Bobby Fischer - Chess Prodigy
Express Newspapers / Getty
The Match of the Century
In 1972, Fischer and Spassky faced in Reykjavik for the World Championship. Staged in the middle of the cold war, when the USSR and the United States were engaged in space and arms races, the contest quickly came to be seen as a symbol of the battle for world supremacy.
Get the Latest Photos from Time.com
Get TIME photos and pictures of the week delivered directly to your inbox.