World Chess Championship 1972 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 American overall (Wilhelm Steinitz, the first world champion, became a naturalized American citizen in 1888). Fischer's win also ended, for a short time, 24 years of Soviet domination
World Chess Championship 1972 Schmid informed Fischer and the audience that Spassky had resigned the game by telephone, making Fischer the winner of the match. Euwe expressed disappointment that Spassky had not arrived at the playing hall to congratulate Fischer in person. The final score was 12½–8½ in favor of Fischer, making him the eleventh World Champion. Spassky won three games (including the forfeit in game 2), Fischer won seven games, and there were eleven draws. Fischer's crushing victory made him an instant celebrity. Upon his return to New York, a Bobby Fischer Day was held. He was offered numerous product endorsement offers worth