Bajoran_Moon: I never said that this made Hitler a great man (if you think I did, point it out). I said to study their techniques and greatness (at, say, chess, oration, millitary tactics), and not ignore them because of their flaws in other areas of life. I am undecided as to whether Fischer was a great man or not - all men, no matter how great, have their flaws (though I'll concede that Fischer's flaws are bigger than most).

Ah yes, Bobby Fischer the player...but Bobby Fischer wasn't a player. He was a forfeiter. He was a guy who lived 20 years out in the wilderness until apparently there were bills to pay and he came back to play another "world championship match" 20 years after the fact.

Why am I so pissed at the guy? Because I was a young player waiting for that renaissance which his presence promised...and which never came. To me he was like Paul Morphy (another guy with half a career)...and a guy who died in his bathtub (as Fischer might as well have done).

well if you think that he was like morphy then you should sympathise with poor fellow instead of abusing him!!

Its simply incredible that people can compare Fischer to Hitler !?? There is definitely something seriously wrong with those of you who do ! You need serious help for your HATE ! Hitler was responsible for the deaths of millions. Fischer never harmed anyone, never mind murdering anyone !  Lets not forget that Fischer was abandoned by BOTH of his parents ! How "normal" would you or I be if abandoned by both our parents?! Considering what he went through I find it amazing he didnt actually kill people..... so a he said some hateful things,  SO WHAT !?  I say this as an American myself and supposedly he hated Americans according to those who attack him and according to his own words.... did he ? I think he more likely hated the US govt and not literally all Americans. Could I be wrong? Sure, its possible. Could YOU be wrong?  Yes, thats also possible. As for an earlier poster that said his anti-semitism is worse than his anti-Americanism I can only ask WHY ? As an American and not being semitic I definitely cannot agree with that at all. As has been pointed out Fischer had many jewish friends, how can this be if he truly hated jews ? Spock might say " it's not logical".  

 Did the Japanese auto workers cause the decline of US autos ? I am not so sure. Perhaps its just that people didnt know how reliable a car can be until the Japanese got into the business? Have you ever owned a Honda or Toyota, or Mazda ? As for patriotism and the American auto workers, how patriotic is it for US auto industry to have plants in other parts of the world to avoid taxes, medical plans and lower labor costs to increase their profits? It seems to me all they care about is profit and arent patriotic at all so why should the individual consumer worry about being patriotic on such an important purchase? As for the Japanese attacking the US the blockade against them was strangling them and they felt they had no choice. What do you think the US would do if some other country was blockading us?  Isnt a blockade an act of war ? Many today believe the Japanese were intentionally provoked in order to get the US into WWII as the American people were against it..... overwhelmingly against it UNTIL attacked by Japan. After the attack American opinion changed ofcourse....

Connecting Fischer to Hitler reveals a stunning amount of ignorance about both men.  I don't believe that they even believe what they're saying.  It's fake outrage.

Bobby Fisher was and will remain as CHESS, one of the greatest players, nothing more and probably many things less .

Er... guys, no-one is comparing Fischer to Hitler. Haven't you ever heard of reductio ad absurdum? That's what people who are bringing up Hitler are trying to do: trying to say "well, if we're meant to take fischer's chess and ignore his racism, what about the logical extreme of racism, Hitler? Should we learn stuff from that too?"

Unfortunately I think the answer to that is a resounding yes, we should learn from Hitler, so the reduction ad absurdum fails.

It is not uncommon for brilliant people or geniuses to be immature and there are plenty of examples.

I am obviously excluding here the category of people with a sickness or a mental condition.

I agree!  Many times, folks who are *too* smart have odd views and stuff doesn't necessarily work right LOL! 

I believe Fischer to be one such individual. 

SchuBomb wrote: " The tactics exist independant of who did them"

That is insightful. Thank you.

bomtrown: you're welcome :)

Bajoran_Moon: I'm glad you agree. also, I just need to correct a couple of things - Fischer was not autistic, the 180 IQ he's often quoted as having was tested as a child, and can't be compared to adult IQ (not to even go into the flaws that IQ tests have), and personally, I don't give Fischer a free ride for his chess magic (or for that matter, anyone a free ride for anything), but I suppose some people do. I think most people, however, just think like I do and say "ignore the man, enjoy the chess, because he may or may not have been a great man, but on the board, he was most certainly a great man!"

Fischer and Hitler?  Well, the comparison may not be appropriate, but for the sake of argument, just imagine that Hitler was the greatest chess player ever [and set aside the fact that Kasparov really was, haha].  I say we would and should admire his chess games.

I agree with those who simply insist that we make a DISTINCTION, e.g. "Hitler" the chessplayer was the greatest of all time; as a human being, one of the worst. 

An earlier post mentioned Einstein being a wife beater. Is this true ? Any credible source on this ?

Einstein was not a good enough chessplayer to get away with wifebeating, unfortunately. he should have asked Lasker for lessons, then he would be excused I'm sure.

 I read long time ago.

This what I found on the internet today:

http://oudeis23.wordpress.com/2008/06/21/einstein-arrested-twice-in-1906-for-domestic-violence/

Hitler and Fischer. Compare and contrast.

Heh heh.

 Wow !!  Thanks Paul.

 This is pretty twisted here if you think saying hateful things is as bad as , or worse than , beating your wife ! ?

Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot that no-one on this site understands satire or has a funny bone in their body, and everyone here takes everything literally at face value. My bad.

(In all seriousness, no way am I going to trust one man's blog (have a read of it, it's clearly hyperbole, saying that Einstein is evil personified, and without a shred of genuine evidence for anything it says), about Einstein's domestic habits, and if he did beat his wife, neither physics nor chess would excuse it)

Seriously chess.com people, stop being so credulous.