OTL: Bobby Fischer

[Sharpieman]

Did anyone see that Outside the Lines piece on former chessmaster Bobby Fischer? I found it pretty interesting since I didn't really know much about the guy. Seems as though he disappeared for awhile and then joined a Christian fundamentalist cult and got all screwed up in the brain. I found it pretty disgusting how he called up a radio station in Manila just minutes (or hours?) after the attack on the Twin Tower and started flaming the US and acting happy about the tragedy. I just wonder how he became so damn crazy.

[Franklinnoble]

Probably the performance enhancing drugs...

[Airhog]

they say he suffers from shizophrenia sp? I believe.

[hhiipp]

I saw the interview the day after it happened, he kept going after Jeremy Schaap (sp) and talking about how Dick Schaap had betrayed him by taking him in, then saying he didn't have a sane bone in his body. After repeatedly attacking Jeremy for his fathers comments Jeremy looks him straight in the eye and says something to the effect of, "I don't think you've done anything here to disprove those comments," and walked off. If they were playing an online game everyone would have told Bobby he just got pwned.

[WrongWay]

It is hard to blame him for feeling totally screwed by the US's decision to introduce Politics into the Chess arena and Boycott certain tournaments. I wonder how many 1980 Winter Olympic Athletes feel the same way as Fisher?

I know if I had devoted my entire life for something only to have it snatched away from me at the last moment for no fault of my own, I would completely hate who or what ever it was that was responsible. And, it is really easy to hate a faceless Idea, like a country, than an actual individual.

[miked]

It is hard to blame him for feeling totally screwed by the US's decision to introduce Politics into the Chess arena and Boycott certain tournaments. I wonder how many 1980 Winter Olympic Athletes feel the same way as Fisher?

I know if I had devoted my entire life for something only to have it snatched away from me at the last moment for no fault of my own, I would completely hate who or what ever it was that was responsible. And, it is really easy to hate a faceless Idea, like a country, than an actual individual.

Wow, a chess game. Terrible. Totally justified in celebrating the death of thousands of innocent people. Not to mention most of his spoutings had nothing to do with his dislike of the US politics in chess but the presence of Jews...

[Samdari]

It is hard to blame him for feeling totally screwed by the US's decision to introduce Politics into the Chess arena and Boycott certain tournaments. I wonder how many 1980 Winter Olympic Athletes feel the same way as Fisher?

I know if I had devoted my entire life for something only to have it snatched away from me at the last moment for no fault of my own, I would completely hate who or what ever it was that was responsible. And, it is really easy to hate a faceless Idea, like a country, than an actual individual.

His hatred of the US was manifested long before the US asked him to boycott chess matches in countries that had trade embargoes. He had not dedicated his entire life to chess and had it ripped away by a monolithic government. In fact, after his big splash in the early 70's, he played no competitive chess tournaments for 20-25 years. During that time, he was mostly a recluse, whose few public statements were anti-semitic and anti-US diatribes. He did not become a fugitive from the govt. until the 90's when he played matches in war-torn Yugoslavia. This was not actually an instance of the US govt. getting involved in the politics of international chess, but enforcing an embargo that barred all US citizens from doing business in that country.

The original source of his dissatisfaction with the US govt: they wanted him to pay taxes on the money he won playing chess (and other ancillary income derived from being a famous chess player). It is at least in part why he stopped playing for so long.

Is it my imagination, or are true geniuses seemingly much more likely to have serious mental disorders?

[TheOhioStateUniversity]

Ive noticed there seems to be a thin line btween Genuis and insanity.

[WrongWay]

Federal Warrant for the Arrest of Bobby Fischer
------------------------------*----------------------


Warrant for Arrest Dickey J.


United States District Court
for the District of Columbia
------------------------------*-------
UNITED STATES of AMERICA


vs.


ROBERT JAMES FISCHER
------------------------------*-------
Criminal No. CR 92-475-01 GJC


Name and Address of Person to be Arrested:


ROBERT JAMES FISCHER
No Known Address
NO PDID
DOB: 3/9/43


To U.S. Marshall or any authorized agent:


YOU ARE HEREBY COMMANDED to arrest the above named person and bring
that person before the nearest available magistrate to answer the
charge(s) listed below:


Description of Charge:


50 USC §§1701, 1702, and 1705 INTERNATIONAL EMERGENCY ECONOMIC
POWERS ACT


[stamp] received [date illegible] '93 U.S. Marshall


Ordered by Patrick U. Atteridge
United States Magistrate Judge
date 12/15/92


------------------------------*------------------------------*--------
The above document can be viewed in Adobe PDF format at
http://www.philchess.com.ph Bobby Ang's Home Page


The above has been posted at http://www.anusha.com/bobby-in*.htm
------------------------------*------------------------------*--------
Here are the three cited sections of the United States Code:


Sec. 1701. Unusual and extraordinary threat; declaration of national
emergency; exercise of Presidential authorities


(a) Any authority granted to the President by section 1702 of this
title may be exercised to deal with any unusual and extraordinary
threat, which has its source in whole or substantial part outside the
United States, to the national security, foreign policy, or economy of
the United States, if the President declares a national emergency with
respect to such threat.


