Bobby Fischer GM was he the best ambassador for chess or not

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.

Fischer was and is the antithesis of a good ambassador.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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!"

I wonder if Karpov has plans to become President of FIDE?

Fischer was a lousy representative for chess. But did alot for the game. If that makes any sense.

Karpov should not be president for FIDE since he conspired against Victor and said nothing about the kidnapping of victors child done by the russians.

Let's not confuse the two Fischer's. First there's the crazy mad man racist hate monger Fischer we discovered after years of being a recluse. Nobody likes him. Then there's the young Fischer we all knew who was an eccentric spoiled brat with a likeable side. See his Dick Cavett interview on YouTube. That Fischer, we like. He actually sounds intelligent. In his later years, with his Phillipines radio rants he just sounds like an old deranged hate-filled ignorant man. Something terrible happened to him. Even his voice and the way he talks is frighteningly different. Not the same person at all.

I have to side with this guy.  Why bring up all his negative things, when there is stil so much to be learned and taken away from his beautiful games?  I'd be wiling to bet big money that there are musicians or actors/actresses out there who are horrible people, but very good at what they do, and therefore can be appreciated!

 "Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man ; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man."

                                                      Matt., 15. 11.

That's good to know, because I was just about the lay into his eating habits too.

Larry Evans was and is the best ambassador for chess.  I have been in the presence of both Evans and Fischer.  Evans is courteous and outgoing; Fischer was aloof and contemptuous to patzers like me.

I can't even understand how eager everyone is to fall over themselves to decry the "terrible" things Fischer said, as if it goes without saying.

Yeah, yeah, I get it. He defied the most sanctimonious law there is, in the media no less, and so, like all sorts of other professionals who have the audacity to exercise their free speech get assassinated by the Anti-Defamation League.

It's atrocious that the mainstream mentality has been so effectively trained by its Hollywood brainwashers that at the merest mention of idiot terms like "anti-semitism" they run amuck, emotionally charged and incapable of thinking clearly.

Good Lord, why can't everyone just take stalk, reassess, realize that "words were said" outloud (oooh scary) and act like freaking adults about this instead of tripping over themselves to placate the simpering "offended"?

Yeah, yeah, I get it, Fischer offended the ONE group of people with the money, clout and audacity to crucify him for it. Niiiice. That goes a long way to disproving his points.

I can't even believe how close minded and programmed the knee-jerk response is that immediately squaks "Ah yeah Bobby said some terrible, terrible things".

Really?

Did he really?

Not like we'll get the chance to discuss it - but that very fact is telling.

There is no true, philosophical, informed discussion in polite society, not that it's really important, I just find it to be completely philosophically irresponsible the way everyone so quickly assumes that Mr. Fischer is utterly reprehensible for the things he said.

Really?

Are you sure?

I would really love to hear you explain it to me, why. Because in the world I grew up in, anyways, you're allowed to have opinions and express them.

As if we aren't adults enough to be able to discuss this stuff. But sure, I have to watch what I say, even as post after post agrees knee-jerk that oooohhhh Fischer was such a baaaad boy with his eeeevil opinions.

Nothing is uglier to me than sacrosanct discussion. Nothing is above criticism. When I see the disgustingly inhuman way the Palestinians are brutalized by an arrogant, Zionist regime that assumes American support, when I see the disgustingly unthinking way that America bows to Israel's every whim, committing more aid in money than they do to the homeless situation in their own country, and then, moreover, actively seek out and crush critics of this ongoing situation, it astounds me. Do a google search on the Israel lobby for starters to see the depth of this monstrous alliance.

So yeah, let's see, this comment will probably be deleted, and why? By the very same mentality that assumes right off that "obviously" Fischer was evil and clearly he was a terrible ambassador to chess - because we come from such a PC culture as that we'd want our chess ambassadors to be politically correct heroes, saying nothing out of turn, promoting every minority we can concieve of one by one, right?

Yeah, I guess we need to figure out a way to edit/ban/delete reality itself, right? I mean - fine, delete the "offensive" comment on the website or whatever, but reality continues. Truth endures.