In 1972, Mike Wallace profiled the infamous Bobby Fischer, who was then only 29 years old and training for a Cold War showdown against Russian Boris Spassky.
@@benjastuff1347 Precisely. Lonely men look at Fischer and admire him and think they're going to be great just like him ("Who needs the world!" they say in their heads) Odds are, Fischer obsessed over chess to escape the abandonment from his mother and his father. It was soul-crushing for him. Which is why he led such a solitary life even as he was preparing to be World Champion. Then...poof...gone for 20 years. We lost probably a decade of peak Fischer because of his mental health issues driven not by chess but by his lack of community and lack of trust in anyone. Magnus, on the other hand, comes from a stable family and had a loving father who doted on him. And he has the all time peak rating, held all three World Championships at once, and was the 5-time reigning champion who keeps reinventing chess, and will probably live a long, happy, satisfied, fulfilling life with his mates and whomever he settles down with. I'd rather be Magnus all day, every day.
@@zer0h0urs000 And I find your stock psychoanalysis oversimplistic, as stock psychoanalysis tends to be....I've read several biographies of Fischer....he wasn't so much 'abandoned' by his mother, as much as he pushed her away...they were both fiercely independent, headstrong geniuses with their own ambitions, in a tiny NYC apartment....someone had to go....Fischer asked her to leave (or demanded she leave), and it was best for both of them...Bobby got the place to himself, and Regina went on to pursue her medical studies abroad
Bobby beat me and 19 other players in a simultaneous exhibition a few months prior to his demolition of Spassky in the World Championship. He polished off all 20 of us in 42 minutes. It was a great honor to play him, he was a stone cold genius.
And bobby probably wasnt complaining about your level as garry kasparov who was furious when hed found out that one of the players was 2000-2200 :D garry wanted to play only amateurs on exhibition match so he could crush them all in 5 minutes and be perceived as a genius :D of course garry was a fantastic player, but his ego is huge
Kasparov had a right to be angry in that situation since he had asked what the rankings were of all the players attending and they didn't mention the 2000 elo player so he wasn't putting the due amount of concentration he would've put if he had known the elo of the guy. I'm pretty sure any pro would've been angry about being misled that way especially if they had asked ahead of time
So Tal or Spassky were unlucky to be born in the USSR? That´s a pretty weird take. Had Fischer been a soviet citizen, he would still have been an amazing player, regardless of him having the support of the state. I mean, he read all their books and articles, anyway..
@@fundhund62 Totally illogical, argument. Mensa Swede said it was remarkable that he did it by himself and you argue that he would have been just as good if he had help? What sort of stupid logic is that?
What about where he says he likes to crush a man's ego? That's kind of warped. Reminds me of a kid who likes to pull the legs off of spiders, just to watch what happens afterwards.
I don't care if he was arrogant. I love to see individual human greatness. A person who achieves greatness can have any damn personality he/she wants in my book. I call it, "The Flavor of Greatness". :)
Playfer true, a person can be arrogant and supremely confident at the same time. In fact I would usually the best in the world are both. That’s why they are the best. You usually don’t hear the best person in the world at their particular sport or event say “well I am okay at (whatever sport). To be the best in the world and then be humble about it is really a lie. They are the best lol
He did what he set out to do, win the world championship. He put in the work for years and took no prisoners, no mercy. For him to take on the Soviet Chess Machine alone during the cold war, I cant even imagine that kind of pressure. And then to crush em, its the greatest sports story ever.
Richard B. Riddick You’re right and I would add that the Soviet Chess Machine not only focused on outsiders. Within the machine, lives were made and destroyed to serve the state.
Kissenger begged him to play. This was a great help to the US in the cold war. Then later the US turned on Fischer. That's how they showed their appreciation.
Christopher Eccleston is a great actor and looks a lot more like Fischer than any other actor, but alas he's too old now. He's the same age as Nick Cage.
What’s tragic? That he doesn’t dance to the music of the masses? What’s more insane? That we are the most amazing beings that have the ability to be whoever we want and choose to be like everyone else? He was just Bobby. Period
When you understand what Fischer was up against, nothing less than the entire Soviet Chess apparatus that included WC's Smyslov, Tal, Petrosian, future WC Karpov, along with every GM they could muster, it almost incomprehensible that Fischer went in alone, and destroyed them. Just an amazing story!
Yes and to do it at the peak of the Cold War the symbology is amazing. Socialist machine against an individual, and the individual won! That is what I love about the US, it’s emphasis on the individual and not the collective. When you cater to one group or another it’s counterintuitively bad for the entire group.
@@davidmartin7163 "that is what I love about US" sounds awfully un-individualistic I'd say, given how much you've praised individualism there's an ironic patriotism and groupthink there. In all seriousness the games were less about politics and national identities, none were too black-and-white, and none too symbolistic unless you see what you want to see. Fischer went in there for the chess and *statistically*, he's an awful representation of USA, or any one group for that matter. Taking a nationalist pride for something a man did then got betrayed by the same damn country he was championing aren't so great things either
@@thenarrator1921 That isn't true at all. That is to assume that every entity of multiple organisms is actually an amorphous conglomerate of their parts.
This is the time I have seen this interview. The one thing that sticks out more than anything is that he had no coach or trainer. He did it alone. That is simply amazing.
"I used to say I was the best player in the world, and everyone said 'he's an arrogant, terrible, conceited person.' but it's just an obvious fact." incredible
Fischer was a different kind of cat. Enjoyed his solitude, didn't seem to pay much mind to what people thought of him. Absolute legend in the chess world and I'm glad everyone can appreciate his greatness.
"I am still under the shock of this loss for the world of chess. In my view Bobby Fischer was the most honest person in chess history. He never made any politics. He was a very pure personality. He could be tough from outside, but inside of him he was like a crystal - very pure. " (Boris Spasski, 2009)
They cut out the end of the interview, where Wallace wishes Fischer well, saying: "I hope you win (the match against Spassky)." Fischer replied, matter-of-factly: "I will." There was never a question in his mind about it.
@@mateiacd There’s another version of this interview although I don’t know how to conjure it at the moment. I think that I’ve seen all of English language interviews of Fischer which have been published. Unfortunately, the longest interviews were the ones from his waning years after he went around the bend.
@@ophiolatreia93 But that's because the organizers put him in a room with distracting conditions, which wasn't his fault. No one can play chess properly under those circumstances. Might as well just flip a coin instead to see who is the winner.
Would love to see one of today's players have this type of personality instead of all the virtue signallers out there. I don't see today's social climate making that happen though. Maybe we see a backlash one day.
