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EditorialMalcolm Pein on the latest developments in chess

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Tactical TerminologyWe all know about pins, forks and skewers but GM JamesPlaskett considers names for other tactical tricks and themes

How Good Is Your Chess?GM Daniel King presents a game from this year’s Hungarian TeamChampionship, to test your strategic and positional prowess

Tea and Chess Cakes, Anyone?Sabrina Chevannes introduces chess to the kids in Newham

Book Review: Endgame by Frank BradySean Marsh looks at the fascinating new Fischer biography

Turkish Chess DelightSabrina Chevannes interviews Emine Yanik, who founded and runsa pioneering chess school in the wilds of Turkey. Inspiring...

FIDE Women’s Grand PrixThe gripping finale of the series of qualifying tournaments to decidewho will play the next match for the Women’s World Championship

Readers’ LettersYou have your say ... a reader’s exciting draw with an IM

Pawn e5 versus Pawn e6IM Lorin D’Costa considers a familiar pawn configuration

Zugzwang!René Mayer showcases some amazing zugzwang examples

Home News / Overseas NewsA round-up of what’s been happening in Britain and elsewhere

Find The Winning MovesThree pages of tactical teasers from recent tournament games.

Positional ExercisesGM Jacob Aagaard tests your positional chess IQ

Problem AlbumColin Russ has some gems to enjoy.

New Books In BriefAll the latest books, DVDs and software

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Contents Apr 2011_Chess mag - 21_6_10 30/03/2011 10:08 Page 1

38

ENDGAMEBobby Fischer’s Remarkable

Rise and Fall - from America’s Brightest

Prodigy to the Edge of Madness

by Frank Brady402 pages (Hardback)

RRP £17.99 SUBSCRIBERS’ £16.20+ POST FREE to customers in the UK

Everyone�has�heard�of�Bobby�Fischer.�His

name,�fame�and�infamy�have�all�found

their�way�into�the�public�consciousness

and�even�people�who�have�never�picked

up�a�chess�piece�in�their�lives�have

acquired�some�basic�knowledge�of�the

11th�World�Chess�Champion.

For�various�reasons,�the�first�Fischer�-

Spassky�match�garnered�chess�major

headlines�around�the�world�and�brought

about�a�chess�boom.�My�own�first

chess�set�was�presented�to�me�in

Christmas�1972...

It�seems�incredible�that�a�chess�player

who�last�played�competitively�nearly�40

years�ago�(apart�from�a�brief�comeback,

already�almost�20�years�ago)�should�still

have�new�books�devoted�to�his�life,

replete�with�new�stories�and�information.

Yet�the�very�fact�that�Frank�Brady’s�new

biography�requires�a�subtitle�of�no�fewer

than�15�words�is�telling:�Bobby�Fischer

was�a�very�complex�character�with�an

unusually�difficult�life.�Some�questions

seem�unlikely�ever�to�receive�fully

satisfactory�answers.�As�the�author�puts

it,�‘Paradoxes abound’.

The�aim�of�the�book�is�clear�enough:

‘As someone who knew Bobby Fischer

from the time he was quite young, I’ve

been asked hundreds of times, ‘‘What was

Bobby Fischer really like?’’. This book is

an attempt to answer that question.’

Frank�Brady�certainly�has�the�credentials

to�write�such�a�book.�His�earlier�Fischer

biography,�Profile of a Prodigy, was�a

standard�work�for�years�(and�is�still

available,�from�Chess�&�Bridge)�and�has

first�hand�knowledge�too,�although�his

personal�involvement�is�played�down:

‘Although Endgame includes many

incidents to which I was eyewitness or in

which I participated, the book is not in

any way my memoir, and I’ve tried to

remain invisible as much as possible’.

The�story�of�Fischer’s�rise�and�fall�is�told

in�15�chapters.�There’s�a�good�selection�of

photos�in�the�centre�of�the�book�and�quite

a�few�of�them�were�new�to�me,�including

one�showing�his�mother�visiting�him�during

the�1972�World�Championship�match.

I�learned�a�lot�that�was�previously

unknown�to�me�despite�many�years

of�reading�numerous�works�on�the�great

champion.�Here’s�a�few�snippets�from

each�of�the�chapters.

