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Game 11, August 6th, 1972

    Spassky        Fischer
    White          Black
    (ar)  (-0:01)
 1. e4     (0:00)  (ar)  (0:03)
 1. ...            c5    (0:04)
(When Fischer arrived, Spassky had already made his move and disappeared, not returning until 6 minutes after Fischer made his first move.)
 2. Nf3   (0:06)   d6    (0:05)
 3. d4    (0:06)   cxd4  (0:05)
 4. Nxd4  (0:06)   Nf6   (0:05)
 5. Nc3   (0:06)   a6    (0:05)
 6. Bg5   (0:06)   e6    (0:06)
 7. f4    (0:07)   Qb6   (0:08)
 8. Qd2   (0:08)   Qxb2  (0:08)
 9. Nb3   (0:08)   Qa3   (0:08)
10. Bxf6  (0:08)   gxf6  (0:08)
11. Be2   (0:08)   h5    (0:20)
12. 0-0   (0:09)   Nc6   (0:21)
13. Kh1   (0:13)   Bd7   (0:24)
14. Nb1   (0:43)   Qb4   (0:38)
15. Qe3   (0:45)   d5    (0:44)
16. exd5  (0:48)   Ne7   (0:44)
17. c4    (0:53)   Nf5   (0:53)
18. Qd3   (0:54)   h4    (1:20)
19. Bg4   (0:59)   Nd6   (1:27)
20. N1d2  (1:08)   f5    (1:27)
21. a3    (1:13)   Qb6   (1:28)
22. c5    (1:16)   Qb5   (1:28)
23. Qc3   (1:27)   fxg4  (1:29)
24. a4    (1:28)   h3    (1:35)
25. axb5  (1:31)   hxg2+ (1:35)
26. Kxg2  (1:31)   Rh3   (1:35)
27. Qf6   (1:38)   Nf5   (1:38)
28. c6    (1:42)   Bc8   (1:38)
29. dxe6  (1:44)   fxe6  (1:41)
30. Rfe1  (1:46)   Be7   (1:44)
31. Rxe6  (1:47)   1-0   (1:45)

(ar) indicates the arrival of the player.

At the close of the game, people were applauding Spassky for his game, but he gestured in a way that he wished the applause to be reduced.

As we were about to leave the hall, a young chess prodigy, staring at the final position on the projection screen, exclamed, “That was sick!”, probably thinking of the loss of the Queen and the number of moves made afterward before resigning.  The friend I was with laughed, and observed, “Everyone’s a critic!”

This was Bobby’s first and only loss with the Poison Pawn variation of the Najdorf. One time, I reviewed Fischer’s adventures with the Sicilian Defense by looking at his chronological results. His point percentage against 6. Bg5 e6 7.f4 jumped up sharply when he switched to 7. … Qb6, starting with his game against Parma at Bled, 1961.

