When Did Bobby Fischer Start 'Going Around the Bend?'

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Sqod
kingofshedinjas wrote:

I didn't want to post this, but the comment above basically forced me to do it:

Since you think conspiracies are so humorous, try this link:

http://theantimedia.org/10-conspiracy-theories-that-turned-out-to-be-true/

But all such things are in the past now, right? Frown

Master_Po

Bobby would have been rated 3000 today, if he had Houdini to work/play with; and living off the interest on his $3.X million won in Iceland.  Lasker1900: do you think the Russians were cheating back in '62 too?  Wouldn't surprise me.  I'm sure BF knew that way back then too.  I agree with FischerFan, Spassky was a gentleman - I like the way he stood up and applauded Bobby after the 6th game in '72.   Mr. Spassky is turning 80 soon and still rated around 2550.  I hope to still be able to push the first pawn at 80. 

indurain

Look at the media stuff which Bobby did on American TV immediately after he won the title in 1972.

Bobby interacted very well with Dick Cavett, Bob Hope. He even interacted well with his fellow guests on the Cavett show. The actor Tony Randall was chamed by Fischer.

He made an appearance on the Dinah Shore show and there were no problems.

Yasse Seirawan said that Fischer was great company in 1992.

This is not the behaviour of a "crazy man"

joyntjezebel

I read an article In "Chess" magazine in the late 1990's about Fisher and his ravings on the internet about Jews.  Sounded like Hitler and quite crazy, especially as Fisher was part Jewish himself.

fabelhaft

What is the definition of starting to go around the bend? When you read what Fischer said in the early 1960s it is clear that he already showed many signs of what was to come, as one can see in for example the Wikipedia page on him: 

"Fischer made numerous anti-Jewish statements and professed a general hatred for Jews since at least the early 1960s. Jan Hein Donner wrote that at the time of Bled 1961, "He idolized Hitler and read everything about him that he could lay his hands on. He also championed a brand of anti-semitism that could only be thought up by a mind completely cut off from reality"

indurain
fabelhaft wrote:

What is the definition of starting to go around the bend? When you read what Fischer said in the early 1960s it is clear that he already showed many signs of what was to come, as one can see in for example the Wikipedia page on him: 

"Fischer made numerous anti-Jewish statements and professed a general hatred for Jews since at least the early 1960s. Jan Hein Donner wrote that at the time of Bled 1961, "He idolized Hitler and read everything about him that he could lay his hands on. He also championed a brand of anti-semitism that could only be thought up by a mind completely cut off from reality"

So what? Blaming someone else or some other group for something is what a lot of individuals, and even nations, do. Since 2008 financial crisis practically the entire nation of Greece blame Germany for their economic woes. Is their blame "wrong" or "mad"? Of course not.

I know people who are obsessed with all sorts of characters. And the characters that they are obsessed with are sordid and have lots of blood on their hands. Does this make the people who are obsessed with them "mad"? Of course not.

Master_Po

Most of what Bobby said had a lot of truth to it.  He's like Trump; speaks his mind and most is/was true. 

fabelhaft
indurain wrote:
fabelhaft wrote:

What is the definition of starting to go around the bend? When you read what Fischer said in the early 1960s it is clear that he already showed many signs of what was to come, as one can see in for example the Wikipedia page on him: 

"Fischer made numerous anti-Jewish statements and professed a general hatred for Jews since at least the early 1960s. Jan Hein Donner wrote that at the time of Bled 1961, "He idolized Hitler and read everything about him that he could lay his hands on. He also championed a brand of anti-semitism that could only be thought up by a mind completely cut off from reality"

So what? Blaming someone else or some other group for something is what a lot of individuals, and even nations, do. Since 2008 financial crisis practically the entire nation of Greece blame Germany for their economic woes. Is their blame "wrong" or "mad"? Of course not.

I know people who are obsessed with all sorts of characters. And the characters that they are obsessed with are sordid and have lots of blood on their hands. Does this make the people who are obsessed with them "mad"? Of course not.

Well, I asked what the definition of "starting to go around the bend" was, and you seem to suggest it equals being "mad". Maybe it's more a question of when things started to show that made the later developments more understandable. Donner claimed that Fischer was "completely cut off from reality", and that at least says something about how he could be perceived by people that spent some time with him in the early 1960s. But when do you think he started to go around the bend? :-)

ChessEclock

I liked both movies on the genius:

- Bobby Fischer Against the World (2011) by Liz Garbus (imdb raiting 7.4)

- Pawn Sacrifice (2015) by Edward Zwick (imdb raiting 7.0)

A previous visit to vikipedia not prerequisite but would be helpful.

It is a sad story. However, remainder is joyful, amazing (chessgames). RIP.

mrkibookbinder

Rest in peace Robert, the Game isnt so fun whithout You and everybody knows it....