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Endgame: Bobby Fischer's Remarkable Rise and Fall—From America's Brightest Prodigy to the Edge of Madness

Frank Brady

3.89 · Rating details · 10,368 ratings · 524 reviews

Endgame is acclaimed biographer Frank Brady’s decades-in-the-making tracing of the meteoric ascent—and confounding descent—of enigmatic genius Bobby Fischer. Only Brady, who met Fischer when the prodigy was only 10 and shared with him some of his most dramatic triumphs, could have written this book, which has much to say about the nature of American celebrity and the dist Endgame is acclaimed biographer Frank Brady’s decades-in-the-making tracing of the meteoric ascent—and confounding descent—of enigmatic genius Bobby Fischer. Only Brady, who met Fischer when the prodigy was only 10 and shared with him some of his most dramatic triumphs, could have written this book, which has much to say about the nature of American celebrity and the distorting effects of fame. Drawing from Fischer family archives, recently released FBI files, and Bobby’s own emails, this account is unique in that it limns Fischer’s entire life—an odyssey that took the Brooklyn-raised chess champion from an impoverished childhood to the covers of Time, Life and Newsweek to recognition as “the most famous man in the world” to notorious recluse.

At first all one noticed was how gifted Fischer was. Possessing a 181 I.Q. and remarkable powers of concentration, Bobby memorized hundreds of chess books in several languages, and he was only 13 when he became the youngest chess master in U.S. history. But his strange behavior started early. In 1972, at the historic Cold War showdown in Reykjavik, Iceland, where he faced Soviet champion Boris Spassky, Fischer made headlines with hundreds of petty demands that nearly ended the competition.

It was merely a prelude to what was to come.

Arriving back in the United States to a hero’s welcome, Bobby was mobbed wherever he went—a figure as exotic and improbable as any American pop culture had yet produced. No player of a mere “board game” had ever ascended to such heights. Commercial sponsorship offers poured in, ultimately topping $10 million—but Bobby demurred. Instead, he began tithing his limited money to an apocalyptic religion and devouring anti-Semitic literature.

After years of poverty and a stint living on Los Angeles’ Skid Row, Bobby remerged in 1992 to play Spassky in a multi-million dollar rematch—but the experience only deepened a paranoia that had formed years earlier when he came to believe that the Soviets wanted him dead for taking away “their” title. When the dust settled, Bobby was a wanted man—transformed into an international fugitive because of his decision to play in Montenegro despite U.S. sanctions. Fearing for his life, traveling with bodyguards, and wearing a long leather coat to ward off knife attacks, Bobby lived the life of a celebrity fugitive – one drawn increasingly to the bizarre. Mafiosi, Nazis, odd attempts to breed an heir who could perpetuate his chess-genius DNA—all are woven into his late-life tapestry.

And yet, as Brady shows, the most notable irony of Bobby Fischer’s strange descent – which had reached full plummet by 2005 when he turned down yet another multi-million dollar payday—is that despite his incomprehensible behavior, there were many who remained fiercely loyal to him. Why that was so is at least partly the subject of this book—one that at last answers the question: “Who was Bobby Fischer?” ...more

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Hardcover, 402 pages

Published February 1st 2011 by Crown

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Start your review of Endgame: Bobby Fischer's Remarkable Rise and Fall—From America's Brightest Prodigy to the Edge of Madness

Sep 29, 2019 BlackOxford rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: biography-biographical, american, favourites

Batman

What did Bobby Fischer see?

The philosopher Thomas Nagel wrote a now famous paper in 1974: ‘What Is It Like to Be a Bat?’ His concern was the nature of consciousness. For him “an organism has conscious mental states if and only if there is something that it is like to be that organism- something it is like for the organism.” What he concluded is that no amount of description - of the organism itself, of its environment, of its history or upbringing - is sufficient to either derive or explai Batman

What did Bobby Fischer see?

