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The Unknown Bobby Fischer
The Unknown Bobby Fischer is really four books in one. First of all, it is a detailed look at Fischer's formative years when the young genius went from struggling Class B player to U.S. Champion in the space of two-and-half years. Published accounts of the time, reminiscences and rare photos serve to shed light on a part of Bobby's career that is rarely examined. But Fischer is not the only subject. The 1950's were a golden time for American chess. The Byrne brothers, William Lombardy, Raymond Weinstein, Edmar Mednis, Arthur Bisquier, Larry Evans. . . the list of strong players coming up with Bobby goes on and on. The Unknown Bobby Fischer examines some of these players and lesser-known stars of the day including Charles Kalme, Larry Remlinger, Anthony Saidy and Abe Turner along with outrageous organizers like the legendary E. Forry Laucks of the Log Cabin Chess Club. John Donaldson's earlier book, A Legend on the Road (ICE 1994), looked at Bobby's 1964 Transcontinental Exhibition tour in great depth. That 124-page book prompted a flood of letters from readers. Now International Master Donaldson and co-author IM Eric Tangborn offer the reader more than 40 pages of new material on the 1964 tour, including seventeen recently rediscovered games from Bobby's exhibition in Wichita. All told, The Unknown Bobby Fischer offers the reader 87 games, many heavily annotated. Thirty-seven of the games have never been published or have appeared only in periodicals or tournament bulletins! The book concludes with rare interviews and an in-depth look at the large body of literature on Bobby. The authors list their top ten favorite books on Fischer in English and offer the reader an extensive bibliography for further research. Useful player and opening indexes round out this book designed for both die-hard Fischer fans and those interested in an overview of a rich period of American chess history.
- GenresChessNonfiction
Paperback
Published December 1, 1999
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April 9, 2025
"Chess doesn't drive people mad, it keeps mad people sane."
"I don't believe in psychology. I believe in good moves."
Bobby Fischer
(versus Boris Spassky in Reykjavik, 1972)
(versus Bob Hope)
("the third part of life")
(the movie)
Well, the tittle had me looking for/after the “unknowns”, yet many “knowns” were found. Basically, the book is a collection of commented chess games played by Fischer until the year 1992. It’s a biographical book as well, no doubt, but if I had to divide the life of the chess-master into 3 parts, I would say the book is about 2/3 of a lifetime (covering infancy, teenage years and early adulthood). Sure, that third part is really the “unknown” one, maybe the one many search on.
“I was born in Chicago Illinois, on March 9, 1943…”
So, quite known is that Fischer had a communist mother, an engaged activist. His father’s identity is still disputed, but, granted, he was absent as the kid was growing up.
Bobby would learn chess with his older sister. At 11 he had learned from his mother how to react to the FBI: “I have nothing to say to you”. Then, since 14, we all know (I assume) about the precocious winner. He would reach the chess-master status. He would face Boris Spassky in Reykjavik and get the world title in 1972, for America.
The book, however, opens up a bit on the “next phase “of Fischer's life as it publishes a State Department letter stating the consequences the chess player would face, in the case of breaching the embargo on Yugoslavia. Fischer had become a dissident.
The book also offers an extensive list of books by and about Fischer; even novels based on his character.
Botvinnik would say on Fischer’s style:
(in the opening)
-prior to each tournament Fischer prepares a new variation (sometimes several). He has variations (for examples in the Sicilian defense) that he has analyzed through and through and plays with ease
-playing White in the Sicilian he frequently uses the Knight c3, Knight b3, Bishop d3, Bishop c3 and Queen f3 setup.
-in several openings his preference is for…Bishop g7, d6, and…Knight c5.
-Fischer does not like pawn chains. He needs room for his pieces.
(in the middle game)
-against opponents known to be weak, he likes to advance forcefully with his king’s pawns
-he likes clear cut positions. When he enjoys a positional advantage he welcomes any simplifications.
(in the endgame).
-he likes a Knight against a Bishop
-he likes to send his king on long raids.
...
