Laugardalshöll Arena, Reykjavik, Iceland. Robert James Fischer, aka Bobby Fischer, becomes the new World Chess Champion, defeating Soviet player Boris Spassky 12.5 to 8.5, who retired in the 22nd game (there would have been 24). The American champion initially refused to participate in the match, arriving significantly late to the first game and losing due to a trivial error. In the second game, the eccentric American didn’t even show up, and the Soviet player was awarded the win. From the third game onward, the American won a remarkable seven games to one for the Soviet player, who then retired. Thus ended 24 years of Soviet domination of the World Chess Championship.