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Game 10, August 3-4, 1972

    Fischer          Spassky
    White            Black
    (ar)   (0:07)
 1. e4     (0:08)    e5    (0:05)
 2. Nf3    (0:08)    Nc6   (0:05)
 3. Bb5    (0:08)    a6    (0:05)
 4. Ba4    (0:09)    Nf6   (0:06)
 5. 0-0    (0:09)    Be7   (0:06)
 6. Re1              b5
 7. Bb3              d6
 8. c3               0-0
 9. h3     (0:10)    Nb8   (0:07)
10. d4     (0:15)    Nbd7  (0:09)
11. Nbd2   (0:15)    Bb7   (0:12)
12. Bc2    (0:15)    Re8   (0:14)
13. b4     (0:16)    Bf8   (0:32)
14. a4     (0:18)    Nb6   (0:39)
15. a5     (0:26)    Nbd7  (0:41)
16. Bb2    (0:40)    Qb8   (1:01)
17. Rb1    (0:48)    c5    (1:22)
18. bxc5   (0:53)    dxc5  (1:28)
19. dxe5   (0:54)    Nxe5  (1:28)
20. Nxe5   (0:57)    Qxe5  (1:29)
21. c4     (0:58)    Qf4   (1:29)
22. Bxf6   (1:05)    Qxf6  (1:35)
23. cxb5   (1:05)    Red8  (1:46)
24. Qc1    (1:08)    Qc3   (1:49)
25. Nf3    (1:10)    Qxa5  (1:52)
26. Bb3    (1:18)    axb5  (1:54)
27. Qf4    (1:20)    Rd7   (2:02)
28. Ne5    (1:22)    Qc7   (2:02)
29. Rbd1   (1:25)    Re7   (2:13)
30. Bxf7+  (1:25)    Rxf7
31. Qxf7+            Qxf7  (2:13)
32. Nxf7   (1:25)    Bxe4  (2:13)
33. Rxe4   (1:47)    Kxf7
34. Rd7+   (1:48)    Kf6   (2:14)
35. Rb7    (1:50)    Ra1+  (2:18)
36. Kh2    (1:50)    Bd6+  (2:18)
37. g3     (1:51)    b4    (2:18)
38. Kg2    (1:53)    h5    (2:20)
39. Rb6    (1:57)    Rd1   (2:22)
40. Kf3    (1:58)    Kf7   (2:25)
41. Ke2(s) (2:16)


(Fischer sealed his move at this point and his clock was then advanced 20 minutes by the arbiter to complete the 5 hour playing session.)

(The arbiter started the second session on time the next day, opening the sealed envelope, playing Fischer’s sealed 41st move on the board, and starting Spassky’s clock.
Neither player was present.  Fischer arrived first, 8 minutes late.  Spassky was 13 minutes late.
The next time control was 3:30 at move 56.)

                     (ar)  (2:38)
41. ...    (2:36)    Rd5   (2:39)
42. f4     (2:36)    g6    (2:44)
43. g4     (2:38)    hxg4  (2:48)
44. hxg4   (2:38)    g5    (2:48)
45. f5     (2:48)    Be5   (2:50)
46. Rb5    (2:54)    Kf6   (2:58)
47. Rexb4  (2:59)    Bd4   (2:58)
48. Rb6+   (3:06)    Ke5   (2:59)
49. Kf3    (3:06)    Rd8   (3:05)
50. Rb8    (3:07)    Rd7   (3:06)
51. R4b7   (3:07)    Rd6   (3:07)
52. Rb6    (3:12)    Rd7   (3:07)
53. Rg6    (3:13)    Kd5   (3:14)
54. Rxg5   (3:13)    Be5   (3:22)
55. f6     (3:17)    Kd4   (3:23)
56. Rb1    (3:17)    1-0

(ar) indicates the player’s arrival at the board.

I have no note that Spassky was late to the first session, so it seems that Spassky hesitated 5 minutes when playing his first move.  Fischer hadn’t played 1. e4 since game 4.

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Game 9, August 1st, 1972

    Spassky        Fischer
    White          Black
                   (ar)  (0:10)
 1. d4    (0:00)   Nf6   (0:12)
(When Fischer appeared, Spassky had already left and did not come back until 4 minutes after Fischer's move.)
    (ar)  (0:04)
 2. c4    (0:04)   e6    (0:13)
 3. Nf3   (0:05)   d5    (0:14)
 4. Nc3   (0:06)   c5    (0:22)
 5. cxd5  (0:07)   Nxd5  (0:22)
 6. e4             Nxc3
 7. bxc3           cxd4
 8. cxd4  (0:08)   Nc6   (0:23)
 9. Bc4   (0:16)   b5    (0:43)
10. Bd3   (0:19)   Bb4+  (0:46)
11. Bd2   (0:19)   Bxd2+ (0:49)
12. Qxd2  (0:19)   a6    (0:51)
13. a4    (0:41)   0-0   (0:55)
14. Qc3   (0:46)   Bb7   (0:56)
15. axb5  (0:53)   axb5  (0:56)
16. 0-0   (0:59)   Qb6   (0:58)
17. Rab1  (1:08)   b4    (1:03)
18. Qd2   (1:26)   Nxd4  (1:14)
19. Nxd4  (1:27)   Qxd4  (1:15)
20. Rxb4  (1:27)   Qd7   (1:20)
21. Qe3   (1:28)   Rfd8  (1:23)
22. Rfb1  (1:31)   Qxd3  (1:27)
23. Qxd3  (1:31)   Rxd3  (1:27)
24. Rxb7  (1:31)   g5    (1:30)
25. Rb8+           Rxb8
26. Rxb8+          Kg7
27. f3    (1:37)   Rd2   (1:32)
28. h4    (1:38)   h6    (1:41)
29. hxg5           hxg5
    ½-½

