Boris Spassky
Boris Vasilievich Spassky (Russian: Бори́с Васи́льевич Спа́сский, tr. Borís Vasíl'yevich Spásskiy; born January 30, 1937) is a 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.
| Boris Spassky | |
|---|---|
Spassky at the Thessaloniki Olympiad, 1984 | |
| Full name | Boris Vasilievich Spassky |
| Country |
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| Born | January 30, 1937 Leningrad, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union |
| Title | Grandmaster (1955) |
| World Champion | 1969–1972 |
| FIDE rating | 2548 (April 2024) [inactive] |
| Peak rating | 2690 (January 1971) |
| Peak ranking | No. 2 (January 1971) |
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 and 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, becoming 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.