The philosopher Thomas Nagel wrote a now famous paper in 1974: ‘What Is It Like to Be a Bat?’ His concern was the nature of consciousness. For him “an organism has conscious mental states if and only if there is something that it is like to be that organism- something it is like for the organism.” What he concluded is that no amount of description - of the organism itself, of its environment, of its history or upbringing - is sufficient to either derive or explain the subjective experience of such an organism, except to a sufficiently similar organism.

It is clear from Frank Brady’s biography that Bobby Fischer is so unlike any other human organism, that his experience - what he saw, how he judged what he saw, and why he acted in response to what he saw - is entirely impenetrable. This has to do in part with his 180 IQ score, perhaps with his marginally autistic personality, certainly with his profound talent for the game of chess. But ultimately the problem of ‘interpreting’ Bobby Fischer is much more general. As Thomas Aquinas insisted, each individual human being is his or her own species, and therefore fundamentally unknowable in Nagel’s terms.

In this light Bobby Fischer is Everyman. The difference between him and others is that his fame and his eccentricity provoke the questions that we don’t typically ask about people we know about. We prefer to project ourselves into their situations and provide them motivations, responses, and rationalisations that are entirely our own. But with Fischer, his talent is so enormous, his behaviour is so strange, that it’s just not possible to judge him to be pursuing any purpose but his own, a purpose that even he may have never been aware of.

Brady can therefore only speculate about Fischer’s mental processes:

“It seemed that his strength grew not just from tournament to tournament and match to match, but from day to day. Each game that he played, or analyzed, whether his or others’, established a processional of insight. He was always working on the game, his game, refining it, seeking answers, asking questions, pulling out his threadbare pocket set while in the subway, walking in the street, watching television, or eating in a restaurant, his fingers moving as if they had a mind of their own.”

Indeed: “a mind of their own.” Fischer’s consciousness was devoted to one thing: chess. He had other interests - swimming, baseball, ice hockey - but these were obviously engaged in to further his pursuit of the game. With his intelligence and determination, he could have pursued any number of professional careers. Why chess grabbed him so totally at an early age and then dominated his life to the extent of eliminating any apparent self-reflection (and often logic) is the specific mystery of Bobby Fischer - the mind revealed only in his fingers.

It’s impossible to tell whether Fischer’s life is psychotic or cannily purposeful in a way that the rest of us just can’t comprehend. Was chess simply another symptom - along with his bizarre anti-Semitism, his quondam religious fundamentalism, his disdain for modern medicine and dentistry, his suicidal feud with the US government, and a general unprovoked nastiness - of a complex but deranged mind? Or were these consistent and rational responses to an understanding of the world that could only be achieved through Fischer’s unique position within it? Walking a mile in his shoes was never an option for anyone else.

I suppose that this mystery is what makes biography interesting. Biography can only articulate the mystery; but that appears to be all we need to find it worthwhile. A reminder perhaps that none of us really understands anyone else, and very likely not even ourselves. Whatever Bobby Fischer saw, no one else ever did, or ever will.

Postscript: Stefan Zweig’s Chess Story is a remarkable literary analysis of Fischer’s personality written a half century before events: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... ...more

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Sep 18, 2019 Kiekiat rated it really liked it

Shelves: biography

A 3.5 book, but I'm giving it four stars because of the clear writing. It would have been a true four-star book, to the extent such a rating actually exists, had the author been able to interview more primary sources during Fischer's "Wilderness Years" period--the time after 1992 when he replayed Boris Spassky in Montenegro. Fisher defeated Spassky in their rematch, though he was playing a Spassky who had slipped to number 100 in the world and was no longer the formidable champion Fisher challen ...more

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Jun 26, 2011 Paul Bryant rated it liked it

Shelves: biography

ON THE INEXTRICABILITY OF COMEDY AND HORROR – SOME LESSONS FROM ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE AND ONE OF THE VILEST HUMANS OF THE LAST 60 YEARS

The very thing that made him great destroyed him. If that’s not a Greek tragedy I don’t know what is. But if nobility of character is a requirement in our tragedies, then look elsewhere.

