Was the Chair Really Rigged in Fischer v. Spassky?

In the context of the 1972 World Chess Championship between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky, it was Bobby Fischer who expressed concerns about the rigging of his chair. He believed that the chair he was using had been tampered with, which contributed significantly to his overall paranoia about the match. This aspect is depicted in the movie Pawn Sacrifice, where Fischer's suspicions and eccentric behavior are dramatized. Spassky, on the other hand, did not have similar concerns about his own chair.

Bobby Fischer's Suspicions

Bobby Fischer's paranoia was a well-documented aspect of his personality. He requested a certain expensive black-leather low-slung swivel chair for the world-famous August 31, 1972, showdown in Reykjavik, Iceland. When his opponent Boris Spassky saw the chair, he demanded the same chair for himself. Another chair was quickly air-shipped to the event.

Paranoid Behaviors in the Match

Well into the match, Boris Spassky began to express concerns about his chair. He complained that he felt strange vibrations coming from it, which he suspected was a setup to distract him. Similarly, Spassky also argued that the lights were buzzing too noticeably. These behaviors suggest that Fischer's paranoid tendencies may have rubbed off on Spassky to some extent.

Government Involvement and Suspicions

Some speculate that Boris Spassky or perhaps his government handlers were the ones who were truly paranoid in this situation. Spassky believed that he was feeling strange vibrations in his chair, which he thought was a setup to distract him.

Official Inquiries and Security Measures