Fischer passed away (6th update)
18 January 2008 12:47 PM | Last modified: 15:55
Bobby Fischer has died yesterday in Iceland according to local media. It was known he had big health problems; Bobby Fischer died at the age of 64 Reactions Ljubojevic, Short, Timman, Adams, Radjabov, Topalov, and Anand.
This morning the Icelandic newspaper Morgun Bladið brought the sad news that former world champion Robert James Fischer has passed away. The cause of death was kidney failure - he had been suffering for a while and actually left the hospital about two months ago, as the doctors couldn’t help him anymore. Fischer died yesterday, as was confirmed by Fridrik Olafsson this morning. A source in Reykjavik says he died at home.
ONE MINUTE OF SILENCE FOR BOBBY
REACTION GM LJUBOMIR LJUBOJEVIC
REACTION GM NIGEL SHORT
REACTION ADAMS & RADJABOV
REACTION VESELIN TOPALOV
REACTION JAN TIMMAN
A shaken taped reaction of Portisch, Timman, Korchnoi and Ljubojevic can be seen here
Mig posted this comment by Kasparov:
With the death of Bobby Fischer chess has lost one of its greatest figures. Fischer’s status as world champion and celebrity came from a charismatic and combative personality matched with unstoppable play. I recall thrilling to the games of his 1972 Reykjavik world championship match against Boris Spassky when I was nine years old. The American had his share of supporters in the USSR even then, and not only for his chess prowess. His outspokenness and individuality also earned him the quiet respect of many of my compatriots.
Fischer’s beautiful chess and his immortal games will stand forever as a central pillar in the history of our game. And the story of the Brooklynite iconoclast’s rise from prodigy to world champion has few peers for drama. Apart from a brief and peculiar reappearance in 1992, Bobby Fischer’s chess career ended in 1972. After conquering the chess Olympus he was unable to find a new target for his power and passion.
Fischer’s relentless energy exhausted everything it touched - the resources of the game itself, his opponents on and off the board, and, sadly, his own mind and body. While we can never entirely separate the deeds from the man, I would prefer to speak of his global achievements instead of his inner tragedies. It is with justice that he spent his final days in Iceland, the site of his greatest triumph. There he has always been loved and seen in the best possible way: as a chessplayer.
Garry Kasparov
Moscow - January 18, 2008
Mark Crowther:
Robert James “Bobby” Fischer was born in Chicago, Illinois USA 9th March 1943 died in Reykjavic, Iceland 17th January 2008 at the age of 64 of kidney problems. He achieved international fame and notoriety at the height of cold war on the way to becoming World Chess Champion in 1972.
Bobby Fischer learned his chess in Brooklyn New York at the age of 6. His progress at first was not spectacular but by the age of 13 he, in his own words “got good”. He became US Junior Champion in 1956 and defended it the following year. Increasingly good results allowed him entry to the 1958 Championships. In a shock result he won the first of his eight US Championship titles (every time he entered) with 10.5/13, becoming in January 1958, at the age of 14, the youngest US champion and with it he became an International Master (the youngest at the time).
Its only possible to go through some of the key moments of Fischer’s career, especially as its so well known.
Read the rest of the article here.
Here’s a Icelandic tv report in which Spassky is interviewed.
Other obituaries:
REACTION VISWANATHAN ANAND
(thanks to Europe-Echecs)
Poor Bobby.
Life hasn’t been that kind to him.
I’ll never forget the great player he was.
Jos
Flawed human being but seriously one of the best if not the best chess players ever, RIP.
Who would have thought that he’d die at 64? Still, that number makes sense.
Now he can play God
And make a draw
With White
Bobby the Greatest!
The Great Warrior has admitted defeat against the Grim Reaper…. RIP Bobby.
It is very sad indeed. I just got back from a night out with a couple of chess buddies and this is the first thing I hear as soon as I walked through the door at home!
- TCG
No chess should be played today, and that includes Corus.
It’s sad, perhaps the greatest player of all times has eclipsed.Chess will go on of course , but won’t be the same without him. Still, his games are there, and that’s a real treasure for all lovers of the game.
Dear Bobby,
I cried today when I heard the tragic news of your death. I feel that I lost my father. You made me love this game. You were the greatest chess genius the earth ever saw. You scarified your life for the noble game. I hoped to meet you one day in my life, but I will have to wait. You will be always in my heart.
Bobby Fischer was my chess idol, as he was for millions of others.
