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| | '''Robert James Fischer''' (1943-2008<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/18/obituaries/18cnd-fischer.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin</ref>), popularly known as Bobby Fischer, was the only [[United States of America|American]] to become the official world [[chess]] champion<ref>[[Paul Morphy]] of [[Louisiana]] was widely regarded as the #1 player in the world in the 1850s, but this was in an era before an official world champion was determined.</ref> when he defeated [[USSR|Soviet]] grandmaster Boris Spassky in a 1972 match in [[Iceland]]. Fischer's championship was the culmination of a record-setting 20 consecutive victories in qualifying tournaments, which included two 6-0 records in the "Candidates Tournaments" in 1971. | | '''Robert James Fischer''' (1943-2008<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/18/obituaries/18cnd-fischer.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin</ref>), popularly known as Bobby Fischer, was the only [[United States of America|American]] to become the official world [[chess]] champion<ref>[[Paul Morphy]] of [[Louisiana]] was widely regarded as the #1 player in the world in the 1850s, but this was in an era before an official world champion was determined.</ref> when he defeated [[USSR|Soviet]] grandmaster Boris Spassky in a 1972 match in [[Iceland]]. Fischer's championship was the culmination of a record-setting 20 consecutive victories in qualifying tournaments, which included two 6-0 records in the "Candidates Tournaments" in 1971. |
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| − | Fischer was also superb at [[speed chess]], and won the first unofficial world [[blitz chess]] title in 1970.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/nov/06/chess-magnus-carlsen-showboats-his-bullet-skills-with-11-straight-wins</ref> | + | Fischer was also superb at [[speed chess]], and won the first unofficial world [[blitz chess]] title in 1970.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/nov/06/chess-magnus-carlsen-showboats-his-bullet-skills-with-11-straight-wins</ref> While growing up, he learned [[Russia]]n on his own, in order to study Russian chess literature. |
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| | He forfeited his title to Soviet Grandmaster Anatoly Karpov in 1975 when he refused to defend his title, unable to agree on any proposed conditions for a match with Karpov. He did not publicly play [[chess]] again until 1992, when he played and won a return match in [[Yugoslavia]] in violation of a [[United Nations]] embargo against that country at that time. | | He forfeited his title to Soviet Grandmaster Anatoly Karpov in 1975 when he refused to defend his title, unable to agree on any proposed conditions for a match with Karpov. He did not publicly play [[chess]] again until 1992, when he played and won a return match in [[Yugoslavia]] in violation of a [[United Nations]] embargo against that country at that time. |
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| | Fischer set several records in the 1960s for winning every game in a tournament, which is otherwise unheard of. He also invented a type of chess clock and created a variation on chess which is very popular today, known as Chess960. | | Fischer set several records in the 1960s for winning every game in a tournament, which is otherwise unheard of. He also invented a type of chess clock and created a variation on chess which is very popular today, known as Chess960. |
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| − | Grandmaster Lev Alburt, a three-time American champion, said of Fischer: "Fischer was a great natural talent, but no greater talent than other of the game's best players. The difference was he gave 98% of his life to chess. Others, perhaps, gave 30%. So Fisher surpassed them. When, after '72, he became afraid that some accident may cost him his title, he stopped playing. He had nothing else in his mind and no education to guide him. As [[Garry Kasparov]] pointed out, since nature abhors a vacuum, Fischer quickly filled up with the worst ideas.<ref>''Chess Life'', March 2008, page 24</ref> | + | Grandmaster Lev Alburt, a three-time American champion, said of Fischer: "Fischer was a great natural talent, but no greater talent than other of the game's best players. The difference was he gave 98% of his life to chess. Others, perhaps, gave 30%. So Fisher surpassed them. When, after '72, he became afraid that some accident may cost him his title, he stopped playing. He had nothing else in his mind and no wife or children. As [[Garry Kasparov]] pointed out, since nature abhors a vacuum, Fischer quickly filled up with the worst ideas.<ref>''Chess Life'', March 2008, page 24</ref> |
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| | Chess may have led Fischer to [[Christ]]. He specifically requested and received a [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]] burial despite not having a [[Christian]] background.<ref>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/chess_champion_bobby_fisher_requested_catholic_burial_in_iceland</ref> | | Chess may have led Fischer to [[Christ]]. He specifically requested and received a [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]] burial despite not having a [[Christian]] background.<ref>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/chess_champion_bobby_fisher_requested_catholic_burial_in_iceland</ref> |