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Boris Spassky

BORIS SPASSKY (born Jan-30-1937, died Feb-27-2025, 88 years old) Russia PRONUNCIATION: [what is this?] Boris Vasilievich Spassky was born in Leningrad, USSR. As a child, in 1943, he escaped from the siege of the city by German forces. Spassky first attracted international attention by finishing equal fourth at Bucharest (1953), celebrating his sixteenth birthday during the event. (Alexander Tolush won, his finest career achievement.) In 1955 Spassky won the World Junior Chess Championship. Spassky tied for third at the USSR Championship (1955) with World Champion Botvinnik, future champion Tigran Petrosian, and Georgy Ilivitsky, half a point behind Smyslov and Geller, who tied for first. Spassky's performance at the Gothenburg Interzonal (1955) made him, up to that date, both the youngest grandmaster ever, and the youngest ever to qualify for the Candidates tournament. Smyslov won the Amsterdam Candidates (1956). In 1956, Spassky tied with Mark Taimanov and Yuri Averbakh for first place at the USSR Championship (1956). He fell ill and finished last among the three players in the playoff. Many people expected Spassky to be world champion before his 25th birthday, but his fifth place in the Soviet Championship of 1958 was not enough to qualify him for the Portoroz Interzonal. This was due to a last-round loss to Mikhail Tal (Spassky vs Tal, 1958), which shook him deeply. After winning one of the four semi-finals by finishing equal first with Rashid Nezhmetdinov Leningrad champion of 1959 [rusbase-1] and 1961 [rusbase-2] and finally Soviet Champion in 1961 [rusbase-3]. Winner of the Russian Zonal [rusbase-4]. Spassky shared the first place with Smyslov and Bent Larsen at Amsterdam 1964 http://www.mark-weeks.com/chess/646.... In 1965 he eliminated Paul Keres, Efim Geller and Mikhail Tal. He faced Tigran Petrosian in the Petrosian - Spassky World Championship Match (1966), but narrowly lost. As the losing player in the title match, Spassky automatically qualified for the next Candidates cycle, where he overcame Geller, Larsen and Korchnoi. He again faced Petrosian in the 1969 World Championship, and this time prevailed. Spassky's style of play can be described best as lively and adaptable; this produced many brilliant victories. A position based on his victory in 1960 against David Bronstein was used in the James Bond movie, From Russia With Love. His polite, friendly disposition and entertaining games made him one of the most popular world champions. In the West, his tournament victory at Santa Monica 1966 is the most remembered http://www.worldchesslinks.net/ezqa.... In 1972, Spassky was challenged by Robert James Fischer for the World Championship; Spassky lost, 12½-8½, ending the reign of nearly 25-year Soviet hegemony over the World Championship. In the next year Spassky won the Soviet Championship ahead of many world-class grandmasters, [rusbase-5], including Anatoly Karpov. In the next series of Candidates matches, Spassky defeated Robert Byrne, but lost to Karpov in their 1974 semifinal match. In 1977 he lost the Candidates final to Viktor Korchnoi, after eliminating Vlastimil Hort and Lajos Portisch. In 1992, Spassky played a rematch with Fischer for US $5 million and lost once again, 10 to 5 (with 15 draws). Spassky died in Moscow on February 27, 2025. Wikipedia article: Boris Spassky https://nsn.fm/sport/umer-10-i-chem... Last updated: 2025-02-28 17:12:50