(b) The authorities granted to the President by section 1702 of this
title may only be exercised to deal with an unusual and extraordinary
threat with respect to which a national emergency has been declared
for purposes of this chapter and may not be exercised for any other
purpose. Any exercise of such authorities to deal with any new threat
shall be based on a new declaration of national emergency which must
be with respect to such threat.




President Bush is the US President that decided to issue the warrant.

I am so naive. I did not know that a President of the United States could issue warrants all by himself. I can't believe that Bobby fischer was considered a unusual and extraordinary threat, to the United States.

Or, better yet. Who new Bobby Fisher was planning on invading the US?if the President declares a national emergency with respect to such threat. I wonder what leavel of threat Junior and the CIA would of classified this nowdays? :D

How come I don't ever remember hearing about this through the Emergency Broadcast Network? I can't believe I completely missed a National Emergency! to which a national emergency has been declared

I still can't believe that President Bush declared a National Emergency when Bobby Fisher went overseas?

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

He seemed like a real troubled and biggoted man. I hope he burns in hell.

[moriarty]

He was a complete nut way before he started hating on the US. I think he had a pretty messed up childhood or something. There's a pretty good book Bobby Fischer Goes to War which chronicles his famous match against Spassky. It goes into detail about what a whack he was even then.

[WrongWay]

Is it my imagination, or are true geniuses seemingly much more likely to have serious mental disorders?
Tell me who is more insane. Bobby Fisher, or President Bush for declaring a National Emergency when Fischer left the country?

I guess President Bush closed the Airports, shutdown the banks, and called up the National Guard to protect our Country from Bobby Fisher? :D

[st.cronin]

Some people will find any excuse to rip Bush...

[Samdari]

Tell me who is more insane. Bobby Fisher, or President Bush for declaring a National Emergency when Fischer left the country?

I guess President Bush closed the Airports, shutdown the banks, and called up the National Guard to protect our Country from Bobby Fisher? :D

You really do not know the facts here.

He did not declare a national emergency in response to Fischer wanting to play the chess match. He did so to declare a trade embargo against the country the match was in (EDIT: something he did before Fischer's rematch against Spassky was even an idea). Agree with his ability to do so or not, this declaration made it a crime for all US Citizens to conduct business in that country, a declaration that had nothing to do personally with Fischer or international chess politics, but rather the genocide being committed by that country against its own citizens.

The above warrant was issued for Fischer in response to him ingoring that declaration, playing chess for money in said country, and therefore knowingly committing a crime.

[Wolfpack]

It's the other Bush, BTW. Check the date on the authorization: 12/15/92. Basically one of the last things he did in office. Just want to clarify a little.

I think Fischer played the match in Yugoslavia in defiance of the embargo, if I remember right. It wasn't like he was ignorant of the situation.

It should also be noted that the power Bush used was vested in him by Congress. It wasn't as if he just made up the thing. They wanted to embargo Yugoslavia for their violations of human rights during the early years of the Balkan conflict in the 1990s.

[st.cronin]

It's the other Bush, BTW. Check the date on the authorization: 12/15/92. Basically one of the last things he did in office.

Good catch... I was confused until that was pointed out.

[WrongWay]

I still do not understand how Bush got away with declaring a State of National Emergency on this?

The president only gets this power with the Untied States is in a State of National Emergency?

What does it take for a President to Declare a State of National Emergency? Are we in a State of National Emergency right now?

[Blackadar]

Kasparov would have kicked Fisher's ass anyway.

[Wolfpack]

I believe it's a bit of linguistic over-exaggeration to say it was an "emergency" act. However, it is what it is as called for by the law that it's based on. As I've read it, the act in question passed in 1977 to replace another similar act. Essentially, it grants the President the authority (as long has he lets everyone know he's doing it) to declare such emergencies as deemed necessary. I'm guessing bush took this route because it gave him the power to embargo Yugoslavia without having to go through Congress to do it, typically how an Executive Order is used.

Here are a couple of links (these are nothing but text on government sites, so I'm not bothering with hxxp):
50 USC, Chapter 35 (http://straylight.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode50/usc_sup_01_50_10_35.html)

White House Press Release related to Yugoslavia embargo (http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/archives/whitehouse-papers/1993/Apr/Message-to-Congress-on-Serb-Sanctions)

[Wolfpack]

Dola...I should note the press release is from the Clinton White House, but it does explain the chronology of the embargo.

