Did Bobby Fischer have Aspergers Syndrome?

I can't think of a much better example of Aspergers, than Bobby Fischer.

Fischer was

·          A Brilliant Chess player

·         A Bigot

·         A Prima Donna

·         Highly Principled

·         Brave

·         Somewhat Paranoid

·         Maybe he had Aspergers

He didn't "go crazy." People just stopped putting up with him when he stood up to the U.S. in his second match with Spassky.

   I have Asperger's Syndrome and I've long suspected that Bobby Fischer had it as well.  You can add to the list that he was hyper-sensitive to lights and sounds.  I have this sensitivity myself and I noticed Bobby often didn't like people too close to where he was playing and he complained about "chandelier lights" because they reflected glare off the pieces.  Notice the games he initially lost in the 72' match were in the open area with the crowd present (and making noises no matter how quiet they try to be)...he also complained about the tv cameras (which have lenses which add glare and/or lights). After he moved to the isolated room with Spassky; very gracious of Spassky to make the concession BTW, Bobby had little trouble with him after that.  Another thing is in some video footage you can see Bobby walking with an unusual gate...this is very common with Asperger's as.  Bobby was somewhat good looking when he was young and that's a common Asperger's trait as well.  70% of boys with Asperger's have above average iqs.  Bobby is said to have tested 186 in school which is far above average and well into the genius level, although his adult iq was probably lower it was likely well above average.

   People, please stop making ass-burger type jokes.  They are obvious and not clever.  Dr. Hans Asperger was a kind pediatrician and even started a school for children.  

I made an ass burger joke several months ago, but I don't think anybody else did. You say 70% of boys, but how about girls? I don't know what looks has to do with Asperger's Syndrome.

TomBreakfast wrote:

I have reason to believe that Bobby Fischer had Aspergers Syndrome.

1. His reactions when in an unstructured environment such as running as fast as he could from cameras or not turning up (that was Bobby Fischer's way of getting away from his unstructured environment.)

2. His ability to cope in an structured environment such as an interview (his coolness in a structured enviroment)

3. His inability to understand feelings as well as other people.

4. An intense fascination with an activity (in Bobby Fischers case, chess.) 

5. Limited empathy with peers

6. Poor social ability

7. Failure to develop friendships

Is that much different than most chess players?

A classic case of what Eleanor Roosevelt had to say:

Enjoy the chess part....few of us have good balanced lives.We tend toward our passion,that which lures into all kinds of chess issues. At the sake of other parts-----relationships,exercise, world events, etc.

Some people are interested in psychology, and enjoy discussing it.

"Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people." - 
  --  Eleanor Roosevelt   And tiny minds discuss Bobby Fischer's mental illness? Well in that case, here goes...

I'm not qualified to diagnose Asperger's Syndrome (or any other mental illness), but Bobby was really fugged up IMHO after 1972 no matter what label(s) you assign to him

You can read all about in Endgame by Frank Brady.

https://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/13/books/review/McClain-t.html?pagewanted=all

Overall I'd have to say he's one of my all-time favorite chessplayers and one of my least favorite human beings.

A very good educated question. Yes, I do think Bobby Fischer has Aspergers Syndrome. 

That's why we are discussing the idea that Fisher may have had Aspergers  (and of course events and people are discussed to support the idea).

"Least favorite human beings."

Seriously?  You know, he never killed anyone or anything like that, right?  There's a long line of misanthropes and sociopaths he's gotta' get behind in that "least favorite human being" line for anyone who values life.

It always amazes me how people with no medical knowledge are always diagnosing other people--especially people they have never met.

Nobody is saying it for sure, so there's nothing wrong with discussing it.

1.) I'm sure you're easily amazed in general...here's some tin foil, bubble gum, and a string...amazing huh?

2.) It amazes me that you assume all the people who have commented, "have no medical knowledge".  Just how would you acquire this information?  BTW I was a medical services specialist in the U.S. Air Force for six years; that was before I studied psychology at CSUS.

3.) We are not, "always diagnosing other people".  This is the first time I've ever commented on this topic.  As someone with Asperger's I thought someone might like to hear my opinion.  Guess I was wrong.

4.) I see you are from Brooklyn, NY.  Judging by your picture I bet you can  'diagnose someone you've never met'...bet you can tell that NJ governor Chris Christie is morbidly obese.  How's that for 'amazing'?

I assumed that if you had medical knowledge you would know enough to realize that you cannot diagnose anyone without examining him in person. I know Gov. Christie is overweight, I don't know if he is "morbidly overweight" since I am not an MD and I have not examined him. I am not his fan but he does seem to be healthy enough to  do his job as governor. Also "asperger's" is controversial in itself, some doctors say it is more of a personality type than a disease. Nowadays the drug companies seem to always be  creating new "diseases" so they can sell drugs and make more money. I suggest you check with Dr. Mercola who has a website on this subject. People are always calling Bobby Fischer names and he is no longer here to defend himself. Let's hope he is in a better place now and out of reach of nasty people such as yourself. 

I don't believe in better places, or worse places, but if he IS in another place, it would probably be worse, due to his support of the Nazis, etc.

Were the Nazis still around when he was alive?

There are some still around now. But that doesn't matter. He still claimed to support their ideals.