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page 1 of 100; games 1-25 of 2,483  Game   Result Moves Year Event/Locale Opening 1. Smyslov vs Spassky 1-0 21 1948 Simul B76 Sicilian, Dragon, Yugoslav Attack 2. Spassky vs Rodgaisky 0-1 8 1948 URS B45 Sicilian, Taimanov 3. Korchnoi vs Spassky 1-0 12 1948 Leningrad B71 Sicilian, Dragon, Levenfish Variation 4. Spassky vs Shman 1-0 35 1948 Trud Ch D37 Queen's Gambit Declined 5. Spassky vs A Nikitin   ½-½ 20 1949 Ch URS (team) (juniors) A18 English, Mikenas-Carls 6. V Liavdansky vs Spassky 0-1 51 1949 Leningrad Junior Championship B23 Sicilian, Closed 7. Spassky vs A Vilup 1-0 27 1949 Leningrad Junior Championship D30 Queen's Gambit Declined 8. Spassky vs S Avtonomov 1-0 21 1949 Leningrad Junior Championship D28 Queen's Gambit Accepted, Classical 9. Korchnoi vs Spassky 0-1 51 1949 Leningrad Junior Championship B71 Sicilian, Dragon, Levenfish Variation 10. V P Zakharov vs Spassky   1-0 55 1949 Leningrad Junior Championship B74 Sicilian, Dragon, Classical 11. Spassky vs Polugaevsky   ½-½ 15 1950 USSR Junior Team Championship D31 Queen's Gambit Declined 12. M Aizenshtadt vs Spassky 0-1 33 1951 Chigorin Memorial qual-12 D50 Queen's Gambit Declined 13. Y Gusev vs Spassky 0-1 24 1951 URS-ch qf A00 Uncommon Opening 14. Y Estrin vs Spassky 0-1 19 1951 URS-ch qf C44 King's Pawn Game 15. Korchnoi vs Spassky 0-1 47 1952 Leningrad D10 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav 16. Spassky vs J Yuchtman 1-0 28 1952 URS-chT Juniors E28 Nimzo-Indian, Samisch Variation 17. Levenfish vs Spassky ½-½ 32 1952 Leningrad D71 Neo-Grunfeld 18. G Chepukaitis vs Spassky 0-1 35 1952 Minsk C31 King's Gambit Declined, Falkbeer Counter Gambit 19. Taimanov vs Spassky ½-½ 59 1952 Leningrad D45 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav 20. Furman vs Spassky 0-1 36 1952 Leningrad D43 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav 21. B Vladimirov vs Spassky 0-1 27 1953 Leningrad D25 Queen's Gambit Accepted 22. Petrosian vs Spassky ½-½ 15 1953 Bucharest D10 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav 23. Spassky vs Smyslov 1-0 35 1953 Bucharest E31 Nimzo-Indian, Leningrad, Main line 24. V Ciocaltea vs Spassky ½-½ 21 1953 Bucharest C50 Giuoco Piano 25. Spassky vs Z Milev 0-1 69 1953 Bucharest D87 Grunfeld, Exchange  page 1 of 100; games 1-25 of 2,483

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< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 46 OF 99 ·  Later Kibitzing> Jan-30-09    talisman: happy birthday boris...Sportsman, Ambassador, Champion, and the Best Friend to Bobby Fischer. And thanks for the 72 Match which would've never have taken place w/o you. Jan-31-09    M.D. Wilson: Mr. Chess, no less. Jan-31-09    WhiteRook48: Spassky didn't do well in his 1st two games, but then became a champion. This is really learning from losses Feb-25-09    M.D. Wilson: His matches with Petrosian are a contrast in style, but illustrate the very best of chess. Feb-27-09    ewan14: Agreed Brankat , but you did not include the 1963 Soviet Championship and the Moscow post Championship zonal Spassky won ahead of ; Bronstein , Stein , Kholmov , Suetin , Geller and Korchnoi Mar-06-09    whiteshark: Quote Of The Day "Spassky sacrifices his pieces with the utmost imperturbability. He can blunder away a piece, and you are never sure whether it's a blunder or a fantastically deep sacrifice. He sits at the board with the same dead expression whether he's mating or being mated." -- Bobby Fischer --> www.gmchess.com, collected from Kelly Atkins Mar-17-09    M.D. Wilson: Very true. I wonder how Spassky is going these days? Mar-20-09    kamalakanta: <M.D. Wilson: Very true. I wonder how Spassky is going these days?> Here is the link to Spassky's interview with Susan Polgar at the Dresden Olympiad last year: http://tinyurl.com/c4qnlg Mar-21-09    M.D. Wilson: Thanks, kamalakanta. Mar-31-09    kamalakanta: <M.D. Wilson: Thanks, kamalakanta.