Bobby Fischer

Robert James 'Bobby' Fischer was born in Chicago, raised in Brooklyn, New York. He won the USA Championship at the unheard-of age of 14 in 1958. He was a dominant player throughout the 1960s but developed a reputation for being difficult by insisting on very specific playing conditions. Fischer`s ambition was firmly set on the world championship and in 1972 he got his chance. He was set to play Boris Spassky for the title. No match in the history of the game received more publicity. Fischer soundly defeated Spassky and became the first American to win the world championship. He then withdrew from serious play and in 1975 forfeited his title to Karpov. He became a recluse and did not compete again until 1992 when a Yugoslav entrepreneur organized a rematch with Spassky for $5 million ($3.35 million to the winner and $1.65 million to the loser). Once again Fischer defeated his old rival and once again vanished from the public eye, probably forever.