1. d4 Nf6
2. c4 g6

Young Fischer read chess books all the time and constantly played through the games. His chess set became encrusted with crumbs and bits of food, and was n ...more

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Jun 02, 2019 Brett C rated it really liked it

Shelves: biography

I thought this was a very intriguing story. The chess legend had a unique story that kept me enthralled in its entirety. He grew up in a single-parent household with his older sister. He never knew who his real father was either and his mother was a multilinguist and world cultured medical practioner. Growing up a latchkey kid in Brooklyn, he excelled in puzzles, patterns, and games from an early age. At 13 he became the Junior Chess Champion and in 1972 became the World Chess Champion.

After ac ...more

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Jan 24, 2021 Ron rated it really liked it

Shelves: prodigy, 2021, chess

B-K4 (Bishop to King Four). That's not a move specific to this book, or one in which Bobby used against Spassky to win the World Championship game. He could have used the move at some point. In fact, he had to have, a thousand times even. That's how often he played the game. How many could be played in the span of a life? A million? If so, Bobby did.

His sister, Joan, bought Bobby his first chess set. Just a plastic, pocketbook dime store model. She did it to keep him busy and because he loved ga B-K4 (Bishop to King Four). That's not a move specific to this book, or one in which Bobby used against Spassky to win the World Championship game. He could have used the move at some point. In fact, he had to have, a thousand times even. That's how often he played the game. How many could be played in the span of a life? A million? If so, Bobby did.

His sister, Joan, bought Bobby his first chess set. Just a plastic, pocketbook dime store model. She did it to keep him busy and because he loved games. Figuring things out, even at such a young age. Puzzles, crosswords, mazes. Chess would become the ultimate puzzle of his life. His sister played some at first, but Bobby eclipsed her quickly. His mother as well. Day after day he would play both sides of the board, plotting against himself. But the game of Chess is meant for two. 64 squares. 32 pieces. A million moves to be acquired, mastered. Living in New York City at the time, raising two kids as a single mother while working and studying to be a nurse, Regina would still find the time to introduce Bobby to others who played the game. He lost this first match to a Master, and he broke down in tears. He was only seven. To Bobby's credit, Pavey (this Chess Master), crushed another seven players within the same roundhouse game. But a man named Carmen Nigro noticed the young, determined boy that night. He invited Bobby to attend the Brooklyn Chess Club. From that moment Bobby became consumed with the game, and it would lead to being named our nation's prodigy.

At the age of thirteen he won the Junior U.S. Championship. One year later he became the youngest U.S. Chess Champion in American history. It would take longer, age 29, to achieve his lifelong goal: the World Championship, but in winning he became the first native-born American to ever hold the title. In his rise, he'd probably broken more records than any before him, and maybe since. After the 1972 match with Boris Spassky, Fischer pretty much walked away from it all. Was it intentional? The book says no, except that he now desired to study the many other things he'd put off for chess: Religion, language, courtship. The problems that surfaced over the next twenty years were the same that Fischer had shown before and during that 1972 Championship match, only more cripplingly so. Saying that Bobby could be a difficult person to get along with, is putting it mildly. For reasons that I can't fully understand (the book tries), Fischer had become a paranoid, distrusting, and hateful person to certain sects of people (Russians, Jews, the Media, and America). During and after the Championship match money seemed to have taken precedence over the game. In his mind, the name Bobby Fischer had become a commodity not to be used by anyone but him. At other times, he could be extremely gracious and giving, and money mattered for nothing. By the mid-eighties he was virtually penniless, living from room to room around the city of Los Angeles (unrecognizable to most with a beard and long hair).