(graveyard in Iceland)
Spassky (a dissident too) who visited Bobby’s graveyard in Iceland, noticed the nearby space next to Bobby’s (as if saying "there’s still room for Spassky"). G Kasparov would say on that same spot: “It is so very sad, it could have ended differently”. Fischer stopped playing at 29. True, that final part of his life is a mystery, it would deserve a book in itself, for its plenty of “unknowns”.
We know that his final years were turbulent. We would go into lamenting his reaction to 9/11; quite unpatriotic. He was persecuted by the FBI and was arrested in Japan, over “passport” issues. Some would see “profanities” in Fischer’s rhetoric against the Jews; charging them of having stolen him, files for a book which would expose corruption at high level championships (including great names such as Karpov and Kasparov).
Fischer would say several times he hated classical chess, later in life; he wanted a honest game, away from “pre-arranged” schemes. So he invented Chess 960.
Worth-reading, the book.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/200...
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/201...
"I don't believe in psychology. I believe in good moves."
Bobby Fischer
(versus Boris Spassky in Reykjavik, 1972)
(versus Bob Hope)
("the third part of life")
(the movie)
Well, the tittle had me looking for/after the “unknowns”, yet many “knowns” were found. Basically, the book is a collection of commented chess games played by Fischer until the year 1992. It’s a biographical book as well, no doubt, but if I had to divide the life of the chess-master into 3 parts, I would say the book is about 2/3 of a lifetime (covering infancy, teenage years and early adulthood). Sure, that third part is really the “unknown” one, maybe the one many search on.
“I was born in Chicago Illinois, on March 9, 1943…”
So, quite known is that Fischer had a communist mother, an engaged activist. His father’s identity is still disputed, but, granted, he was absent as the kid was growing up.
Bobby would learn chess with his older sister. At 11 he had learned from his mother how to react to the FBI: “I have nothing to say to you”. Then, since 14, we all know (I assume) about the precocious winner. He would reach the chess-master status. He would face Boris Spassky in Reykjavik and get the world title in 1972, for America.
The book, however, opens up a bit on the “next phase “of Fischer's life as it publishes a State Department letter stating the consequences the chess player would face, in the case of breaching the embargo on Yugoslavia. Fischer had become a dissident.
The book also offers an extensive list of books by and about Fischer; even novels based on his character.
Botvinnik would say on Fischer’s style:
(in the opening)
-prior to each tournament Fischer prepares a new variation (sometimes several). He has variations (for examples in the Sicilian defense) that he has analyzed through and through and plays with ease
-playing White in the Sicilian he frequently uses the Knight c3, Knight b3, Bishop d3, Bishop c3 and Queen f3 setup.
-in several openings his preference is for…Bishop g7, d6, and…Knight c5.
-Fischer does not like pawn chains. He needs room for his pieces.
(in the middle game)
-against opponents known to be weak, he likes to advance forcefully with his king’s pawns
-he likes clear cut positions. When he enjoys a positional advantage he welcomes any simplifications.
(in the endgame).
-he likes a Knight against a Bishop
-he likes to send his king on long raids.
...
(graveyard in Iceland)
Spassky (a dissident too) who visited Bobby’s graveyard in Iceland, noticed the nearby space next to Bobby’s (as if saying "there’s still room for Spassky"). G Kasparov would say on that same spot: “It is so very sad, it could have ended differently”. Fischer stopped playing at 29. True, that final part of his life is a mystery, it would deserve a book in itself, for its plenty of “unknowns”.
We know that his final years were turbulent. We would go into lamenting his reaction to 9/11; quite unpatriotic. He was persecuted by the FBI and was arrested in Japan, over “passport” issues. Some would see “profanities” in Fischer’s rhetoric against the Jews; charging them of having stolen him, files for a book which would expose corruption at high level championships (including great names such as Karpov and Kasparov).
Fischer would say several times he hated classical chess, later in life; he wanted a honest game, away from “pre-arranged” schemes. So he invented Chess 960.
Worth-reading, the book.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/200...
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/201...
Displaying 1 of 1 review