Moscow, 28 February 2025 (dpa/MIA) - Former world chess champion Boris Spassky has died, the Russian Chess Federation and the European Chess Union said on Thursday.

He passed away at the age of 88.

"A great personality has left us. Generations of chess players have learned from his games and continue to do so. This is a great loss for the country," said Andrei Filatov, president of the Russian Chess Federation.

Spassky, one of the game's most celebrated players, held the world championship title from 1969 to 1972, earning recognition for his elegant and strategic playing style.

In 1972, he lost the world championship to American Bobby Fischer in Reykjavik in a showdown widely known as the "match of the century."

"This contest, set against the backdrop of the Cold War, transcended chess to become a cultural phenomenon that captured global attention," the European Chess Union said in a statement.

"His elegant playing style, characterized by universal and harmonious play, made him one of the most respected and admired players in chess history. Spassky's contributions to chess theory and his sporting attitude at the board set a standard for generations of players to follow," the statement added.

Born on January 30, 1937, in Leningrad, now St Petersburg, Spassky emigrated to France in 1976 but returned to Russia in 2012. Following the death of Vasily Smyslov in 2010, he was the oldest living former world chess champion.

Photo: EPA, X of European Chess Union