Chess brought Fischer back to the world in 1992. Once again, money would play a big role. But bigger than the game? It's hard to tell. From 92' on he lived a life partially in fear of the United States for his part in violating economic sanctions. Eventually, Iceland (host of the 1972 Chess match, and who still adored him) became his final home. But in all his days, despite himself, Fischer still had friends (though he cast off many – anyone who he felt crossed him). Yet there were those who looked up to him, who looked after him, and those who loved Chess. Certainly, he was adored by fans and others who were amazed by his play. Personally, I am fascinated by Bobby the child (and his game of Chess), but not at all the man he became. ...more

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Aug 12, 2016 Wayne Barrett rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2017, biography, history, non-fiction, sports

4.5

I am basing my rating, not necessarily on the quality of writing in this biography, but by how well it entertained and informed me. This is a clear case where someone like myself who loves the game of chess will be completely engrossed in the segments relating to the game, whereas someone who doesn't like the game, or simply doesn't know how to play, might be completely bored by this story. And when you talk about Bobby Fischer, you will be mostly talking about chess because chess was pretty
4.5

I am basing my rating, not necessarily on the quality of writing in this biography, but by how well it entertained and informed me. This is a clear case where someone like myself who loves the game of chess will be completely engrossed in the segments relating to the game, whereas someone who doesn't like the game, or simply doesn't know how to play, might be completely bored by this story. And when you talk about Bobby Fischer, you will be mostly talking about chess because chess was pretty much his life.

There is more to the story of Bobby's life than just chess and unfortunately it is not good. The man was an untapped genius and probably the greatest chess player in history, but he was also a twisted individual who spewed a lot of hate and ended up alienating himself from the world of chess, his friends, and his country.

Because of his fall from grace he has become largely forgotten by much of the newer generation in the U.S., but there was a time when Bobby Fischer was one of the most popular, beloved individuals in the country. His accomplishments in chess, especially his victory over the Russian, Boris Spassky, ranked right up there with the likes of the U.S. Olympic Hockey teams 'miracle on ice' victory. It is believed that Ali's famous line, "I am the greatest" was stolen from Fischer who made the claim about himself.

There were some negative influences, especially from his mother, that may have contributed to his mental depravity and then again, he may have just been one of those who was great in one aspect but was a screwed up person regardless of their genius.

His story, though great in the beginning, ultimately was a sad one. There is part of me that would like to give him the benefit of the doubt, especially considering what he accomplished for this country in the chess world, but there are some things that are hard to forgive. I won't give too much away from the hard facts of the story, but lets just say that as a chess player I admire him, but as a human being, can not forgive him. He didn't ask for it and he doesn't deserve it. So, Bobby Fischer, I acknowledge that you were probably the greatest chess player in history, but you were also an asshole.

This is a story of a fallen hero, and we generally sweep those under the rug, but this is a great biography of an American prodigy and his demise. It's hard to say whether any of my fellow readers would like this one if you are not a chess player, but it is still an interesting part of our history. ...more

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Sep 19, 2013 Stian rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: memoir-or-biography, 2013, owned-books, chess

Bobby Fischer is arguably the greatest chess player in history. Most people with some knowledge of chess would surely rank Fischer among the three greatest players of all time. A very common question to today's elite players when they are interviewed is, "Fischer or Kasparov?" The two are generally recognised as the strongest players in chess history, and rightly so.

Bobby said of himself that he was just a genius who happened to play chess, and some adults in his early life also said that if he ...more

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Jun 26, 2013 David rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: chess players, bearded cranks

Shelves: audiobook, biography, non-fiction, chess

Like go, chess is a game I know how to play but not well. I own books and have half-heartedly studied the game off and on, but I will never be a great or even particularly good player. Still, the beauty and logic of the game attracts me, along with all its storied lore.

Most people know that Bobby Fischer was once the greatest American player in the world, possibly the greatest player in the world period. Certainly he was one of the best players ever. This biography tells his life story by a symp ...more

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Jun 26, 2011 Arminius rated it it was amazing

This is a very entertaining book about what some have called the World’s greatest Chess player Bobby Fischer. He was raised, along with his sister, by a very well educated mother named Regina who continued to have bad luck. Regina was studying in a Soviet Union medical school when the Soviets were imposing Anti-Semitic pogroms. She chose, with Bobby and his sister, to immigrate to the United States. Bobby’s father, Gerhardt Fischer, choose to immigrate to France. After a short stay in Chicago Re ...more

