For perspective, there were those who thought Galileo was crazy.
Then again, we don't have Galileo ranting on video.
True, we do not have Galileo ranting on video. We do however have Steve Ballmer on video!
Not all Americans like Bobby Fischer...I don't even though he was one of the best players of all time for a while.
I don't remember who, but someone said that Bobby Fischer was the only person who could make all the Americans root for the Russians.
It gives us something to focus on and respond to...A happy way to communicate...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHOW_9Ypomwhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHOW_9Ypomwhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHOW_9Ypomw
When I was a kid playing chess in the 1960s, Bobby Fischer was all the rage. Watching him topple the Soviet stranglehold on chess in 1972 firmly cemented him into top-dog status. In my mind, he is the greatest ever and I don't mix politics with chess, I judge him by his play.
The same reason why Ameicans like Lance Armstrong. Both Fischer and Armsrong managed to compete and beat the respective world powers in their separate endeavours. Fischer managed to beat the USSR in Chess, Armstrong managed to beat Europe in the biggest event in Cycling.Neither pursuit enjoys with spread folliwng in the USA.
Of course Armstrong cheated in doing so which is a major difference.
Yes.
Reminds us that chess is sport and reputations can be easily-tarnished.
I liked Fischer's chess and that's what I like to remember. At least he never cheated on the board (on the contrary he was quite brilliant!)
The psychological-warfare he indulged in was also dabbled in by other players in that era so that was fair enough :)
American exceptionalism.
I always wonder why Americans hardly ever mention Pillsbury.
His win at Hastings 1895 was arguably the greatest achievement by an American player till Fischer.
Think of it this way, rooperi...
You just educated me on who Pillsbury even was.
Think of it this way, rooperi...
You just educated me on who Pillsbury even was.
One of my favourite games ever...
How to win a pawn ending :)
Apparently Edward Lasker played him in among a series of blindfold games and was more impressed with Pillsbury's performance than Alekhine's, who he later saw do the same with more games but made more mistakes.
I've only briefly gone through his wiki and he's already impressive.
Harry Nelson Pillsbury
Well said! He was also my inspiration and I shall always be thankful to him for getting me involved with playing chess.
I'm an American, and I also hate Americans. I'm not your typical American, that's why I don't take offense to Bobby Fischer's hateful statements against Americans. Also he is justified in criticising Zionism. Zionism is a very serious danger to world peace and prosperity.
I hadn't heard his anti-American and anti-Semetic rants until after I had looked him up when I watched the movie Finding Bobbie Fischer. (Yeah, I know it had nothing to do with him - the film just piqued my interests) As many have said I respect his intelligence when it comes to chess and his prowess but as a human being he was just vile and full of hatred, be it attributed to a mental illness or not.
Any form of hatred or dislike for a generalized race or group of individuals for any matter just displays the incredible lack of respect for the human race as a whole.
Chess as with any other sport brings people of similar interests on even playing grounds and should never be American v. Russian, or Black v. White. It's about the game.
He was not a vile human being. First off, there are plenty of things in this world worthy of anger and hatred. Zionism is one of those things. Secondly, his IQ is higher than pretty much everyone posting in this thread, and so we are in an inferior position to call him mentally ill or vile. Third, chess players who knew Fischer personally will tell you that he is the most misunderstood and lied about celebrity on Earth.
Harmless.