Blitz interview by Spassky and Petrosian before their 1966 match

In 1966 Tigran Petrosian met popular challenger Boris Spassky who entered the match a big favorite. Not only had Spassky convincingly defeated Keres, Geller and Mikhail Tal in candidates matches, he had also played model chess in a universal style. Spassky seemed equally at home in the wilds of the King's Gambit and other open games as in the thickets of the King's Indian and assorted closed positions. 

The match took place on the Variety Theatre, just before the two appeared on the theatre, they crossed swords in the pages of Nedeli (a weekly Soviet newspaper). The interview turned out to be an interesting blitz match between the two, the two were given the same question and 20 seconds to answer the question. The interview is long, so I edited it in this way: The question is in Italic and underlined, so that you can distinguish them, TP stands for Tigran Petrosian's answer and BS stands for Boris Spassky's answer.

Here is the interview below:

First question — about chess. What qualities does it develop in a man first and foremost ?
TP: The ability to concentrate.
BS: First of all, in my opinion — perseverance.
Who is the strongest Western chess-player at the present moment?
TP: In my opinion, Fischer. But as Tal would say, Larsen does not
think so.
BS: Fischer.
Who are the most promising young Soviet chess-players ?
TP: I could give an opinion, but I'm afraid that this would not be to their advantage to do so.
BS: like the play of 16-year-old Yuri Balashov from the Siberian town of Shadrinska.
When did you Start to play chess?
TP: At the age of 12. But I was playing backgammon, a very popular game in the Caucasus, at thc age of four. I recommend it to anyone who wants to develop quick thinking habits and fast reactions.
BS: I began to play at the age Of 5. But my for chess began at 9.
Your favourite writer ?
BS: I like Shriabin.
TP: My favourite actress? Natalie Wood.
BS: I don't have any favourite actor.
Singer or songstress?
TP: can answer that at once: Beniamino Gigli.
BS: 1 like TitoGobbi best.
Do you like Opera ?
TP: Very much! Some people consider that opera is a dying form of art, but when I saw a guest performance by La Scala, I realized that such opera will live forever.
BS: Not yet.

Your favourite musical instrument ?
TP: Any. It depends who plays it.
BS: Piano.
Favourite book ?
TP: Is it really possible to name a book that always remains under your pillow? At different times and in different moods a man feels the need Of different books.
BS: I do not any book which I read all the time, or which I have read many times.

Favourite sport ?
TP: All types Of sport. Basically of course, I am a spectator. But table tennis, skiing, and billiards — these arc the type I play. 

BS: Once it was light athletics. Now, perhaps, it is swimming. 

Happiest moment in your life ?
TP: The first association that comes to mind was the moment I became World Champion. But if you consider it is only given for a time, and then lost eternally, then.. 

(time exceeded)
Most grievous ?
TP: Every time that 'Spartak' loses. .

(time exceeded)
Most difficult game ?
T P: I imagine that this awaits me in the near future.
B S: One minute (despite the 20 sccond allocation). My most difficult game was With M. Tal in 1958 in Riga, the USSR Championship. I lost that game, not being able to overcome the difficulties, and
more precisely , myself.
What do you do after defeat ?
T P: Self-criticism. And after that try and forget the loss as quickly as possible.
B S: Straight after a defeat I am unable to leave Off analyzing the events of thc game. The main occupation indulged in is self-cursing. Sometimes I praise. Sometimes, losing a game, you Win it morally.
After a difficult Win ?
T P: I consider that there will bc no less difficult games in the future.
B S: After a difficult game I go and lic down. But I don't always sleep.
Does popularity hinder you ?
T P: Yes, to a degree, yes....
B S: It interferes.

What did you dream of becoming as a little boy?
T P: Diplomat or warrior. I also dreamt Of going to Nakhimovski College, which was created during the war in Tiflis.
B S: In childhood I dreamt first of all of being a chauffeur, and then an inventor.
What do you hope your children will become ?
T P: My elder son has already made the first steps, he is Studying in the Moscow State University, and will be a biophysicist. And Vartan ? We'll see what he has leanings to most..
B S: An unexpected question. I would like to see my children scientists.
Then could you perhaps name what in your opinion is the most respectable profession ?
T P: Any profession which brings joy and benefit to men.
B S: It seems to rne that all professions must be respectable.
What are your entertainments, hobbies ?
T P: Many. Music, books, sport, cinema — and taking photos. I can't say which of them I like best.
B S: In my childhood I used to collect records of Chaliapin singing. Recently I have had to collect opening variations.
DO you dance?
T P: I even enjoy it very much. But I dance very badly.
B S: Badly, but untiringly.
What is your favourite day Of the week?
T P: If you insist — Sunday. There is always football on Sunday.
B S: Thursday. Why ? I don't know.
Favourite food ?
T P: Of course, Shashlik. But also any well cooked meat.
B S: Mushrooms.
Time of year ?
T P: Any, apart from autumn. I don't like Slush.
B S: Beginning of autumn.
Do you smoke ?
T P: I tried. I even wanted very much to learn. For 'stability'. But I didn't like it.
B S: I am not a smoker. During the Candidates' matches I didn't smoke a single cigarette. But sometimes I smoke 4 or 5 a day. Not to smoke for a few days is not at all hard for me. When I feel that I am beginning to get accustomed to smoking I drop the habit at once.