[Wolfpack]

Double dola...essentially, what this means is that Bush declared a state of economic emergency, which I'm guessing is different from what you would be thinking of as a political state of emergency/martial law/etc. No rights of individuals were curtailed except that they could not do business with the state of Yugoslavia.

[kmbgolf]

Although I do not agree with what Fisher says he was the most creative and best chess player to ever live.People were taking his belongins out of storage in the U.S. and making millions.He believes it was some kind of conspiracy.Nowadays chess is basically memorization and not much imagination.If his name wasnt on fisher random chess I think it would be the new chess.If you follow chess at all go over a bobby fisher game.It is quite amazing what a boy from new york did to the chess world.I think he does have some kind of mental problem and I dont think kaparov is in the same league as fisher......

[kmbgolf]

Although I do not agree with what Fisher says he was the most creative and best chess player to ever live.People were taking his belongins out of storage in the U.S. and making millions.He believes it was some kind of conspiracy.Nowadays chess is basically memorization and not much imagination.If his name wasnt on fisher random chess I think it would be the new chess.If you follow chess at all go over a bobby fisher game.It is quite amazing what a boy from new york did to the chess world.I think he does have some kind of mental problem and I dont think kasparov is in the same league as fisher......

[Axxon]

Although I do not agree with what Fisher says he was the most creative and best chess player to ever live.People were taking his belongins out of storage in the U.S. and making millions.He believes it was some kind of conspiracy.Nowadays chess is basically memorization and not much imagination.If his name wasnt on fisher random chess I think it would be the new chess.If you follow chess at all go over a bobby fisher game.It is quite amazing what a boy from new york did to the chess world.I think he does have some kind of mental problem and I dont think kasparov is in the same league as fisher......


I agree about Fischer v Kasparov but I think Paul Morphy, another american chess champion with mental issues would have actually beaten both of them. His matches were pure genius and no one at all wanted to play him.

BTW, Fischer considered himself Morphy's spirit reborn and I think his game reflected that.

At least at first, Morphy had a life after he quit chess.

[Axxon]

Dola,

A couple of quotes from wikipedia about this.

"A popularly held theory about Paul Morphy is that if he returned to the chess world today and played our best contemporary players, he would come out the loser. Nothing is further from the truth. In a set match, Morphy would beat anybody alive today... Morphy was perhaps the most accurate chess player who ever lived. He had complete sight of the board and never blundered, in spite of the fact that he played quite rapidly, rarely taking more than five minutes to decide a move. Perhaps his only weakness was in closed games like the Dutch Defense. But even then, he was usually victorious because of his resourcefulness." - - former world chess champion Bobby Fischer

* "What was the secret of Morphy's invincibility? I think it was a combination of a unique natural talent and brilliant erudition. His play was the next, more mature stage in the development of chess. Morphy had a well-developed feel for position, and therefore he can be confidently regarded as the first swallow - the prototype of the strong 20th century grandmaster." - former world chess champion Garry Kasparov

That is that. I don't want to sound like I'm bagging on Kasparov though. These three are my three favorite chess players ever. It's a shame Fischer isn't also one of my favorite americans but that isn't to be. :(

[RendeR]

What I always admired about fischer's game was that it was dynamic. he didn't use ploys and defenses and previously designed tactics. his game was like a real world battlefield, he flowed with the shifting nature of the board, as his opponent adjusted to his moves Fischer went on inexplicable tangents which baffle chess masters even now.

He basically made his games up as he went along, fluidly and dynamically crushing even multiple opponents at a time.

Simply mazing.

[Axxon]

What I always admired about fischer's game was that it was dynamic. he didn't use ploys and defenses and previously designed tactics. his game was like a real world battlefield, he flowed with the shifting nature of the board, as his opponent adjusted to his moves Fischer went on inexplicable tangents which baffle chess masters even now.

He basically made his games up as he went along, fluidly and dynamically crushing even multiple opponents at a time.

Simply mazing.


I'm sure you're aware of this game but it's the one which introduced me to Morphy and while I don't consider it the best game ever as the site does, it is one of my all time favorites.

http://www.geocities.com/lifemasteraj/morph-two_am.html

The best part is that he was invited to the opera and wanted to see the opera. He was a bit miffed when they forced him to play them in chess. He wanted it over quickly and well, he got his wish.

I think the criteria of speed, thinking outside the box and playing multiple opponents are met here nicely. :)

BTW, I had my first introduction to Morphy from the book mentioned [See {The} "1000 Best Short Games of Chess," By Irving Chernev.
Game # 441, page # 213.] over 20 years ago and the one game I found most amazing, though it wasn't against a ranked opponent, was the one where he handicapped himself a rook, chased the opposing king down to his first rank and castled into checkmate.

That's pure playground there and fun to see. :)

[thealmighty]

Ive noticed there seems to be a thin line btween Genuis and insanity.

My psychiatrist said I could discuss this with you after my mensa meeting. Call me.