Fischer's remains to be exhumed

The remains of 11th World Champion Robert James Fischer are to be exhumed to determine whether he is the father of a 9-year-old Philippino girl. This was ordered yesterday by the Icelandic Supreme Court in the struggle for the legacy of the tormented genius.

Fischer is said to have left behind at least two million American dollars, which is claimed by four parties: Marilyn Young (the mother of the girl), Miyoko Watai, who was married to Fischer, and Alexander and Nicholas Targ (two of Fischer's nephews). Besides, the U.S. government is still trying to collect unpaid taxes.

Marilyn Young, who says Fischer is the father of her 9-year-old daughter Jinky, filed her claim in Iceland last November. As evidence she provided pictures of her, Fischer and Jinky, and postcards to Jinky signed “Daddy” that she said were from Fischer. Based on this, the claim was denied.

But after Young came up with new evidence, in the form of records showing that Fischer transferred money to her account 2006 and 2007, the Supreme Court reversed the District Court of Reykjavik and ordered a paternity test. Therefore, DNA samples will be taken from the remains and compared with the genetic material of the girl and her mother.

The National Hospital of Iceland, where Fischer passed away on January 17, 2008 from degenerative renal failure, didn't preserve DNA material. Fischer was buried in a cemetery near the town of Selfoss, Iceland.

Links

• Bobby Fischer’s Body Ordered to Be Exhumed (New York Times)
• Lík Fischers grafið upp (ruv.is)
• Fallist á uppgröft Fischers (mbl.is)
• Marilyn and Jinky visit Fischer's tomb (Chessbase)
• Fischer's daughter Jinky files claim to his estate (Chessbase)
• Fischer’s remains to be exhumed? (Chessbase)