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Quiz about Fischer v Spassky World Chess Championship 1972

Fischer v Spassky World Chess Championship 1972 Quiz

The background, games and aftermath of the 1972 "Match of the Century" held in Reykjavik, Iceland.

A multiple-choice quiz by Seurat. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
Seurat

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
264,765

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
515

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. The reigning champion Boris Spassky was born on 30th January 1937 in which Soviet city? Hint

Novosibirsk

Moscow

Leningrad (St Petersburg)

Vladivostok

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Question 2 of 10

2. The challenger Bobby Fischer was born on 9th March 1943 in which US city? Hint

Chicago

New York

Detroit

St Louis

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Question 3 of 10

3. Who did Spassky defeat to become World Champion in 1969? Hint

Tigran Petrossian

Vasily Smyslov

Mikhail Tal

Mikhail Botvinnik

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Question 4 of 10

4. Fischer's route to the championship became legendary for the crushing defeats handed out to strong Grandmasters. In which order did he defeat his rivals? Hint

Larsen, Petrossian, Taimanov

Taimanov, Larsen, Petrossian

Larsen, Taimanov, Petrossian

Petrossian, Taimanov, Larsen

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Question 5 of 10

5. What was the outcome of first Fischer-Spassky game played in Reykjavik? Hint

Spassky wins with White

Fischer wins with White

Fischer wins with Black

Spassky wins with Black

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Question 6 of 10

6. What was the outcome of second Fischer-Spassky game? Hint

Spassky forfeited

Fischer won with White

Fischer forfeited

Draw

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Question 7 of 10

7. One of the many controversial points of the match involved an item designed by the renowned Charles Eames. What was it? Hint

Fischer's chair

The chess pieces

The board

The trophy

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Question 8 of 10

8. What was the final result of the 1972 World Chess Championship? Hint

Fischer 12 - Spassky 8

Fischer 24 - Spassky 16

Fischer 13 - Spassky 10

Fischer 12.5 - Spassky 8.5

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Question 9 of 10

9. What was Fischer's first publication after the end of the 1972 match? Hint

Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess

I Was Tortured in the Pasadena Jailhouse!

My 60 Memorable Games

Struggle

10. Fischer finally re-appeared on the world stage in 1992 to play a rematch against Spassky, winning by 10 wins to 5 with 25 draws. Unfortunately the venue of the match caused the US to issue an arrest warrant for him. What was the venue? Hint

Tehran, Iran

Baghdad, Iraq

Belgrade, FR Yugoslavia

Pyongyang, North Korea

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The reigning champion Boris Spassky was born on 30th January 1937 in which Soviet city?

Answer: Leningrad (St Petersburg)

Spassky later moved to France, becoming a French citizen in 1978 and representing France in the Chess Olympiads.

2. The challenger Bobby Fischer was born on 9th March 1943 in which US city?

Answer: Chicago

The often eccentric Fischer was US champion at age 14. He went on to win this title a further seven times, losing only three games in the eight championships.

3. Who did Spassky defeat to become World Champion in 1969?

Answer: Tigran Petrossian

All were previous champions: Botvinnik (1948-57, 1958-60, 1961-63), Smyslov (1957-58), Tal (1960-61), Petrossian (1963-69). Spassky lost to Petrossian in 1966, before getting his revenge three years later.

4. Fischer's route to the championship became legendary for the crushing defeats handed out to strong Grandmasters. In which order did he defeat his rivals?

Answer: Taimanov, Larsen, Petrossian

After 6-0 wins over Mark Taimanov and Bent Larsen, Fischer then defeated former World Champion Tigran Petrossian 6.5-2.5. His defeat in the second game of the Petrossian match ended a string of 20 straight wins!

5. What was the outcome of first Fischer-Spassky game played in Reykjavik?

Answer: Spassky wins with White

After a blunder on move 29, Fischer lost a bishop for two pawns and ended up resigning on move 56.

6. What was the outcome of second Fischer-Spassky game?

Answer: Fischer forfeited

The game was awarded to Spassky after Fischer failed to turn up in a row over conditions. Fischer's demands over playing conditions became legendary, with arguments over the size and shape of the board, lighting, noise, nearness of the audience, television coverage etc.

7. One of the many controversial points of the match involved an item designed by the renowned Charles Eames. What was it?

Answer: Fischer's chair

Fischer's black leather chair (Spassky eventually got an identical chair) was implicated in rumours of mind-control against Spassky. The chair was subjected to two x-rays. One showed an odd tube-like object, but a second showed nothing out of the ordinary. Rumours still abound concerning the reasons behind the blunders, lacklustre play and lethargic demeanor of Spassky.

8. What was the final result of the 1972 World Chess Championship?

Answer: Fischer 12.5 - Spassky 8.5

The win was to be Fischer's last public match for twenty years. Negotiations over the 1975 World Championship against contender Anatoly Karpov broke down over Fischer's demands over playing conditions, causing Fischer to resign his title and Karpov to be crowned the new World Champion.

9. What was Fischer's first publication after the end of the 1972 match?

Answer: I Was Tortured in the Pasadena Jailhouse!

This 14 page pamphlet appeared in 1982 detailing the treatment that Fischer claimed he received after being arrested in 1981, when mistaken for a bank robber.

Answer: Belgrade, FR Yugoslavia

The match was split between Belgrade and the Adriatic Sea resort of Sveti Stefan, despite UN Sanctions on the area due to the Yugoslav civil war. Fischer played despite the U.S. Department of the Treasury's warning beforehand that his participation was illegal.

Source: Author Seurat

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