Was Spassky good? - Chess Forums - Page 3

goldendog · 2009-03-01T22:15:36-08:00

He tends to be associated with lackluster performances vs. Fischer and relegated to a lower tier of chess player, perhaps not even great. Yet in his run up to finally gaining the title in 1969 he displayed a virtuosity in a variety of styles selected to defeat particular opponents, namely Keres, Gel

Gokukid

Mar 4, 2009

0

#41

was spassky good? a world champion means being the world's very best. isn't that enough? what is good anyway?

ADK

Mar 4, 2009

0

#42

careyfan wrote:

Spassky was a stud. Unfortunately, he's best known for losing to Fischer....but anyone in that day and age would've gotten their butt kicked by Bobby.

He was a gutsy player....willing to play the King's Gambit. He also added a lot to the theory behind the closed Sicilian.

Very true!

He was the tenth World Chess Champion, holding the title from 1969 to 1972.

Spassky won the Soviet Chess Championship twice outright (1961, 1973), and twice more lost in playoffs (1956, 1963), after tying for first during the event proper. He was a World Chess Championship Candidate on seven occasions (1956, 1965, 1968, 1974, 1977, 1980, and 1985).

ADK

idosheepallnight

Mar 4, 2009

0

#43

Herceg Novi Blitz Tournament (5-Minute Chess)

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Total
1. Fischer	x	2	1	2	1½	1½	2	2	1½	1½	2	2	19
2. Tal	0	x	2	1	0	2	1½	½	2	1½	2	2	14½
3. Korchnoi	1	0	x	½	0	2	2	2	1	1½	2	2	14
4. Petrosian	0	1	1½	x	1	1	1½	1	1	1½	2	2	13½
5. Bronstein	½	2	2	1	x	½	½	1	½	1½	1½	2	13
6. Hort	½	0	0	1	1½	x	1	2	2	1	1	2	12
7. Matulovic	0	½	0	½	1½	1	x	½	2	2	1½	1	10½
8. Smyslov	0	1½	0	1	1	0	1½	x	½	1	1	2	9½
9. Reshevsky	½	0	1	1	1½	0	0	1½	x	½	1½	1	8½
10. Uhlmann	½	½	½	½	½	1	0	1	1½	x	0	2	8
11. Ivkov	0	0	0	0	½	1	½	1	½	2	x	2	7½
12. Ostojic	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	x	2

spassky

Jun 27, 2009

0

#44

Thank you all for the kind remarks.

Crazychessplaya

Jul 2, 2009

0

#45

"Was Spassky good?"

For starters, it is not "was" but "is". Secondly, it is not "good" but "great". Thirdly, it is not Spassky but Kasparov.

And finally, the answer is YES.

jpd303

Jul 2, 2009

0

#46

??? so the question now is...is kasparov great? no he's retired.

Thesaint8x

Jan 30, 2013

0

#47

Spassky was not just strong,but very strong.Perhaps,if the the Soviet system had not been behind him demanding this and that he would have fared far better against Bobby Fischer in 1972.I feel so because of a recent interview in which he made his feelings against the Soviet authorities at that time clear.Spassky even had a plus record against Bobby before the title clash.He was feared for his incredible middlegame skills.