Fischer Beats Spassky, Wins $5-Million Match

Bobby Fischer won his $5-million chess rematch with Boris Spassky on Thursday when the controversial American star captured a 10th victory in the historic series in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, between the former world champions.

Fischer, 49, who ignored warnings from the State Department that the match violated international sanctions against Yugoslavia, earned $3.35 million, the biggest chess prize ever.

His comeback victory marks another remarkable chapter for the undisputed bad boy of chess. When he defeated Spassky in Iceland in 1972 to become champion, he vowed to be active and to play often. Instead, he went into seclusion and failed to arrange a match with his official challenger, Anatoly Karpov. Fischer then renounced his title and left the world of chess--until now.

This match, designed in part to bring favorable press to a nation torn by civil war, lasted nine weeks and concluded with Fischer’s 27-move win in Game 30. Spassky, earned $1.65 million.

During his 20-year absence from competitive chess, Fischer attained legendary status among chess fans. The only American world champion, the youngest grandmaster ever and the highest-rated player of all time, he retired in the prime of his career.

But can he still play? The match provided an incomplete answer. A 10-5 victory demonstrates convincing superiority. But Spassky is not as formidable as in 1972, having fallen to 96th place in the World Chess Federation rankings.

Though he played well at times, Spassky, 55, was hampered by illness and lost several games badly. He even conceded that, “as for my chess career, I think that my future’s in the past.”

Garry Kasparov, the official world champion, called both players “has-beens.”

Most authorities evaluated Fischer’s play more highly. Fischer himself said, “It was a very good match, and Boris was a great opponent. I am happy to be back playing chess, and maybe Boris and me will play again.”

In Thursday’s finale, Fischer tried a new idea for black on the ninth move. Spassky reacted much too aggressively. Trying for a direct attack against Fischer’s king, Spassky recklessly weakened his position at moves 11 and 13. Fischer refuted a desperate sacrifice and won one of the shortest games of the match.

Fischer has developed a reputation for his antics away from the chessboard. At the opening ceremony of this match, he spat on a U.S. government letter. He has made offensive comments about Communists and Jews and charged that the world championship matches involving Kasparov and Karpov had been rigged.

Kasparov has not ruled out a match with Fischer, who plans next to take on Judit Polgar, 16, of Hungary, the world’s highest-ranked female chess player.

Spassky-Fischer 30: 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 f3 0-0 6 Be3 Nc6 7 Nge2 a6 8 h4 h5 9 Nc1 Nd7 10 Nb3 a5 11 a4 Nb4 12 Be2 b6 13 g4 hxg4 14 fxg4 c5 15 h5 cxd4 16 Nxd4 Nc5 17 Nd5 Bb7 18 Nf5 gxf5 19 gxf5 Bxd5 20 exd5 Bxb2 21 Kf1 Qd7 22 Qb1 Bxa1 23 Rg1+ Kh8 24 Qxa1+ f6 25 Qb1 Rg8 26 Rg6 Rxg6 27 hxg6 Kg7, White resigns.