(ar) indicates the arrival of the player at the board.

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Game 20

    Fischer        Spassky
    White          Black
 1. e4             c5
 2. Nf3            Nc6
 3. d4             cxd4
 4. Nxd4           Nf6
 5. Nc3            d6
 6. Bg5            e6
 7. Qd2            a6
 8. 0-0-0          Bd7
 9. f4             Be7    (0:04)
10. Be2   (0:09)   0-0    (0:14)
11. Bf3   (0:26)   h6     (0:42)
12. Bh4   (0:30)   Nxe4   (0:45)
13. Bxe7  (0:40)   Nxd2   (0:46)
14. Bxd8  (0:40)   Nxf3   (0:49)
15. Nxf3  (0:41)   Rfxd8  (0:50)
16. Rxd6  (0:41)   Kf8    (0:52)
17. Rhd1  (0:57)   Ke7    (0:59)
18. Na4   (1:01)   Be8    (1:01)
19. Rxd8  (1:03)   Rxd8   (1:01)
20. Nc5   (1:05)   Rb8    (1:06)
21. Rd3   (1:20)   a5     (1:11)
22. Rb3   (1:20)   b5     (1:17)
23. a3    (1:25)   a4     (1:24)
24. Rc3   (1:28)   Rd8    (1:26)
25. Nd3   (1:36)   f6     (1:34)
26. Rc5   (1:40)   Rb8    (1:38)
27. Rc3   (1:44)   g5     (1:38)
28. g3    (1:46)   Kd6    (1:46)
29. Nc5   (1:49)   g4     (1:55)
30. Ne4+  (1:54)   Ke7    (1:55)
31. Ne1   (1:55)   Rd8    (2:04)
32. Nd3   (1:59)   Rd4    (2:09)
33. Nef2  (2:01)   h5     (2:09)
34. Rc5   (2:02)   Rd5    (2:11)
35. Rc3   (2:06)   Nd4    (2:14)
36. Rc7+  (2:07)   Rd7    (2:15)
37. Rxd7+ (2:11)   Bxd7   (2:17)
38. Ne1   (2:12)   e5     (2:18)
39. fxe5  (2:12)   fxe5   (2:18)
40. Kd2   (2:13)   Bf5    (2:22)
41. Nd1   (2:23)   Kd6(s) (2:37)
(Fischer was 9 minutes late for the adjournment.)
    (ar)  (2:32)
42. Ne3   (2:32)   Be6    (2:38)
43. Kd3   (2:38)   Bf7    (2:40)
44. Kc3   (2:41)   Kc6    (2:40)
45. Kd3   (2:44)   Kc5    (2:47)
46. Ke4   (2:49)   Kd6    (2:49)
47. Kd3   (2:55)   Bg6+   (2:55)
48. Kc3   (2:58)   Kc5    (3:01)
49. Nd3+  (2:59)   Kd6    (3:02)
50. Ne1   (2:59)   Kc6    (3:10)
51. Kd2   (3:02)   Kc5    (3:24)
52. Nd3+  (3:04)   Kd6    (3:24)
53. Ne1   (3:04)   Ne6    (3:27)
54. Kc3   (3:09)   Nd4    (3:29)
    ½-½

To me, the activity at the board looked like Fischer was going to claim a draw by repetition with 55. Kd2, but Spassky agreed to the implied draw offer before it could be shown that the position had not yet been repeated 3 times.

