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Date: 11 Jan 2009 04:57:16
From: samsloan
Subject: Bobby Fischer vs. The Rest of the World
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Bobby Fischer vs. The Rest of the World
In 1972, an epic chess match took place in Iceland between
representatives of the two great super-powers of the world: Bobby vs.
Boris.
Boris was backed by the Mighty Soviet Union, with late night phone
calls coming from his handlers in Moscow, telling him what his next
move should be. Meanwhile, Bobby stood alone against the might of the
opposing nation.
But, Bobby was not exactly alone. The Americans did not need to tell
him what moves to make on the chessboard. Bobby already knew how to do
that. Rather, what the Americans needed to do was somehow to get him
to sit down at the board and play the game.
Here is the story of that titanic struggle: One half of the world
trying to get Bobby to play, while the other half was trying to defeat
him assuming that he did play.
Hence the Title: Bobby Fischer vs. The Rest of the World.
In the end, Bobby won. =C9migr=E9s from the Soviet Union often state that,
more than any other single event, this defeat led to the collapse of
the Soviet Union.
The battle was won, not at the chessboard because Bobby was clearly
the better player, but in the struggle to get him to the board that is
so brilliantly described in this book.
I had known Bobby Fischer since 1956 and got to know him a lot better
in 1964, after he gave a lecture series at the Marshall Chess Club
that I had attended. Prior to the big match, I and International
Master Bernard Zuckerman met with Bobby Fischer in Bobby's hotel room
in the Henry Hudson Hotel. The room had been provided by the American
Chess Foundation and the Henry Hudson Hotel was where the Manhattan
Chess Club was located.
Bobby was lying in his hotel room bed, while Zuckerman and I sat in
chairs talking to him. Bobby was expressing concern about the
forthcoming match with Spassky.
Bernard Zuckerman was one of the few chess players whose chess
opinions Bobby respected. Bobby would often call Zuckerman on the
telephone late at night and ask him his opinion about this move or
that. Because of Zuckerman's encyclopedic knowledge of the chess
openings, he would probably have studied that move and have an
opinion.
Zuckerman and I were two of Bobby's closest friends, but his closest
friend by far was Jackie Beers. Beers was a chess expert, but was
schizophrenic and absolutely crazy. Bobby's second best friend was
James Gore, a 2300 rated chess master who was no longer active. Other
than Beers, Gore, Zuckerman and myself, Bobby seemed to have no
friends at all.
During our meeting in the Henry Hudson Hotel, Fischer expressed
concern about his upcoming chess match against Boris Spassky. By then,
Bobby had completed his famous 20-game winning streak, a feat never
approached by any other chess player in history, before or since.
Bobby had won the candidates matches against the best players in the
world by the shocking score of 18 =BD =96 2 =BD.
Thus, it was surprising that Bobby thought that Spassky might give him
any trouble.
=93Why don't you think you can beat him easily?=94, asked Zuckerman. =93Loo=
k
at the way you beat the others, such as Petrosian. Spassky is no
better than they are.=94
=93Spassky is better=94, replied Fischer. =93He's not much better, but he i=
s
better.=94
Spassky was soon to prove that Fischer was right. Spassky really was
better than all the others. While Fischer had easily swept away all
the others as with the back of his hand, Spassky was preparing to give
him a real fight in a chess match, the match that became known as =93The
Match of The Century=94.
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Date: 31 Jan 2009 05:30:17
From: samsloan
Subject: Re: Bobby Fischer vs. The Rest of the World
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This book has been reprinted now with 100 new pages added, including
the moves with diagrams of all 25 games between Fischer and Spassky.
Order it now at barnesandnoble.com
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?ean=3D092389141=
2
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0923891412
Sam Sloan
On Jan 11, 7:57=A0am, samsloan <[email protected] > wrote:
> BobbyFischervs. TheRestof theWorld
>
> In 1972, an epic chess match took place in Iceland between
> representatives of the two great super-powers of theworld:Bobbyvs.
> Boris.
>
> Boris was backed by the Mighty Soviet Union, with late night phone
> calls coming from his handlers in Moscow, telling him what his next
> move should be. Meanwhile,Bobbystood alone against the might of the
> opposing nation.
>
> But,Bobbywas not exactly alone. The Americans did not need to tell
> him what moves to make on the chessboard.Bobbyalready knew how to do
> that. Rather, what the Americans needed to do was somehow to get him
> to sit down at the board and play the game.
>
> Here is the story of that titanic struggle: One half of theworld
> trying to getBobbyto play, while the other half was trying to defeat
> him assuming that he did play.
>
> Hence the Title:BobbyFischervs. TheRestof theWorld.
>
> In the end,Bobbywon. =C9migr=E9s from the Soviet Union often state that,
> more than any other single event, this defeat led to the collapse of
> the Soviet Union.
>
> The battle was won, not at the chessboard becauseBobbywas clearly
> the better player, but in the struggle to get him to the board that is
> so brilliantly described in this book.
>
> I had knownBobbyFischersince 1956 and got to know him a lot better
> in 1964, after he gave a lecture series at the Marshall Chess Club
> that I had attended. Prior to the big match, I and International
> Master Bernard Zuckerman met withBobbyFischerinBobby'shotel room
> in the Henry Hudson Hotel. The room had been provided by the American
> Chess Foundation and the Henry Hudson Hotel was where the Manhattan
> Chess Club was located.
>
> Bobbywas lying in his hotel room bed, while Zuckerman and I sat in
> chairs talking to him.Bobbywas expressing concern about the
> forthcoming match with Spassky.