Loneliness to Passion

The�first�chapter�starts�with�Fischer’s�brutal

arrest�in�Japan�in�2004,�before�flashing

back�‘Forty-eight years earlier’,�to�1956,

where�a�young�Bobby�is�playing�a�blindfold

game�against�Jack�Collins�(one�of�his�early

chess�teachers).�Backtracking�again,�we

read�about�Fischer’s�early�family�life

including�the�familiar�story�of�sister�Joan

buying�their�first�chess�set�for�$1.�Not�all�of

the�story�is�familiar�though;�already�there

are�snippets�which�were�new�to�me,

including�the�possibility�that�the�first�book�of

annotated�games�Fischer�read�may�have

been�Tarrasch’s Best Games of Chess.

A�key�early�test�of�Fischer’s�chess

strength�came�in�a�simultaneous�display

by�Max�Pavey�(former�champion�of

Scotland�and�New�York�State).�Pavey�won

quickly. ‘Bobby stared at the board for a

moment. ‘‘He crushed me’’ he said, to no

one in particular. Then he burst into tears’.

Defeat�didn’t�deter�him.�Chess�was

already�becoming�a�major�part�of�his�life.

Childhood Obsession

Aged�just�seven,�Bobby�became�the

youngest�member�of�the�Brooklyn�Chess

Club.�The�club�president,�Carmine�Nigro,

gave�him�chess�lessons�and�also�taught

him�how�to�play�the�accordion.�‘‘I did

fairly well on it for a while,’’ Bobby said,

looking back, ‘‘but chess had more

attraction and the accordion was pushed

aside’’. It�is�tempting�to�speculate�on

what�sort�of�path�Fischer’s�life�would

have�followed�if�a�love�of�music�had

forced�out�the�obsession�for�chess.

Out of the Head of Zeus

‘‘Impossible! Byrne is losing to a 13 year-

old nobody’’. Of�course,�these�days�every

self-respecting�teenage�chess�star�has�a

big�collection�of�grandmaster�scalps�in

their�collection.�Yet�when�Fischer�played

his�famous�‘Game of the Century’ against

Donald�Byrne,�it�was�a�highly�unusual

achievement.�Brady�does�a�good�job�of

describing�the�excitement�and�surprise

generated�by�the�game�and�avoids�the

trap�of�trying�to�describe�the�game

verbally,�blow�by�blow.�

By�the�end�of�the�chapter,�Fischer�-�aged

just�14�-�was�the�new�United�States

Chess�Champion�and�his�marvellous

results�and�achievements�no�longer

came�as�a�surprise.

The American Wunderkind

It�seems�remarkable�that�young�Fischer

and�his�sister�were�allowed�to�travel�to

Russia,�ostensibly�to�prepare�for�the

forthcoming�Interzonal.�His�ego�was�in

full�flow.�Once�inside�the�famous

Moscow�Central�Chess�Club,�he�was

soon�asking,�‘‘When can I play

Botvinnik?’’ Disappointed�that�Botvinnik

-�and�Keres�-�were�not�on�hand,�Fischer

eventually�settled�for�a�blitz�workout

against�Petrosian,�but�only�after�his

request�for�a�fee�was�turned�down.�‘You

are our guest...and we don’t pay fees to

guests’’.��Brady�speculates�that

Fischer’s�mistrust�of�Russians�may�have

started�with�what�he�perceived�to�be�his

shabby�treatment�in�Moscow;�an�early

example�of�Fischer�reacting�badly�when

things�didn’t�go�exactly�the�way�he

wanted�them�to.

The Cold War Gladiator

This�chapter�focuses�partly�on�the�1959

Candidates�tournament�(including�Tal’s

brilliant�4-0�victory�over�Fischer)�and

looks�at�two�key�developments�in�the

story.�Fischer’s�promise�to�‘...teach those

dirty Russians a lesson they won’t forget

for a long time”�had�to�wait�a�few�more

years�to�come�to�fruition,�but�the�seeds

were�already�sown.�

Meanwhile,�he�had�started�to�listen�to

Off the ShelfBook Review

by Sean Marsh

www.chess.co.uk 39

religious�programmes�on�the�radio.�One

sermon�in�particular,�by�Herbert�W.