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3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21

Click here for information on the 2008 Anand – Kramnik World Chess Championship Match.
 
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The match schedule:

According to the program, games were scheduled from 5 PM to 10 PM on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Adjournments were scheduled from 5 PM to 11 PM Mondays and Wednesdays, and from 2:30 PM to 6:30 PM on Fridays. Fischer observed the sabbath from Friday sunset until Saturday sunset.

After the first game started on Tuesday, July 11th, Spassky took time outs on Sunday, July 30th and Sunday, August 13th, after losses in games 8 and 13. Fischer took no time outs.

On keeping notes of the times of the players:

The player’s clocks could be seen, from time to time, on the closed-circuit black and white TV system in the hall. It served the lobby, the cafeteria, and the playing hall, and displayed a view of what looked like a wallboard with the pieces perfectly aligned, showing the current position. In addition there were other cameras which showed various views of the players and the board. You could read the clock times on some of them. These views sometimes were briefly substituted for the board position on the TV monitors. The result was that you could follow the moves in the lobby, the cafeteria, and the hall at all times, but the clock times were readable only every few moves.

When the TV did show the clock, I could compute, by totaling the two times, the the time of the start of the match. After that, when a player moved, I could figure the total game time from my watch, subtract the time of the opponent, and the difference would be the time of the player who just moved. Then, when the opponent moved a few minutes later, I would repeat the procedure using his opponent’s time, as recorded in my notebook.

When the TV showed the chess clock the next time, I could correct, if necessary, my notes for times taken by the player who was not on the move. After about 6 moves without seeing the clock, my time for a player might be 1 minute off, since I did not record minutes and seconds.

If I was one minute too short for a player, and it was 6 moves since the previous correction, I would add one minute to the three most recent time entries and leave the other 3 entries alone.

In game 3, however, I came upon an error, early in the game, of 9 minutes for Fischer’s time. An explanation was not arrived at until recently, and is noted in the article on the times for that game.

I used a small 24-game scorebook, which I bought at the hall. The small pamphlet sold for 100 Icelandic Kronur, which was a bit more than one US dollar at the match. It had the word “Skak” on the cover, which is the Icelandic word for chess.

Here is the first page of game 3; this was when we still used English Descriptive Notation:

 
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On getting to the big match:

I was in California in the summer of 1972, and had decided to go. I had already obtained a ticket for all the games, which cost, if memory serves, about $60, and had contacted a travel agent to arrange for transportation to Iceland. However, due to the uncertainty of Fischer’s appearance, I decided to wait before booking the flights.

Then, on the news that Fischer had gone to Iceland and had started game 1, I called my travel agent to book tickets for the next day. What could go wrong with the match now?

On the day of travel, the newspapers covered the first session of play, and Fischer’s big mistake of Bxh2. I bought these papers and flew from LAX and arrived at Kennedy Airport in New York. Soon I was on the Icelandic Airlines flight to Iceland and arrived there the next morning.

I took a bus to Reykjavik, and booked a room with bed and breakfast with a family there, since the hotels were filled. When I arrived, they told me about Fischer’s loss in the adjournment session and his protest about the film cameras. I tried to get some sleep about 10 am.

I was a bit late walking to the hall for Thursday’s game 2, scheduled for 5 PM. As I arrived, I saw the closed circuit TV with the starting position. I bought some souvenirs and went to the balcony and sat down.

After a while, Lothar Schmidt, the arbiter, came out and announced that Fischer had forfeited the game.

Wonderful.

I had come all this way, and Bobby Fischer had never backed down on any problem before, and I was sure that the organizers would not back down either. Bobby had just gone way too far, and now the match was absolutely over.

I started to think about going to England, since I already came this far, and I didn’t just want to go home right away. In the meantime, I got to know some of the other chess fans. After all, we were all in the same boat.

Still, there was no reason not to go to the hall for Sunday’s game 3. I had a ticket, after all.

So I went there fully expecting to see another forfeit, and was truly amazed when Fischer appeared on the closed circuit TV and started playing.

I could not believe it.