He's perfectly fine. Their complaint is that they can't understand him but he doesn't exist for them to understand. What a hit piece to this man's personality for no reason.
Agreed. I didn't see anything wrong w/ the man's personality he was just into his thing and didn't care about following the jones. Media just tries to sensationalize things. He seemed like a leader not a follower, what's wrong w/ that...
Wow, I never knew he didn't have a coach or trainer. Dude was really alone in the world and shouldered everything himself. He was so amazing at what he did but at the cost of almost everything one would say makes a human human.
Took on and embarrassed the Soviets ( taimanov, Larsen) all by himself,, its often underestimated how much work he put into chess,,even learning Russian just to read the Soviet chess magazines.. as far as me and any other true chess fan out there are concerned,he was a pure genius and legend of the game..RIP Bobby, you're legend will never be forgotten
Larsen was from Denmark... but you forgot to mention another Soviet he defeated in the final match that decided Spassky's challenger: Tigran Petrosian.
Welder~ I put Bobby Fischer equal to Einstein and Tesla. They had an ability to see things that normal humans just couldn't comprehend. E=mc2. Alternating current. Being the best chess player in the history of the world. I wish I were the best at something. Maybe in my next life. We'll see...
I know Kasparov held the title for 20 years, Karpov was great, Carlsen higher rating..but I think if u look at his ratings and his closest competitors and the way he absolutely demolished the absolute best players in the world, with the backdrop of the Cold War and the fact he did without any help or coaches or advisers and computers to save and study every game and position at ur fingertips, I think unquestionably he is the greatest player ever
It is questionable, because he refused to prove it. Had he beaten Karpov, then Kasparov, then Kasparov again, you might have a case. Why was Bill Russell the greatest champion in any sport? Because he proved he was a champion again and again.
Mitch~ My thoughts exactly. I've posted my reasons to point out, without any hesitation- Bobby was the most brilliant, creative, dedicated chess player this planet will ever have.
He was a very complex character - just look at how he responded to the t.v. crew bringing him a birthday cake on his 29th birthday - "i've been worrying about this..." I feel sorry for him because he was a real genius but unfortunately didn't have a happy life.
He may have been on the autism spectrum and tone-deaf to manners and empathy. The people who got the cake and sang for him were embarrassed by his reaction, I imagine, but he didn't care. Imagine if they brought out a huge cake and a stripper jumped out. Bobby: "Now this is what I'm talking about! Twerk that moneymaker, baby! Yeah!"
I think Bobby didn't want the cake because of his skin, when you have acne at that age you do everything you can to try to stop it, i can speak to that personally.
Good point. You are a sensitive soul. Cutting out sugar, dairy, and fried foods is often step one when you have that. I myself have never had a pimple, but I understand it can be a terrible thing.
I agree. They call Magnus the Mozart of chess, but when you examine Mozart‘s life it seems more fitting, at least in my opinion, that Fischer was really a Mozart of chess...
They did the whole birthday thing to see how bobby reacted with the cameras on. They knew this is something Bobby wouldn't like. All for a reaction and act like they are a friend while doing it. Scoundrels.
He wasnt the greatest according to elo ratings, centipawn loss per game and % of best engine moves. Some people say "inflation", but this is not true. Some studies were conducted on this topic and authors concluded there was no such thing, it was rather deflation. A comment from the authors - 'This shows a steady progression in IPR [intrinsic performance rating] throughout chess history, mirroring the improvement of sporting records in other fields and ascribable to better human health overall, and greater wealth allowing there to be more enthusiasts. This argues against ratings having inflated relative to skill.'
This may be true, but you have to remember today's Grandmasters can check their games against computers to see how to improve (improving ELO). In a sense, your coach is the greatest chess player (computer) and any strategy can be played out through a computer. If Fischer, Spassky, TAL, Morphy had today's machines to play against and improve, I would say, only then could we know who was the greatest of all time.
Other players take on individuals, Fischer took on a tyrannical communist soviet chess machine. Fischer raged against the machine and beat it. Quixotic. GOAT
Good glimpse of a very busy man determined to do the best work he can in a very difficult, demanding field that takes everything he's got. He answers questions politely enough, but knows they are all tangents to what he's doing.
The rest of the world was thinking of this match as the US against the Soviet Union, in reality this was Bobby Fischer against the rest of humanity. He really didn't give a sh#t who was sitting on the other side of the board. He just wanted to crush them.
Darrin Nunyah Actually, he really wanted to destroy the Russians because he thought they were conspiring to keep him from being world champion. And he also didn't like how they talked about the kind of person they thought he was. He really despised them in this point in his life, and beating one of them for the world championship was a culmination for him. It had to be a Russian.
@@osvie0167 No "thought" they were. Obviously you've not read how the Soviet chess players themselves confirmed the cheating that was going on behind the scenes. It was all covered back in 1963. FIDE changed the rules. Quit trying to spread old Soviet and Zionist propaganda, as if "Grandmaster Draws" were a figment of his imagination. People can Google, Soviet "Grandmaster Draws" -- and masters such as Reshevsky and Bronstein, and many others confirmed it. "Grandmaster Draws" was common knowledge, and in fact, I have newspaper articles from 1955-1960's written by chess columnists that confirm it was ... common knowledge... Chess columnists, who suggested it long before Fischer came out in the press accusing Soviets of doing it. Google "grandmaster draws" 1962 bobby fischer chess hall of shame I have a collection of newspaper items on that page, as a collection which prove Fischer wasn't imagining, what the whole chess world was already complaining about, long before he uttered the first complaint to Sports Illustrated about their cheating.
This is the most hilarious thing I’ve ever seen! The most arrogant man alive asking the best chess player stupid questions. I love it. It’s one of my favorite videos now.
If he was a champ nowadays he would be earning trillions. Hes got everything to be a megastar. Talent, uniqueness, cockiness, intelligence and a mind of his own. Good looks too.
No one wasted more of a chance at stardom than he did. He gave a third of his winnings to a corrupt church, then hid from those who wanted to pay him to sponsor things, eventually losing his possessions in a storage locker foreclosure for unpaid rent, as he had delegated that one task. He blew it big time. Then he blamed the Jews for his lost fortune and cheered when 911 happened.
@@StephenDoty84 wasnt he a jew...? maybe non practising. the irony is that in spite of everything he was a Russian in blood. He had russian blood in his veins.
I don't care if he did go nuts in his later years, I love this guy and his entire outlook on the situation. ONE GUY went up against the entire USSR, and kicked 'em in their teeth! Love this guy!
@@barranquillarespondetv2512 effectively I think he wasn't interested in chess and his mind which wanted to solve problems was creating problems so to solve them. Otherwise a such trained mind would be bored. Some focus or direction would lead the mind to create good results.
