Bobby Fischer's Favorite Chess Set

I figured you would all enjoy this.  It is of his favorite set.  Judging from the photographs, he kept this set from atleast 1972 and possibly much earlier to atleast 1993 where the shot of him was taken with one of the Polgar sisters.  So that's 20 years and probably even longer.  It isn't the Zagreb set, which has a similar theme but an old Russian style set of the time - notice only the Bishop finials are colored differently as opposed to the Zagreb set which has the King/Queen finials colored as well.

Even though he was out of the spot light of the chess world for a long time, he still studied quite alot and was preparing for the match with Karpov before the deal ended.  He might have said alot of bad things about Kasparov-Karpov but one thing he did say (that's never mentioned by people) was that they played some very beautiful games.

Fischer complained that his chess sets were stolen, along with his other stuff, in the Bekins Affair.

Not sure if the Polgar shot shows the same set. At least, I can't see enough to say.

You're not including what else he said - which that they were also very beautiful games.

Nice chess sets!

This is the so called "Dubrovnik" set. It was designed and made for the 1950 chess olympiad in Dubrovnik (Yugoslavia), the idea being of removing religious symbols (king's cross & bishop's mitre). They were not weigted. The original sets are extremely rare, I only have a few pieces.

Here's an interview with Fischer claiming it is his favourite set ever.

https://www.noj.si/?mod=gallery&id=23

-Izmet Fekali, Burek Experts Ltd.

BTW, "Zagreb" is also a city in Croatia (former YU). So some dealers call a (loosely) similar set by that name.

-Izmet Fekali, Burek Experts Ltd.

lol...well, I suppose that's some solace.

Good find, I didn't know the name of it and other places just called it an "old russian set", which obviously isn't specific enough.  I think the set would be perfect with a king & queen with their crowns instead of balls and then the different color bishop finials like they have it right now.  The other Zagreb set goes a little too far with recoloring the King/Queen finials in my opinion, too distracting.

True. BTW, the Dubrovnik style sets are very popular amongst older players, as the bishops with the opposite coloured caps are more distinguishable from pawns.

I read Fischer would only play on Jacques of London sets and had one flown over to Reykjavik for his games against Spassky.

Naah, he just objected to some designer's set made from metal, requested wooden pieces. So they flew a set over from London.

He may have played on an antique Jaques v. Petrosian in their Candidates match, but I can't find another instance where pre-'72 he used a Jaques set.

One set he expressed a preference for was the one commissioned by Fidel for the Havana Olympiad, tables included. In fact in the first World v. USSR match, he used the Havana board and pieces for his match v. Petrosian. Also, if you look at the equipment for his Candidates match v. Taimanov, you'll see the same gear.

He didn't own any of the Havana tables/pieces (that I know of). I think they were pulled out of federation storage for the occasions noted above.

Another member here has done some research on the subject of Jaques ofering, and at last telling there was no "good" Jaques set offered after their factory was bombed out in WWII until the Fischer-Spassky match.

It seems that they whipped the line up just for the occasion of the upcoming match. Nothing definitive, that I know of, but that's the indication.

That it found its way  onto the WC match table could have been, well, damn fortuitous?

P.S. I'm essentially done collecting normal and regular sets, playing sets, but I'd love a Dubrovnik.

I've seen some of your sets and love them.  Didn't you have one with a custom board that warped so badly you eventually used it as fire wood?  They were very nice pictures.  Just about perfect in all ways, King to square diameter, color etc. I could use that set my whole life.  Can't find anything close to it though without spending an arm and a leg

Yeah, lol--15 minutes of heat and smoke.

The set you refer to is a HOS Collector. With luck, they will return to offering these sets for cheap on eBay (I've seen them stop and start up again a few times).

And you can get such a board made (2-1/2" squares, walnut and maple, thin delimiter) for not so much, as it's a simple design. I'd get it thinner if possible, for my tastes.

It has been a very nice set for analysis and playing over games, and the occasional slow play--usually vs. a silicon opponent. I'd say bide your time and then go for it. Enjoy it for a few decades. Good value.

Sorry, I don't like it (too clunky-looking for me).

The reproduction set says it is based on original specs and the king is 91mm (3.58"). The recent article about the Rejkavik set references an advertisement from 1978 for an "identical" set that was 3.5". My question is whether the standards have changed over time to what we normally accept as standard at 3.75" (at least for USCF play - I know there is an allowable range but that seems to be the norm).

Just curious about whether this has changed over time and why.