Soon, I started taking notes on the times taken for the moves, as I had seen in the book on the 1963 World Chess Championship Match by R. G. Wade, ARCO Publishing, 1964. It was for my own use; I assumed that some day the real times would be published, as in the Wade book.

But, as far as I know, in the 36 years since the big match, the move times have been unavailable to the public.

Until now.

On CrackTeam.org.

 
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The Garde Chess Clock was used in this match.

Having attended the match, I bought every book I could find. Of them all, two stand out by far, and are just superb.

This finest analytical book on the match is the one by Jan Timman, Fischer World Champion! A new edition is about to come out.

Another favorite book is How Fischer Won, by C. J. S. Purdy.

It is in print today as part of Extreme Chess, which also covers the two Alekhine-Euwe matches.

What makes this book so enjoyable is the way Purdy instructs us amateurs. He teaches throughout. The most memorable example was from game 17, a Pirc Defense with Fischer as Black. Spassky won the Exchange for a Pawn, but did not try for a win at the adjournment. Purdy titled the chapter, “The Overrated Exchange,” and used the game as a reminder that we are often incorrect when we feel that we are entitled to a full point when we have this material advantage. I also liked his quotes from Shakespeare and other classic writers to characterize each game.

I found it at a book shop in Sydney, Australia, in June 1978. A week later, I came back to the shop. As I approached the counter to buy a book, the lady at the shop was conversing quietly with a man to the right. They stopped as I was paying, and I told her how much I enjoyed the Fischer – Spassky book that I had purchased the previous week.

She replied, “Well, you can tell the author yourself if you like; here is Mr. Purdy.”

My jaw probably dropped to the floor, and I gushed about how I had attended the match, how I had bought every book on the match I saw, and about how I enjoyed his book the most. I rushed back to the chess section and fortunately, there was another copy. As he autographed it, I added that I especially liked the Shakespearean quotes for each game. He quite modestly replied that it was a bit of sugar coating. He was very mild mannered and quiet; I don’t think he even smiled.

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Game 3, July 16-17, 1972

    Spassky        Fischer
    White          Black
 1. d4    (0:00)   Nf6      (0:09)
 2. c4             e6
 3. Nf3            c5
 4. d5             exd5
 5. cxd5           d6
 6. Nc3            g6
 7. Nd2            Nbd7
 8. e4    (0:11)   Bg7      (0:24)
 9. Be2   (0:15)   0-0      (0:24)
10. 0-0   (0:15)   Re8      (0:31)
11. Qc2   (0:17)   Nh5      (0:40)
12. Bxh5  (0:40)   gxh5     (0:40)
13. Nc4   (0:40)   Ne5      (0:41)
14. Ne3   (0:43)   Qh4      (0:48)
15. Bd2   (0:47)   Ng4      (1:03)
16. Nxg4  (0:52)   hxg4     (1:03)
17. Bf4   (1:04)   Qf6      (1:04)
18. g3    (1:05)   Bd7      (1:07)
19. a4    (1:07)   b6       (1:11)
20. Rfe1  (1:10)   a6       (1:11)
21. Re2            b5
22. Rae1  (1:23)   Qg6      (1:16)
23. b3    (1:23)   Re7      (1:24)
24. Qd3   (1:33)   Rb8      (1:25)
25. axb5  (1:34)   axb5     (1:25)
26. b4    (1:35)   c4       (1:30)
27. Qd2   (1:41)   Rbe8     (1:33)
28. Re3   (1:55)   h5       (1:35)
29. R3e2  (2:04)   Kh7      (1:45)
30. Re3   (2:04)   Kg8      (1:47)
31. R3e2  (2:04)   Bxc3     (1:48)
32. Qxc3  (2:04)   Rxe4     (1:49)
33. Rxe4  (2:06)   Rxe4     (1:51)
34. Rxe4  (2:10)   Qxe4     (1:51)
35. Bh6   (2:12)   Qg6      (1:51)
36. Bc1   (2:13)   Qb1      (1:57)
37. Kf1   (2:20)   Bf5      (2:00)
38. Ke2   (2:20)   Qe4+     (2:10)
39. Qe3   (2:21)   Qc2+     (2:10)
40. Qd2   (2:22)   Qb3      (2:11)
41. Qd4   (2:48)   Bd3+ (s) (2:20)
    0-1

The time control for the games of this match was 40 moves in 2 1/2 hours followed by 16 moves per hour thereafter.

