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
½-½ Kholmov, Ratmir D vs Boris Spassky 1956 · URS-ch23 · Queen's Gambit Declined: Ragozin Defense The Soviet School 0-1 Borisenko, Georgy K vs Boris Spassky 1956 · URS-ch23 · Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Gligoric System, Exchange Variation The Soviet School ½-½ Byvshev, Vasily Mikhailovich vs Boris Spassky 1956 · URS-ch23 · King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Panno Variation The Soviet School ½-½ Khasin, Abram vs Boris Spassky 1956 · URS-ch23 · Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System The Soviet School ½-½ Zurakhov, Vladlen Y vs Boris Spassky 1956 · URS-ch23 · Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation The Soviet School 0-1 Boris Spassky vs Taimanov, Mark E 1956 · URS-ch23 playoff-1pl · Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Wormald Attack The Soviet School ½-½ Averbakh, Yuri L vs Boris Spassky 1956 · URS-ch23 playoff-1pl · King's Indian Defense: Averbakh Variation, Benoni Defense, Advance Variation The Soviet School 1-0 Taimanov, Mark E vs Boris Spassky 1956 · URS-ch23 playoff-1pl · King's Indian Attack: Symmetrical Defense The Soviet School ½-½ Boris Spassky vs Vasily Smyslov 1956 · Candidats Tournament · Nimzo-Indian Defense: Reshevsky Variation The Soviet School ½-½ Boris Spassky vs Filip, Miroslav 1956 · Candidats Tournament · Richter-Veresov Attack: Richter Variation The Soviet School ½-½ Boris Spassky vs Petrosian, Tigran V 1956 · Candidats Tournament · Nimzo-Indian Defense: Reshevsky Variation The Soviet School 0-1 Averbakh, Yuri L vs Boris Spassky 1956 · URS-ch23 · English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation The Soviet School ½-½ Mikhail Tal vs Boris Spassky 1957 · URS-ch24 · Ruy Lopez: Schliemann Defense, Dyckhoff Variation The Soviet School ½-½ Antoshin, Vladimir S vs Boris Spassky 1957 · Leningrad-ch · Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System The Soviet School ½-½ Boris Spassky vs Zilber, Israel 1957 · Leningrad-ch · French Defense: Rubinstein Variation The Soviet School 0-1 Krogius, Nikolai V vs Boris Spassky 1957 · Leningrad-ch · Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Réti System The Soviet School 1-0 Boris Spassky vs Zhukhovitsky, Samuel 1957 · Leningrad-ch · Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Neo-Modern Variation The Soviet School 1-0 Boris Spassky vs Klaman, Konstantin 1957 · Leningrad-ch · Indian Defense: Budapest Gambit Accepted, Main Line, Adler Variation The Soviet School 0-1 Ragozin, Viacheslav vs Boris Spassky 1957 · Leningrad-ch · Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Main Line The Soviet School ½-½ Boris Spassky vs Ravinsky, Grigory Ionovich 1957 · Leningrad-ch · Tarrasch Defense: Classical Variation, Endgame Variation The Soviet School ½-½ Shamkovich, Leonid vs Boris Spassky 1957 · Leningrad-ch · Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Averbakh-Grivas Attack The Soviet School ½-½ Boris Spassky vs Cherepkov, Alexander V 1957 · Leningrad-ch · Nimzo-Indian Defense: Kmoch Variation The Soviet School ½-½ Suetin, Alexey S vs Boris Spassky 1957 · Leningrad-ch · Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Yerevan System The Soviet School 0-1 Stoliar, Efim Samoilovich vs Boris Spassky 1957 · Leningrad-ch · Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Normal System The Soviet School