsterdam, and advanced to the World Championship Match against Tigran Petrosian by knocking out all of his opponents in the 1965 Candidates Matches: Keres, Geller, and Tal. The first two are legendary players, and Tal of course made it to the summit in 1960.
Spassky had to face polar opposites back-to-back: the mad-attacking Mikhail Tal in the 1965 Candidates Final, and the defensive Tigran Petrosian in the 1966 World Championship Match. Spassky's universal style almost allowed him to pull it off: he beat Tal 7-4 in the Candidates Final, but lost to Petrosian by a single point (12.5-11.5) in the title match. We can credit this to Spassky's "universal style": he was able to do everything well, seemingly equally comfortable in all types of positions.
After losing in 1966, Spassky had to make a climb all over again to get another shot at Petrosian. By virtue of making the World Championship match, he would not have to battle in the Interzonal, but that still left three difficult Candidates Matches just for another title shot! Spassky managed in the 1968 Candidates Matches to knock out Geller, Larsen, and Korchnoi in succession, and each by a margin of three points! This gave him the right to face Petrosian again in the 1969 World Championship Match, which he won by a score of 12.5-10.5. Thus, Boris Spassky became the 10th World Chess Champion.
Spassky was a very strong player during his best years and, notably, dominated Bobby Fischer each time they faced each other in a tournament or in their super-hyped game in the 1970 Siegen Olympiad.
Beginning in 1970, however, it was clear that there would be a showdown in 1972, as Fischer was mowing down everyone in sight. After Fischer beat Petrosian in the 1971 Candidates Final, the 1972 World Championship Match was set.
The recent match (September-October 2006) between Topalov and Kramnik reminded many of the '72 match between Fischer and Spassky. Boris Spassky had a reputation then (and now) of being a complete gentleman, letting his play do the talking. On the other hand Fischer...
This match was more than just a chess match, unfortunately. It was billed a Cold-War showdown, Spassky being from the Soviet Union and Fischer from the United States. U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissenger called Fischer to get him to play. Taimanov and Petrosian, after losing to Fischer, had been severely punished by the Soviet State.
In a match more remembered for its off-the-board antics (Fischer forfeited Game 2; Spassky's team alleged that Fischer had chemicals sprayed into the air or was hypnotizing Spassky) than its chess, Fischer won "The Match of the Century" by a final score of 12.5-8.5. Fischer was unstoppable during those years, and unfortunately Spassky was the man standing in the way.
Spassky was reprimanded for losing the match against Fischer, and the next year, in 1973, the USSR organized a "Super-Final," where ALL of the top stars from the Soviet Union were "invited" to play. Boris Spassky, the ex-Champion humiliated in his country, managed to win this supertournament.
Spassky continued to post strong results in tournaments, but never was a title contender again; he tired of all the work and preparation it took. He was a man whose life was not dominated by chess. Spassky emigrated to France in 1978 and has played under the French flag ever since.
Spassky is a very popular lecturer in, of all places, the United States! In this country there are as many fans who love Fischer as hate him, but Spassky is universally admired by all chessplayers the world over.
No comments:
Post a Comment