Spassky back in Russia

[Jordan S. Berson]

Re: Spassky back in Russia

You can only have a life insurance policy on a person for whom you have insurable interest. A person could not insure a neighbour unless there is a clear risk of financial loss to the proposed policy holder in the event that the neighbour dies.

An employer can only take out a life insurance policy on an employee for as long as the employee remains employed.

[Christopher Mallon]

Re: Spassky back in Russia

Considering the effects a stroke can have, your comment is unfair.

I fail to see how my comment in any way was unfair to or even affected Spassky himself at all. I merely asked a logical follow-up question to the article in the original post.

I personally think it's a bit scary that you can personally take out a life insurance policy on almost anyone in some locations; for example I think it was Wal-Mart was taking life insurance policies payable to the company for some of their employees.

[Vlad Dobrich]

Re: Spassky back in Russia

Maybe Boris' wife was trying to do her best for him in a difficult situation. Maybe Boris' state of mind was unbalanced by his stroke. Who knows?

Thanks to the generosity and thoughtfulness of a friend, I had an opportunity to meet Boris Spassky, and spent an hour or so talking to him, about 17 years ago. He was a remarkable man. In the highly competitive world of elite chess there must be a lot of negativity/animosity between some GMs. My friend and I peppered Boris with questions about, among other things, his opinions on his fellow GMs. He didn't have a single negative word to say about any of them. Everything was positive and respectful. And that's how I felt about Boris Spassky after that day: positively and full of respect for a wonderful human being.

I wonder why there has never been (to the best of my knowledge) an authoritative, annotated, English-language collection of his games?

Following the Canadian Open 1971 in Vancouver, I was fortunate to spend some time with Spassky - we went to the beach, played some tennis and visited the UBC campus. At some point I asked him if he was doing any writing (I must have had in mind that he might contribute something to the Chess Canada I was then publishing). Yes, he said he was going to put together a book of ten of his most instructive games. "That must have been difficult choosing which of your many beautiful wins to include" I said. No wins, he said, ten of my losses. "Losses? Why?" I asked.
"I never learned anything from my wins - I always learned a great deal from my losses!" was his reply.
I don't know if he ever got around to publishing that booklet - he always claimed that laziness was his biggest problem.
To get back to our visit to the UBC campus, an amusing incident occurred when we walked into the student common room. In the middle of the lounge there appeared to be a cluster of students around a table. As we approached we could make out the object of their interest. They were looking at some position on a chessboard. At that point Boris walked up as close as he could and peered over the shoulders of several students. The next minute, the World Champ reached over their heads to suggest a move. He was promptly swatted away for his comment. Backing away, Boris turned back to me with a grin from ear to ear. No doubt he had never been so thoroughly discounted before.

[Zeljko Kitich]

Re: Spassky back in Russia

Considering the effects a stroke can have, your comment is unfair.

Very true. Spassky and Fischer also did not deserve all those 'old man chess' comments thrown around in the media by many in the chess community that were interviewed by the media as instant pundits when they had their rematch. I hope Spassky recovers and this is cleared up asap.

[Christopher Mallon]

Re: Spassky back in Russia

Maybe Boris' wife was trying to do her best for him in a difficult situation. Maybe Boris' state of mind was unbalanced by his stroke. Who knows?

Thanks to the generosity and thoughtfulness of a friend, I had an opportunity to meet Boris Spassky, and spent an hour or so talking to him, about 17 years ago. He was a remarkable man. In the highly competitive world of elite chess there must be a lot of negativity/animosity between some GMs. My friend and I peppered Boris with questions about, among other things, his opinions on his fellow GMs. He didn't have a single negative word to say about any of them. Everything was positive and respectful. And that's how I felt about Boris Spassky after that day: positively and full of respect for a wonderful human being.

From what I've read in the Fischer biographies he was always the perfect gentleman no matter what was thrown at him. And a lot was thrown at him, first from one side then the other, by the sounds of it. Positive and respectful are definitely the impression I got from those readings.

I wonder why there has never been (to the best of my knowledge) an authoritative, annotated, English-language collection of his games?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0713403624
Although that book seems to have been published right before the Fischer match - an update may be in order!

[Peter McKillop]

Re: Spassky back in Russia

The implication seems to be that it was his wife doing the trapping, not the French...

Maybe Boris' wife was trying to do her best for him in a difficult situation. Maybe Boris' state of mind was unbalanced by his stroke. Who knows?

Thanks to the generosity and thoughtfulness of a friend, I had an opportunity to meet Boris Spassky, and spent an hour or so talking to him, about 17 years ago. He was a remarkable man. In the highly competitive world of elite chess there must be a lot of negativity/animosity between some GMs. My friend and I peppered Boris with questions about, among other things, his opinions on his fellow GMs. He didn't have a single negative word to say about any of them. Everything was positive and respectful. And that's how I felt about Boris Spassky after that day: positively and full of respect for a wonderful human being.

I wonder why there has never been (to the best of my knowledge) an authoritative, annotated, English-language collection of his games?

[Stephen Wright]

Re: Spassky back in Russia

Try this one instead

http://whychess.org/en/node/2820

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Spassky back in Russia

Considering the effects a stroke can have, your comment is unfair.

[Christopher Mallon]

Re: Spassky back in Russia

The implication seems to be that it was his wife doing the trapping, not the French...

I wonder if she has a big insurance policy on him?

[Vlad Dobrich]

According to this interview, Spassky says he was denied proper medical treatment and under 'house arrest' in his home near Paris but has escaped with the help of the Russian embassy. Amazing news >>>>>

>>> http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=8417