SPASSKY Boris

SPASSKY, Boris (p. 1937). Tenth world champion (1969-1972). Born January 30, 1937 in Leningrad. He learned to play in 5 years in the Urals, where his family was evacuated during the war. His parents soon divorced, and he returned to Leningrad after the war with his mother, sister and elder brother. He began to seriously pursue a game of chess in 1947 at the Leningrad Palace of Pioneers. His first teacher was B. Zak, chess solid positional style. Since 1951, he became the coach A. Tolush, chess ostrokombinatsionnogo style, which helped develop the Spassky match-ability and greatly contributed to its improvement. In 1952, he took 2 nd place in the championship of Leningrad, in 1953 divides the 4.6 place in the international tournament in Budapest (together with I. Boleslavsky and L. Szabo), and becomes International Master. In 1954 wins the tournament the young masters of the USSR. In the 22 national championships (early 1955), the former zonal tournament at the same time, divides the 3.6 space (with M. Botvinnik, Petrosian and T. G. Ilivitskim) and gets the right to speak in the zonal tournament. Then, in between winning the world youth championship (Antwerp, 1955) and dividing in Gothenburg in the inter-zonal tournament 7.9 sites (with Philip M. and G. Pilnik), in 18 years, becoming a grandmaster and the applicant for soccer. In the tournament contenders (Amsterdam, 1956) divides the 3.7 space with D. Bronstein, E. Geller, T. Petrosyan and L. Szabo. In 23 national championships (Leningrad, 1956) shares 1-3 places, together with Yu Averbach and M. Taimanov, but after an additional match of the tournament remains the third.
In 25 championship of the USSR (Riga, 1958), former zonal tournament, losing in the final round M. Tal, and there is no place at 5-6 with four going to the interzonal tournament.

In 28 national championships (Moscow, 1961), the former at the same time zone tournaments, Spassky again fails - loses in the final round L. Stein, and again turns overboard Interzonal. In the same year, he has a gap with Tolushem, and his trainer is I. Bondarevskiе?, strong-willed, hard character, a former 50-ies coach E. Geller, and then V. Smyslov. He contributed greatly to the future success of Spassky.

In 29 national championships (Baku, 1961) Spassky first won the title of national champion. In 31 national championship, . Former zonal tournament (Leningrad, . 1963) shares the first-third place and into the interzonal tournament (Amsterdam, . 1964), . where, . sections 1-4 places with V. Smyslov, . B. Larsen and M. Tal, . second time becomes a contender for world championship,
. Beginning in 1965, replaced the FIDE tournament contenders matches. In 1 / 4 finals Spassky defeats P. Keres - 6:4 (+4-2 = 4), in the semifinal E. Geller - 5,5:2,5 (+3-0 = 5) and in the final of M. Tal - 7:4 (+4-1 = 6), but in the world championship match with T. Petrosian (Moscow, 1966) plays with a score 11,5:12,5 (+3-4 = 17).

In the next cycle Spassky again successfully played in the matches applicants (1968). It consistently wins in the 1 / 4 finals E. Geller - 5,5:2,5 (+3-0 = 5), in 1 / 2 finale B. Larsen - 5,5:2,5 (+4-1 = 3) and in the final V. Korchnoi - 6,5:3,5 (+4-1 = 5). Finally, in the match for the chess crown (Moscow, 1969) wins and T. Petrosian - 12,5:10,5 (+6-4 = 13), becoming a world champion. However, after 3 years (Reykjavik, 1972), he loses the world championship match R. Fisher - 8,5:12,5 (+3-7 = 11). In 1973, Spassky for the second time becomes the champion of the USSR, and, since 1974, participates in the following pretendenskih matches: wins 1 / 4 finals in R. Byrne - 4,5:1,5 (+3-0 = 3), but in 1 / 2 finale loses A. Karpov - 4:7 (+1-4 = 6). In 1977-1978 wins in 1 / 4 finals in B. Gort - 8,5:7,5 (+1-1 = 13), in 1 / 2 finals in LA Portisch - 8,5:6,5 (+ 4-2 = 9), but in the final losing V. Korchnoi - 7,5:10,5 (+4-7 = 7). In the next cycle in 1 / 4 finals, he met L. Portisch. The match ends in a draw - 7:7 (+1-1 = 12), but in the semi-finals on additional indicators released Portisch. At tournament contenders in Montpellier (1985) shared the place with 6.7 A. Belyavsky.

In 1976, Spassky had married a French woman of Russian origin and went to France. The team consists of the USSR was the winner of 7-mi Olympiad. In 1984 and 1986 Olympics, led the team in France. Spassky came out the winner of over 20 major international tournaments. In 1992, played a match with R. Fischer in Yugoslavia under the conditions put forward by the last 20 years ago - up to 10 wins, and lost - 12,5:17,5 (+5-10 = 15). In 1993 in Budapest, was defeated in a match of 10 parties Yu Polgar. Score Match - 4,5:5,5 (+2-3 = 5).