(s) after a move indicates a sealed move.

Spassky spent 26 minutes on his 41st move, and played it just before the end of the first 5-hour playing session.  So Fischer either had to reply quickly, or seal his move when instructed by the arbiter.  He sealed his move.

At the start of the second session on the following day, the arbiter played Fischer’s sealed move on the board and started Spassky’s clock, with Fischer absent.  Spassky waited a few minutes, then resigned and left.  Soon, Fischer showed up, quickly completed the formalities, and then hurried out.  That is the way I remember it; Fischer and Spassky never faced each other at this adjournment session.

Note on moves 1-18:
After Spassky’s 8th move, I started to jot down the times, having seen Spassky’s clock on the closed circuit TV.  After Fischer’s 18th move, while Spassky was thinking, the TV showed 1:07 on Fischer’s clock, according to my notes.  Although my time for Spassky was OK, I was somehow short by 9 minutes on Fischer’s time, which I had recorded as 0:58.

I could not figure out how my 9-minute error occurred, until October 31st, 2008, when I read the excellent posting at Chess Base By Prof. Christian Hesse.

This posting explained that the aribiter had actually started the clock on time and Spassky had immediately played 1. d4.  And it was not until 5:09, nine minutes later, that Fischer played his reply, 1. … Nf6.

In the hall, we were looking at a stage with nobody there, but watching on the closed circuit TV.  I don’t remember seeing anything on the closed circuit TV until just before Fischer sat down, so I assumed the game started late. 

In fact, I didn’t even know where the players were.  But I was so thrilled to see them play that I didn’t care! 

I probably saw Spassky’s Spassky’s clock time and calculated Fischer’s clock time using my mistaken start time.  That is, until I could actually see Fischer’s clock on the TV after his 18th, and saw that my time for Fischer was 9 minutes too short. 

Using Prof. Hesse’s information, I have assumed that my mistaken start time was the cause of my 9-minute error, and that the error was made for moves 8-18.  In these notes, I have corrected Fischer’s times for these moves.  The times for move 1 are according to the ChessBase article. 

For other games of the match, see the Fischer – Spassky Times Home Page

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For more games of the match, see the 1972 Fischer – Spassky Times Home Page

Game 21, August 31st-September 1st, 1972

    Spassky         Fischer
    White           Black
                    (ar)  (0:03)
 1. e4     (0:00)   c5    (0:04)
 2. Nf3    (0:01)   e6    (0:04)
 3. d4     (0:02)   cxd4  (0:04)
 4. Nxd4   (0:02)   a6    (0:04)
 5. Nc3    (0:04)   Nc6   (0:05)
 6. Be3    (0:05)   Nf6   (0:10)
 7. Bd3    (0:15)   d5    (0:14)
 8. exd5   (0:29)   exd5  (0:16)
 9. 0-0    (0:39)   Bd6   (0:19)
10. Nxc6   (0:53)   bxc6  (0:20)
11. Bd4    (0:59)   0-0   (0:23)
12. Qf3    (0:59)   Be6   (0:38)
13. Rfe1   (1:14)   c5    (0:42)
14. Bxf6   (1:19)   Qxf6  (0:43)
15. Qxf6   (1:19)   gxf6  (0:43)
16. Rad1   (1:22)   Rfd8  (0:53)
17. Be2    (1:30)   Rab8  (0:56)
18. b3     (1:32)   c4    (0:58)
19. Nxd5   (1:38)   Bxd5  (1:15)
20. Rxd5   (1:40)   Bxh2+ (1:24)
21. Kxh2   (1:41)   Rxd5  (1:24)
22. Bxc4   (1:41)   Rd2   (1:26)
23. Bxa6   (1:43)   Rxc2  (1:30)
24. Re2    (1:43)   Rxe2  (1:38)
25. Bxe2   (1:43)   Rd8   (1:38)
26. a4     (1:45)   Rd2   (1:38)
27. Bc4    (1:47)   Ra2   (1:40)
28. Kg3    (1:51)   Kf8   (1:41)
29. Kf3    (1:51)   Ke7   (1:46)
30. g4     (2:07)   f5    (1:48)
31. gxf5   (2:08)   f6    (1:50)
32. Bg8    (2:14)   h6    (1:52)
33. Kg3    (2:14)   Kd6   (1:54)
34. Kf3    (2:14)   Ra1   (1:59)
35. Kg2    (2:15)   Ke5   (2:00)
36. Be6    (2:15)   Kf4   (2:01)
37. Bd7    (2:16)   Rb1   (2:03)
38. Be6    (2:20)   Rb2   (2:05)
39. Bc4    (2:23)   Ra2   (2:05)
40. Be6    (2:26)   h5    (2:07)
41. Bd7 s  (2:53)   0-1

