About Boris Spassky
Boris Vasilyevich Spassky (Russian: Борис Васильевич Спасский; January 30, 1937 – February 27, 2025) was a Soviet and Russian chess grandmaster who was the tenth World Chess Champion, holding the title from 1969 to 1972. Spassky played three world championship matches: he lost to Tigran Petrosian in 1966; defeated Petrosian in 1969 to become world champion; then lost to Bobby Fischer in a famous match in 1972. Spassky won the Soviet Chess Championship twice outright (1961, 1973), and twice lost in playoffs (1956, 1963), after tying for first place during the event proper. He was a World Chess Championship candidate on seven occasions (1956, 1965, 1968, 1974, 1977, 1980, 1985). In addition to his Candidates wins in 1965 and 1968, Spassky reached the semi-final stage in 1974 and the final stage in 1977. Spassky immigrated to France in 1976 and became a French citizen in 1978. He continued to compete in tournaments, but was no longer a major contender for the world title. Spassky lost an unofficial rematch against Fischer in 1992. In 2012, he left France and returned to Russia. Spassky made his international debut in 1953, aged sixteen, in Bucharest, Romania, finishing tied for fourth place with László Szabó on 12/19, an event won by his trainer, Alexander Tolush. He first drew wide attention in 1947, aged 10, when he defeated Soviet champion Mikhail Botvinnik in a simultaneous exhibition in Leningrad. He set records as the youngest Soviet player to achieve first category rank (aged 10), candidate master rank (aged 11), and Soviet Master rank (aged 15).
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