Arguably the Mohammed Ali of chess. After his win against Boris Spassky in 1972, his life became nothing but a tragedy culminating in dying at age 64, the same number of squares on the chessboard. Many years later, I went to a lecture given by Boris Spassky and shook his hand. I am a life member of the United States Chess Federation. Mr. Spassky was an affable, happy, and charismatic gentlemanly man. Bobby Fischer won the World Chess Championship in 1972, but Boris Spassky won in life. RIP both men.
I think his name is actually Lewis Cohen - as that's the only thing that nets you any relevant searches on Google; Interestingly enough it doesn't seem like anything(chess-related at least) became of him.
Taking into account the fact that he was training alone, had no seconds, and crushed the whole Russian Chess system on his own makes him by far the greatest in history. Some experts say Carlsen and Kasparov are better than him but I completely disagree. Yes chess has changed since the 70's but if Fischer was playing today he would adapt to modern theory and still beat everyone. He was a genius at chess, and absolutely nothing else. Probably the greatest example of auto-destruction and waste. If he had been well adjusted then the sky would have been the limit. He could have become President. Unfortunately there was no way back from the madness.
I think you find a lot of people in the world who are especially great or excel at something always tend to be off in some form. But I think had Bobby been more "normal", he wouldn't have been so great at chess. Like you said, "He was a genius at chess, and absolutely nothing else."
Why don't you tell the truth? He was in Armstrong's cult which was a doomsday cult. He was threatened with prophecy of Nazis going to invade. In 1972, nothing happened, and like many -- he began researching and became skeptical of Armstrong. Haven't you even read his own testimony? "Bobby Fischer Speaks Out!" in the Ambassador Report? 1977. No, you haven't. Nobody cares to know the truth about what REALLY happened to him and prefer their fiction over fact. William Lombardy gives confirmation on the mythology fed to chess enthusiasts like yourself. I was in the cult. I was there. The same things happened to me, and I have newspaper articles to prove that. People can find the true story by Googling "Vindication-of-bobby-fischer" . co and they will find not only the true story but the large newspaper article archive (1955-2008) I am building to honor his legacy and set his history straight with the fake news stories being churned out and circulated today. I am tired of people ignoring what Bobby Fischer said himself and opting for silly stories from people who weren't even there.
Auto destruction -- bah! People can CTRL + C : "Justice's pursuit of Bobby Fischer is embarrassing" 1993 ... and read the article by Syndicated Columnist Leonard Larsen. There they will get the true story about how the United States federal government ignored financial barracudas committing white collar crimes under their nose, but chose to go after Bobby Fischer for a non-existent crime. I have a lot of newspaper articles archived from 1955-2008... A LOT of history to refute the myths circulating around the life of my church brother.
Out of everyone in entertainment and sport, I love Bobby Fischer's interviews the most. Guy was a savage with his honesty and confidence. Absolutely zero time or tolerance for any nonsense or bull. Very matter-of-fact. And he makes a relatively boring game (I enjoy chess) very cool. No wonder he was a sensation.
Towards the end I got teary for the man with nobody in hisd life, no woman, no pals, no family on his birthday. So obviously on the spectrum somewhere, poor poor man. What a transcendent talent but lonely existence
Chess is very hard, so hard that Bobby Fischer is the only American ever to be world champ. He was hundreds of points ahead of the next best in his era. Total legend the greatest most influence
@@svenniepennie4237 The FBI did follow him from a young age. I also believe what he says about not having his visa revoked in 2004 as the US proclaimed they did. Little things led up to his eventual delusions and conspiracy theories... Just imagine what it must be like having a photographic memory, yet having numerous pre-conceived notions that you can't ignore, you are just hounded by them constantly. I think he did pretty well considering the amount of torment he must have put up with.
@Joost Broek If by control you mean coercion (using force and threats), then I disagree. I did not see that in him. If by control you mean using reason (setting truth as the goal), then maybe.
Well he did do exactly like he set out to do! And he did do it all by himself, without a team or nation backing him up! WE as a nation dropped the ball on thi at play. Some say, as mentioned in interview, that he was picky about conditions. But it is HIS sport. he should have been given what ever conditions he or other GRANDMASTERS ask for. You can't go on to football field and blow smoke in quarterbacks face. WE WHO LOVE CHESS MISS YOU BOBBY! GOD BLESS YOU AND THANK YOU!
no training partners, hardly any practice matches, just a big red book and hours alone. Dude literally took on an entire country which bred grandmasters since they were kids plus government. He defeated them all. This is the single greatest accomplishment in chess history.
Judging from what there is to judge from, Fischer seems to have been a singularly ingenious but cold and unhappy individual. Its a less uncommon phenomena than one might think - Beethoven, Picasso, Tesla, Garbo, Michael Jackson, Steve Jobs - all were at the top of their games, but none had especially healthy personal lives. "Though a jewel may have brilliant fire, it gives no warmth."
He had a Russian communist mom. I think that explains a lot. She was active in communist politics and working for the communist agenda in the United States. Bobby rejected all that, with admirable credit due to his wisdom.
I suffered from depression and anxiety for decades in my youth and can recognise that in Bobby. He's in survival mode a lot of the time. He attacks before he gets attacked. Modern meds would've helped Bobby overcome his shyness and awkward behaviour. He didn't need to go insane. I wish someone could've helped him, I really do. Maybe that's the price of genius,.but he was a poor lost soul at the end. Rest easy icon, for you truly are.
Old Uncle Bob: thanks for your memorable comment on such experience, Fischer was Fischer, regardless of his conflictive (no necessarily insane) personality; obviously only highly talented people can understand genius; greetings from the underground
One thing I found notable about that, earlier the interviewer asks if he's worried about his match with Spassky, Bobby says no not at all. Then when he's brought a birthday cake at dinner he says "I've been worrying about this." I think that really says so much about him.
Bobby was a member of the Worldwide church of god around this time. I am familiar with this as my parents were in it. In the interview they referred to his religion as “fundamentalist.” Thats WWCG. It was a sort-of cult that eschewed any forms of celebration except for the Jewish holy days. No Christmas, no Easter, no birthdays etc. By celebrating his birthday they were spitting on his most sacred beliefs at that time. Thankfully he got out of it a few years later.
No wonder they call it a mystery how he did it all alone when it comes to chess. Unbelievable. I know it might be a silly comparison and maybe it´s an insult to Bobby Fischer. But there is somekind of lone ranger/Lucky Luke the lonesome cowboy over him. The reason why I say it anyway is because Bobby made that dream/illusion/fiction real in a way, and that´s incredible.