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Feb 23, 2012 Fred Forbes rated it it was amazing

It was a cold night in Wisconsin in 1970 when my friend, a relief pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers suggested we play some chess. I knew the moves and that was about it. He cleaned my clock, time and again. I began to read chess books, got an occasional draw. Joined the local club and began to play in tournaments, got more draws, but never beat him. Still, a life-long love of the game began. I still have a first edition of Fisher's "My 60 Memorable Games" that my father gave to me and I can stil It was a cold night in Wisconsin in 1970 when my friend, a relief pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers suggested we play some chess. I knew the moves and that was about it. He cleaned my clock, time and again. I began to read chess books, got an occasional draw. Joined the local club and began to play in tournaments, got more draws, but never beat him. Still, a life-long love of the game began. I still have a first edition of Fisher's "My 60 Memorable Games" that my father gave to me and I can still remember the excitement of the world championship versus Spassky which I followed closely.

Over the years I wondered about Fischer's fate, much of his woe being self inflicted. Did he really lose all his winnings after the second match with Spassky when the banking system of the sponsoring country collapsed? What happened in terms of attempts at setting up matches. Did he really want them based on "Fisher Random", a version of chess he came up with to prevent the use of memorized lines? Was he really abused while under arrest in Japan? What really killed him in Iceland at a relatively young age? Was the battle over his estate by a claimed daughter won by her? What events led to his despicable comments regarding 9/11. Was there really a station that would broadcast such nonsense?

Some of the early spin on this book was that no games were shown and no analysis presented to be sure it would be of interest to casual readers who had no deep interest in chess. I was not sure that would make much of a difference since anyone interested can surely find the games of Bobby Fischer elsewhere but I felt that surely something would be lacking if wonders like the "Game of the Century" were not included.

Well, it made no difference in one's understanding of Bobby Fischer - if that warped sense of entitlement and reality can truly be understood. The book flows well, held my interest and filled in the answers to the questions above. A most interesting read and a job well done. Chess players and non will find this a rewarding endeavor. ...more

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Apr 15, 2011 John rated it it was amazing

Mikhail Moisevich Botvinnik, 51, the then World Chess Champion and three time winner played a game of Chess against Bobby Fischer in Varna Bulgaria. When the game adjourned for the day Bobby held a definitely superior position and after a quick review of the days moves went to bed early feeling comfortable. However, Botvinnik, Mikhail Tal, Boris Spassky, Paul Keres, Efim Geller, Semyon Furman and Yuri Averbach worked on the position until five-thirty the next morning. When play resumed Fischer w ...more

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Aug 10, 2011 CRO rated it liked it

Shelves: books-read-in-2011, biography

3 1/4 Stars

I don't play chess; I don't even know how. Before reading this book, I knew even less about Bobby Fischer - except that he was some sort of chess phenom that then became a Garbo-esque recluse. And this little bit I only knew because of that movie from the 90's Searching for Bobby Fischer - which isn't even really about him but about another young chess phenom trying to find balance between the obsessive game of chess and having a normal kid's life. But I knew enough about Fischer to b 3 1/4 Stars

I don't play chess; I don't even know how. Before reading this book, I knew even less about Bobby Fischer - except that he was some sort of chess phenom that then became a Garbo-esque recluse. And this little bit I only knew because of that movie from the 90's Searching for Bobby Fischer - which isn't even really about him but about another young chess phenom trying to find balance between the obsessive game of chess and having a normal kid's life. But I knew enough about Fischer to be intrigued by this biography - sitting right their in the director's choice display of my public library - Bobby Fischer with his creepy, hypnotizing eyes (the old man crazy eyes version is on the back of the book) - help me, help me - I've been hypnotized. I was sucked in, I'd figure I'd bite - so I checked out the book.

