They called it the Match of the Century. A full 50 years has passed since Bobby Fischer defeated Boris Spassky in Reykjavik, thereby becoming the 11th world champion. On 1 September 1972, Fischer won game 21 to win the match by 12.5-8.5. I enjoyed the perspective of a new book, The Match of All Time by Gudmundur G. Thorarinsson. (New in Chess, 2022, though first published in Iceland in 2020). Indeed, it is hard to imagine that the exceptional dramatic backdrop – an American against a Soviet in the midst of the Cold War – will ever be equalled.
In 1972, Thorarinsson was president of the Icelandic Chess Federation, and one of the key figures in the organisation of the match, which was so nearly derailed many times over. Famously, it might not have happened without Henry Kissinger’s phone call to Fischer (reportedly, ‘America wants you to go over there and beat the Russians’). Evidently, Thorarinsson was a shrewd and energetic character, though his perspective is all the more appealing for his retrospective modesty over various chance events. I was intrigued by his account of a meeting with a lady in a bar in London, whose advice on how to conciliate with the Soviets later helped prevent a collapse of negotiations during the match.
Fischer dominated the match, and some of the games (such as his handling of the Queen’s Gambit in game 6) are rightly regarded as masterpieces. But there were sloppy games on both sides. When game 11 was played, the last five decisive games had all been won by Fischer. Spassky came well prepared, and Fischer was wrong-footed in his favourite Najdorf Sicilian (5…a6). The ‘Poisoned Pawn’ variation (8…Qxb2) is one of its most treacherous tributaries.
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