Chairman Emeritus, Trustee & Co-Founder of the U.S. Chess Trust, Harold Dondis

Our Officers and Trustees, not only promote and contribute generously to the U.S. Chess Trust Mission, but, their lives are inspiring and quite a vision in the chess world.

In 1972, thirty-five years ago this month, Fischer was victorious over the Soviet’s chess supermen, including World Champion Boris Spassky.

In light of this 35-year mark and all of its controversy, among the people that come to mind is, U.S. Chess Trust Co-Founder, Chairman Emeritus and Trustee, Harold B Dondis, who played against Fischer.

“I did beat Bobby Fischer one time.”, Harold Dondis has said , matter-of-factly, in a discussion about his favorite game.  Dondis has the proof to back it up.

In 1964, he beat Fischer, who was only 20 yrs old at the time.  “It was a fluke that I beat him,” Dondis maintains.

According to the book “A Legend on the Road” , that chronicles Fischer’s cross-country trip, Dondis was carried out of the room on the shoulders of the crowd after he defeated Fischer.

Dondis later traveled to Iceland to officially cover Fischer’s match against the Soviet grandmaster Boris Spassky for the Boston Globe.

Despite graduating 56 years ago, Dondis still considers himself a student.  Now, his studies tend to focus on specific chess moves.

He has even spent 12 years writing a book on artificial intelligence.  It was never published but that doesn’t seem to bother Dondis.

That seems to be typical of Dondis, who is now writing yet another book.

“This one is about applied problem solving,” he has said. “It’s just a hobby.”

He has been the writer of the Boston Globe’s chess column for the last 37 years.

“I’m just an amateur,” Harold Dondis insists.

STATED LIKE A TRULY MODEST CHAMP.

Click here for more on Harold Dondis, and stay tuned for the collection of 100 Columns of Harold B Dondis, soon to be posted on our site !

GET INSPIRED, learn more about our programs and vision today !

UPCOMING BLOG NEWS !

More on how U.S. Chess Trust, Officers and Trustees have participated in and made significant contributions to chess history and its development !

Next time, we feature Dr. Leroy Dubeck, our Asst. Treasurer, who was President of the United States Chess Federation from 1969 to 1972 , and was instrumental in bringing Bobby Fischer to the Board to play his match for the World Chess Championship against Boris Spassky.