Page "Boris Spassky" Paragraph 13

In the 1964 Soviet Zonal at Moscow, a seven-player double round-robin event, Spassky won with 7 / 12, overcoming a start of one draw and two losses, to advance to the Amsterdam Interzonal the same year.

At Amsterdam, he tied for first place, along with Mikhail Tal, Vasily Smyslov and Bent Larsen on 17 / 23, with all four, along with Borislav Ivkov and Lajos Portisch thus qualifying for the newly created Candidates ' Matches the next year.

With Bondarevsky, Spassky's style broadened and deepened, with poor results mostly banished, yet his fighting spirit was even enhanced.

He added psychology and surprise to his quiver, and this proved enough to eventually propel him to the top.