Great Tournaments of the Past and Present
1972 World Chess Championship
Perhaps the most well-known tournament, at least to people in the United States, is the 1972 World Chess Championship between Robert "Bobby" James Fischer of the United States and Boris Spassky of the USSR. This tournament is often dubbed "The Match of the Century" for several reasons. For one, Bobby Fischer was the first American to be a direct contender for the title of World Champion, so the entire world was watching. This match was a clash of the titans, and everyone knew it. But perhaps the most important reason the tournament is known as "The Match of the Century" is because of the time it took place. In 1972, the Cold War between the US and USSR was at its height, and having a battle of the minds on the world stage between the two countries was something that caught the attention of everyone. The tournament didn't start out well for Fischer, losing his first game and forfeiting his second because of a dispute. However, starting in the third round, there was a winning streak brought on by Fischer that carried him through the rest of the tournament and lead him to win the World Championship, becoming the first American in history to do so.
Linares Annual Chess Tournament
One of the most prestigious chess tournaments is the Linares Annual Chess Tournament held in Linares, Spain. Each year, seven of the world's greatest players gather to play in this double round-robin tournament for very large cash prizes and worldwide recognition. It is considered by many to be the Wimbledon of chess due to the great prestige it has to offer, as well as the splendid location of Linares, Spain. Many of the World Champions of chess have won at Linares, including Garry Kasparov, Anatoly Karpov, Vladimir Kramnik, Boris Spassky, and Viswanathan Anand. The double round-robin format was established in 1998, but there was a single round-robin format previously since 1978.