World Chess Championship 1972 Kasparov, had prearranged outcomes. He then challenged Spassky (tied for 96th–102nd on the FIDE rating list at the time) to a rematch, leading to the 1992 Fischer–Spassky match. World Chess Championship 1972 The World Chess Championship 1972 was a match for the World Chess Championship between challenger Bobby Fischer of the United States and defending champion Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union. The match took place in the Laugardalshöll arena in Reykjavík, Iceland, and has been dubbed the Match of the Century. Fischer became the first American born in the United States to win the world title, and the second
Ed Edmondson (chess official) Ed Edmondson (chess official) Edmund Edmondson (13 August 1920 – 21 October 1982) was President of the United States Chess Federation from 1963 to 1966 and Executive Director of the USCF from 1966 to 1975. He served as an officer, reaching the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, with the United States Air Force. Edmondson played a key role in Bobby Fischer's path to the World Chess Champion in 1972. He asked Pal Benko, who had qualified for the 1970 Interzonal, to yield his spot to Fischer. Benko realized that Fischer had a much greater chance of winning and agreed, receiving a