 Spraggett won his first of seven Canadian titles in 1984, which qualified him into the Taxco Interzonal the next year.His fourth-place result at Taxco 1985, where he topped many more famous players, automatically earned the International Grandmaster title, and seeded him to the Candidates event, the first Canadian to achieve this.He came in last at Montpellier Candidates 1985, but qualified again for the next Candidates.