Armstrong,�proclaimed�God�as�the�only

healer�and�cautioned�against�the�use�of

medical�doctors.�This�helps�to�explain

Fischer’s�refusal�to�accept�medical�help

for�the�condition�which�led�to�his�death

many�years�later.�

Also�around�this�time,�Fischer�began

carrying�a�Bible,�‘‘...the most rational,

most common-sense book ever written

on the face of the earth’’.

The New Fischer

1959�saw�a�change�in�Fischer’s�dress

sense�and�he�became�the�extremely�well-

dressed�player�we�know�from�the�most

famous�photographs.�Brady�points�out

that�it�is�still�something�of�a�mystery�how

he�could�afford�bespoke�suits�at�that�time.

Einstein’s Theory

Fischer�was�now�becoming�more

involved�with�the�Worldwide�Church�of

God�and�for�once�something�was�as

important�to�him�as�chess.�He

commented: ‘‘I split my life in two pieces.’’

Problems�emerged,�caused�mainly�by�his

stubborn�streak.�An�interesting��match

with�Reshevsky�was�abandoned�and

Fischer�was�enraged�by�the�the�Soviet

‘pact’�at�the�Curaçao�Candidates’

tournament.�His�complaints�led�to�a

reform�in�the�system.

Legends Clash

This�chapter�describes�Fischer’s�famous

Olympiad�game�with�Botvinnik�(their�only

meeting)�in�which�the�latter�escaped�with�a

draw�from�what�had�looked�a�likely�defeat.

Fischer�was�absorbing�fuel�from�such

events�to�boost�his�anti-Soviet�theories.�He

had�apparently�given�up�on�the�World

Championship�cycle�but�was�capable�of

producing�astonishing�results,�such�as�his

11-0�score�in�the�1963-4�US�Championship.

The Candidate

1969�brought�the�publication�of�his

classic�book,�My Sixty Memorable

Games.�Even�this�outwardly

straightforward�venture�had�an�unusual

motive.�Fischer�delayed�publication�but

then�relented.�Larry�Evans�gave�the

reason�behind�the�change�of�mind:

‘‘He was feeling depressed about the world

and thought there was an excellent chance

that there would be a nuclear holocaust

soon. He felt he should enjoy whatever

money he could get before it was too late’’.

It�was�a�difficult�and�mixed�period�for

Fischer,�which�saw�his�withdrawal�from

the�Sousse�Interzonal�(which�he�was

leading),�a�break�from�chess�for�18

months�and�an�eventual�comeback�in�the

USSR�v�Rest�of�the�World�match,

followed�by�his�demolition�of�three

candidates�on�his�way�to�a�showdown

with�World�Champion�Boris�Spassky.

Brady�doesn’t�dwell�too�much�on�the�the

purely�chess�aspect�of�events.�For

example,�the�Candidates�matches�are

dealt�with�in�a�few�short�pages�and�there�is

very�little�on�the�games�themselves.�This�is

no�bad�thing;�it�makes�the�book�much

more�accessible�to�those�who�want�to

learn�more�about�Bobby�Fischer�the

person�and�not�how�he�played�the�Najdorf.

The Champion

Although�the�story�of�the�1972�title�match

with�Spassky�contains�much�that�is

already�very�well�known,�there�are�little

snippets�to�keep�the�chapter�fresh.�One

example�sees�Fischer�chatting�to�Sam

Sloan�and�Bernard�Zuckerman,�two�of

his�close�friends�at�the�time.�He�was

worried�by�the�prospect�of�facing�the

World�Champion.‘‘Spassky is better’’ said

Bobby,�somewhat�woefully. ‘‘Not much

better, but better’’.

The Wilderness Years

With�the�world�at�his�feet�and�many�big

money�plans�in�the�pipeline,�Fischer

unexpectedly�drops�off�the�chess�map.

His�wilderness�years�are�surely�stranger

than�any�period�of�time�in�the�life�of�any

chess�player.�This�chapter�is�replete�with

stories�of�him�turning�down�huge�sums�of

money�and�of�his�descent�from�being

such�an�elegant,�popular�figure,�with�fame

across�the�globe,�to�a�strange�recluse.

