Boris Spassky Boris Spassky Boris Vasilievich Spassky (; born January 30, 1937) is a Russian chess grandmaster. He was the tenth World Chess Champion, holding the title from 1969 to 1972. Spassky played three world championship matches: he lost to Tigran Petrosian in 1966; defeated Petrosian in 1969 to become world champion; then lost to Bobby Fischer in a famous match in 1972. Spassky won the Soviet Chess Championship twice outright (1961, 1973), and twice lost in playoffs (1956, 1963), after tying for first place during the event proper. He was a World Chess Championship candidate on seven occasions (1956, 1965, 1968,
Carmine Nigro Carmine Nigro Carmine Nigro ( ; January 2, 1910 – August 16, 2001) was former World Champion Bobby Fischer's first chess teacher, from 1951–1956. "Mr. Nigro was possibly not the best player in the world, but he was a very good teacher." – Bobby Fischer Nigro was an American chess expert of near master strength and an instructor. Nigro was President of the Brooklyn Chess Club. This is where he met Bobby Fischer and in 1951 became his first chess teacher. Nigro (rated 2028) hosted Fischer's first chess tournament at his home in 1952. Nigro introduced Fischer to future grandmaster