No doubt he was a chess genius... a real phenomenon. Whether he can be condemned for his "odd personality" and seeming "character flaws" is up to God alone. Like all of us, he responded to the reality he was presented with in his own way. I didn't personally know him, so I'm certainly not going to judge him. All I know is that his chess prowess, and accomplishments are to be stood in AWE of....he was the best.
I wonder how Fischer would stack up if he had today's computers and tools to study the game. It's amazing what he was able to achieve with little outside help.
@@Pitsenberg I don't think it's so much that "he hated computers," but rather, he realized that Chess is ultimately a garbage game because at the end of the day, it is all 100% mathematical calculations and 0% art or creativity. Machine AI merely brings that problem to the forefront and makes it explicitly clear. But they didn't *cause* the issue.
Bobby neither needed nor wanted any sort of help because his self-belief was so total, so absolute, it was impossible for him to imagine that someone else could possibly understand chess better than he did. He was king, the rest of us pawns...and why would a god seek advice from mere mortals?? Wallace's most astute observation in this segment is that Bobby's only friends were the pieces on the board. They were also his only family. His world was that board and his life played out upon it. Bobby could challenge - and defeat - historically renowned, well-financed systems because in the end he understood that chess is just a game. All that matters is two people, one board, and 32 pieces. The rest is fluff and nonsense.
What Bobby Fischer made an astonishing, a youniq and a genius Person was that he trusted in himself, and through his own hard work, reached the peak level of his life and became a legend in the chess world, that no other chess player has ever reached yet.
Bobby had everything.
Good looks, super intelligence, talent, confidence.
A loner who found his own way.
Didn’t need anyone.
I so admire him.
sigma male
he gave everything to chess and it shows. GOAT
yes, but it seems as though he had everything except what he truly longed for; real love, i think that is partly what drove him insane.
@@benjastuff1347 Precisely. Lonely men look at Fischer and admire him and think they're going to be great just like him ("Who needs the world!" they say in their heads) Odds are, Fischer obsessed over chess to escape the abandonment from his mother and his father. It was soul-crushing for him. Which is why he led such a solitary life even as he was preparing to be World Champion. Then...poof...gone for 20 years. We lost probably a decade of peak Fischer because of his mental health issues driven not by chess but by his lack of community and lack of trust in anyone. Magnus, on the other hand, comes from a stable family and had a loving father who doted on him. And he has the all time peak rating, held all three World Championships at once, and was the 5-time reigning champion who keeps reinventing chess, and will probably live a long, happy, satisfied, fulfilling life with his mates and whomever he settles down with. I'd rather be Magnus all day, every day.
@@zer0h0urs000 And I find your stock psychoanalysis oversimplistic, as stock psychoanalysis tends to be....I've read several biographies of Fischer....he wasn't so much 'abandoned' by his mother, as much as he pushed her away...they were both fiercely independent, headstrong geniuses with their own ambitions, in a tiny NYC apartment....someone had to go....Fischer asked her to leave (or demanded she leave), and it was best for both of them...Bobby got the place to himself, and Regina went on to pursue her medical studies abroad
Bobby beat me and 19 other players in a simultaneous exhibition a few months prior to his demolition of Spassky in the World Championship. He polished off all 20 of us in 42 minutes. It was a great honor to play him, he was a stone cold genius.
Old Uncle Bob pretty cool story!!
And bobby probably wasnt complaining about your level as garry kasparov who was furious when hed found out that one of the players was 2000-2200 :D garry wanted to play only amateurs on exhibition match so he could crush them all in 5 minutes and be perceived as a genius :D
of course garry was a fantastic player, but his ego is huge
Kasparov had a right to be angry in that situation since he had asked what the rankings were of all the players attending and they didn't mention the 2000 elo player so he wasn't putting the due amount of concentration he would've put if he had known the elo of the guy. I'm pretty sure any pro would've been angry about being misled that way especially if they had asked ahead of time
can you post your game somewhere, id love to go over it
My game? My games arent interesting, im an average player
Do you have chesscom account? If you do, write your login so i can send you a challenge
What makes him spectacular among other chess geniuses in history, was that he reached the top of the world virtually by himself.
So Tal or Spassky were unlucky to be born in the USSR? That´s a pretty weird take.
Had Fischer been a soviet citizen, he would still have been an amazing player, regardless of him having the support of the state.
I mean, he read all their books and articles, anyway..
@@fundhund62 Doubt it.
@@fundhund62 Totally illogical, argument. Mensa Swede said it was remarkable that he did it by himself and you argue that he would have been just as good if he had help? What sort of stupid logic is that?
Morphy
@@hyzercreek huh? if anything the help would've made him a better player.
"Champion of the world? I didn't even compete, he's not much of a champion of the world." what an absolute legend lmao
Justin Penis
@@petemayes1940 Hahaha.....
@@davynnbalinski8102 hes the greatest chess player to ever live.
So theres that
Justin
Shortly after this 60 minutes story aired, Bobby Fisher was the champion of the world. He's the legend.
@@davynnbalinski8102 hello mrs.horseface
I have a lot in common with Bobby, except the child prodigy and genius part.
Cursive - Lol..
ME TOO...LOL
anti-semitism?
Was he a genuise? He loved the game and practiced ALL the Time
@@albreiki5725 What does that have to do with him hating jews?
He is not arrogant. He is just supremely confident in his ability. He knows he is the best, and he proved it a few months later.
What about where he says he likes to crush a man's ego? That's kind of warped. Reminds me of a kid who likes to pull the legs off of spiders, just to watch what happens afterwards.
Jeremy D boxers have done it for years. Crush the ego for the future. You might have to play or box them again.
I don't care if he was arrogant. I love to see individual human greatness. A person who achieves greatness can have any damn personality he/she wants in my book.
I call it, "The Flavor of Greatness". :)
Playfer true, a person can be arrogant and supremely confident at the same time. In fact I would usually the best in the world are both. That’s why they are the best. You usually don’t hear the best person in the world at their particular sport or event say “well I am okay at (whatever sport). To be the best in the world and then be humble about it is really a lie. They are the best lol
That’s called arrogance lol
He did what he set out to do, win the world championship. He put in the work for years and took no prisoners, no mercy. For him to take on the Soviet Chess Machine alone during the cold war, I cant even imagine that kind of pressure. And then to crush em, its the greatest sports story ever.
Richard B. Riddick You’re right and I would add that the Soviet Chess Machine not only focused on outsiders. Within the machine, lives were made and destroyed to serve the state.
AMEN!!! But the fake news MSM won't even discuss this.
