Boris Spassky

1937– Soviet Union / France World Champion 1969–1972

World champion 1969–1972, the great universal player who could attack like Tal and grind like Petrosian. He applauded Fischer's Game 6 in Reykjavik from his own side of the board — one of sport's most graceful gestures in defeat.

2,230games
713won · 32%
1,300drawn · 58%
217lost · 10%
1952–2009span

Games in the Archive

2,230 games
1-0 Boris Spassky vs Vladimirov, Boris T 1961 · URS-ch29 · Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation The Soviet School 1-0 Shamkovich, Leonid vs Boris Spassky 1961 · URS-ch29 · Ruy Lopez: Closed, Averbakh Variation The Soviet School 0-1 Bagirov, Vladimir vs Boris Spassky 1961 · URS-ch29 · Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defense The Soviet School 1-0 Boris Spassky vs Shianovsky, Vladislav I 1961 · URS-ch29 · Indian Defense: Przepiorka Variation The Soviet School ½-½ Averbakh, Yuri L vs Boris Spassky 1961 · URS-ch29 · Queen's Indian Defense: Averbakh Variation The Soviet School ½-½ Boris Spassky vs Vasiukov, Evgeni 1961 · URS-ch29 · Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Rubinstein Variation Accepted The Soviet School 0-1 Portisch, Lajos vs Boris Spassky 1961 · HUN-URS · English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation, Keres Variation The Soviet School 1-0 Boris Spassky vs Portisch, Lajos 1961 · HUN-URS · Caro-Kann Defense: Classical Variation The Soviet School 0-1 Portisch, Lajos vs Boris Spassky 1961 · HUN-URS · Ruy Lopez: Classical Variation The Soviet School ½-½ Cherepkov, Alexander V vs Boris Spassky 1961 · URS-ch28 · Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Bernstein Defense The Soviet School ½-½ Petrosian, Tigran V vs Boris Spassky 1961 · URS-ch28 · Queen's Gambit Accepted: Janowski-Larsen Variation The Soviet School ½-½ Boris Spassky vs Boleslavsky, Isaak 1961 · URS-ch28 · King's Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation, Normal Defense The Soviet School 1-0 Boris Spassky vs Borisenko, Georgy K 1961 · URS-ch28 · English Opening: Agincourt Defense The Soviet School 1-0 Boris Spassky vs Bronstein, David I 1961 · URS-ch28 · Indian Defense: Przepiorka Variation The Soviet School 1-0 Boris Spassky vs Gufeld, Eduard 1961 · URS-ch28 · Indian Defense: Przepiorka Variation The Soviet School 0-1 Boris Spassky vs Kortschnoj, Viktor 1961 · URS-ch28 · Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation The Soviet School 0-1 Boris Spassky vs Simagin, Vladimir 1961 · URS-ch28 · Sicilian Defense: Closed The Soviet School 0-1 Bannik, Anatoly vs Boris Spassky 1961 · URS-ch28 · Indian Defense: Wade-Tartakower Defense The Soviet School 1-0 Stein, Leonid vs Boris Spassky 1961 · URS-ch28 · Ruy Lopez: Classical Variation, Central Variation The Soviet School ½-½ Taimanov, Mark E vs Boris Spassky 1961 · URS-ch28 · Queen's Gambit Declined: Tarrasch Defense, Pseudo-Tarrasch The Soviet School ½-½ Tarasov, Vitaly Georgievich vs Boris Spassky 1961 · URS-ch28 · Sicilian Defense: Moscow Variation, Main Line The Soviet School ½-½ Boris Spassky vs Geller, Efim P 1961 · URS-ch28 · Indian Defense: Knights Variation The Soviet School 0-1 Furman, Semen Abramovich vs Boris Spassky 1961 · URS-ch28 · Old Indian Defense: Normal Variation The Soviet School ½-½ Khasin, Abram vs Boris Spassky 1961 · URS-ch28 · English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation, Keres Variation The Soviet School