In time we may forget the man, but we will always remember only his beautiful chess.
Bobby was lucky to have a friend in Fridrik Olafsson in his last years.
He is in God’s care now.
How immensely sad.
May he rest in peace.
Any ideas for his best game? I am very fond of his 4th match game with Taimanov in 1971, a long, long but oh so magnificent ending. And his 20 move brilliancy with black against R. Byrne, USA 63-64.
His My 60 Memorable Games has always been one of my most beloved books, if not THE most beloved: beautiful games, superb analysis and very lively, witty commentary.
Yes, Byrne-Fischer 1963, that’s my favorite.
Indeed a tragic day for chess. I feel like crying …
Rest in peace Bobby. Thank you for your chess.
No import si el ajedrez deja de existir hoy, ya exististe tú.
Gracias, Bobby, gracias Campeón del Mundo
Bobby Fischer have done so much too chess that it benefit many of us rather then himself. Kasparov in contrast, basically done something in chess for his own benefit.
rest in peace Bobby, you’re the greatest
Hairulov, how nice of you to take this tragic opportunity to inform us of your dislike of Kasparov. We all admire you.
We are very sad for hearing this news.we cant do any thing only .we hope to him peace
REST iin peace bobby, you will never truly die cause your games and contributions to chess will live on forever. This game is already how old? Now you can join it permanently in our memories and its own history.
I agree with miles that no chess should be played today corus included though it is already too late for that. Who will put together the Bobby Fischer Memorial tournament?
Bobby has inspired me in chess & life. He reminds me about flaws and mistakes that humans made and glory that humans are fighting for. RIP - Mr. Robert J. Fisher.
R.I.P. Bobby Fischer THe best chess player ever!!!
Remember the chessplayer, not necessarrily the man
R.I.P. Master…
It is not your play, nor your politics that I mourn….
It is your uniqueness and individuality that I will miss….
A man who stood for his own beliefs….
Who happened to be one HELL of a chess Master…
You will be missed by those who didn’t even know your name:
Because of WHO you were.
Rest In Peace, Master.
I became really sad when i heard about Bobby Fisher’s death. He was my idol for so many years until Kasparov showed up. Bobby’s game are immortel especially his match for th world championship with the great Boris Spassky!
Fisher will always be in my mind and imagination! I fell in love with the chess game because of Bobby Fisher. He was one of the greatest pillars of Chess.
I can only say that i am going to miss him in the arena of chess even though he vanished from the world of chess long time ago!!
Bobby, you are my idol forever
In 1972, I, like many others, either learned chess or paid much more attention to it. I remember following the Iceland games and, not knowing what O-O meant, would have to stop after about 10 moves, wondering how in the heck can the rook go to K1.
I remember my parents, my mother especially, thinking that if I played chess, I might turn out like Bobby Fischer–that is, the difficult side of his nature–and that was in 1975! They probably would have driven our car over my chess set if they heard what he said later in his life.
I remember Walter Browne, the American GM, once saying that he understood chess as well as Fischer did–only it took Fischer a lot less time to figure out positions.
I won’t miss the eccentric in 2008 Iceland. I will miss the 28-year-old young man crushing great chess players like they were the “weakies” and freezing them at the board. What Tal (kidney failure, too, right?) used to do with his stare, Fischer did just by showing up.
Bobby, you never turned me into an P-K4 player, but you helped me to realize the beauty of the game and to occasionally understand and see what you could see much more often than me.
Don’t worry, we will keep your clock running.
Bobby Fischer was our modern-day “Paul Morphy”. Since chess first began to be played, only around twenty player’s deaths have been this significant to the game.
Bobby Fischer cannot die in any other age other than 64! the age of his death is also connected to chess,64!!!..HE IS THE GREATEST AND COMPLETE CHESS PLAYER OF ALL TIME-I Bow to you Bobby,for everything that you have done for Chess and for just being a Pure Genius !
ROBERT JAMES “BOBBY” FISCHER(1943-2008)
THE GREATEST CHESS PLAYER EVER TO PLAY THIS GAME!!
Rest in peace Bobby,play your Favorate RuyLopez with GOD Almighty. GREATEST CHESS PLAYER OF ALL TIME
Before you there were Morphy,Lasker and Stanitz,
Petrosian ,keres,Spassky and Geller were you collegues,
After you there were,Kasparov,Karpov,Anand and Kramnik,
And now there are Karjakin,Radjabov and Carlson
But you will always remain, THE GREATEST OF THEM ALL..