Kissenger begged him to play. This was a great help to the US in the cold war. Then later the US turned on Fischer. That's how they showed their appreciation.
Rick rick so true. It's been a Full Throttle Hands-On smear campaign against Fischer ever since. Just like Donald Trump is going through right now
Bobby was used by everyone and trusted no one.
It's so upsetting that Nicholas Cage in his prime never got a role as Bobby Fischer
Hah I'd never noticed that before but you're right!
or James Woods. Or Peter Weller.
Christopher Eccleston is a great actor and looks a lot more like Fischer than any other actor, but alas he's too old now. He's the same age as Nick Cage.
@@gnamp ... Fischer was a much better chess player than Woods, but was not nearly as well hung!
@@sas6561 There's always a machine that can do it better.
Bobby Fischer - the miracle of individualism and the tragedy of its loneliness
What’s tragic? That he doesn’t dance to the music of the masses? What’s more insane? That we are the most amazing beings that have the ability to be whoever we want and choose to be like everyone else? He was just Bobby. Period
That’s actually really profound
@@Vjl5280 Right On
@@Vjl5280 actually you said the same thing. Except admiting his life was cursed with a terrible loneliness
Love the way you put that.
When you understand what Fischer was up against, nothing less than the entire Soviet Chess apparatus that included WC's Smyslov, Tal, Petrosian, future WC Karpov, along with every GM they could muster, it almost incomprehensible that Fischer went in alone, and destroyed them. Just an amazing story!
He clearly didn't make it out of this unscathed
So true.
Yes and to do it at the peak of the Cold War the symbology is amazing. Socialist machine against an individual, and the individual won! That is what I love about the US, it’s emphasis on the individual and not the collective. When you cater to one group or another it’s counterintuitively bad for the entire group.
@@davidmartin7163 "that is what I love about US" sounds awfully un-individualistic I'd say, given how much you've praised individualism there's an ironic patriotism and groupthink there.
In all seriousness the games were less about politics and national identities, none were too black-and-white, and none too symbolistic unless you see what you want to see. Fischer went in there for the chess and *statistically*, he's an awful representation of USA, or any one group for that matter. Taking a nationalist pride for something a man did then got betrayed by the same damn country he was championing aren't so great things either
@@thenarrator1921 That isn't true at all. That is to assume that every entity of multiple organisms is actually an amorphous conglomerate of their parts.
This is the time I have seen this interview. The one thing that sticks out more than anything is that he had no coach or trainer. He did it alone. That is simply amazing.
@@Jj-gi2uv - awesome! I wasn't aware of that. Thanks! It is impressive that someone can do so much by themselves.
@@rickintexas1584 But Bobby didn't even have personal support (parent, friend, etc.)...
Bobby did have teachers when he was young but he outgrew them and put in the bulk of the work himself
"I used to say I was the best player in the world, and everyone said 'he's an arrogant, terrible, conceited person.' but it's just an obvious fact." incredible
Fischer was a different kind of cat. Enjoyed his solitude, didn't seem to pay much mind to what people thought of him. Absolute legend in the chess world and I'm glad everyone can appreciate his greatness.
Didn’t he care about what Russians were writing or saying about him?
@@sayantanmitrabliss I think what he wanted to say is fisher perceives things on his own way
That Bobby had no second, no coach, makes him even a greater WC in chess
"I am still under the shock of this loss for the world of chess. In my view Bobby Fischer was the most honest person in chess history. He never made any politics.
He was a very pure personality. He could be tough from outside, but inside of him he was like a crystal - very pure. "
(Boris Spasski, 2009)
They cut out the end of the interview, where Wallace wishes Fischer well, saying: "I hope you win (the match against Spassky)." Fischer replied, matter-of-factly: "I will." There was never a question in his mind about it.
Can you provide a web link to some article or video in support of your statement?
@@mateiacd There’s another version of this interview although I don’t know how to conjure it at the moment. I think that I’ve seen all of English language interviews of Fischer which have been published. Unfortunately, the longest interviews were the ones from his waning years after he went around the bend.
He blundered the first game
@@ophiolatreia93 But that's because the organizers put him in a room with distracting conditions, which wasn't his fault. No one can play chess properly under those circumstances. Might as well just flip a coin instead to see who is the winner.
@@True_Christian hardly... He's a professional... Was autistic tho. Love bobby tho the Hendrix or johnny rotten of chess
"He is the best they have got. Big deal". Fischer's confidence is at another level
What I love the most about Bobby is his total lack of false humility!!!
Exactly - not "arrogant" except about what he is good at.
Would love to see one of today's players have this type of personality instead of all the virtue signallers out there. I don't see today's social climate making that happen though. Maybe we see a backlash one day.
You simply have to admire his honesty in every sense. That is all.
He's perfectly fine. Their complaint is that they can't understand him but he doesn't exist for them to understand. What a hit piece to this man's personality for no reason.
Agreed. I didn't see anything wrong w/ the man's personality he was just into his thing and didn't care about following the jones. Media just tries to sensationalize things. He seemed like a leader not a follower, what's wrong w/ that...
perfectly said
Women wouldn't understand the first thing about bobby fischer, let alone chess. Stick to makeup.
@@justinkornfeld7979 clown
He wasn't perfectly fine. He was abandoned by his parents as a child. He needed mental help.
Wow, I never knew he didn't have a coach or trainer. Dude was really alone in the world and shouldered everything himself. He was so amazing at what he did but at the cost of almost everything one would say makes a human human.
that is not exactly true however
4:42 "do you worry about spassky?" **Cut to fischer** HE'S STUDYING A BOOK DURING THE INTERVIEW HAHAHA.
😆
HAHAHA NICE CATCH
the odd part is we see the back of bobbys head when he's asked the question and he dosent appear to be reading a book!
@@mysterylittlebhoy1482 Quite the mystery Mystery
@@shawnd980 :)
His brilliance emanates from him, it can still be felt today
I love his creation, Fischer Random, and feel it truly isolates talent...
Took on and embarrassed the Soviets ( taimanov, Larsen) all by himself,, its often underestimated how much work he put into chess,,even learning Russian just to read the Soviet chess magazines.. as far as me and any other true chess fan out there are concerned,he was a pure genius and legend of the game..RIP Bobby, you're legend will never be forgotten
Larsen was from Denmark... but you forgot to mention another Soviet he defeated in the final match that decided Spassky's challenger: Tigran Petrosian.
Sounds like a badass not gonna lie
Mehdi X did you notice the look on Fischer's face and the kids . hunter and prey.
It’s the Brooklyn.
@@JimKalpa-qd9zr What is wrong with you?
An authentic one
do you usually lie?
