Russian chess genius Boris Spasski died at the age of 88

Russian chess genius Boris Spasski died at the age of 88

The chess world mourns the loss of a legend: the Russian chess chess master Boris Spasski died at the age of 88. The Russian Chess Association and the European Chess Union announced this. Spasski, who was considered the tenth chess champion from 1969 to 1972, became world famous through his legendary duel with Bobby Fischer during the Cold War. The highly expected competition, referred to as the "competition of the systems", took place in Reykjavik in 1972 and ended tragically for Spasski, who lost the title to the American. This defeat not only led to a massive criticism in his homeland, but also shaped the image of chess in the 20th century, as the chess magazine OE24 explained.

born on January 30, 1937 in Leningrad (today St. Petersburg), SPASSKI survived the war and developed a passion for chess at the age of nine. Under the guidance of his trainer Vladimir Grigorjewitsch Sak, he rose quickly and was already represented at an international tournament in Bucharest in 1953. Spasski's influence on future chess players remains undisputed, and his unique style will continue to be seen as a template for many. Andrej Filatow, the President of the Russian Chess Association, described his death as a great loss and emphasized that generations of chess players could benefit from his games and work, loud a legacy in the chess

The circumstances of his death are so far unknown. But Spasski played chess passionately into old age and made a lasting impression in the chess community worldwide. Even after his emigration to France in 1976 and his return to his home country in 2012, he remained an iconic symbol of chess. His style of play and strategies are still being studied and respected, not only in Russia, but global.