Fischer was afraid of Karpov?

By Fisher demand 9-0 would means end of match, the only thing FIDE hasn't pass was 2 games margin for contender, by very narrow vote. Fisher was ready to face Karpov, but I doubt if he had a real chance. It wasn't gentle and polite Spassky he could push around and intimidate, he was about to play new breed of chess player. Remember that Karpov managed to defeat the mighty Korchnoi in candidates. 

oh right scherbak! lets go for 8-0 then.

I agree Fischer wasn't afraid of Karpov or Soviet Chess after whacking Tal, Petrosian and then Spassky.

But I remember feeling that Bobby abandoned U.S. Chess immediately after he won the title. Of course, he refused to come to the USA afterward because he didn't think it was fair for him to pay U.S. taxes on his overseas winnings.  But he knew all about that long before the WC match and should have realized he would have made more money in commercials, celebrity appearances, etc.

He just came across as a jerk - it was embarrassing even while he was playing Spassky - and he spent the rest of his life confirming that opinion of him.

I remember reading an article from the 1980's where Spassky said, out of any player he's ever faced, Fischer thought most like a computer.  Spassky played all the guys we wish Fischer faced. When it comes down to it, my personal opinion, is that the Karpov - Fischer match would've been a lot like the Kasparov - Karpov matches, lots and lots of draws. I think the Fischer/Karpov games would've been some revolutionary chess that no one ever saw before though. 

I don't think Fischer was scared to play. I know he and Karpov met at least once for dinner to try to plan a rematch after Fischer forfeited. I think Fischer thought no one even touched him and since he's the best his demands must be met. Anyway just my thoughts. Lots of other good points  

Fischer was busy doing shampoo commercials and dating hot supermodels to care about chess.

i once read in the National Enquirer that Fischer dated or hanged out at parties with all these people;

• Jerry Hall. ...
•   Lauren Hutton. ...
•  Janice Dickinson. ...
•   Gia Carangi. ...
•  man. ...
•  Marisa Berenson. ...
•   Patti Hansen. ...
•  Beverly Johnson.

It is possible to simulate such matches by using the GM personalities in Chessmaster GM Edition.

How promising this is is debatable.

Karpov has since said he thinks Fischer would have won a close match in 1975, and that he eventually became a little stronger than Fischer. 

@48
He almost left the match against Spassky after game 1.
He almost did not show up for the match against Spassky.
He almost did not qualify for the match against Spassky, as he originally was not qualified for the Interzonal Tournament which he won, as he had refused to play US Nationals, which counted as the qualifying Zonal Tournament.
He withdrew from the previous Sousse Interzonal while leading because of some dispute.
He vowed never to play a Candidates' Tournament after Curaçao 1962 bacause of collusion.

Fischer's mental and emotional problems had been slowly getting worse since he was a teenager. His absolute focus on winning the World Chess Championship had given him an emotional anchor, but once he succeeded in his quest he was cut loose from that anchor, and left adrift.

With his victory over Spassky, the bottom fell out of his world... like a wet paper bag. He had been deserted by his enemies, and from that moment on he started spiraling inward and began his descent into madness.

IMO.

     He wasn't afraid of Karpov specifically, he was afraid of the possibility of losing. After years of claiming he was the world's best player and was only held back by Soviet conspiracies and cheating, he finally felt vindicated by winning the world championship. Had he lost the title to anyone, it would have destroyed his self-image. By just quitting he forestalled that possibility and remained the greatest in his own mind. If FIDE had aquiesced to his match conditions he would have found some other reason to cancel the match.

     Reuben Fine, world-class player and licensed psychologist who knew Bobby well, predicted in 1972 that if Bobby won the championship match he would never play again. 

@51
"once he succeeded in his quest he was cut loose from that anchor, and left adrift"
++ As pointed out @50 he already was adrift earlier: Curaçao, Sousse, US Championship, Spassky before and during the match.
Maybe if FIDE had accepted his conditions for the Nice Olympiad he would have played.
After all he came back in 1992, still good.

Fischer was afraid of playing the Russians again for the world championship after beating Spassky, because he suspected them of trying dirty psychological tricks against him. His being paranoid was not based purely on fiction.

Very interesting how this thread was revived again and again. 

The opening post is from 2011, but after a short debate the topic seemed to die. It was revived for 1 comment a year later, then again in 2014, 2017, 2018. Then it slumbered 4 more years until someone revived it again with a completely insane comment. Then the next guy happily replied to the OP (which is from 11 year ago...), and now comments are flooding again.

     True. Remember that a professional psychologist (Reuben Fine, also a world-class chess player) said Fischer's ego depended on his belief in himself as the world's best player. Fine predicted before the 1972 match vs Spassky that if Bobby won he would give up chess as he couldn't risk the blow to his self-image that losing his title would cause.

#61
The problem with Fischer was there before the 1972 match: Fischer did not play in 1969.
If Spassky had not agreed to Fischer's demands, Fischer would not have been World Champion at all: the 1972 match would not have taken place or would have ended 0-2 after game 2.
If FIDE had accepted Fischer's conditions then he would have played in the Nice 1974 Olympiad.
I guess if Karpov had accepted Fischer's conditions then he would have played.
After all Fischer risked to destroy his own legend by playing the 1992 rematch after 20 years of inactivity against Spassky who had remained active.

What is the approximately strength of Fischer in the early 80s, taken into consideration about one decade of inactivity opposed to 1992. How would he fare against a young Kasparov in a theoretical match `? 

Fischer born in 43, GK in 63