Never let anyone tell you this man was crazy, he was truly one of the brightest minds of the modern world.
Yes he was 💯
Welder~
I put Bobby Fischer equal to Einstein and Tesla.
They had an ability to see things that normal humans just couldn't comprehend.
E=mc2. Alternating current. Being the best chess player in the history of the world.
I wish I were the best at something.
Maybe in my next life. We'll see...
I know Kasparov held the title for 20 years, Karpov was great, Carlsen higher rating..but I think if u look at his ratings and his closest competitors and the way he absolutely demolished the absolute best players in the world, with the backdrop of the Cold War and the fact he did without any help or coaches or advisers and computers to save and study every game and position at ur fingertips, I think unquestionably he is the greatest player ever
It is questionable, because he refused to prove it. Had he beaten Karpov, then Kasparov, then Kasparov again, you might have a case. Why was Bill Russell the greatest champion in any sport? Because he proved he was a champion again and again.
Mitch~
My thoughts exactly. I've posted my reasons to point out, without any hesitation- Bobby was the most brilliant, creative, dedicated chess player this planet will ever have.
He was a very complex character - just look at how he responded to the t.v. crew bringing him a birthday cake on his 29th birthday - "i've been worrying about this..." I feel sorry for him because he was a real genius but unfortunately didn't have a happy life.
He hated his parents and was embarrassed to be part Jewish.
He may have been on the autism spectrum and tone-deaf to manners and empathy. The people who got the cake and sang for him were embarrassed by his reaction, I imagine, but he didn't care.
Imagine if they brought out a huge cake and a stripper jumped out.
Bobby: "Now this is what I'm talking about! Twerk that moneymaker, baby! Yeah!"
I think Bobby didn't want the cake because of his skin, when you have acne at that age you do everything you can to try to stop it, i can speak to that personally.
Good point. You are a sensitive soul. Cutting out sugar, dairy, and fried foods is often step one when you have that. I myself have never had a pimple, but I understand it can be a terrible thing.
I agree. They call Magnus the Mozart of chess, but when you examine Mozart‘s life it seems more fitting, at least in my opinion, that Fischer was really a Mozart of chess...
They did the whole birthday thing to see how bobby reacted with the cameras on. They knew this is something Bobby wouldn't like. All for a reaction and act like they are a friend while doing it. Scoundrels.
I agree, a setup to display “lack of family”...Bobby saw right through it.
G.O.A.T. what else needs to be said
He wasnt the greatest according to elo ratings, centipawn loss per game and % of best engine moves. Some people say "inflation", but this is not true. Some studies were conducted on this topic and authors concluded there was no such thing, it was rather deflation. A comment from the authors - 'This shows a steady progression in IPR [intrinsic performance rating] throughout chess history, mirroring the improvement of sporting records in other fields and ascribable to better human health overall, and greater wealth allowing there to be more enthusiasts. This argues against ratings having inflated relative to skill.'
piotr monn please tell me what do u mean by that?
EXACTLY. Just like Jordan and Hendrix...haha. Love the Ego and fierce Independence. Quintessential American/New Yorker.
This may be true, but you have to remember today's Grandmasters can check their games against computers to see how to improve (improving ELO). In a sense, your coach is the greatest chess player (computer) and any strategy can be played out through a computer. If Fischer, Spassky, TAL, Morphy had today's machines to play against and improve, I would say, only then could we know who was the greatest of all time.
Other players take on individuals, Fischer took on a tyrannical communist soviet chess machine. Fischer raged against the machine and beat it. Quixotic. GOAT
I turned 9 years old when this aired and remember watching this, youtube is awesome
Good glimpse of a very busy man determined to do the best work he can in a very difficult, demanding field that takes everything he's got. He answers questions politely enough, but knows they are all tangents to what he's doing.
He was an unstoppable Force
Jaco Pastorious said 'it's not bragging if you can back it up'. Bobby seems very lucid and confident, but not cocky.
Welcome to the bass/chess channel 🙂
The rest of the world was thinking of this match as the US against the Soviet Union, in reality this was Bobby Fischer against the rest of humanity. He really didn't give a sh#t who was sitting on the other side of the board. He just wanted to crush them.
Darrin Nunyah Actually, he really wanted to destroy the Russians because he thought they were conspiring to keep him from being world champion. And he also didn't like how they talked about the kind of person they thought he was. He really despised them in this point in his life, and beating one of them for the world championship was a culmination for him. It had to be a Russian.
@@osvie0167 No "thought" they were. Obviously you've not read how the Soviet chess players themselves confirmed the cheating that was going on behind the scenes. It was all covered back in 1963. FIDE changed the rules. Quit trying to spread old Soviet and Zionist propaganda, as if "Grandmaster Draws" were a figment of his imagination. People can Google, Soviet "Grandmaster Draws" -- and masters such as Reshevsky and Bronstein, and many others confirmed it.
"Grandmaster Draws" was common knowledge, and in fact, I have newspaper articles from 1955-1960's written by chess columnists that confirm it was ... common knowledge... Chess columnists, who suggested it long before Fischer came out in the press accusing Soviets of doing it.
Google "grandmaster draws" 1962 bobby fischer chess hall of shame
I have a collection of newspaper items on that page, as a collection which prove Fischer wasn't imagining, what the whole chess world was already complaining about, long before he uttered the first complaint to Sports Illustrated about their cheating.
Wow! Very well said!
@@stalinsuxcoxnhell good for you . I was still a baby .
that makes no sense
This is the most hilarious thing I’ve ever seen! The most arrogant man alive asking the best chess player stupid questions. I love it. It’s one of my favorite videos now.
My Dad taught me the moves in 1972. Probably because he saw this. Have been playing, quite well, since then. Thanks for sharing this.
If he was a champ nowadays he would be earning trillions. Hes got everything to be a megastar. Talent, uniqueness, cockiness, intelligence and a mind of his own. Good looks too.
No one wasted more of a chance at stardom than he did. He gave a third of his winnings to a corrupt church, then hid from those who wanted to pay him to sponsor things, eventually losing his possessions in a storage locker foreclosure for unpaid rent, as he had delegated that one task. He blew it big time. Then he blamed the Jews for his lost fortune and cheered when 911 happened.
doesn't have any social skills in my opinion unfortunately. I think he was an incredible genius and hard worker, but unfortunately had a hard life.
"trillions"
@@StephenDoty84 wasnt he a jew...? maybe non practising. the irony is that in spite of everything he was a Russian in blood. He had russian blood in his veins.
@@jessiejames7492 Yes. His family was Jewish.
I don't care if he did go nuts in his later years, I love this guy and his entire outlook on the situation. ONE GUY went up against the entire USSR, and kicked 'em in their teeth! Love this guy!
