CHESS GRANDMASTER BOBBY FISCHER

Some people consider chess to be the sport of intellectuals and as such there are only a few figures as famous as the legendary Bobby Fischer.

Fischer is best known as one of history’s greatest chess players and America’s only world chess champion since FIDE (International Chess Federation) tournaments was established in 1948 as the ultimate measure of talent.

Born in Chicago in 1943, Fischer was introduced to chess at 6 years old and was noted for having an intense interest of the game even when playing against himself. In 1951, the 7-year-old played during a simultaneous exhibition match against a former Scottish chess champion in Brooklyn, New York (his family having moved to Brooklyn in 1950).

After Fischer held against the former champion for 15 minutes (an impressive feat!) he drew the attention of Brooklyn’s chess club president, where he was invited to play regularly, which skyrocketed his career in chess.

Fischer would become the U.S. Chess Champion at 14 years old and then a grandmaster at 15 – the youngest recipient of the rank of grandmaster until 1991. At age 16, he dropped out of high school to pursue chess and although he did not finish formal education, studied to become multilingual to better understand the original language of chess books.

Needless to say, Fischer is considered a committed prodigy among other chess prodigies.

In 1972, the American challenged the current world champion, the Soviet player Boris Spassky.  Fischer challenging Spassky was a pivotal point for both chess and world history.  Their match took place during the height of the Cold War, and at this point in championship history the prior seven champions, including Spassky, were USSR citizens who held an unbroken reign of 24 years.

Fischer had a very rocky start, losing the first two games to Spassky. The third game proved to be the turning point for Fischer and after the 21st game between the two, Fischer was declared the official 11th World Chess Champion.  

Fischer would hold that title until 1975 – forfeiting his title that year, as he pulled back from nearly all public appearances.

On Jan. 17, 2008, Fischer died in Iceland of kidney failure, at age 64. He had become a legend in the chess community and was proclaimed by successive champions as one of the greatest players in history.

Garry Kasparov, the 13th world champion from Russia, commented that Fischer is a “revolutionary whose revolution is still in progress.”

Viswanathan Anand, from India and the 15th world champion, claimed that Fischer is “the greatest chess player who ever lived”.

When asked about who his dream opponent would be, Magnus Carlsen of Norway, the 16th and current world champion, said Fischer would be that foe.  Even Spassky himself seems to admire Fischer, saying that “I still speak to Bobby in my dreams.”

Needless to say, Fischer is arguably perhaps the most influential figure in recent chess history and his actions will continue to be the standard for what chess players will look up to, even in the 21st century.