Here's is what I learned about Bobby Fischer: Bobby Fischer was a dick. He was an amazing chess player with devastating genius, but he had the social skills and graciousness of rotting, maggoty meat. There was some sort of mental illness/ schizophrenia/ developmental autism spectrum disorder/ personality disorder whatever going on with this man. The biographer, Frank Brady, described it as some sort of tourettes that would come over Fischer and cause him to just puke out all of these selfish recriminations and rants against the Jews, the Russians/ Soviets, the United States etc. Not that all of his paranoid delusions were completely unfounded - at least with regard to the Russians. It was later found out that the Russian players, during at least one world championship, were in collusion with each other to try and bring Fischer down. Even taking into account the intense competition and pressure and press scrutiny that Fischer was under, it can not be denied that Fischer took no responsibility for himself of for his own actions. The only relationship with others that he seemed to be able to tolerate was one where he was the king and his friends were his royal subjects. But his genius and his mad, mad chess skills dazzled people so he was never at a loss for financial backers, sponsors, or acolytes. Even with all of his religious questing, things like humility and graciousness still alluded Fischer. Thank god Fischer always had his mother, backers and tournament winnings to support him because I can not imagine him ever having to have an everyday, ordinary job - like at McDonald's or something:

Fischer: what do you want?
customer: Can I please have...
Fischer: No - how dare you - I need a million dollars up front.

And while empirically and emphatically, Bobby Fischer was a dick, there was still a part of me that couldn't help feeling sorry for him. His relentless and myriad religious quests, his search for a wife/ female companion, his cranky inability to get out of his own way with regards to financial negotiations - even to the detriment of his own well being - this was a man who was unable to do anything other than offend and demean - despite his best intentions.

But the real question is - did Fischer's genius at chess help or hinder him? Did his obsessive pursuit of chess give him something to funnel his craziness into - meaning without his chess would he have become a crazy, homeless guy talking to himself on the street? Or did his genius and success in the world of chess allow his psychological symptoms to be tolerated and coddled to the detriment of proper treatment? Or are genius and craziness so intertwined that you can't possibly have this kind of greatness and success without riding the crazy train?

As Fischer's biographer, Brady does a fairly decent job of, objectively, laying out the events of Fischer's life. I liked that he presented just the facts without too much personal insinuation or hypothesizing, but I would have liked a little more illumination of what exactly their (his and Fischer's) relationship was. And a little more explanation of Brady's cry fest at the restaurant in the "presence of Fischer's genius" would have been nice. Was Brady crying out of love, or jealousy, or awe, or what? That was a point in the narrative that I actually would have appreciated a little more insinuation from the author.

In the first couple of chapters, before Brady dives into Fischer's chess career, the exploration of Fischer's early years and upbringing is a little flat and listless. I think Brady completely underestimates the intelligence of his readers in this chapter with over-explanation of things like "blitzkrieg" and "blitz" - I don't speak German and I'm not a genius chess player or anything, but even I know that "blitz" means lightning. Brady, I got it - lightning fast play - stop explaining. Where Brady really excelled as an author were in the chapters about Fischer's famous chess matches and standoffs. Like I said, I don't really know anything about chess, but Brady was able to explain the game in an interesting enough way that I was thoroughly engaged and could understand what was going on.

Competent and sometimes engaging writing about a fascinating if not very likable man. Wouldn't it be nice if genius could always be cloaked in humility and graciousness? Just really not the case with Bobby Fischer. ...more

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Sep 30, 2020 Miebara Jato rated it it was amazing

A well-written book about the brilliant, inherently ungrateful, and paranoid conspiracy theorist, Chess grandmaster Bobby Fisher.

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Jul 18, 2011 Jackson rated it it was ok

Endgame is a disappointing read. For a subject as interesting and enigmatic as Bobby Fischer, Brady's portrait is surprisingly pedestrian. While he does a good job of narrating Fischer's life and bringing forward aspects of his so-called "wilderness years" that have never been known (the reason I gave two stars), the book features none of the psychological analysis or interpretation that good biographies of genius/insane characters possess (see my reviews on Einstein and John Nash's respective b Endgame is a disappointing read. For a subject as interesting and enigmatic as Bobby Fischer, Brady's portrait is surprisingly pedestrian. While he does a good job of narrating Fischer's life and bringing forward aspects of his so-called "wilderness years" that have never been known (the reason I gave two stars), the book features none of the psychological analysis or interpretation that good biographies of genius/insane characters possess (see my reviews on Einstein and John Nash's respective biographies). Brady does little more than narrate the facts. But what makes a biography great is for the biographer to offer some reasons as to why a person like Fischer would give up everything to live in solitude.

