Boris Spasky, the chess champion who lost the “Century Match”, dies in 88

Boris Spasky, the global chess champion who was overwhelmed by his career Bobby Fisher In the “Century match” in 1972, he died on Thursday in Moscow. It was 88.

His death was announced by the International Chess Federation, the ruling body of the game, which was not cited a case. Mr. Spacci was subjected to a large stroke in 2010, which I left in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

“Not only one of the greatest players in the Soviet and the world, but he is also a real man. His contributions to chess will not be forgotten,” Arcadi, President of the Federation, said in a statement.

Mr. Spassky had finished noticeable achievements as a player, but the match policy with Mr. FischerAt the height of the Cold War, the media focused on this, both of them were turned into pawns in a wider drama.

Mr. Spacci was not happy with all attention. in 2023 interview His son, Boris Junior: I am sure he felt pressed. “

It was a scale for the satisfaction of the match after 20 years, when the two men organized a match match, which has sparked attention all over the world, although both players had passed their president.

When they played the first match, in Reykjavik, Iceland, Mr. Fischer, with his loud character, was a popular hero in the West. It was widely photographed as a single arms man who boldly takes the power of the Soviet chess machine, with Mr. Spassky represents the repressive Soviet Empire.

The reality cannot be beyond the truth. Mr. Fisher was a 29 -year -old man, often unacceptable and difficult. Mr. Spacci, 35, was Urban, put him back and somewhat, and moved to Mr. Fischer’s many demands that lead to the match and during it.

The match did not happen. He was supposed to start on July 2, but Mr. Fischer was still in New York, demanding more money for both players. A British promoter, James Slater, added $ 125,000 to the award fund, which doubled it to $ 250,000 (about $ 1.9 million today), and Mr. Fischer arrived on July 4.

The match was the best chain of 24, where each victory is counted as one point, each draw as a half -point and every loss on zero. The first player to 12.5 points will be the winner.

In game 1, on July 11, Mr. Fischer erred and lost. After that, he refused to play game 2 unless the TV cameras are scored. When they were not, Mr. Fischer lost the game.

The match looked suspicious, but a compromise was determined to transfer the match to a small playing area behind the main hall.

Mr. Fischer won in match 3, his first victory against Mr. Spacci, and started his occurrence, and won the match from 12.5 to 8.5.

The sporting spirit of Mr. Spacky was fully displayed in the 6 game of the match, which was transferred at the time to the main hall. When Mr. Fischer won the match, as he advanced for the first time in the match, Mr. Spacci joined the spectators to stand and formed his victory.

After losing to the match, Mr. Spacci received a cold reception upon his return to the Soviet Union. He returned to winning the Soviet championship in 1973 and reached the semi -finals of the world championship matches in 1974, and lost to Anatoli Carpov, the future world champion.

However, things were not the same. For two years, he was prevented from traveling abroad, and the blood of a professional chess player in the Soviet Union, and his financial support and privileges were reduced. He found a way out, however.

In 1975, Marina Stephenshev met a secretary working at the French embassy in Moscow, who became his third wife. They moved to France, and became a French citizen in 1978.

In 2012, in a strange episode, Mr. Spassky was transferred from France, where he appeared about a month later in Russia, Where he claimed He remained against his will in a hospital in France and was able to leave only with the help of friends. He lived in Moscow for the rest of his life.

The pressure that Mr. Spassky felt defended the Soviet hegemony over the chess. Years later, it was said that he said about the 1972 match: “I was happy with the loss of the championship. My years were like the worst years of my life.”

Boris Vasilific Spassky was born in Leningrad (later Saint Petersburg) on ​​January 30, 1937. He was the second child of the Russian parents; His parents later divorced, and his father left the family.

He grew up very poor, and when he was 5 years old, during the siege of Leningrad, he was temporarily placed in an orphanage to escape the war. There was, according to his son, learning to play chess.

The study of chess seriously began in 1947 when he joined the Palace of the Pioneers, a state sponsorship club that developed the talents of promising children, and his talent was observed immediately and caring for them. By the time he was 11 years old, he was receiving a chess, which became the main source of family income.

In 1955, he won the World Junior Championship and placed third in the Soviet championship, to become Grandmaster in 18 years, the youngest in history. This record was emptied after three years when Mr. Fisher Kandaster became at the age of 15.

From 1951 to 1961, Mr. Spacci trained with Alexander Kazimirovich Toulosh, a well -known master of the attack, and he had a number of successes. But he became disappointed by his results and moved to Igor Zakharovic Bondarvsky, who had a more strategic approach. Mr. Spacci’s play began to improve, and he began to rise to the world title.

At his peak as a player, from the early 1960s to the early 1970s, Mr. Spacci won by playing in any way required by the situation. When she presented the same opportunities, he could attack fiercely, as in his wonderful performance against David Brunstein in 1960, a game used as a basis for chess scene in James Bond movie in 1963 “from Russia with love.” With great patience, he can outperform his opponents, as he did in his 21st victory in the World Championship match against Tegran Petrosian in 1966.

Mr. Spacci lost the match against Mr. Petrosian, but he qualified to play the world title again in 1969, and this time he hit him. After losing to Mr. Carpovs in 1974, Mr. Spacci qualified for three other tournaments in the world championship but was expelled every time.

The 10 best players remained in the mid -1980s, but his results started to slip and play without the former Ilan, and often settled on rapid clouds. Many observers said he had become lazy.

By 1992, Mr. Spassky lived on the sidelines of the chess world. Then the owner of a bank in Belgrade, where Mr. Fischer was $ 5 million for the return match with Mr. Fischer. This case was that the match would play in Serbia and Montenegro, the former Yugoslavia, which was under the United Nations sanctions due to its brutal war against Croatia and Bosnia-Hergofena.

The match violated the penalties, but Mr. Spacci enthusiastically agreed to play. He said about Mr. Fischer: “He gets me out of forgetfulness.” “It makes me fight. It is a miracle while I am grateful.”

The match got a global attention and continued 30 games, but the result was not different from the previous match:

However, the matches differed in terms of: the quality of the play suffered from a sharp decrease, and tension between the players. Mr. Spacci and Mr. Fischer, whose presence in the center of a lot of scrutiny, was the elderly friends, laughing and speaking before and after the games.

In addition to his son, among the survivors of Mr. Spasky are three descendants. Both his three marriage ended in divorce.

Mr. Spacci’s warm feelings towards Mr. Fischer were real, as shown in 2004, when Mr. Fischer was arrested in Japan because there was no valid passport and was threatened with deportation to the United States to confront accusations of violating sanctions against Yugoslavia.

Before Mr. Fischer was released at the end and sent to Iceland, Mr. Spacci sent a message to President George W. Bush, and he asked for compassion.

“Bubi and I committed the same crime,” he wrote. “Place the penalties against me as well. I arrest me. And put me in the same cell with Bobby Fisher. We give us a chess set.”