Born March 9, 1943 · Robert James Fischer
Bobby Fischer was an American chess prodigy whose 1972 World Championship victory over Boris Spassky, played at the height of the Cold War, briefly turned chess into front-page news around the world. His dominant run through the 1970-71 Candidates matches — including two 6–0 whitewashes — is still considered one of the most one-sided stretches of top-level chess ever played.
Defeated Boris Spassky in the 1972 'Match of the Century' in Reykjavík to become the first (and to date only) American World Chess Champion; forfeited the title in 1975 rather than defend it under FIDE's terms.
Fischer played almost exclusively 1.e4 as White and was renowned for clarity, precision, and an ability to grind out wins from technically 'equal' positions. He treated opening theory as something to be mastered and improved on move by move rather than memorised.
vs. Boris Spassky — World Chess Championship, Reykjavík, 1972
Fischer won 12½–8½ to end 24 years of Soviet dominance of the World Championship.