# Fischer vs Spassky 1972

How Bobby Fischer took the 1972 world chess title from Boris Spassky in Reykjavik, through key games from the forfeit to his 12½–8½ win\.

By Laura Hales

Topic: History

[Open the interactive Jig](https://ask.jig.com/j/efMZQVZQy96C)

## Transcript

### 1. Reykjavik, 1972

July 1972, the Laugardalshöll arena in Reykjavik\. Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union defends the world title against the American challenger Bobby Fischer\. The match is 24 games: the first to 12½ points wins, and a 12–12 tie keeps the champion on his throne\.

Drag empty space to turn the table\. Press a brass clock button to stop that side and start the other\.

### 2. Game 1: the poisoned pawn

Spassky has White on the left\. In a dead\-level endgame Fischer plays 29\.\.\.Bxh2, grabbing a pawn\. After 30\.g3 the bishop is shut in on h2 and eventually lost\. Fischer resigns on move 56\. Spassky leads 1–0\.

### 3. Game 2: the empty chair

Fischer protests about the television cameras in the hall and does not come to the board\. His clock runs for an hour, and the game is forfeited\. Spassky leads 2–0, and many expect the match to end before it has properly begun\.

### 4. Game 3: the back room

Spassky agrees to play Game 3 in a small room away from the cameras\. Fischer, Black on the right, answers with the bold 11\.\.\.Nh5, letting his kingside pawns be doubled for active play\. He wins in 41 moves, his first ever win against Spassky\. Score: 2–1\.

### 5. Game 6: the masterpiece

Fischer, who almost always opened 1\.e4, plays 1\.c4 and steers into a Queen’s Gambit Declined\. He builds pressure with 20\.e4 and wins in 41 moves\. The audience applauds, and Spassky is reported to have joined in\. Fischer leads for the first time, 3½–2½\.

### 6. Game 13: Alekhine’s Defence

Another surprise: Fischer meets 1\.e4 with 1\.\.\.Nf6, Alekhine’s Defence\. He gives up a bishop for pawns, the game is adjourned, and in a long ending Spassky errs on move 69 and resigns on move 74\. Fischer leads 8–5\.

### 7. How Fischer won

No single blow decided it\. Fischer surprised Spassky with openings he had not prepared for: 1\.c4, Alekhine’s Defence, new lines\. He pressed small advantages deep into endgames, while Spassky, shaken after conceding the forfeit and the venue changes, made rare errors\. Spassky resigned the adjourned Game 21 by telephone, and Fischer won 12½–8½\.