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| Sep-21-10 | | fab4: <Fred> I've read that book.. Frank Brady right? Don't own it just now though. Anyway I'm losing touch with your point lol. |
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| Sep-21-10 | | I play the Fred: My point is that when you say you don't think Fischer feared anything related to US Chess in the late 60's, you are wrong. Not altogether wrong - I agree that Fischer didn't fear any particular American player - but Fischer did fear that one accidental loss in the championship would be enough to knock him (or any player) out of first prize. He wanted a double-round robin format which he thought would be a proper challenge - and insurance against one careless loss. It's all there in the letter. |
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| Sep-21-10 | | pawn to QB4: Here's the letter folks: <"I want very much to play in the U.S. Championship this year - but not in a tournament where if a player has a bad start and loses a game or two at the beginning, he is practically eliminated from first place. I consider this to be too chancey an affair and it puts an undue burden on the favorite, who does not have enough time to make up for a bad start because the tournament is so short. Our U.S. Championship is the shortest of any major chess country. It is an affront to any professional chess player - such as I am...You are supposedly dedicated to developing American chess - here is your chance to prove it, by lengthening the 1969 U.S. Championship ...from 11 to 22 rounds"> Fear or principle? Enjoy. |
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| Sep-21-10 | | TheFocus: In 1962, Fischer lost one game and still finished a full point ahead. The same in 1965, when losing two games, he still won a full point ahead. Fischer was also trying to raise the prestige of the US Championship to the same level as the Soviet Championship, which usually had 20 or more players. One suggestion of Bobby's was to turn it into a double-round affair, because, face it, the US did not have twenty world class players at the time. Bobby certainly did not feel any US player posed a real threat to him, but... you never knew who was about to spring up. I don't think it was so much fear, then, as practicality. Unfortunately, the USCF then was a cash-poor Federation, that could not always provide the funds for Olympic teams or seconds for players in Interzonals or Candidates', or afford a prolonged US Championship, not to mention that most players still had to go to their day jobs during the tournament. Bobby's chess career was certainly never helped by the USCF or the ACF. If anything, the help was a pittance. In his first Interzonal at Portoroz, Bobby had to pay his own way, and had he not won a prize, he would not have had plane fare back home. |
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| Sep-21-10 | | parisattack: I recall a picture on the cover of Chess Review. Garry Moore handing Fischer a ticket to a tournament? Was that Portoroz or another event? |
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| Sep-21-10 | | TheFocus: <parisattack> On the cover: Emcee Garry Moore of CBS-TV’s “I’ve Got A Secret” program had a special secret for fifteen-year-old Bobby Fischer of Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn. The youngster, the current U.S. Chess Champion, was given a surprise gift of two round-trip airplane tickets in a special teenagers program on March 26. Bobby can thus accept the Soviet government’s invitation to play a series of exhibition matches in Moscow this June and July. And he can also thus represent the U.S.A. in the Interzonal Tournament in Yugoslavia in August as his SABENA tickets allow for return and stop-over there – Chess Review, May 1958, pg. 132. |
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| Sep-21-10 | | parisattack: That's the one, thanks <the Focus>! |
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| Sep-21-10 | | TheFocus: The New York Times reported that after Portoroz Bobby had disappeared for a few days and his mother did know how he was going to get back home. Bobby had the money from his prize to fall back on. Before Portoroz, the American Chess Foundation had given Bobby a check for $250 and he used this also. It sounds like the tickets got him to Russia and then Yugoslavia, but not home. His sister Joan went to Russia and Yugoslavia with Bobby, but I do not think she stayed and that is why he was alone at the end of the tournament. I would like to know the explanation there. |
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| Sep-21-10 | | TheFocus: I can also add that prior to the tournament, the Yugoslavian Federation had announced that it would provide transportation for all contestants, so that may be how James Sherwin got to Portoroz. At first, the USCF was unable to provide a second for Fischer and Sherwin, and again the Yugoslavians offered to provide Bobby with a second. Somehow, Bill Lombardy was sent as second. I don't know who paid for him, but it could have come from private donors or patrons. |
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| Sep-21-10 | | parisattack: It seems odd - especially in those days - if a youngster wasn't provided full RT tickets overseas. Perhaps he cashed it in, bought a bunch of Yugo chess books! ;) |
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| Sep-23-10 | | malthrope: I just received word of this terrible news about 20 minutes ago (news flash on the Twitter). It's being reported by Mark Crowther (TWIC) posted on Thursday 23rd September 2010. Mark states in the heading: <"Boris Spassky Gravely ill"> Here is the quote: <"There are reports from Moscow that the 73 year old former World Chess Champion Boris Spassky is gravely ill in hospital and fighting for his life after a stroke. This has been a terrible few months for former legends of the game with the deaths of Andrei Lilienthal, Vassily Smyslov and Bent Larsen."> The TWIC link: http://www.chess.co.uk/twic/chessne... Let's keep Boris in our prayers it's gonna be a long day... Sincerely, - Mal |
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| Sep-23-10 | | Marmot PFL: It sounds like the end of the line for Boris. Soon all the players I grew up with will be gone. Only Korchnoi, Gligoric and a few others left. |
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| Sep-23-10 | | supy: He recovered once as said here http://reports.chessdom.com/news-20... but from what it seems, this time might be more serious. |
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| Sep-23-10 | | Marmot PFL: I didn't even know Spassky had moved back to Russia from France. |
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| Sep-23-10 | | malthrope: Chessdom has just posted an updated report on Spassky's condition on their website. This report gives more specific information with a time line... I don't know how everyone feels about this so here is the info. I see some of this has already been posted here but I'll go ahead and post it as written without further edit. <Boris Spassky in heavy condition (updated) The World Champion hospitalized in intensive care> » http://reports.chessdom.com/news-20... You'll read in this report that he suffered something like this a few years back but nowhere near as bad as to what's transpiring now. It took place at the Mechanics' Institute Chess Club in San Francisco (late October-September 2006) when he was giving Simuls and lectures here I was there with him and stayed through the entire ordeal as we got him to the hospital. Dr. Anthony Saidy (the International Master) was also there. When Boris was recovering at the hospital I made a special visit to see him there in person. Where I also met his wife Marina who was right there with him. As I'm sure she is now. OK - that's all I have at the moment.
Sincerely, - Mal |
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| Sep-23-10 | | diceman: You can see him in the videos of the
Woman's speed tournament that just
recently took place.
diceman |
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| Sep-23-10 | | Ezzy: Hoping and wishing for a speedy recovery from Boris. A true sportsman of the highest calibre. |
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| Sep-23-10 | | Billy Vaughan: All my wishes, Boris! |
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| Sep-23-10 | | whiteshark: I hope you'll make a full recovery, Boris. |
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| Sep-23-10 | | Eastfrisian: I wish you a speedy and well recovery. |
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| Sep-23-10 | | Eduardo Bermudez: I was talking with this gentleman in 1996...very special person !! |
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| Sep-23-10 | | virginmind: i wish to boris spassky a quick recovery, from what ive seen on the internet over the past years he is a very kind and humourous and gentle guy, not to mention the giant chess player he was - come on boris, stay with us many years from now on so we will be able to witness many such enjoyable moments with you!... |
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Sep-23-10
 | | HeMateMe: A real gentleman in this game. And, without his defying the Kremlin, BF would proably not have ever played for the World Championship. Spassky also was the foil that got Fischer back at the board in 1992. |
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| Sep-23-10 | | dx9293: Please get well, Boris! |
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| Sep-24-10 | | fab4: Very sad news but I'm hoping he will recover.Fingers crossed. |
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