Moreover, this book says very little about the chess games themselves. Fischer won this match, so it goes, but where is the detail of how his strategy caught his opponents unawares? I understand that Brady is trying to reach a wider audience who may not be interested in chess, but again, a good biographer can relate this kind of insider jargon in a manner that is interesting and able to be grasped by the amateur reader. Brady's allocation of space is way off as well. He gives only one chapter to Fischer's incredible run for the championship in 1972, but three whole chapters to his later years which are, surprisingly uninteresting.

The weakness of this work might be summed up in the epilogue. I see an epilogue as the biographer's final chance to take stock of the life of his or her subject as a whole. What did the subject contribute? How do we understand his faults? Such an assessment was desperately needed in Fischer's case because in his later years he becomes such an unsympathetic figure. Brady offers nothing of this in his epilogue. Instead he narrates the rather boring saga of the fight between several people to be Fischer's rightful heir to his 2 million dollar estate. And then when you reach the end, you realize that the fight has yet to be decided. Incredibly unsatisfying. ...more

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Mar 19, 2011 Steven rated it it was amazing

Shelves: books-i-really-liked, chess, biography, 2011-read

This is one of the better biographies that I have read. In the first half of the book, I felt that the author had created the aura of the developing Bobby Fischer. I would like to have seen more about some of the years in Fischer's life prior to his attaining the championship, and the events involving the championship and post championship. Perhaps my wanting more reflects the excellence of this biography. The second half of the book did an above average job of illustrating the life of the post This is one of the better biographies that I have read. In the first half of the book, I felt that the author had created the aura of the developing Bobby Fischer. I would like to have seen more about some of the years in Fischer's life prior to his attaining the championship, and the events involving the championship and post championship. Perhaps my wanting more reflects the excellence of this biography. The second half of the book did an above average job of illustrating the life of the post champion Fischer, although I did not feel his aura the same way I had in the first half of the book.

Although unnecessary, I would have liked to see several Fischer's annotated games, including his game of the century, in an appendix. Not including some of Fischer's games is like a biography of Van Gogh that does not include some of his painting; while the book still would stand, the inclusion of some of the artist's work for those who can appreciate the work, contributes to the illustration of the story of the artist's life. BTW it's not that I don't have Fischer's games or can't access them, but rather that I thought putting some of his beautiful work in an appendix would add to the biography.

I was a young boy when my father told me of the genius chess player from Brooklyn, Bobby Fischer, who was a little older than me. I remember playing in a tournament at the Henry Hudson hotel in Manhattan when the older boy who accompanied me to the tournament told me about the young chess player, Fischer, who defeated older players. I think I have a memory of seeing him at the board going over games with other players, but I'm not sure--wish I could remember. I followed Fischer's world championship games with Shelby Lyman on TV. And then he won. Astounding. I remember seeing Fischer after he won the championship on the Dick Cavett show. Fischer was charming, very smart, and likeable. When Fischer began to rant hatred, it really broke my heart, and when he passed away, I had conflicting emotions about him.

The Frank Brady biography was excellent, and I highly recommend it.

...more

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May 25, 2011 K rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks, readablenonfiction

Well, it may just be my perverse interest in random celebrities but I liked this book. Bobby Fischer is fascinating -- vile, admittedly, but fascinating all the same. And Frank Brady's biography managed to be both informative and interesting, doing justice to Fischer's story and multifaceted personality.

Many goodreads reviewers complained that Brady, as a longtime friend of Fischer's, was less than objective and not the best person to write Fischer's biography. While I think it's true that Brady ...more

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May 15, 2017 d.a.v.i.d rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Intelligence is not always pretty, at least that is what I am told.

