Playing Style and Legacy:
Boris Spassky was a well-rounded champion who excelled in all areas of the game. He was not an opening expert in terms of depth of knowledge, but he did play a wide variety of systems well throughout his career. His play was flexible and adaptable to the situation at hand, which made him a difficult opponent to prepare for.
World Championship Matches:
1966: Lost to Tigran Petrosian 12.5-11.5 (+3 -4 =17)
1969: Defeated Petrosian 12.5-10.5 (+6 -4 =13) to become World Chess Champion
1972: Lost to Bobby Fischer 12.5-8.5 (+3 -7 =11); Fischer becomes World Chess Champion
Notable Accomplishments:
Won two USSR Chess Championships (1961, 1973)
Won 1955 World Junior Chess Championship
Won 1966 Piatigorsky Cup with 11.5/18 score
Played on seven Olympiad teams for the USSR, winning 13 medals and losing just one game (+45 -1 =48)
