Bobby Fischer RIP

[kinboshi]

One of the best chess players of all time, but also a complete loony.

Bobby Fischer, who has died at the age of 64, was a talented chess grandmaster once hailed as an American hero for breaking a Soviet dominance of the game that had lasted nearly 30 years.

His surprise defeat of Soviet champion Boris Spassky in 1972 in the "chess match of the century" established him at the top of the game, after a run of 20 consecutive tournament victories that is still hailed as the longest winning streak in world chess.

But instead of capitalising on his win, he withdrew from competition and rarely played at international level afterwards.

In recent years, he had been better known for his paranoia, obsessive behaviour and outrageous public statements, which all but overshadowed his undoubted brilliance.

[Longy]

Yes agreed Kin a truly brilliant chess player, which was only matched by his madness. I believe he has been a virtual recluse for the last 30 years.

My dad used to tell me a story about Fischer playing some Russian (don't think it was spassky possibly Karpov) and the Russian was eating various yoghurts during the match. Fischer insisted that his opponents stopped eating yoghurt as the different flavours were clearly some form of communication between him and his advisors. For example strawberry yoghurt mean knight to k5.

R.I.P Bobby.

[kinboshi]

It'd have been interesting to see how he would have faired at poker.  The paranoia might have made it difficult for him though "he just called, he must have aces, and that mint he's sucking, he's signalling to the BB to raise.  I must fold my kings...."

[TightEnd]

Fischer was a CIA Agent, everyone knew that. Or S.P.E.C.T.R.E, not sure which

RIP, Mad but brilliant genius!

[AceofWands]

He did more to raise the profile of the game than any other individual who has ever lived. The way the US government treated him was pretty poor IMO.

The yoghurt mularky was in the 1978 Karpov - Korchnoi match BTW.