The Match of the Century: Boris Spassky and Bobby Fischer.
Chess was much more popular in our schooldays that it is now. At that time it was common to have chessboards at home and impromptu chess tournaments in the para between the local chess “masters” were extremely common. We were all familiar with the notations used for chess and the Sunday newspapers used to invariably carry a column on chess. The better chess players were admired as the brainy types and it was a a sport approved of by the elders who frowned on many games as a waste of time. Today, despite the fact that we have a homegrown world champion and many very competent grandmasters, the sport appears to have declined in popularity. This, despite the ease with which aspiring chess champions can access libraries of chess games and the availability of professional guidance. Or perhaps it is still popular; I simply am cut off from the milieu that plays chess. Anyway, during the middle of the year 1972, the game reached the peak of its popularity. This was of course, because of the f...