Spassky, Boris

Spassky, Boris, 1937–, Soviet chess champion. A child prodigy, he became an international master at the age of 16 and in 1955, at age 18, he became an international grand master. Subsequently in international matches his success was somewhat erratic, and in late 1960 Soviet officials removed Spassky temporarily from the international team. He continued to play in USSR championships, however, and subsequently twice won the right to challenge world champion Tigran Petrosian for the international title, defeating him in 1969. In 1972 he lost the title to U.S. grand master Bobby Fischer.

Bibliography

See D. Edmonds and J. Eldinow, Bobby Fischer Goes to War. (2004).

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Spassky, Boris (Vasilyevich)

(born Jan. 30, 1937, Leningrad, Russia, U.S.S.R.) Russian chess master. Spassky attained the rank of international grand master in chess in 1955. After a period of intermittent involvement with the game, he beat Tigran Petrosyan for the world title in 1969. In 1972 Spassky lost it to Bobby Fischer.

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Spassky, Boris 

(Boris Vasil’evich Spasskii). Born Jan. 30, 1937, in Leningrad. Soviet chess player. Grand master of the USSR and international grand master (1956); Honored Master of Sport (1964). Journalist.

Spassky graduated from Leningrad State University in 1959. He was chess champion of the USSR in 1962 and 1973 and world champion from 1969 to 1972, defeating T. V. Petrosian. He also held the world youth championship title in 1955. The winner of tournaments of contenders of the entire Soviet Union in 1965 and 1968, Spassky has won international tournaments in Mar del Plata, Argentina (1960), Belgrade (1964), Santa Monica, Calif. (1966), Beverwijk, the Netherlands (1967), San Juan, Puerto Rico (1969), and Leiden, the Netherlands (1970). He played on the Soviet team in the chess olympiads from 1962 to 1970 and in 1974.

Spassky has been awarded the Order of the Badge of Honor and various medals.