We will all miss you Bobby,you will always remain a great inspiration to all of us and many more who will play this great game..you will always remain my HERO.
Bobby was the best player of all time. He will be remembered as long as the game is played. Thanks for all your wonderful games and rest in peace, Bobby!
I shall always remember Bobby Fischer as one of the greatest chess World Champions,maybe the greatest.
I was always on his side and tried to understand him as a man and a chessplayer.
I hope he will live forever in all chessplayers minds all over the world.
Sensible reaction by Anand, it’s a pity he didn’t elaborate on his meeting with Fischer: I wonder what they they talked about all evening.
The game of Chess and Bobby Fischer will live forever,.
May Mr. Fischer be with God. I´m just another guy that admires the beauty of his games and hopes someday to watch a movie of his life as a tribute to the man, because there is for sure a lot of theme to do it.
An icon and monument to the romance of Chess has departed. His games will live on forever! Good-bye Mister Master.
Robert James Fischer is the most lucid player ever. He cannot die - he is immortal.
Thank you Bobby for everything you have done for humankind !
I wonder what whil happen with his money at the Swiss bank?
Goodbye Bobby, you really was the best!
Rest in peace.
The last 30+ years of Bobby’s life were a tragedy of Shakespearean proportion. Thus we need to reflect on the greatness of the first 30.
11-0 USChamp, 6-0 6-0 Candidates…..enough said of his brilliant games,
His greatest legacy can be found on the WORLD rating list …filled with young players from all over the globe. He popularized the game like no-one before or sense.
Thank You
I think he could have lived more. In the prison he was beaten several times. I think he didn’t deserve such fate. R.I.P.
I also agree with Miles. Many players can’t play now because of the shock.
Bobby Fischer is - and was until his death - the “MOZART OF CHESS” (as R. Keene has described him). I´ll never forgett the 1971/1972 victories in Mallorca, against the Grandmasters TAIMANOV (6:0), Bent LARSEN (6:0), PETROSIAN (6.5:2.5), and the absolute FINAL triumph in Reykjavik against the great Russian GM Boris Spasskij! Requiescat in pace, Bobby! We will miss you anymore! THANKS for your tributes to chess in general! All chess enthusiasts in the world will remember your efforts for this wonderfull game on earth! Listen to the REQUIEM of MOZART!!! W.J.B.
I am proud to be born in the century where two greatest minds achieved par excellence levels and results in mental and working energy, memory, knowledge, science and natural intelligence in history of mankind. They are “Two Men out of Time�
1 - Nikola Tesla (July 10, 1856 – January 7, 1943) and
2 - Robert James Bobby Fischer (March 9, 1943 - January 17, 2008)
Their time is coming!
Darko N. Dimitrijević
A very sad day for the chess community. I find it impossible to hide my tears.
The chess world has benefitted immensely from his presence: higher fees, the Fischer-clock, and, in the perhaps not too distant future. Fischerandom. In this aspect, he was many years ahead of his time. Despite his flaws as a human peing, two characteristics make him stand above all: purity and individualism. There will never be another one like him.
Goodbye Bobby, The Chess King. I write this eulogy with sadness and tears.
I will always remember and treasure your chess legacy, and also your goodness.
Yes, you said chess is your life. It is part of our lives too. And of course you will have eternal peace and chess after life. And we look forward to joining you there someday.
We thank the Icelandic people who loved and took care of you till your dying days. And to all the people in the world too who adored and supported you.
Be rest assured Bobby, that you will be loved and respected more, now that you have left the 64 squares of your life, of our lives.
BOBBY J FISCHER, one of the all- time chess greats.
With the greatest appreciation from the chess players of Singapore.
Bobby du var min læremester i sjakk, Takk.
All that is about Him… Watch in any order.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnAQN_iwNoA&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gO5Cro1qUE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7c-zY60u52E&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYLqeomdGHo&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFlBf5uYDdY&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ht-OqiuWVMk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbtWuwQX8Is&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9XgReXHWw8&feature=related
Then… Do it yourself: find who were his parents, where they were born an what consequences were for him. Think what was a reason for paranoia? Poor Bobby… Turn around, Allen.
RIP bobby. u will always alive in our heart. fischer-random should introduced in international chess in his memory.
Bobby is not a Grand Master of Chess. He IS NOT!!!! He was? Yes. But actually he “was and is” the neverending GOD MASTER of CHESS till the doomday..