Chess Matches

Chess matches during the Cold War were a symbol of dominance. Everything had  become a competition between America and the Soviets. Both countries tried to be the  first in space and the first to walk on the moon. We battled in the Olympics and we  battled on the chess board.  The Soviets had dominated the game of chess since 1948 and their reign of terror had no  end in sight, until a young American chess prodigy burst onto the scene. His name was  Bobby Fischer and he was about to take the world by storm. By 1972 Bobby Fischer was at his pinnacle. His play was flawless and he was tearing  through the competition on the way to the world title game. His opponent would be the  Soviet grandmaster, Boris Spassky. Spassky was viewed as being unbeatable by many  chess experts. The showdown was set, West vs. East, a battle for control and worldwide  bragging rights.  On July 11th, 1972, the “Match of the Century” was underway. Fisher struggled through  the first two rounds but would eventually fight back to become the 11th World Chess  Champion. The Soviets had been defeated and the Americans stood victorious. Many  believe that this single event marked the beginning of the end for the Cold War. The  United States had proved that they could beat Russia at their own game and the two  countries would never be the same.