The Morning Call, Allentown, Pennsylvania, Sunday, January 01, 1995 - Page 71
Fischer and Spassky value their friendship
Although Boris Spassky is remembered by millions as the Russian who was bested by Bobby Fischer after a fierce and prolonged struggle more than 20 years ago, he and the American chess genius have long been close friends.
At the time they played in Reykjavik, Spassky not only had the greatest affection for Fischer as a person, he also fathomed — as well or better than anyone else at the time — the extent of his chess abilities.
“In Iceland, Bobby was already stronger than me. But I thought I could beat him,” Spassky told me some years later.
During the two decades that passed before their 1992 return match in war-torn Yugoslavia, the two friends remained in contact. On at least one occasion Spassky visited Fischer in California.
Although once again protagonists on the chessboard, the warmth and mutuality of their friendship was evident in Yugoslavia where Fischer magnanimously announced that half the royalties from the so-called “Fischer clock” would go to Spassky.
In turn, Spassky was no less solicitous toward his friend. Asked recently if he had wanted to lose the second match, he said:
“Naturally not intentionally. But I felt that it would have been a catastrophe if Bobby had not won. Fortunately, things didn't go that far.”
In the same interview, Spassky revealed that Fischer — though poverty-stricken — had been once again true to himself. Before Yugoslavia, he had turned down an earlier lucrative offer from a Spanish organizer unprepared to meet his other conditions.
Below is a win by a much younger Fischer from the 1963 New York State Open.