Yes he's the ultimate example of the individual. Don't care his nut thoughts that was after he became world champion.
@@barranquillarespondetv2512 effectively I think he wasn't interested in chess and his mind which wanted to solve problems was creating problems so to solve them. Otherwise a such trained mind would be bored.
Some focus or direction would lead the mind to create good results.
Arguably the Mohammed Ali of chess. After his win against Boris Spassky in 1972, his life became nothing but a tragedy culminating in dying at age 64, the same number of squares on the chessboard. Many years later, I went to a lecture given by Boris Spassky and shook his hand. I am a life member of the United States Chess Federation. Mr. Spassky was an affable, happy, and charismatic gentlemanly man. Bobby Fischer won the World Chess Championship in 1972, but Boris Spassky won in life. RIP both men.
Boris Spassky is still alive as I type this (September 2023)
This is solid gold, thanks for the upload.
8:08 Louis Cohen looks like he wanted a piece of that cake.
Bobby forked his rook. No cake for Louis.
I noticed that too.
aww i just typed that..
I think his name is actually Lewis Cohen - as that's the only thing that nets you any relevant searches on Google; Interestingly enough it doesn't seem like anything(chess-related at least) became of him.
@@sirknight4981 all because that cake. He could had been the best.
A few years ago I read "Endgame" by Frank Brady about Fischer. Great read.
4:41 "Do you worry about Spassky?"
Cut to Fischer reading a Playboy magazine.
great joke! lmao
Lol
Lol
I think he was reading chess life
Taking into account the fact that he was training alone, had no seconds, and crushed the whole Russian Chess system on his own makes him by far the greatest in history. Some experts say Carlsen and Kasparov are better than him but I completely disagree. Yes chess has changed since the 70's but if Fischer was playing today he would adapt to modern theory and still beat everyone. He was a genius at chess, and absolutely nothing else. Probably the greatest example of auto-destruction and waste. If he had been well adjusted then the sky would have been the limit. He could have become President. Unfortunately there was no way back from the madness.
I think you find a lot of people in the world who are especially great or excel at something always tend to be off in some form. But I think had Bobby been more "normal", he wouldn't have been so great at chess. Like you said, "He was a genius at chess, and absolutely nothing else."
Why don't you tell the truth? He was in Armstrong's cult which was a doomsday cult. He was threatened with prophecy of Nazis going to invade. In 1972, nothing happened, and like many -- he began researching and became skeptical of Armstrong. Haven't you even read his own testimony? "Bobby Fischer Speaks Out!" in the Ambassador Report? 1977.
No, you haven't. Nobody cares to know the truth about what REALLY happened to him and prefer their fiction over fact.
William Lombardy gives confirmation on the mythology fed to chess enthusiasts like yourself.
I was in the cult. I was there. The same things happened to me, and I have newspaper articles to prove that.
People can find the true story by Googling "Vindication-of-bobby-fischer" . co and they will find not only the true story but the large newspaper article archive (1955-2008) I am building to honor his legacy and set his history straight with the fake news stories being churned out and circulated today.
I am tired of people ignoring what Bobby Fischer said himself and opting for silly stories from people who weren't even there.
Auto destruction -- bah!
People can CTRL + C : "Justice's pursuit of Bobby Fischer is embarrassing" 1993 ... and read the article by Syndicated Columnist Leonard Larsen. There they will get the true story about how the United States federal government ignored financial barracudas committing white collar crimes under their nose, but chose to go after Bobby Fischer for a non-existent crime.
I have a lot of newspaper articles archived from 1955-2008... A LOT of history to refute the myths circulating around the life of my church brother.
I always go back and forth. Fischer....Tal....Fischer....Tal......
Julien Dunand -- What madness?
I admired him since the beginning he was becaming a famous player...🇮🇩❤️🇱🇷
Great! thanks for sharing
Out of everyone in entertainment and sport, I love Bobby Fischer's interviews the most. Guy was a savage with his honesty and confidence. Absolutely zero time or tolerance for any nonsense or bull. Very matter-of-fact. And he makes a relatively boring game (I enjoy chess) very cool. No wonder he was a sensation.
His talent, obsession, drive, and sheer willpower/focus was unreal. These are the qualities and sacrifices to be the best at something.
Towards the end I got teary for the man with nobody in hisd life, no woman, no pals, no family on his birthday. So obviously on the spectrum somewhere, poor poor man. What a transcendent talent but lonely existence
@Peter: "lonely"? What makes you think he wanted the same things you do?
@@echt114 humans are social creatures, it's biology, not preference
It's lonely at the top. I think fischer was well aware of the sacrifices needed to become the best at something
HOW am I only seeing this now. Shame on YT and the media for burying everything about Bobby.
And just like that, he belongs to the ages.
Chess is very hard, so hard that Bobby Fischer is the only American ever to be world champ. He was hundreds of points ahead of the next best in his era. Total legend the greatest most influence
He's a legend, but I weirdly feel sorry for him.
His later life was sad. He couldn't overcome his weakness and it ended up killing him.
It's not weird to feel sorry for him. Fischer led a troubled life and his later years were marked by paranoia and delusion.
@@svenniepennie4237 True, but not all of his paranoia was unfounded.
@@campbellpaul Like what?
@@svenniepennie4237 The FBI did follow him from a young age. I also believe what he says about not having his visa revoked in 2004 as the US proclaimed they did. Little things led up to his eventual delusions and conspiracy theories... Just imagine what it must be like having a photographic memory, yet having numerous pre-conceived notions that you can't ignore, you are just hounded by them constantly. I think he did pretty well considering the amount of torment he must have put up with.
"His most reliable friends are the pieces on the board" - 👍
What does that tell you of the world and who dominates it.
@Joost Broek If by control you mean coercion (using force and threats), then I disagree. I did not see that in him. If by control you mean using reason (setting truth as the goal), then maybe.
God Bobby was so awesome!!
I just love everything about this documentary :) - the way they speak, how it is filmed, their outfits, the script...
it's amazing. i come back to watch it regularly
Bobby fischer is the . GREATEST
I love you Bobby.
Say what you want about Bobby Fischer, But don't question his Chess game.
Great interview!
The unique and most talented self-taught world chess champion, who beat the entire Soviet Chess Machine. Bobby Fischer, the genuine chess legend.
"I don't believe in luck. I believe in good moves." - Bobby Fischer
He never said that. He said "I dont believe in psychology. I believe in good moves."
4:44 LOL! Excuse me Mike, I'm too busy to just sit and do an interview, I've got to read this book at the same time!
