Boris Spassky passes away: Rich tributes and mourning in chess world as 10th world champion, passes away
Boris Spassky, the 10th world champion of chess, has passed away, FIDE announced on Friday. He was 88. He became the world champion after defeating Tigran Petrosian and then famously lost in the Match of the Century against Bobby Fischer in 1972 at Iceland’s Reykjavík.
Spassky was a chess prodigy who went on to become a Grandmaster at the age of 18 and was known as one of the most talented players of his generation. He lost his first world championship battle against Petrosian at Moscow 1966. But in the next world championship, he overcame Petrosian to earn the crown. He was a player known for his universal playing style.
What was remarkable about him was that he played for France in his latter years. Spassky played seven times at the Chess Olympiad for the Soviet team (between 1962 to 1978). Then in 1976, Spassky immigrated to France and became a French citizen two years later. Then, he competed for France in three Olympiads (1984–1988). He became a Russian citizen again in 2013.
Tributes for Spassky
Everyone from Garry Kasparov to Susan Polgar posted rich tributes to the Soviet Union legend on his passing.
“Boris was never above befriending and mentoring the next generation, especially those of us who, like him, didn’t fit comfortably into the Soviet machine. (He emigrated to France in 1976),” wrote Garry Kasparov on X. “His rise as a prodigy, conquest of the crown against the invincible Petrosian on the second attempt, and decades of elite play are too often lost in the shadow of his dramatic title loss to Bobby Fischer in 1972 and the circus Fischer turned it into. But Spassky always wanted to play, and he handled the situation with impressive dignity. While his chess justified the ‘universal’ label that frequently follows his name, his aggressive gambiteering style produced countless masterpieces.”
RIP Boris Vasilievich Spassky
One of the most talented players of his generation, the 10th World Champion Boris Spassky has passed away at the age of 88.
Spassky was considered a chess prodigy. He attained the Grandmaster title at the age of 18 and made his debut in the… pic.twitter.com/zrZBePQeXg
— International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) February 27, 2025
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“I first met him in Cannes in 1986. We clicked and became friends immediately and he invited he invited us to his residence in Paris for dinner. We had many more memorable conversations at dinner over the years,” Susan Polgar posted. “Here are three of my many special memories of Boris: (1) Having both Boris and Bobby Fischer at our home in Budapest in 1993 for dinner. The conversation was out of this world. It was an unbelievable highlight! (2) Spending a week with Boris (and his then wife Marina) and GM Lev Alburt in South Florida in 2003! We had many excellent excursions, delicious dinner, and incredible conversations. (3) Having a Champions’ dinner with Boris, Anatoly Karpov and Nona Gaprindashvili in Dresden in 2008. We had a lot of fun and discussed many interesting topics.”
Her sister, the legendary Judit Polgar posted: “He was not only a wonderful champion, but also a fascinating personality. Anyone who met him will surely remember him – forever. His character came through in every possible way, especially with his sense of humour, his brilliant mind, his facial expressions. He turned to chess and life with great curiosity. We shall miss him. I will miss you, Boris.”
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