World Chess Championship 1972 — 1972 chess match in Reykjavík, Iceland for the World Chess Championship between challenger Bobby Fischer (USA) and defending champion Boris Spassky (USSR)
Bobby Fischer's 1972 victory over Boris Spassky ended 24 years of Soviet dominance in world chess and made him the first US-born world champion.
Key Facts
- Final Score
- Fischer 12½, Spassky 8½
- First Game Date
- July 11, 1972
- Last Game Number
- 21
- Fischer's World Title Rank
- 11th undisputed world champion
- Venue
- Laugardalshöll, Reykjavík
- Soviet Dominance Ended
- 24 years of Soviet championship rule
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Bobby Fischer earned the right to challenge Boris Spassky after an exceptional qualification cycle in which he defeated several of the world's top players by wide margins. Spassky, as reigning world champion, represented a Soviet chess establishment that had held the title continuously for 24 years.
The match was played at Laugardalshöll in Reykjavík, Iceland between July 11 and September 1, 1972. Comprising 21 games, it attracted global attention and was nicknamed the Match of the Century. Fischer won convincingly with a final score of 12½–8½, with Spassky resigning the final adjourned game without resuming play.
Fischer became the first US-born player to hold the World Chess Championship title and the eleventh undisputed world champion, briefly ending 24 years of Soviet dominance. The match received broad media coverage in the United States and elevated chess to mainstream public attention.
Result
at Laugardalshöll, Reykjavík, Iceland