The tenth world chess champion Boris Spassky died. He was the legend of the USSR and the oldest title in the world

The 12th world chess champion Anatoly Karpov responded to the death of the 10th winner of the title Boris Spassky. His words are given by Sport-Express.

Grandmaster expressed his condolences to his relatives and friends of a compatriot. “This is a big loss not only for chess. Boris Vasilievich was a wonderful person, ”said Karpov.

Spassky died at the 89th year of life

On February 27, the President of the Russian Chess Federation Andrei Filatov reported on the death of Grossmaster on February 27. “A big person has gone, and generations of chess players studied and study in his parties and work. A big loss for the country, ”he said.

Filatov did not specify the reasons for the death of the famous chess player. Spassky was the oldest of the living world chess champions.

How reacted to the death of a chess player in Russia

The death of Spassky was also commented on by the television commentator Dmitry Guberniev. He called the chess player one of the symbols of the generation.

The condolences in connection with the death of Spassky was also expressed by the Minister of Sports and the head of the Olympic Committee of Russia Mikhail Degtyarev. In an interview with Match TV, he stated that the name of the grandmaster was forever inscribed in the history of sports.

“His contribution to the development of chess, a brilliant mind and will to win have become an example for many generations. His famous “match of the century” with Bobby Fisher in 1972 will forever remain in the memory of fans of chess around the world. Bright memory to the great master, ”Degtyarev said.

What sports success did Spassky achieve

Grossmaster was born on January 20, 1937 in Leningrad. During the Great Patriotic War, he was evacuated in the Kirov region, and he began to play chess there. Upon returning to his hometown at the age of nine, he was admitted to the chess circle of the Leningrad Palace of Pioneers.

At the age of 16, Spassky received the title of master of sports of the USSR and international master, and two years later won the world championship among young men. At the age of 19, the Soviet chess player first performed applicants at the tournament. 13 years later, in 1969, Spassky became the tenth world champion. In the match for the chess crown, he beat another Soviet chess player Tigran Petrosyan with a score of 12.5: 10.5.

The title of world champion Spassky retained for three years. In 1972, he lost to the American Robert Fisher (8.5: 12.5), after which he did not participate in matches for the chess crown. Spassky twice won the USSR championship (1961, 1973) and participated ten times in chess Olympiads.

What other country in tournaments represented by Spassky

In 1976, Spassky emigrated to France, but retained Soviet citizenship and the right to perform at tournaments under the flag of the USSR. The chess player began playing under the French flag in 1984. His career ended in the early 1990s. First, he lost to Fisher in the exhibition match, and then the Hungarian chess player Judit Polgar.

After his career ended, Spassky was engaged in the popularization of chess, opened schools and clubs in Russia and abroad, and was also the editor -in -chief of the newspaper Chess Week. The athlete finally returned to Russia in 2012 and a year later received a Russian passport.