Chess icon, 10th world champion Boris Spassky He played his last earthly move. The death of the 88-year-old champion was reported by the president of the Russian Chess Federation Andrei FilatovSpassky took the chess crown in 1969 in Moscow, after winning against Tigrana Petrosjana with 12,5:10,5.
Three years later, he was replaced on the throne by an American in a match in Reykjavik. Bobby Fischer, one of the most controversial, but also most beloved, world sports champions.
- A great personality has passed away, generations of chess players have learned and are learning from his games and chess legacy. It is a great loss for the country. Condolences to his family and friends. Eternal memory - Filatov said goodbye.
In the circles of the ancient game, the death of the great chess player was a central topic. Spassky was said goodbye by numerous greats, and despite sanctions against Russian chess players by the international chess federation FIDE, the American grandmaster Hans Niemann said goodbye to the Russian great in Moscow.
"That 1972, the greatest chess match of all time took place in Reykjavik. Spassky showed unparalleled fighting spirit and character on and off the chessboard. May Boris Spassky rest in peace," wrote X Niman on his social media account.
Despite FIDE's decisions, Niemann decided to try his chess skills at the Aeroflot Open in Moscow.
"Chess is a game that has brought people together for centuries, a common language spoken by people of different cultures. Fischer played wherever the challenge took him, and I will do the same, because at its core, chess is a quest for something greater. I will and will go where my fans are and to play at the highest level for the love of the game. I am here to let chess speak for itself. I do not have tournaments, and Aeroflot is part of the FIDE network system. That is the end of the story for me and may the best win," concluded Niman.
FIDE also said goodbye to Spassky, whose 10th champion he was.
"FIDE is deeply saddened by the death of Boris Spassky. We express our sincere condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of Boris Spassky," reads a message published on the FIDE website.
Spassky was born in Leningrad (St. Petersburg) in 1937, and his talent was recognized from childhood. He was a grandmaster by the age of 18, and lost the title match to Petrosyan in 1966, only to regain it three years later. Against Fischer, he played the match of the century, with a prize fund previously unheard of in any sport - $250.000 - and incredible media hype at the height of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union.
Fischer won, but Spassky won the hearts of the people as the first truly universal player. Although he had weaknesses in the opening, no one has ever been more dynamic in dealing with difficult situations than he. He won 1978 medals at the Chess Olympiads by 13, both individually and as a team, and then moved on to play for France. With an unbridled spirit, he emigrated there with his third wife. He played for France on the first board at three Chess Olympiads, before returning to Russia in 2012.
- The greatest recognition for me is not Olympic medals or a match for the world championship. The greatest praise is that I played the 'Spanish' defense with the black pieces brilliantly, from Boris Spassky in 2005. I will never forget those words, as well as the words of Spassky, one of the leaders of the golden era of chess, 'that the chess crown is not won by trying, but happens by chance' - he said Levon Aronian, who had the fourth rating in FIDE history.
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