Former World Champion Boris Spassky has passed away, at the age of 88. He was the World Junior Champion in 1955 and World Champion from 1969-1972. For most casual chess players he was most famous for losing the 1982 World Championship title to Bobby Fischer, but for more serious players, he was an incredibly strong player who chess career was far more than one match. He was a serious tournament competitor up until the early 1990's, but still played exhibition matches and tournaments after that.
He visited Australia in 1989, touring the country and playing simuls. I was fortunate to handle the Canberra leg of his visit, showing the sights of the nations capital and other tourist spots. He was very taken by his trip to the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve where he was able to see native wild life and plants. He said it reminded him of his time working in the forests of the USSR, before he became a full time chess player.
Long considered one of the chess world's true gentlemen, his passing will be mourned by the chess community.
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