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"His [Bobby Fisher's] success against the Russian chess empire of the 1960s and 70s remains as one of the most incredible individual performances by any chess player
-- chess.com
In the midst of the Cold War and all the issues with Jews in the Soviet Union came a furor over of all things --chess. The Soviet Union was a largely hermetically sealed state, but did like to engage in a range of international competitions to demonstrate their superiority. Here they had an advantage in competitions because they could support their athletes in a way that other countries clinging to amateurism could not. (Not to mention drugs and dishonest judges). Of course the Olympics dealt with athleticism. The Soviets also wanted to demonstrate intellectual superiority. This was more difficult. The greatest demonstration of intellectual prowess is Nobel Prize awards. But this would mean releasing important scientific advances to the world. And the Soviets did not want to share their scientific advances. A poor second to Nobel awards was international chess competitions. Here the Soviets had other advantages--a long tradition of chess mastery and their large Jewish population. And Jews over time have dominated the chess world--before the Soviet Union existed. The so called 'Match of the Century' took place in 1972. And it occurred between Soviet and American grand masters--a perfect Cold War showdown. As with the Olympics, the Soviet grand masters (Boris Spassky) had a huge advantage. Thy had the full support of the Soviet state. He did not need to have a job and could devote himself full time to chess. A team of Soviet grand masters studied the American Bobby Fischer's chess games and helped to advise Spassky. Fisher was on his on with no state support--in many ways a kind of David versus Goliath event. The 1972 World Chess Championship took place in Reykjavik, Iceland and proved to be the most celebrated chess match in history. Spassky was the defending champion. Chess Grand Master Raymond Keene describes it, "Inevitably a clash within representatives of Russian and American might became overladen with symbolic and political overtones, which attracted the glare of the world media." The Soviets were confident of a propaganda win. Chess was part of Soviet political system. And the Soviets had dominated international competitions for over two decades. Fischher was seen as an American upstart. The KGB was present to monitor the event. They insisted on testing Spassky's chair to be sure the CIA was not trying to drug him. The match began as the Soviets expected. Fischer lost the first game and defaulted the second. The turning point in the 21 game competition came early--Game 6 which Fischer won spectacularly ending Soviet dominance. This seemedto have destroyed Spassky'scofidence. Many chess experts see the Reykjavik evenht as one of the most powerful matches in chess history. The fact that a a little-regarded young upstart from American with no great tradition of chess defeated Russia's famed grand master is what was so shocking. [Edmonds and Eidinow] And occurring at the height of the Cold War only added to the spectacle.
In the midst of the Cold War and all the issues with Jews in the Soviet Union came a furor over of all things --chess.
World War II demoonstrated the vital importance of scienhtific expertise in modern warfare. The Sovits my have grasped this before the Democracies. Especially that the West was far ahead if the Soviet Union in most if not all scientificic fields. hey did bot dare to questio why as ghat woukd have kled to the politically dangerous conclusiion that oopen societies are both more priductive and more innivative. But it did to the realization that an active espionage effort was needed to among ither matters. acquire Western scientific knnowledge. Perhaopss the most effective organization in this regard was the Glavnoe Razvedyvatelnoe Upravlenie (GRU)),fonded by Leon Trotsky at the very birth of the Soviet state (1918). The GRU was a Soviet military espionagev agency responsible for the theft of scientific, technological and industrial secrets from the West. It was part ofv the massive Soviet espionage effort in the United States. It prived highly successful, among other matters penetrating the Manhattan Project and stealing nuclear secrets. This was partbof thecreason that the Soviets were so screative about their scientific work. Only this had costs. It mean that it was diffuicult for Soviet scientists to lear about advances being made and even more industrialists to benefit from the science beinng conducted. Unlike the West which built whole new industries on scientifiv nreak throughs. This did not occur in r=the Soviet Union ans is one of the major reasons that the Soviet Union not only list the Spave Rce, but eventually the Cold War. Stealing rather y=than priducing science mans that=y you will never be at the cutting edge.
The Soviet Union was a largely hermetically sealed state, especially under Stalin. After Stalin died (1953), the soviet Unniion loosened up somwewhat, but there were still major restructions on foreign travel and access to foreign media and publications. The Soviets were, however, insreasingly interested to foreign competition tht they could use to demobstrate the supperiority of Socialism and the Soiviet state. And the Soviets began to broaden there participation in interntional events. Here they had an advantage in competitions because they could support their athletes in a way that other countries clinging to amateurism could not. (Not to mention drugs and dishonest judges). Of course the Olympics dealt with athleticism. The Soviets also wanted to demonstrate intellectual superiority. This was more difficult. The greatest demonstration of intellectual prowess is Nobel Prize awards. But this would mean releasing important scientific advances to the world. And the Soviets did not want to share their scientific advances.