What part of which city do you like best Of all ?
T P: I like large cities. On warm summer evenings I particularly like Gorky Street (Moscow). And even more — forgive me for immodesty — the summer evenings on the Grand Boulevard of Paris.
B S: The old parts of Leningrad.
Your most enjoyable incident from your travels abroad ?
T P: That happened in 1953. A Swiss newspaper found a likeness between myself and a Persian shah.
B S: This was in 1955 at the World Student Olympiad. For some reason I remember a gay party on 8th May, on the eve of the Day of Victory, in a French town called Beaujolais.
What characteristics in man do you consider most worthy?
T P: It's hard to select one at once . of course, integrity, modesty, conscientiousness.
B S: Above all, honesty. Secondly , courage.
And on the contrary, the most unpleasant?
T P: Conceit.
B S: Hypocrisy, sanctimoniousness, impoliteness.
Consider this situation: the decisive game is meant to be played on Monday, the thirteenth of the month, and a black cat crosses your path. How would you react ?

T P: Let me add: you have left something important at home. Naturally, if the thing was very important, 1 would return. And if I were late — then I wouldn't notice the black cat. But if there were still
time, it would probably be better to cross to the other side of the street ... you might quite justifiably remark, that I won the world championship title With ticket NO. 13. I would reply: I'm surprised
till now at that.
B S: I am not superstitious.
Is superstition generally prevalent among chess-players ?
T P: I imagine that most of us suffer from it a little but if we were to speak seriously, things such as black cats and unlucky numbers do not play such a vital role as the psychological make-up Of the person himself. I remember in my first offcial international tournament, in Stockholm 1952. I very much wanted to draw number 7 in the lottery, and play my first game with White against the very weakest player in the tournament. And everything turned out that way! Surely it was impossible to play badly after that? In that tournament I obtained the grandmaster title.
B S: I cannot answer for all chess-players.
We return once more to chess. Which colour do you prefer, White or Black ?
T P: My trainer, grandmaster Boleslavsky has the following saying :
'Love us the little black men, beg the Chess pieces, for everyone loves us when we are white.'
B S: White, Of course. But sometimes I play better with Black.

Chess is an individual or a collective creativity?
T P: Deeply individual.
B S: Of course, individual. Preparation is collective, but not always. There are chess-players who prepare for games individually.
For what piece do you have a secret weakness (not counting, of course, the king itself) ?
T P: I have a weakness for any piece in excess of my opponent's numbers — from pawn to queen.
B S: At five I liked rooks best Of all. At nine I fell in love with the black queen. Now democracy rules in my army.
What is most important in chess, improvisation or analysis?
T P: Both are equally necessary.
B S: In my opinion it is necessary to find a mean between creativity and precise knowledge.
Will you yourself become a trainer?
T P: They tell me that have a rather heavy character for that.
B S: It seems so.
Do you suffer from the phantom of time-trouble ?
T P: Fortunately, up to now time-trouble is no more than a phantom for me.

B S: Thank God, not yet.
Do you believe in the problem of the 'difficult opponent'.

TP: I do

BS: Yes.
And in accidents in play?
T P: It occurs. But mastery, in my opinion, consists in keeping the role of accident to a minimum.
BS: I do.
What is better, to attack or counter-attack?
T P: It's better to win.
B S: My character is more Of a counter-attacker. But attacking is psychologically easier.
How many hours a day do you spend on chess ?
T P: I don't have any fixed allocation of time. Everything depends on what has to be done on that day.
B S: Sometimes I don't do anything for weeks on end, Sometimes I spend hours every day on chess.
And what significance does regime have ?
T P: My regime is — going to bed at the right time.
B S: That question is a little unclear for me. It seems clear what significance regime has.
Do the reactions in the tournament hall influence you at the time of play ?
T P: Of course. Disorderly noise hinders. Approval — gives inspiration.
BS: No.

And the conduct of the opponent ?
T P: I try to make sure that my opponent's moves, not his conduct, have an effect on me.
B S: It-doesn't affect me.

The above interview is taken from the book "Tigran Petrosian: His life and games" by Vasiliev, Petrosian too contributed into this book, the games in the book was annotated by Alexei Suetin and Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian. The book has been translated into English by Micheal Basman.

The interview gave me some insights about Spassky which made me think I previously had misconceptions about him. For example, if you asked me previously I would have said that his character is of an attacking player, but he himself says it is more of counter-attacking. Maybe I misassessed him or maybe himself did so.

Also, I had been knowing him as a heavy smoker who could not refrain from smoking, but he states it is not a problem at all. He can quit whenever and as long as he wants. IN the match against Fischer Spassky did not smoke, I had been thinking it must have affected his play but after this interview it gives me reason to think it was not a factor. Also, Spassky states the conduct of the oppoentndoes not affect him. Then, in 60s and throughout almost the entire period of the USSR, being seen with religion was discouraged but Spassky here was explicitly using religious term: "thank god." I know he is religious as he states in his interviews that the best thing after the USSR was the churches coming back into life, but I had never imagined him stressing it out in 1960s. He never had good relation with the Soviet bureaucracy or the communist party, but him openly talking of god was something I had never imagined.