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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 Tournament]]s" in 1971. He was by far the highest rated player in the first official FIDE ratings, as published in July 1971, and Fischer is the only person to win the [[U.S. Chess Championship|U.S. championship]] with a perfect score (11 wins in 11 games, at age 20 in 1963–64).

'''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 Tournament]]s" in 1971. He was by far the highest rated player in the first official FIDE ratings, as published in July 1971, and Fischer is the only person to win the [[U.S. Chess Championship|U.S. championship]] with a perfect score (11 wins in 11 games, at age 20 in 1963–64).

Fischer was a devout member of an evangelical church through his championship years, refusing to play chess on the [[Sabbath]] (which resulted in him withdrawing from a tournament in 1967 in which he had an enormous lead<ref>"Fischer withdrew from the 1967 Sousse Interzonal tournament in the 1966–1969 World Championship cycle, after leading with 8½ points from the first 10 games," due to a dispute resulting from his Sabbath observance and request for additional rest days. [https://www.dailychess.com/forum/spirituality/bobby-fischer-believed-in-god.144860]</ref>) and [[tithe|tithing]] a half-million dollars of his earnings.<ref>https://tartajubow.blogspot.com/2012/06/bobby-fischer-and-worldwide-church-of.html</ref>

Fischer was a devout member of an evangelical church through his championship years, refusing to play chess on the [[Sabbath]] (which resulted in his withdrawing from a tournament in 1967 in which he had an enormous lead<ref>"Fischer withdrew from the 1967 Sousse Interzonal tournament in the 1966–1969 World Championship cycle, after leading with 8½ points from the first 10 games," due to a dispute resulting from his Sabbath observance and request for additional rest days. [https://www.dailychess.com/forum/spirituality/bobby-fischer-believed-in-god.144860]</ref>) and [[tithe|tithing]] a half-million dollars of his earnings.<ref>https://tartajubow.blogspot.com/2012/06/bobby-fischer-and-worldwide-church-of.html</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.

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.