R.I.P. Boris Spassky

[Hans Jung]

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1128320 How much is a queen really worth?

[Hans Jung]

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1125791 Master of defense as well.

[Hans Jung]

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1034110 Possibly Spassky's most famous game. King's Gambit against Bronstein. (James Bond movie?)

[Hans Jung]

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1080046 and another King's Gambit against Bobby.

[Hans Jung]

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1128417 Spassky's own favorite in the early years.

[Hans Jung]

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1106072 The comment to this game by the author of Spassky's 300 wins is: If Spassky always played this way he would have been undefeated.

[Tony Boron]

Spassky visited Canada several times.

1971 Canadian Open (Vancouver): 1971 Canadian Open
1971 CNE Open (Toronto) in which Spassky finished 3rd (behind Benko and Robert Byrne). It was allegedly the only weekend Swiss in which he participated in his whole life. No complete crosstable seems to be available. (partial one in "Chess Canada")

He also gave six simuls in 1967 (Nanaimo, Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal); one simul in Montreal in 1971; three in Montreal and Toronto in 1979; one in Mississauga in 1982; one in Saint John in 1988; five in 1995 (Ottawa, Pickering, Toronto, Guelph, London). Thanks to Stephen wright for his research. Visitors to Canada

and Winnipeg Centennial GM tournament in 1967, of which you have written.

[Hans Jung]

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1106849 Game of the day today. Most people would move the queen. Not Spassky. Elegant and profound.

[Hans Jung]

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1106849 Resignation is better than execution.

[Gordon Taylor]

I began playing tournament chess in 1969, the year Spassky defeated Petrosian in the World Championship. I studied his games closely for at least the next twenty years. He could achieve amazing harmony with his pieces. Spassky's three early wins over Fischer are amongst my favourites (granted Spassky had white in all three). But a truly special game is a game Spassky drew, against Yuri Averbach in 1956, which features "the strangest sacrifice in chess history". There are a couple of good YouTube videos explaining what happened. Recommended.

[Brad Thomson]

Thanks Hans! I will pull out my beloved old set and enjoy the beauty.

[Hans Jung]

There's nothing better than fondling the pieces with Boris Spassky's moves. Except maybe a brewsky or two. You could also drink a toast to Boris, and envision Nick and Shirov, and you and your Dad and Boris hovering over their shoulders.

[Hans Jung]

I began playing tournament chess in 1969, the year Spassky defeated Petrosian in the World Championship. I studied his games closely for at least the next twenty years. He could achieve amazing harmony with his pieces. Spassky's three early wins over Fischer are amongst my favourites (granted Spassky had white in all three). But a truly special game is a game Spassky drew, against Yuri Averbach in 1956, which features "the strangest sacrifice in chess history". There are a couple of good YouTube videos explaining what happened. Recommended.

Thanks for prompting my memory Gordon!

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1128360 Develop the knight so it can be captured. I remember a couple of articles on this.

[Hans Jung]

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1128360 and then there's this (what calculation!)

[Hans Jung]

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1128299 and then there is this mind boggler.