FORMER chess grandmaster Boris Spassky has died aged 88.
The Russian became world champion in 1969.
He still held the title as he took part in the “match of the century” against American Bobby Fischer in 1972.
The contest was inevitably a political one, given the Cold War conflict between the East and the West.
Chess had been dominated by the former, having had Soviet world champions dating back to 1948.
But that streak was broken when Fischer defeated Spassky to take his title.
Confirming Spassky’s passing, the Russian Chess Federation called it a “great loss for the country”.
No cause of death has yet been confirmed.
Spassky was a prodigious talen, becoming a grandmaster at just 18.
Born in St. Petersburg, he later moved to France in 1976 – becoming a French citizen two years later and representing them in three Olympiads during the 1980s.
He would never reclaim his world title, but did rematch Fischer in 1992.
Spassky went on to lose again to the American, who had been unranked following a lengthy hiatus.
[bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=”The Queen’s Gambit – Trailer for the Netflix limited series starring Anya Taylor-Joy” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”default” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”6204189285001″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”]Following decades spent in Paris, Spassky returned to Russia in 2012, following a deterioration in his health.
Prior to his passing, Spassky had been the oldest living World Chess Champion.
Having twice suffered from strokes, he was seldom seen in the public eye during his latter years.
Spassky’s match with Fischer continued to resonate decades on.
It famously inspired Walter Tevis’ novel “The Queen’s Gambit” – which went on to be adapted into a hit Netflix series starring Anya Taylor-Joy.
‘ONE OF THE MOST TALENTED PLAYERS’
The international Chess Federation have released a statement paying tribute to Spassky.
It read: “RIP Boris Vasilievich Spassky. One of the most talented players of his generation, the 10th World Champion Boris Spassky has passed away at the age of 88.
“Spassky was considered a chess prodigy. He attained the Grandmaster title at the age of 18 and made his debut in the Candidates Tournament (Amsterdam, 1956) at 19.
“After defeating Keres (1965), Geller (1965), and Tal (1965) in Candidates matches, he earned the right to challenge Petrosian but lost the title match (Moscow, 1966). Spassky made it all the way up again in the next cycle and won the crown in his second match against the ninth world champion.
“Spassky played seven times for the Soviet Olympiad team (1962–1978). In 1976, Spassky immigrated to France; he competed for France in three more Olympiads (1984–1988).”
‘GREATEST CHESS MATCH OF ALL TIME’
American chess grandmaster Hans Niemann wrote: “1972 was the greatest chess match of all time. Spassky demonstrated unparalleled fighting spirit and character on and off the chess board.”
Russian chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov added: “RIP to the 10th world champion, Boris Spassky, here looking over my shoulder at my match with Hubner in 1985.
“Boris was never above befriending and mentoring the next generation, especially those of us who, like him, didn’t fit comfortably into the Soviet machine. (He emigrated to France in 1976.)
“It was a pleasure to tell my stories and those of others about him in the third volume of My Great Predecessors.
“His rise as a prodigy, conquest of the crown against the invincible Petrosian on the second attempt, and decades of elite play are too often lost in the shadow of his dramatic title loss to Bobby Fischer in 1972 and the circus Fischer turned it into.
“But Spassky always wanted to play, and he handled the situation with impressive dignity.
“While his chess justified the “universal” label that frequently follows his name, his aggressive gambiteering style produced countless masterpieces.”