Skip to main content

    Rivalry · 2 title events

    9th world champion · 1963–1969

    Tigran Petrosian

    v

    10th world champion · 1969–1972

    Boris Spassky

    Tigran Petrosian v Boris Spassky

    10

    Petrosian wins

    54

    draws

    11

    Spassky wins

    75 recorded games, 1953–1983. Score 37–38 to Spassky. Source: chessgames.com

    Their title matches

    YearWinnerScoreWhereFormat
    1966Tigran Petrosian12½–11½MoscowBest of 24
    1969Boris Spassky12½–10½MoscowBest of 24

    How they compare

    PetrosianMeasureSpassky
    1929Born1937
    6Years as champion3
    2 of 3Title events won1 of 3
    10Head-to-head wins11
    7Wins with White9
    3Wins with Black2
    2796 Jul 1962Peak (Chessmetrics)2773 Jul 1969
    2817On today's scale2796
    +32Lead over No. 2 at peak+-20

    A star marks the better figure. "On today's scale" and the lead are explained on the champions page.

    Trophy cabinets

    PetrosianHonourSpassky
    2

    1963, 1966

    		World titles1

    1969

    1

    1962

    		Candidates2

    1965, 1968

    1

    1979*

    		Interzonals1

    1964*

    4

    1959, 1961, 1969, 1975

    		National2

    1961, 1973

    –Junior1

    1955

    9

    1958, 1960, 1962, 1964, 1966, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1974

    		Olympiad team6

    1962, 1964, 1966, 1968, 1970, 1974

    6

    1958, 1960, 1962, 1966, 1968, 1974

    		Olympiad board2

    1962, 1970

    8

    1957, 1961, 1965, 1970, 1973, 1977, 1980, 1983

    		European team2

    1957, 1973

    –Oscars2

    1968, 1969

    Each year links to its source. * Shared title. World championship titles are title events won or kept. Olympiad board golds are the best score on a board. Most of these events didn't exist before the 1920s.

    Their ratings over time

    Tigran PetrosianBoris Spassky
    250025502600265027001975198019851990

    Move over the chart to compare both ratings on any list.

    FIDE standard rating on each list (twice a year until 2000, then monthly from 2003). Each line ends at the player's last rating change: FIDE keeps an inactive player's rating on its lists. Sources: OlimpBase, FIDE.

    Decade by decade

    1950s0 – 8 – 0
    1960s9 – 37 – 10
    1970s1 – 6 – 1
    1980s0 – 3 – 0

    Petrosian wins – draws – Spassky wins, per decade.

    Famous games between them

    Boris Spassky v Tigran Petrosian, World Chess Championship 1966, game 7 · 0–1

    An exchange sacrifice to start an attack, followed later by a piece sacrifice.

    Tigran Petrosian
    Boris Spassky

    Start position

    1. 1.
    2. 2.
    3. 3.
    4. 4.
    5. 5.
    6. 6.
    7. 7.
    8. 8.
    9. 9.
    10. 10.
    11. 11.
    12. 12.
    13. 13.
    14. 14.
    15. 15.
    16. 16.
    17. 17.
    18. 18.
    19. 19.
    20. 20.
    21. 21.
    22. 22.
    23. 23.
    24. 24.
    25. 25.
    26. 26.
    27. 27.
    28. 28.
    29. 29.
    30. 30.
    31. 31.
    32. 32.
    33. 33.
    34. 34.
    35. 35.
    36. 36.
    37. 37.
    38. 38.
    39. 39.
    40. 40.
    41. 41.
    42. 42.
    43. 43.
    44. 0–1

    Arrow keys step through the moves; click any move to jump to it. Pieces by Colin M. L. Burnett (BSD licence).

    Tigran Petrosian v Boris Spassky, World Chess Championship 1966, game 10 · 1–0

    Two exchange sacrifices for a strong initiative, finished by an elegant fork.

    Boris Spassky
    Tigran Petrosian

    Start position

    1. 1.
    2. 2.
    3. 3.
    4. 4.
    5. 5.
    6. 6.
    7. 7.
    8. 8.
    9. 9.
    10. 10.
    11. 11.
    12. 12.
    13. 13.
    14. 14.
    15. 15.
    16. 16.
    17. 17.
    18. 18.
    19. 19.
    20. 20.
    21. 21.
    22. 22.
    23. 23.
    24. 24.
    25. 25.
    26. 26.
    27. 27.
    28. 28.
    29. 29.
    30. 30.
    31. 1–0

    Arrow keys step through the moves; click any move to jump to it. Pieces by Colin M. L. Burnett (BSD licence).

    Boris Spassky v Tigran Petrosian, World Chess Championship 1969, game 19 · 1–0

    Aggressive play and combinations: Spassky at his best.

    Tigran Petrosian
    Boris Spassky

    Start position

    1. 1.
    2. 2.
    3. 3.
    4. 4.
    5. 5.
    6. 6.
    7. 7.
    8. 8.
    9. 9.
    10. 10.
    11. 11.
    12. 12.
    13. 13.
    14. 14.
    15. 15.
    16. 16.
    17. 17.
    18. 18.
    19. 19.
    20. 20.
    21. 21.
    22. 22.
    23. 23.
    24. 24.
    25. 1–0

    Arrow keys step through the moves; click any move to jump to it. Pieces by Colin M. L. Burnett (BSD licence).

    Every recorded game

    YearWhiteResultMovesEvent
    1953Petrosian½–½15Bucharest
    1955Spassky½–½42USSR Championship
    1955Spassky½–½24Gothenburg Interzonal
    1956Petrosian½–½71Amsterdam Candidates
    1956Spassky½–½33Amsterdam Candidates
    1957Petrosian½–½42USSR Championship
    1958Spassky½–½20USSR Championship
    1959Spassky½–½25USSR Championship
    1960Petrosian1-035USSR Championship
    1961Petrosian½–½17USSR Championship 1961a
    1966Spassky½–½37Petrosian - Spassky World Championship Match
    1966Petrosian½–½50Petrosian - Spassky World Championship Match
    1966Spassky½–½43Petrosian - Spassky World Championship Match
    1966Petrosian½–½44Petrosian - Spassky World Championship Match
    1966Spassky½–½79Petrosian - Spassky World Championship Match

    Every game between them in the chessgames.com database (checked 2026-11-04): classical, rapid, blitz and exhibition games together, as the database records them.

    Quick answers

    Who won more games, Tigran Petrosian or Boris Spassky?

    In the 75 games between them in the chessgames.com database (1953–1983), Petrosian won 10, Spassky won 11 and 54 were drawn: Spassky leads. The count includes every recorded game, not only classical ones.

    How many world championship matches did Petrosian and Spassky play?

    2: 1966 (Petrosian won, 12½–11½); 1969 (Spassky won, 12½–10½).

    All 18 rivalries·All 18 world champions