Regardless of your opinions of Fischer, he was clearly not the best ambassador for chess. This was, of course, the nobility of the middle ages, who everyone had to emulate to give the appearance of high status. If they hadn't played it, the game would have been WAY less popular.

EDIT: I did not create this thread. Someone else did and then deleted their post, and then, conceivably, so did whoever posted before me.

Agreed -- the benefits to chess were ancillary and more likely than not, not intentional.

 True very true the things he said about the Jews and his father was Jewish and lost his job because of the Nazis made me sick really sick

Fischer was and is the antithesis of a good ambassador.

I find that "and is" in bad taste (though true).

rab63 why do you want to blur Fischer's person? Why do you want to ashame and soil him? What bad he did to you? He already died, why dont you let him rest in piece? Doesnt he deserves a good memory? Do you have some personal reasons to hate him? Please explain.

I don't think it was anyone in this forum that soiled his public persona.

If so, then i completly didnt get the point of "racists" and "Jewish" talking and totally confused about the meaning of "really sick" statement. Maybe you will explain me?

Sorry if i made wrong conclusions. It wasnt by purpose.

F. was a good role model for discipline, dedication, passion, extraordinary achievement and the power of natural talent.

But his sportsmanship was sometimes questionable, he made trouble and got people's backs up and his some of his voiced political views were at best dubious.

Sportsmanship, acceptable behaviour and reasonable political views are ultimately more important in an ambassador than achievement/talent.

Unfortunately, despite the man's amazing play on the board, his conduct off the board is well documented and those categorizations are entirely accurate.

Even if you were to set that aside and declare it irrelevant to any ambassadorial capacity he may have held, unofficially or otherwise, I think that PerfectGent's assessment of "selfish" (and I'm paraphrasing) is also accurate and completely at odds with what a good ambassador's core motivations are.  The benefits to the game of chess itself were entirely coincidental.

That all is good known and was discussed thousand times. Nobody is perfect, so why to start it again? I didnt get the idea.

I hate all racists yes he was a good player but his Anti-Jewish stance made me dislike him very much and to say he deserves a good memory is to ignore the REAL BOBBY I have spent more than 50% of my life studying Nazi Germany and know about the Holocaust I know a Racist when I see one he destroyed himself as a person and Both sides of him should be remembered good and bad that's just my view pleases believe me I want people to see both sides of him not just chess then they can make judgement does anyone also have this view?

You all act like Fischer was some kind of monster.  Come on, he never hurt anybody, as far as I know.  Who cares what came out of his mouth? 

He was single handedly responsible for the chess mania of the '70s in the U.S.  He brought many to the board, which would lead me to believe that he was, in fact, an outstanding ambassador for chess.

 yes theses are all good points but it does no excuse his behavior away from the board

Fisher was a pin on the heart of Russia. he was used as much as he used. the loss of the race to the moon and fisher's victory were the propaganda blows from which, in many ways, the USSR never recovered. He was never intended to be an ambassador. he broke the Russian monopoly on the game and the Russians still respect him.

Now i get your idea Craig. But still, why you made topic about Fischer? There is and was such more tremendous racists, Fischer in compare to with them is almost the saint. So why you didnt started the forum topic about any of those awful racist and picked up much less racistical Fischer insteed?

I have watch a lot of stuff on Fischer in the last few days I could just have esaly picked Hitler but may have been ban from the site because of the no politics rule

Will you give us the links?

MAX EUWE was the greatest chess ambassador of all time!!!!  hands down no questions to ask, its Max all the way.  he bent over backwards to make the '72 spassky-fischer match happen and worked tirelessly to promote our noble game.  he was personable, hardworking, intelligent, caring and wanted only to improve the conditions for professional players and to encourage new players to continue playing.

In a way, House of Staunton is a great ambassador. They started and continue to this day to make available great designs of sets in quality woods and at affordable prices. Apart from antique sets, you just couldn't get quality like theirs for several decades.

Not only do most of us very much appreciate the quality of our sets, but even a non-player can stop by, pick up a piece, and genuinely say, "Wow!"