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Fischer vs Spassky III: The Controversial Re-Match

RuyLopez1000edited

So, let’s debate the following in the forum: what would have happened if 1992 Fischer had gotten back into tournament chess and begun training and playing regularly again? Could he have challenged Kasparov for the world title?

There is quite a big gulf between Kasparov's 2790 and Fischer's 2660 performance rating.

Plus Spassky went easy on Fischer, not playing modern openings and even saying he was concerned about the possibility of beating Fischer. And Spassky also had stopped playing chess regularly by this point.

Fischer was also 49 years old, which is far past a players prime.

Fischer would also need to get through players like Anand, Ivanchuk and Karpov.

Nice blog btw.

>So, let’s debate the following in the forum: what would have happened if 1992 Fischer had gotten back into tournament chess and begun training and playing regularly again? Could he have challenged Kasparov for the world title? There is quite a big gulf between Kasparov's 2790 and Fischer's 2660 performance rating. Plus Spassky went easy on Fischer, not playing modern openings and even saying he was concerned about the possibility of beating Fischer. And Spassky also had stopped playing chess regularly by this point. Fischer was also 49 years old, which is far past a players prime. Fischer would also need to get through players like Anand, Ivanchuk and Karpov. Nice blog btw.
tpr

"what would have happened if 1992 Fischer had gotten back into tournament chess"

  • He would not. In 1969 he did not play. He only played the match to help his friend Spassky financially.
    Spassky was ageing and had trouble making ends meet, and was penniless from tow divorces.
    Fischer paid a price for this match: he could not re-enter the USA and had to live like fugitive in Hungary, Switzerland, the Philippines, and Japan. He could not attend the funeral of his mother. His assets in the USA were seized.

"Could he have challenged Kasparov for the world title?"

"what would have happened if 1992 Fischer had gotten back into tournament chess" * He would not. In 1969 he did not play. He only played the match to help his friend Spassky financially. Spassky was ageing and had trouble making ends meet, and was penniless from tow divorces. Fischer paid a price for this match: he could not re-enter the USA and had to live like fugitive in Hungary, Switzerland, the Philippines, and Japan. He could not attend the funeral of his mother. His assets in the USA were seized. "Could he have challenged Kasparov for the world title?" * No. Age got the better of him. Here is a crisp game you did not present: https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1044389
danthedestroyer317

@tpr that's a nice game. I would say Fischer's level was very good in the first half of the match in Sveti Stefan (especially with the white pieces) but dropped off in the second half of the match a bit.

@RuyLopez1000 I agree that a 50 year-old Fischer up against young stars like Anand and Ivanchuk would not have had an easy time. I think he could still have been a top 10 player and a Candidate for the world title but he wouldn't have had much of a chance against Kasparov (or even early 90s Karpov).

@tpr that's a nice game. I would say Fischer's level was very good in the first half of the match in Sveti Stefan (especially with the white pieces) but dropped off in the second half of the match a bit. @RuyLopez1000 I agree that a 50 year-old Fischer up against young stars like Anand and Ivanchuk would not have had an easy time. I think he could still have been a top 10 player and a Candidate for the world title but he wouldn't have had much of a chance against Kasparov (or even early 90s Karpov).
tpr

The match was played in the exact format Fischer proposed in 1975 to play against Karpov: unlimited match, first to win 10, draws not counting, Champion keeps his title in case of 9-9.

The match was played in the exact format Fischer proposed in 1975 to play against Karpov: unlimited match, first to win 10, draws not counting, Champion keeps his title in case of 9-9.
AndreasPichler

With a calculated performance of 2669 - after a 20-years-break! - Fischer would have been at number 10 in the world rankings at the time the match was played. So I think that was more than just "Ok."

With a little more practice he surely would have got even higher. Maybe not enough for a World Champion title match, but oh, what an enrichment for the chess world it would have been, if Bobby had found his way back to the board.

With a calculated performance of 2669 - after a 20-years-break! - Fischer would have been at number 10 in the world rankings at the time the match was played. So I think that was more than just "Ok." With a little more practice he surely would have got even higher. Maybe not enough for a World Champion title match, but oh, what an enrichment for the chess world it would have been, if Bobby had found his way back to the board.
NM Foobork

Fischer - Spassky III ? Did I miss one? Thought there were only 2.

Fischer - Spassky III ? Did I miss one? Thought there were only 2.
danthedestroyer317

@Foobork it's Part III of my Fischer - Spassky blog. In Part I the games they played against each other before the World Championship match are covered.

@Foobork it's Part III of my Fischer - Spassky blog. In Part I the games they played against each other before the World Championship match are covered.
NM Foobork

Thanks. Sorry I missed that.

By the way, nice series!

Thanks. Sorry I missed that. By the way, nice series!