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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 2,498  Game   Result Moves Year Event/Locale Opening 1. Korchnoi vs Spassky 1-0 12 1948 Leningrad B71 Sicilian, Dragon, Levenfish Variation 2. Spassky vs Rodgaisky 0-1 8 1948 URS B45 Sicilian, Taimanov 3. Spassky vs Shman 1-0 35 1948 Trud Ch D37 Queen's Gambit Declined 4. Smyslov vs Spassky 1-0 21 1948 Simul B76 Sicilian, Dragon, Yugoslav Attack 5. Spassky vs A Nikitin   ½-½ 20 1949 Ch URS (team) (juniors) A18 English, Mikenas-Carls 6. Korchnoi vs Spassky 0-1 51 1949 Leningrad Junior Championship B71 Sicilian, Dragon, Levenfish Variation 7. V Liavdansky vs Spassky 0-1 51 1949 Leningrad Junior Championship B23 Sicilian, Closed 8. Spassky vs S Avtonomov 1-0 21 1949 Leningrad Junior Championship D28 Queen's Gambit Accepted, Classical 9. Spassky vs A Vilup 1-0 27 1949 Leningrad Junior Championship D30 Queen's Gambit Declined 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. G Chepukaitis vs Spassky 0-1 35 1952 Minsk C31 King's Gambit Declined, Falkbeer Counter Gambit 16. Korchnoi vs Spassky 0-1 47 1952 Leningrad Championship D10 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav 17. Levenfish vs Spassky ½-½ 32 1952 Leningrad Championship D71 Neo-Grunfeld 18. Furman vs Spassky 0-1 36 1952 Leningrad Championship D43 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav 19. Spassky vs J Yuchtman 1-0 28 1952 URS-chT Juniors E28 Nimzo-Indian, Samisch Variation 20. Taimanov vs Spassky ½-½ 59 1952 Leningrad Championship D45 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav 21. N Kopilov vs Spassky   0-1 38 1952 Leningrad Championship D44 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav 22. N Vedenski vs Spassky   0-1 38 1952 Leningrad Championship D22 Queen's Gambit Accepted 23. B Vladimirov vs Spassky 0-1 27 1953 Leningrad D25 Queen's Gambit Accepted 24. Spassky vs Smyslov 1-0 35 1953 Bucharest E31 Nimzo-Indian, Leningrad, Main line 25. Petrosian vs Spassky ½-½ 15 1953 Bucharest D10 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav  page 1 of 100; games 1-25 of 2,498

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< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 58 OF 99 ·  Later Kibitzing> Jan-30-11    talisman: happy birthday Boris. Jan-30-11    Everett: You would be hard-pressed to find a better player, in all areas of play, than Boris Spassky between '64-'70. Always known for his immense talent, this was the time his work with Bondarevsky really fashioned him into one of the best chess-players ever. Jan-30-11    Everett: 1964 +37 -8 =38 1965 +16 -3 =26 1966 +21 -7 =55 (includes WC) 1967 +31 -3 =42 1968 +27 -3 =28 1969 +13 -4 =34 (includes WC) 1970 +18 -1 =25 1971 +19 -2 =20 All according to this database. Pretty impressive, especially considering he was playing the best of the best (WC Petrosian, candidates matches, Fischer twice in '67 and '70.) Jan-30-11    tharsitis: Happy birthday mister Spassky:) Jan-30-11    diagonal: Happy Birthday to the oldest living Chess World Champion, Boris Spassky, and good health to you, Prodigy with a never seen before universal style and always a true Sportsman. Jan-30-11    Everett: <Eduardo Bermudez: From january 1st 1960 to december 31 1970 the percentage between total games and defeats: Robert J. Fischer :341 games- 28 defeats, for 8.2 %; Tigran Petrosian :595 games- 43 defeats 7.2 % ; Boris Spassky :609 games- 33 defeats 5.4 % !!> Wow. Jan-30-11    kamalakanta: Happy Birthday to Boris Spassky! When he played his Candidates match against Robert Byrne in Puerto Rico (1974), I was moving the pieces in the demonstration board. What an honor! He had such a presence! Majestic! And I will never forget his Queen sacrifice in the opening, playing the Breyer with the Black pieces! what a thrill! R Byrne vs Spassky, 1974 Jan-30-11    SufferingBruin: By all accounts that I've read, a wonderful man. Many happy returns. Jan-30-11    WhiteRook48: happy birthday Jan-30-11    Ken MacGillivray: Happy birthday to a real champion, and an outstanding ambassador for our game!! Feb-01-11    Pyke: Interview with Boris Spassky held on his Birthday; discussing his current health status, and some thoughts on Wijk an Zee, Carlsen and Nakamura. (unfortunately only german) http://www.chessbase.de/nachrichten... Feb-01-11    alexmagnus: Comparing Nakamura to a "little Japanese tank" was quite tasteless... Feb-01-11    keypusher: <alexmagnus: Comparing Nakamura to a "little Japanese tank" was quite tasteless...