1972 Fischer/Spassky: Exclusive Interview with Boris Spassky, Jr.

[@harryposner7584]

Lovely interview. Made me nostalgic for 1971, the year in which I helped to organized a chess tournament in Toronto. At the time Spassky had committed to playing in a tournament in Vancouver, and graciously agreed to play in our tournament after the completion of that one. Little did I know that I was destined to be paired with him in round 4. I ended up playing into one of his pet lines in the Nimzo-Indian, and lost in 27 moves. Later, as we drove him to his hotel room, he turned to me and said that I could have had a draw. This statement haunted me for forty years, and with no chess engines at the time, I obsessed over what was the drawing line. I checked an engine in 2011, and there it was, a draw. At any rate, he was very kind and generous to me and I'll never forget our encounter. All the best to Boris Jr. and his family, and a hug to Boris Sr. from Canada.

[@Zenith9132]

Please link the game or post a PGN!

[@Durian_Defense]

Boris Jr inherited his father's good looks.

[@henryseidel5469]

...and obviously his gentleman-like manners and behaviour.

[@MrSupernova111]

Amazing to hear stories from Spassky's son himself! Thanks!!

[@aacoaf1984]

Spassky, what a gentleman. The chess history will never forget him. Many thanks to his son for remembering the most important moment in chess world ever. He is also so great...

[@henryseidel5469]

Boris Spassky was a real gentleman. When asked by some theatrical interviewers he always said the truth. He simply admitted in front of the cameras that Bobby Fischer was better than him at that time. I think Fischer and Spassky were friends rather than Cold war enemies some idiotic paparazzi made them.

[@kalvheps5973]

What a fantastic son Boris has produced.Spitting image.Amazing interview!Boris Spassky is the gentleman of GMs.A legend.

[@ems3832]

So many of Boris Sr.'s mannerisms and speaking style!

[@alanbooker1955]

Wonderful interview.

[@brucetowell3432]

Thanks for posting. As a follower of professionals chess for many, many years I do not recall ever seeing or hearing about Boris's son. I presume professional players tried to just keep their children out of the limelight and away from the media.

[@hoggar1452]

Excellent interview!

[@williammagdalene7439]

Loved every minute of this interview. Thank you. Boris Spassky is an eternal gift to chess.

[@Kubooxooki]

Great video. Wonderful take of Spassky's legacy.

[@aryamannirvan1738]

Boris Spassky is a legend

[@Laney322]

Ooo he good looking

[@oneeyedman99]

So far as I know, none of the children of world champions have even been strong amateur chessplayers, much less grandmasters. I have heard stories of some of them showing up to tournaments to watch, but not to play.

[@brucetowell3432]

This happens in most artistic professions as well as in physical sport. Children of famous musicians don't really climb to the top as their parents, neither do baseball players, football, basketball....even in professional acting...heck for that matter neither in average ordinary occupations, my father was a carpenter and could build and make anything. If I happened to saw a 2 by 4 in half and nailed them together, I'd considered that an accomplishment!:-) Sometimes living up to what your parents accomplished is a road to tough to travel.

[@oneeyedman99]

@@brucetowell3432 This is certainly not true of baseball players. There are hundreds of second-generation MLB players including several hall-of-famers. There are also many well-known acting families; the Fondas, , Hustons, and Sheens come to mind.

[@brucetowell3432]

@@oneeyedman99 allright yes, ken griffey and his dad, barry bonds and his dad, the Fondas and sheens...I'll still say it's a very small percentage though

[@dannysigurdson7108]

@@brucetowell3432 idk, in the sport I'm most knowledgeable about (hockey) there are many, many examples of father/son(s) NHL pairings. It seems like every season at least one of the top 10 draft prospects is the child of a retired NHL player.

[@DanWilan]

Cool guy

[@brigidwell]

A real prince, not the fake kind. He's seen it all, and just wants to enjoy life like his dad.

[@incitatusdelaruinalparaiso3166]

Gentlemen.

[@alfiecollins5617]

19:10

[@nicbentulan]

What's Boris sr opinion of Russia Ukraine conflict please?

[@henryseidel5469]

Nobody ever asked him, but I am almost sure he will be on the Russian side for he remembers what it meant to be faced with a couple of foreign armies in front of the country's gates.

[@nicbentulan]

@@henryseidel5469 lol thanks henry seidel good to talk to you again!

[@nicbentulan]

@@henryseidel5469 I posted in my wordpress ( p1w4Rr-1Gb ) that I think 9/11 tells us what bobby fischer would think of russia vs ukraine Pablo Mercado: There are fears, Bobby, that this might start something worse, like a third World War. Do you think that’s possible? Bobby: I think it’s possible, unfortunately. That’s the big danger: That the Jews, this lunatic people, are going to take us all with them, you know what I mean? So Bobby would think like ... ‘Let those 2 Jews Putin & Zelenskyy finish each other off! I told you the Jews were going to take us all with them!' ? What do you think?

[@nicbentulan]

@@henryseidel5469 how do i dm you? let's discuss further

[@henryseidel5469]

@@nicbentulan Thank you too. I believe a war is not just shooting but a fatal development before it actually happens. As in WW2.