>
> Bernard Zuckerman was one of the few chess players whose chess
> opinionsBobbyrespected.Bobbywould often call Zuckerman on the
> telephone late at night and ask him his opinion about this move or
> that. Because of Zuckerman's encyclopedic knowledge of the chess
> openings, he would probably have studied that move and have an
> opinion.
>
> Zuckerman and I were two ofBobby'sclosest friends, but his closest
> friend by far was Jackie Beers. Beers was a chess expert, but was
> schizophrenic and absolutely crazy.Bobby'ssecond best friend was
> James Gore, a 2300 rated chess master who was no longer active. Other
> than Beers, Gore, Zuckerman and myself,Bobbyseemed to have no
> friends at all.
>
> During our meeting in the Henry Hudson Hotel,Fischerexpressed
> concern about his upcoming chess match against Boris Spassky. By then,Bob=
byhad completed his famous 20-game winning streak, a feat never
> approached by any other chess player in history, before or since.Bobbyhad=
won the candidates matches against the best players in theworldby the shoc=
king score of 18 =BD =96 2 =BD.
>
> Thus, it was surprising thatBobbythought that Spassky might give him
> any trouble.
>
> =93Why don't you think you can beat him easily?=94, asked Zuckerman. =93L=
ook
> at the way you beat the others, such as Petrosian. Spassky is no
> better than they are.=94
>
> =93Spassky is better=94, repliedFischer. =93He's not much better, but he =
is
> better.=94
>
> Spassky was soon to prove thatFischerwas right. Spassky really was
> better than all the others. WhileFischerhad easily swept away all
> the others as with the back of his hand, Spassky was preparing to give
> him a real fight in a chess match, the match that became known as =93The
> Match of The Century=94.
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Date: 12 Jan 2009 04:19:50
From: EJAY
Subject: Re: Bobby Fischer vs. The Rest of the World
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On Jan 11, 7:57=A0am, samsloan <[email protected] > wrote:
> Bobby Fischer vs. The Rest of the World
>
> In 1972, an epic chess match took place in Iceland between
> representatives of the two great super-powers of the world: Bobby vs.
> Boris.
>
> Boris was backed by the Mighty Soviet Union, with late night phone
> calls coming from his handlers in Moscow, telling him what his next
> move should be. Meanwhile, Bobby stood alone against the might of the
> opposing nation.
>
> But, Bobby was not exactly alone. The Americans did not need to tell
> him what moves to make on the chessboard. Bobby already knew how to do
> that. Rather, what the Americans needed to do was somehow to get him
> to sit down at the board and play the game.
>
> Here is the story of that titanic struggle: One half of the world
> trying to get Bobby to play, while the other half was trying to defeat
> him assuming that he did play.
>
> Hence the Title: Bobby Fischer vs. The Rest of the World.
>
> In the end, Bobby won. =C9migr=E9s from the Soviet Union often state that=
,
> more than any other single event, this defeat led to the collapse of
> the Soviet Union.
>
> The battle was won, not at the chessboard because Bobby was clearly
> the better player, but in the struggle to get him to the board that is
> so brilliantly described in this book.
>
> I had known Bobby Fischer since 1956 and got to know him a lot better
> in 1964, after he gave a lecture series at the Marshall Chess Club
> that I had attended. Prior to the big match, I and International
> Master Bernard Zuckerman met with Bobby Fischer in Bobby's hotel room
> in the Henry Hudson Hotel. The room had been provided by the American
> Chess Foundation and the Henry Hudson Hotel was where the Manhattan
> Chess Club was located.
>
> Bobby was lying in his hotel room bed, while Zuckerman and I sat in
> chairs talking to him. Bobby was expressing concern about the
> forthcoming match with Spassky.
>
> Bernard Zuckerman was one of the few chess players whose chess
> opinions Bobby respected. Bobby would often call Zuckerman on the
> telephone late at night and ask him his opinion about this move or
> that. Because of Zuckerman's encyclopedic knowledge of the chess
> openings, he would probably have studied that move and have an
> opinion.
>
> Zuckerman and I were two of Bobby's closest friends, but his closest
> friend by far was Jackie Beers. Beers was a chess expert, but was
> schizophrenic and absolutely crazy. Bobby's second best friend was
> James Gore, a 2300 rated chess master who was no longer active. Other
> than Beers, Gore, Zuckerman and myself, Bobby seemed to have no
> friends at all.
>
> During our meeting in the Henry Hudson Hotel, Fischer expressed
> concern about his upcoming chess match against Boris Spassky. By then,
> Bobby had completed his famous 20-game winning streak, a feat never
> approached by any other chess player in history, before or since.
> Bobby had won the candidates matches against the best players in the
> world by the shocking score of 18 =BD =96 2 =BD.
>
> Thus, it was surprising that Bobby thought that Spassky might give him
> any trouble.
>
> =93Why don't you think you can beat him easily?=94, asked Zuckerman. =93L=
ook
> at the way you beat the others, such as Petrosian. Spassky is no
> better than they are.=94
>
> =93Spassky is better=94, replied Fischer. =93He's not much better, but he=
is
> better.=94
>
> Spassky was soon to prove that Fischer was right. Spassky really was
> better than all the others. While Fischer had easily swept away all
> the others as with the back of his hand, Spassky was preparing to give
> him a real fight in a chess match, the match that became known as =93The
> Match of The Century=94.
Where is Bernard these days?Can he still play a decent game of chess?
I remember Jack Beers when the Manhattan CC was at Carnegie Hall. I
missed the old Henry Hudson Hotel.Played my first scholastic
tournaments there when Milton Hanauer ran them.He should be in the NY
State Hall Of Fame for his contributions
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