Studied 350 past games of his opponent. Incredible.
Well he did do exactly like he set out to do! And he did do it all by himself, without a team or nation backing him up! WE as a nation dropped the ball on thi
at play. Some say, as mentioned in interview, that he was picky about conditions. But it is HIS sport. he should have been given what ever conditions he or other GRANDMASTERS ask for. You can't go on to football field and blow smoke in quarterbacks face. WE WHO LOVE CHESS MISS YOU BOBBY! GOD BLESS YOU AND THANK YOU!
You can't even blow smoke in 99% of establishments in the world today because it's illegal. It's even illegal to smoke in a lot of bars!
0:58 he's really giving it to that chessboard
Absolute legend
That kid got crushed in chess and didn't even get cake, tough day
Arrogant yet extremely humble, honest and down to earth. Very likable guy.
There is not a humble bone in his body
@@santiagoarce5672 that’s because he was the very best of all time.
He didn’t have to be humble he was that good
@@rblauson ok I’m just disagreeing with OP
You can't be humble and arrogant at the same time
@@ihsahnakerfeldt9280 Exactly
1. Fischer (1969-1975)
2. Kasparov (1985-1999) & Carlsen (2010-2014)
3. Morphy (1855 - 1860)
The best players and their best years.
just fischer and morphy and casablanka
Fischer, Morphy, Kasparov, Capablanca.
Carlsen seems better than ever right now though.
What did Fischer do between 1972 and 1975?
really a good look at the Best , a tribute to dicipline
Interesting because my Dad's name is Robert Fischer and one of his younger Brother's is James ! Loved the interview !
Bobby Fidcher chess rambo !
Thank yor for awesome video.....
He's like a fighter pilot. If he's not the best, he's got a problem.
Respect to the greatest chess player to ever live.
no training partners, hardly any practice matches, just a big red book and hours alone. Dude literally took on an entire country which bred grandmasters since they were kids plus government. He defeated them all. This is the single greatest accomplishment in chess history.
Judging from what there is to judge from, Fischer seems to have been a singularly ingenious but cold and unhappy individual. Its a less uncommon phenomena than one might think - Beethoven, Picasso, Tesla, Garbo, Michael Jackson, Steve Jobs - all were at the top of their games, but none had especially healthy personal lives. "Though a jewel may have brilliant fire, it gives no warmth."
He had a Russian communist mom. I think that explains a lot. She was active in communist politics and working for the communist agenda in the United States. Bobby rejected all that, with admirable credit due to his wisdom.
@@davidb2206 but she wasn't Russian. Endgame is a good book about Fischer, really enlightening.
I suffered from depression and anxiety for decades in my youth and can recognise that in Bobby. He's in survival mode a lot of the time. He attacks before he gets attacked. Modern meds would've helped Bobby overcome his shyness and awkward behaviour. He didn't need to go insane. I wish someone could've helped him, I really do. Maybe that's the price of genius,.but he was a poor lost soul at the end.
Rest easy icon, for you truly are.
He changes the FIDE perspective ...from prizes to tournament organizers to improve playing halls and rules
Old Uncle Bob: thanks for your memorable comment on such experience, Fischer was Fischer, regardless of his conflictive (no necessarily insane) personality; obviously only highly talented people can understand genius; greetings from the underground
"It's just an obvious fact" I want this confidence bro
"So when they go home that night, they can't kid themselves that they're so hot." ... Gotta love that NY accent!
Very honest and unpolished
People who don't understand new yorkers, such as trump, don't get that.
7:50 Part with the birthday cake made me sad
One thing I found notable about that, earlier the interviewer asks if he's worried about his match with Spassky, Bobby says no not at all. Then when he's brought a birthday cake at dinner he says "I've been worrying about this." I think that really says so much about him.
Bobby was a member of the Worldwide church of god around this time. I am familiar with this as my parents were in it. In the interview they referred to his religion as “fundamentalist.” Thats WWCG. It was a sort-of cult that eschewed any forms of celebration except for the Jewish holy days. No Christmas, no Easter, no birthdays etc. By celebrating his birthday they were spitting on his most sacred beliefs at that time. Thankfully he got out of it a few years later.
Bobby Fischer was truly an amazing individual
Great, fantastic and immortal Bobby Fischer!!! Respect forever!!!
No wonder they call it a mystery how he did it all alone when it comes to chess. Unbelievable. I know it might be a silly comparison and maybe it´s an insult to Bobby Fischer. But there is somekind of lone ranger/Lucky Luke the lonesome cowboy over him. The reason why I say it anyway is because Bobby made that dream/illusion/fiction real in a way, and that´s incredible.
Happy birthday GOAT.
It´s not arrogance if you can back it up, and both Bobby and Mohammad could; I like, respect and admire them both.
"Its just an obvious fact"
No doubt he was a chess genius... a real phenomenon. Whether he can be condemned for his "odd personality" and seeming "character flaws" is up to God alone. Like all of us, he responded to the reality he was presented with in his own way. I didn't personally know him, so I'm certainly not going to judge him. All I know is that his chess prowess, and accomplishments are to be stood in AWE of....he was the best.
therl never b another bobby fisher, a real legend and best chess master ever!
Bobby was obviously a very smart man, he really knew his place and was so clearly aware.
I wonder how Fischer would stack up if he had today's computers and tools to study the game. It's amazing what he was able to achieve with little outside help.
He hated computers and openings, said they killed chess on a late interview
@@Pitsenberg I don't think it's so much that "he hated computers," but rather, he realized that Chess is ultimately a garbage game because at the end of the day, it is all 100% mathematical calculations and 0% art or creativity.
Machine AI merely brings that problem to the forefront and makes it explicitly clear. But they didn't *cause* the issue.
Bobby neither needed nor wanted any sort of help because his self-belief was so total, so absolute, it was impossible for him to imagine that someone else could possibly understand chess better than he did. He was king, the rest of us pawns...and why would a god seek advice from mere mortals??
Wallace's most astute observation in this segment is that Bobby's only friends were the pieces on the board. They were also his only family. His world was that board and his life played out upon it. Bobby could challenge - and defeat - historically renowned, well-financed systems because in the end he understood that chess is just a game. All that matters is two people, one board, and 32 pieces. The rest is fluff and nonsense.
Never knew about him, I just saw his documentary, he was great a real legend
What Bobby Fischer made an astonishing, a youniq and a genius Person was that he trusted in himself, and through his own hard work, reached the peak level of his life and became a legend in the chess world, that no other chess player has ever reached yet.
This Bobby was a true King!!
“Gradually hating it but still trying to make it work.” That’s the quote I’ve taken away from this interview...