(ar) indicates the arrival of that player.

‘s’ after a move indicates a sealed move.

Spassky consumed the remainder of the 5-hour first session to seal his move.

At the resumption of the game, at 2:50 pm, Friday, September 1st,  Lothar Schmid announced in the hall that Bobby was the champion, as Spassky had resigned this game.

There was a great deal of applause, and people seemed a bit reluctant to leave.

At last, Bobby had accomplished his goal; he was World Champion. I looked around at the people, and noticed a small man in a wheel chair, crying. I took him to be John W. Collins, Bobby’s teacher many years before. He was there to see it.

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Game 8, July 27, 1972

    Fischer       Spassky
    White         Black
    (ar)  (0:10)
 1. c4    (0:10)  c5    (0:01)
 2. Nc3   (0:11)  Nc6   (0:02)
 3. Nf3   (0:13)  Nf6   (0:13)
 4. g3    (0:15)  g6    (0:14)
 5. Bg2   (0:16)  Bg7   (0:14)
 6. 0-0   (0:16)  0-0   (0:14)
 7. d4    (0:16)  cxd4  (0:14)
 8. Nxd4  (0:16)  Nxd4  (0:14)
 9. Qxd4  (0:17)  d6    (0:16)
10. Bg5   (0:25)  Be6   (0:24)
11. Qf4   (0:25)  Qa5   (1:23)
12. Rac1  (0:25)  Rab8  (1:31)
13. b3    (0:30)  Rfc8  (1:33)
14. Qd2   (0:35)  a6    (1:35)
15. Be3   (0:40)  b5    (1:40)
16. Ba7   (0:43)  bxc4  (1:41)
17. Bxb8  (0:43)  Rxb8  (1:41)
18. bxc4  (0:51)  Bxc4  (1:41)
19. Rfd1  (0:54)  Nd7   (1:45)
20. Nd5   (0:58)  Qxd2  (1:46)
21. Nxe7+ (0:58)  Kf8   (1:52)
22. Rxd2  (0:58)  Kxe7  (1:53)
23. Rxc4  (0:59)  Rb1+  (1:54)
24. Bf1   (0:59)  Nc5   (1:54)
25. Kg2   (1:02)  a5    (1:55)
26. e4    (1:05)  Ba1   (2:01)
27. f4    (1:12)  f6    (2:01)
28. Re2   (1:19)  Ke6   (2:04)
29. Rec2  (1:22)  Bb2   (2:08)
30. Be2   (1:25)  h5    (2:11)
31. Rd2   (1:28)  Ba3   (2:11)
32. f5+   (1:32)  gxf5  (2:12)
33. exf5+ (1:34)  Ke5   (2:12)
34. Rcd4  (1:38)  Kxf5  (2:12)
35. Rd5+  (1:40)  Ke6   (2:13)
36. Rxd6+ (1:41)  Ke7   (2:13)
37. Rc6   (1:43)  1-0   (2:14)