A poor second to Nobel awards was international chess competitions. Here the Soviets had other advantages--a long tradition of chess mastery abd their large Jewish population. Jews over time, especially people of Jewish heritage, have dominated the chess world from the time organized international competions began in the late-19th century. The importance of Chess so far as the Cold War goes was primarily in the minds of the Soviets. Chess is not of any great importance in America. The only time we recall in making headlines is the Fisher-Spassky match because of the Cold War. Russia is very different. Chess was a national passion in Russia. While the average American can not name a single grandmaster, chess masters were important public figures in the Soviet Union and even today in Russia perhaps with a little less passion. They were followed like Americans might follow star golfers or tennis players. A loss by a major player was felt deeply by his followers. After decades of victories, a loss to an American chess master after losing the Space Race (1969) at the height of the Cold War was unthinkable.
The so called 'Match of the Century' took place in 1972. And it occurred between Soviet and American grand masters--a perfect Cold War showdown. Less mentioned is the religiious angle. At the time the Jewish Refusniks were a najor issue. Fischer's mother was Jewish, but not oprticulrly observnt. Fischer himself was not a prcting Jew and often crutical of the relgion. In some ways the two competuitirs were similar. Both had difficult childhoods. In other ways they were polar opposites. Fischer was basically uneducated, despite being enormously intelligent, he did not even earn a high school diploma. And had the socialn graces of a rinoserous. He had one interest in life and one interest only--chess. His taste in literature when on the rare occassion that he ventured beyond chess books was comic books. Spassky was a well eduacted university graduate witha rounded personality and many interests. He was devoted to Dostoyesky. He also had his own ideas about the Soviet Uniin and was as close as you could be to a disident without getting into real trouble. Actually only his prodigious chess talent kept him out of serious trouble.
Fischer was basically uneducated, despite being enormously intelligent, he did not even earn a high school diploma. And had the socialn graces of a rinoserous. He had one interest in life and one interest only--chess. His taste in literature when on the rare occassion that he ventured beyond chess books was comic books. In many ways he was the oerfect choice for a Cold War match--he hated the Soviet Union. We are not sure to what extent this mirrored the American attitude toward the Soviets. It seems to be more the result of Soviet tactics at international chess events. Apparently Soviet authorities would decide who was to win. So Soviet players would go easyb on the cosen one which would boost their competitive scores. He also envied all the support Soviet players got from their government.
Fischer might have had a challenging childood, but comared to Spassky he grew upm in ghev lap of luxury. Out side of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Boris managed to grow upnin the worst place on the plannet at the time--Lenningrad (modern St. Petersburg. It was not a difficult life until NAZI Germabny invaded the Soviet Union (1941). Within a few nonths, Lenningrad was surrounded and had to endure a 900 day siege. With little food, the cutybsescenced into canabilism. Fortunately after a year, he was among the children evacuated. (At 5 years of age, he learned to play chess during the evacuation.). He was sent to n a children's home where conditiions were terrible--especially the lack of food. He was only saved from starvation because his parents were able to get out of Lenningrad and rescued him. He was a well educated university graduate with a rounded personality and many interests. He was devoted to Dostoyesky. He also had his own ideas about the Soviet Uniin and was as close as you could be to a disident without getting into real trouble. Actually only his prodigious chess talent kept him out of serious trouble. Things do not go well for atheletes and chess players in the Soviet Union. After loing to Fischer, he left the Soviet Union and settled in France (1976) and became a French citizen. In hs later years he became a vicious anti-Semite. It is unclear to what extent his loss to Fischer was a factor. He returned to Russia (2012)
As with the Olympics, the Soviet grand masters like Boris Spassky had a huge advantage. He had the full support of the Soviet state. He did not need to have a job and could devote himself full time to chess. A team of Soviet grand masters studied the American Bobby Fischer's chess games and helped to advise Spassky. Fisher was on his on with no state support--in many ways a kind of David versus Goliath event. The 1972 World Chess Championship took place in Reykjavik, Iceland and proved to be the most celebrated chess match in history. Spassky was the defending champion. Chess Grand Master Raymond Keene describes it, "Inevitably a clash within representatives of Russian and American might became overladen with symbolic and political overtones, which attracted the glare of the world media." The Soviets were confident of a propaganda win. Chess was part of Soviet political system. And the Soviets had dominated international competitions for over two decades. Fischer was seen as an American upstart. The KGB was present to monitor the event. They insisted on testing Spassky's chair to be sure the CIA was not trying to drug him.
The match began as the Soviets expected. Fischer lost the first game and defaulted the second. The turning point in the 21 game competition came early--Game 6 which Fischer won spectacularly ending Soviet dominance. This seemedto have destroyed Spassky'scofidence. Many chess experts see the Reykjavik evenht as one of the most powerful matches in chess history. The fact that a a little-regarded young upstart from American with no great tradition of chess defeated Russia's famed grand master is what was so shocking. [Edmonds and Eidinow] And occurring at the height of the Cold War only added to the spectacle. One chess expert writes, "His success against the Russian chess empire of the 1960s and 70s remains as one of the most incredible individual performances by any chess player."
Edmonds, Dvid and John Eidinow. Bobby Fischer Goes to War: How the Soviets Lost the Most Extrodinary Chess Match of All Time (New York: Ecco, 2004), 342p.
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