Spassky, Boris

Boris Spassky was a Soviet grandmaster and the tenth World Champion (1969-1972), widely regarded as the first truly universal player, equally formidable in tactical and positional play. He learned chess at age five on a train evacuating besieged Leningrad during World War II and went on to set records as the youngest Soviet player to achieve Master rank at 15. His 1972 title defense against Bobby Fischer in Reykjavik became the most famous chess match in history, a Cold War showdown that captivated the world.