> You're very welcome. As I have mentioned before, I was there in San Juan, when Spassky played a Candidate's match against Robert Byrne. I was moving the pieces on the demonstration board. What a thrill! I had started playing chess two years before, in 1972, and to see Boris Spassky in action was quite an experience. Bondarevsky was there with him. His Queen sacrifice in this game R Byrne vs Spassky, 1974, and his total domination in this game Spassky vs R Byrne, 1974 made Robert Byrne look helpless and out-classed. World Champions have always had great technique, and Spassky was no exception. Apr-15-09    alshatranji: The fact that a player who won the World Championship can be convincingly said not to have realized his full potential tells you how much of a talent he had. Apr-15-09    alshatranji: Is anyone aware of a Spassky biography? Apr-15-09    parisattack: Grand Strategy - 60 Games of Boris Spassky by Reek and Boris Spassky Master of the Initiative by Raetsky and Chetverik are the newest. Older ones - The Chess Games of Boris Spassky by Soltis and Spassky's 100 Best Games by Cafferty. Apr-15-09    parisattack: There is also Spassky's 400 Games in the Chess Stars series, but the annotations are Informant style, Spassky in the old Weltgeschichte des Schachs series and a Spassky volume in the Russian 'Black' series. I am sure more but that is all I have on the guy...Perhaps someone else can fill in with more? Apr-15-09    Benzol: Is there much difference apart from 100 games between the books 300 wins and 400 games in the Chess Stars series? Apr-16-09    parisattack: I do not have the 300 Wins book. I think they are both Chess Stars books? Apr-16-09    tamar: Which one did Fischer have, if you know? Apr-19-09    amadeus: Boris Spassky on Computers:) http://blip.tv/file/2008630/ And a summary of his interview: http://nalchik2009.fide.com/boris-s... Apr-27-09    Raisin Death Ray: I see, Boris Vasilievich, that you are in a jovial mood! Apr-27-09    talisman: <tamar> i think gligorich in his book on the match, said that bobby had cafferty's book with him at all times...100 best games. Apr-27-09    parisattack: <talisman: <tamar> i think gligorich in his book on the match, said that bobby had cafferty's book with him at all times...100 best games.> Most likely; it was hot-off-the-presses at match time. not too many other Spassky books in 1972. I can only think of the Spassky Weltgeschichte des Schachs available then unless he had one of the Russian Black volumes of Spassky's games. Apr-27-09    Benzol: <tamar> From Frank Brady's Bobby Fischer biography : "The reference he used most frequently was what journalists were quick to describe as the "Big Red Book", No 27 of the excellent Weltgeschichte des Schachs series containing three hundred and fifty-five games of Spassky's, conveniently typeset with a diagram at every fifth move. In addition, Kenneth Smith dipped into his immense library and resources to produce hundreds of examples of Spassky's pre-1968 endeavors". Apr-27-09    tamar: thank you <talisman> <parisattack> and <Benzol> I remember talk during the match he had such a book, but I never saw it in any photos. Apr-27-09    parisattack: The Weltgeschichte des Schachs series is one of my all-time favorites! It was never completed but they are great bedside books with diagrams every five moves. Quite a few players are represented - Spassky, Chigorin, Steinitz, Lasker, Petrosian, Botvinnik, Keres, Euwe, Unzicker, Tal, Capablanca - as well as compilations of Soviet and Yugoslav games. Apr-28-09    Raisin Death Ray: I still think Daniel Craig should play him if there is ever a movie about Reykjavik. Jump to page #   (enter # from 1 to 99) search thread:    < Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 46 OF 99 ·  Later Kibitzing>

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