The�chapter�starts�with�Fischer�quoted�as

saying:�‘‘I want to meet girls...vivacious

girls with big breasts’’ and�ends�with

freelance�photographers�trying�-

unsuccessfully�-�to�track�him�down,

despite�being�willing�to�offer�$5,000�for�a

successful�lead.�It�is�one�of�the�most

interesting�chapters�in�the�book�and

sheds�some�welcome�light�on�this

extraordinary�period�of�time.�It’s�easily�the

best�account�of�this�period�I�have�read.

Fischer-Spassky Redux

It�is�astounding�that�a�person�can�return

from�the�wilderness�after�20�years�and

suddenly�be�on�the�front�pages�of

newspapers�around�the�world�once

again.�The�Fischer�-�Spassky�rematch�of

1992�was�a�curious�affair.�How�could�it

be�that�17-year-old�Zita�Rajcsanyi

succeeded�in�kickstarting�Fischer’s�return

to�the�chessboard�when�the�rest�of�the

world�had�consistently�failed?�Brady

gives�a�very�good�account�of�the�early

correspondence�and�developing

relationship�which�led�to�the�return.�The

match�itself�was�a�mixed�one�in�terms�of

chess,�and�Spassky�admitted�he�was

more�concerned�with�bringing�his�friend

back�to�chess�than�the�result.�

Crossing Borders

Rather�than�heralding�a�proper

comeback,�the�1992�match�proved�to�be

Fischer’s�last�known�games�of�chess.

This�chapter�covers�the�period�of�time

after�the�match,�which�saw�Fischer

develop�his�theories�regarding�Kasparov

and�Karpov�fixing�their�games�and�the

infamous�radio�interviews�in�which�he

was�allowed�to�air�his�hatred�of�jews�and

the�USA.�It’s�tragic�stuff�and�Brady

makes�no�excuses�for�any�of�it.

Arrest and Rescue

The�penultimate�chapter�brings�the�book

full�circle,�with�an�examination�of�Fischer’s

arrest�in�Japan.�Remarkably,�another�full

circle�was�brought�about,�with�Fischer

relocating�to�Iceland.�As�Brady�points�out,

despite�the�nostalgic�connection,�that

there�was�very�little�choice.�Nine�other

countries�refused�to�take�him.�Bobby

Fischer,�the�great�chess�champion,�was

approaching�a�very�difficult�endgame�of

his�own�making.�His�anti-Semitic,�anti-US

outbursts�and�beliefs�were�very�much

working�against�him.

Living and Dying in Iceland

The�final�chapter�makes�difficult�reading.

Caught�between�his�desire�for�total

anonymity�and�feelings�of�disappointment

when�people�don’t�recognise�him,�he

spends�most�of�his�time�avoiding�people

and�seeking�refuge�in�books.�His�life�starts

to�ebb�away�as�he�refuses�medical

treatment�for�a�kidney�problem.�The�end,

when�it�comes,�is�a�terrible�and�painful

one.�One�of�the�final�quotes�is�surprising

and�seems�completely�un-Fischer�like:

‘‘Nothing soothes as much as the human touch.’’

And�soon�afterwards,�like�a�ferocious�storm

which�has�finally�burnt�itself�out,�Fischer�is

gone�from�the�world,�aged�just�64...

...Except,�of�course,�with�Fischer�the

story�just�rumbles�on.�In�his�Epilogue,

Brady�covers�the�exhumation�and�DNA

test�required�to�settle�the�dispute�over�his

financial�legacy.

Readers�more�interested�in�the�purely

chess�side�of�his�story�should�stick�with

Karsten�Muller’s�acclaimed�Bobby

Fischer: The Career and Complete

Games of the American World Chess

Champion (Russell�Enterprises,�2009).

However,�Endgame should�now�be

regarded�as�the�definitive�version�of

Bobby�Fischer’s�life�and�death�and�it�is

unlikely�to�be�superseded�anytime�soon.

Frank�Brady�has�produced�a�very

accessible�volume�which�genuinely�tries�to

explain�and�help�the�reader�understand

the�incredible�life�of�the�most�enigmatic

and�intriguing�of�all�chess�champions.

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