“Century match”
When the cold war was held on the chess board
27.02.2025 – 9:23 p.m.Reading time: 2 min.
With Boris Spasski, a participant has died of one of the most legendary chess games. At that time it was about much more than just chess.
The Cuban crisis was ten years ago, the disarmament had started, but in July 1972 the Cold War of the Superpowers USA and Soviet Union flared up again. And that in a location with which nobody had expected: in Reykjavik. In an unadorned hall called Laugardalshöll. But above all: on a chess board. Boris Spasski and Bobby Fischer met for the “century match”. Two players, two systems. Now both are dead.
Fischer has not lived since 2008. On Thursday, Russia’s proud chess association reported: “The tenth world champion Boris Spasski died at the age of 88.” His death is a “great loss for the country”. According to the news agency, association president Andrei Filatow said: “We have gone a great personality, generations of chess players have studied and still study it.”
Spasski had gained awareness worldwide through the World Cup fight with Fischer. He was the brilliant world champion from a dynasty of world champions. Everyone has come from the Soviet Union since 1948, but then Fischer entered the stage, 29 years old, a stubborn from Chicago, who provoked where he could. Sometimes he simply did not compete for a game, then a duel took place in a room because Fischer felt disturbed by the 2,500 spectators.
Nevertheless, the challenger won. Spasski, once at the age of 18 junior world champion and in his time the youngest grand master in chess history, gave up. He informed the German referee Lothar Schmid in an interruption of the 21st game. Then he complained: “Fischer always suffered from my hands like a fish.”
After the defeat, Spasski, born on January 30, 1937 in Leningrad at the time, fell out of favor in his homeland. In 1976 he emigrated to France and received citizenship there. It became quieter around him, from 1980 to 1990 Spasski played for the Solinger SG in Germany and became German team champion three times. It was not until 1992 that he stepped back into the spotlight – at a show duel with a fisherman, which was in Belgrade by millions and not a title. Fischer prevailed again.
The duel in the middle of the Cold War inspired posterity, it was processed in books, documentaries and films. The novel “Das Damengambit” by Walter Tevis has become known, which was adapted in the celebrated Netflix series in 2020.
Spasski’s last years were shaped by health setbacks and a mysterious family conflict, in the course of which he returned to Russia. In 2006 and 2010 he suffered two strokes. Later he was weakened in old age and with the same facial features on television.