Spassky according to Bobby Fischer

For those familiar with the way Spassky plays and his expressions, this is hilarious, it's Boris Spassky according to Bobby Fischer from 1964:

"Spassky, a 25 year old Russian player is on this list principally because of his unique style.  his game is marked by super-sharp openings; in addition he has his own openings and his own little lines which work quite well for him. 

Spassky sacrifices with complete abandon.  I recall a game he played in a Russian championship with Bronstein.  Bronstein attacked Spassky's Rook with a Pawn  Spassky left the rook where it was, and made a Knight move instead.  He lost the Rook, sacrificed his Knight, and five moves later he mated Bronstein.

In a game I played him several years ago, he lost a Pawn for no compensation.  Then he played as if the pawn he had lost meant nothing.  While I was trying to figure out what was going on in his head, I blundered and lost the game.  Spassky sits at the board with the same dead expression whether he's mating or being mated. He can blunder away a piece, and you are never sure whether it's a blunder or a fantastically deep sacrifice.

He has some weaknesses, but he makes it difficult for an opponent to take advantage of them.  He doesn't play closed positional chess very well.  Still, he always seems a little ahead of you on theory.  He ought to have a very good future.  It's difficult yet to tell his relative strength because he has played mostly tournaments, no matches.  But he rates a place on this list because of his dynamic, individual style."

The bolded part made me laugh out loud.  Gotta love Spassky.

Thanks for sharing this.  Can I ask the source?  Was it an interview, or is it recorded in a book somewhere?

Interesting. I love these little known quotes and facts

yea, totally cool.

Yes he is surprisingly kind to Spassky almost with a reserved respect.

If we knew that position between Shakespeare and Ben Jonson we would have a greater hold on the elusive almost unknown bard.

Spassky admired Fischer. Here is his reaction to Fischer's death as told by Frank Brady in Endgame:

Boris Spassky was stunned. Long concerned about Bobby's illness, he'd kept in close contact. Then, shockingly, he learned that Bobby had died. Momentarily unable to express his sense of loss, Spassky e-mailed Einar Einarsson: "My brother is dead."

Oh, and the game where "Bronstein attacked Spassky's Rook with a Pawn  Spassky left the rook where it was, and made a Knight move instead" was used in the James Bond movie From Russia With Love. 

Fisher certainly had a lot of respect for Spassky's chess. Before their World Championship match he once said : "Spassky is better. Not much better, but better"