> I dunno. Here's a little Japanese tank for comparison. http://www.tankmuseum.org/ixbin/ind... Feb-01-11    theagenbiteofinwit: <Comparing Nakamura to a "little Japanese tank" was quite tasteless...> Grow up. He also called Carlsen a Viking pirate chess-robber, and he's a fan! Feb-01-11    tamar: Glad to see Boris still is coming up with the zingers. Makes you wonder what he privately called Bobby. Feb-01-11    Phony Benoni: For me, "tanks" implies a style which tends more toward brute force than the elegance of a player like Spassky. Feb-01-11    M.D. Wilson: <Eduardo Bermudez: From january 1st 1960 to december 31 1970 the percentage between total games and defeats: Robert J. Fischer :341 games- 28 defeats, for 8.2 %; Tigran Petrosian :595 games- 43 defeats 7.2 % ; Boris Spassky :609 games- 33 defeats 5.4 % !!> Wow.> Wow, indeed. Why was Bobby rated higher for much of that period then? A flawed system? Feb-01-11    talisman: ok...if you look at the knights in Naka's picture, you can see that they are facing forward. the knights look like tanks, Naka looks Japaneese, Boris is getting old...it's all good. Feb-02-11    alexmagnus: <Why was Bobby rated higher for much of that period then? A flawed system?> Well, Elo system exists only since 1970. Chessmetrics is completely different (#1 in Chessmetrics from 1960 to 1970: Oct 1958 - Apr 1961 Tal May 1961 - Jan 1964 Petrosian Feb 1964 - Mar 1965 Fischer Apr 1965 - Aug 1965 Tal Sep 1965 - Dec 1965 Korchnoi Jan 1966 - May 1966 Spassky Jun 1966 - Jul 1966 Tal Aug 1966 - Jul 1974 Fischer. Feb-02-11    keypusher: <M.D. Wilson: <Eduardo Bermudez: From january 1st 1960 to december 31 1970 the percentage between total games and defeats: Robert J. Fischer :341 games- 28 defeats, for 8.2 %; Tigran Petrosian :595 games- 43 defeats 7.2 % ; Boris Spassky :609 games- 33 defeats 5.4 % !!> Wow.> <Wow, indeed. Why was Bobby rated higher for much of that period then? A flawed system?> Because he won a lot more often than Petrosian and Spassky, too. Feb-03-11    M.D. Wilson: Certainly more than Petrosian, but Spassky's drawing percentage wasn't high then, as became the case in the 1980s. He had many wins indeed. Feb-03-11    keypusher: <M.D. Wilson: Certainly more than Petrosian, but Spassky's drawing percentage wasn't high then, as became the case in the 1980s. He had many wins indeed.> According to this database, in the 1960s Boris Spassky's record was: +254-43=310 That's 51% draws. Fischer's record was: +323-68=144 That's 27% draws. Conclusion: Spassky's drawing percentage was much higher than Fischer's in the 1960s. Why argue about a simple question of fact, using vague words like "high" and "many"? How high is high? How many is many? Why not just figure out the answer? Feb-03-11    M.D. Wilson: As you know, this is an incomplete database. As you seem to like looking up numbers, why don't you work out Spassky's drawing percentage in the 1960s, compared to, say, the 1980s? Feb-03-11    keypusher: <M.D. Wilson: As you know, this is an incomplete database. > It would have to be a lot more incomplete than it is to bring Fischer's drawing percentage for the 60s anywhere near Spassky's. Go find a more-complete database and run the numbers yourself if you're curious. I suspect you know what you will find, though. <As you seem to like looking up numbers, why don't you work out Spassky's drawing percentage in the 1960s, compared to, say, the 1980s?> I don't enjoy looking up numbers. I dislike pointless arguments about easily-resolved questions. Spassky's drawing percentage in the 1980s is higher than his drawing percentage in the 1960s, I'm sure. How much higher? I don't know, and I don't care. Feb-03-11    Everett: Conclusion: Fischer's lack of draws and higher percentage of wins results in a higher ELO. A worthwhile comparison between the two may possibly be summed up by their treatment of Larsen in their individual candidate matches. In both '68 (vs. Spassky) and '71 (Fischer), Larsen got blitzed 3-0 in the beginning of the match. At this point it seems Spassky relaxed and cruised to victory, finishing +4-1=3. Fischer, as we all know, kept up the pressure til the end, finishing 6-0. Of course, Larsen passing up the repetition in Game 6 helped keep the shut-out intact. Jump to page #   (enter # from 1 to 99) search thread:    < Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 58 OF 99 ·  Later Kibitzing>

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