On September 1, 1972, American chess grandmaster Bobby Fischer won the World Chess Championship against defending champion Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union. The match, held in Reykjavik, Iceland, was a highly publicized event during the Cold War, as it symbolized the intellectual rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union.
Fischer, known for his eccentric behavior and brilliant chess skills, had a rocky start to the match. He lost the first game and forfeited the second due to a dispute over playing conditions. However, he managed to turn the tables and won seven of the next 19 games, with 11 draws, securing the championship with a score of 12½–8½.
This victory made Fischer the first American to win the World Chess Championship since Wilhelm Steinitz in 1886. It also ended the Soviet Union's 24-year dominance of the championship, which had begun with Mikhail Botvinnik's victory in 1948.
Fischer's win was celebrated in the United States, and he became a national hero. His success also sparked a renewed interest in chess, known as the "Fischer Boom," with millions of Americans taking up the game.
Interestingly, following his victory, Fischer disappeared from public view and did not defend his title when the next championship cycle began in 1975. He was subsequently stripped of his title by FIDE, the international chess federation. Fischer's whereabouts were unknown for many years, and he resurfaced only in 1992 for a controversial rematch against Spassky in Yugoslavia, despite U.N. sanctions against the country.
The 1972 World Chess Championship remains one of the most iconic moments in chess history, and September 1 is remembered as the day Bobby Fischer solidified his status as one of the greatest chess players of all time.
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