Robert ‘Bobby’ Fischer

By Frank "Boy" Pestaño
Chessmoso

DESPITE all these years Bobby Fischer is still making headlines. He is now facing deportation proceedings in Japan after his passport was cancelled by the US embassy in the Philippines.

When Bobby came out of retirement in 1992 to play Boris Spassky in Yugoslavia, that country was under economic sanctions by the United Nations for the war in Bosnia. Americans were not allowed to transact any kind of business then even in the form of a chess match. The penalty was a fine of $250,000 or 10 years in prison or both.

When Bobby was advised by the Treasury Department on this, he held up the notice and said, “Here is my reply to their order.” He then spat on the letter.

I think that now is payback time. America is known to enforce its laws, wherever you are regardless of your position in society. Besides, Bobby is now anathema to the American public because of his views on 9/11. If he should go to jail, it will be the saddest endgame to the greatest chess player who ever lived.

ECCENTRIC. Robert James Fischer was born 61 years ago in Chicago, Illinois. His mother was a Jew and a registered nurse with an eccentric and bohemian lifestyle. Robert Byrne says that Bobby’s mother was “a cuckoo, an intelligent eccentric, full of far-fetched ideas.” His elder sister, Joan, gave him a chess set on his fifth birthday that was to change his life forever. His father who was divorced in 1945, was Hans-Gerhard Fischer, a German physicist, although his paternity is the subject of some speculation. Bobby’s IQ is reportedly over 180, even higher than Einstein’s.

Although his chess was rather slow compared to today’s prodigies, his improvement was dramatic and incomparable by age 13. By age 15, he was the youngest grandmaster in the history of chess.

The effects of Bobby’s genius goes beyond the chessboard. The cold war was at its height in 1972 and his win over Spassky humiliated the entire Soviet establishment. He also elevated what was once a boarderline parlor game into mainstream sports. And lastly, as Lev Khariton says, “the chess heroes nowadays should not forget that it was owing to Fischer that they are living today in four- and five-star hotels, getting appearance fees, etc.”

The late Mikhael Tal, on his first loss to Fischer, said, “It’s difficult to play against Einstein’s theory.” Isaac Kashdan avers that “in Fischer’s hands, a slight theoretical advantage is as good as a Queen ahead.” Paul Keres admitted that in complicated positions, Bobby hardly had to be afraid of anybody.” Upon being interviewed on his loss to Fischer, Boris Spassky asserted that “when you play Bobby, it is not a question if you win or lose. It is a question if you survive.”

Perhaps, the greatest compliment on Bobby is this quote from an unknown chess expert: “No other master has such a terrific will to win. At the board he radiates danger, and even the strongest opponents tend to freeze, like rabbits when they smell a panther. Even his weaknesses are dangerous. As white, his opening game is predictable – you can make plans against it – but so strong your plans never work. In the middle game his precision and invention are fabulous, and in the endgame you simply cannot beat him.”

CEPCA VS. LAPU-LAPU. This is a reminder to all members of Cepca that we will be on collision course with the Lapu-Lapu Chess Club on Sunday at the Cebu Youth Chess Center at 1 p.m. Time control is 30 minutes per player, play to finish. Each player will play two games each handling both white and black pieces. This will be a 20-board or more encounter so there will be slots for almost all.

BUTCH LOYOLA. One of Cepca’s original members, Bonifacio “Butch” Loyola passed away last July 21st. Although not one of Cepca’s strong players, Butch was well loved because of his sense of humor, camaraderie and fair play. He was never known to raise his voice even in the club’s most heated arguments. We will miss you Butch. Our condolence to Stella and children Ignatius Mark, Marites, Marineil and Maricor.