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Apr 13, 2014 Ms.pegasus rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: anyone who remembers Fischer as a chess prodigy

Recommended to Ms.pegasus by: my husband

Shelves: memoir-biography, nonfiction

Success in professional competition requires more than talent. To succeed a competitor needs a unique combination of inhuman stamina and obsessive desire – drives that enable him to revisit the unpleasant experience of every defeat in order to analyze and learn. Bobby Fischer had those qualities from the very beginning. At six, he taught himself to play chess. When his sister and mother tired of playing with him, he played against himself. At age 7 he was invited to join the Brooklyn Chess Club Success in professional competition requires more than talent. To succeed a competitor needs a unique combination of inhuman stamina and obsessive desire – drives that enable him to revisit the unpleasant experience of every defeat in order to analyze and learn. Bobby Fischer had those qualities from the very beginning. At six, he taught himself to play chess. When his sister and mother tired of playing with him, he played against himself. At age 7 he was invited to join the Brooklyn Chess Club by its president, Carmine Nigro. He was soon playing competitive chess, supplementing his knowledge with advanced texts by Alexander Alekhine and Paul Morphy. At age 12 he finished 15th in the Washington Square tournament where he competed against over 60 other players. He found every loss and even every draw disappointing but instructive. His extraordinary memory allowed him to analyze and reanalyze those games for future access and exploitation.

Bobby did not come from a chess-playing family. The encounter with Carmine Nigro was fortuitous, but the Brooklyn Chess Club was only open twice a week. On Friday nights, his mother accompanied him there. On Saturdays, Nigro would usually drive Bobby to Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village. A chance walk from Central Park with Nigro led them to enter the Manhattan Chess Club, where Bobby's youth (he was only 12) and comprehensive grasp of strategy led to the offer of a free membership in the prestigious club. The venue allowed him to play daily. Money was scarce so Bobby spent hours at the library studying the available literature. Despite the tutelage of Nigro and later, of Jack Collins, it can be said that Fischer was self-motivated and self-made. He did not have a consistent mentor or coach. He did not have steady sponsors or a fundraising committee. It's easy to see how in his own mind he discounted the contributions of others toward his astonishing success.

Brady titles one of his chapters “Loneliness to Passion,” and elsewhere he states: “The game not only engaged Bobby's mind, it tempered his loneliness, and while playing, he felt more alive.” (p.41). Yet, the relationship between his loneliness and chess felt much more symbiotic. The reader senses that only by being alone could Bobby discover and nurture his unique gift. Being alone gave him the space to apply his analytic abilities and internalize the strategies he was learning from books. It was boredom rather than loneliness that was alleviated by chess.

Brady's book is easily accessible to the non-chess player. He does not provide chess analysis or diagrams. Instead, he chronicles the extraordinary life and achievement of Bobby Fischer, the dominant chess player of his time; the youthful, handsome and charming (at least in victory) figure who electrified the American public; the winner of the World Chess Championship in 1972 who garnered world-wide attention in Reyjkavik. At the same time, Brady struggles to reconcile this with the hostile, hurtful, egocentric recluse who spouted vitriolic anti-Semitic and anti-American rhetoric, and who spent much of his life incessantly carping about how the Russians cheated. The press captured only the surface of his odious behavior.

Over time Fischer left an ugly trail of shattered friendships. In 1974, Jack Collins, who had treated the youthful Bobby almost like family, asked Fischer to write a brief introduction to his forthcoming book, MY SEVEN CHESS PRODIGIES. Fischer didn't even bother to reply, thereby significantly diminishing Collins' advance from his publisher. As an overnight guest at the home of Walter Browne, an Australian-American grandmaster, he asked to use the phone and proceeded to make a long-distance call. After four hours, and with no apparent end in sight, Browne hinted: “You know, Bobby, you'll really have to get off the phone. I can't afford this.” (p.225). Bobby abruptly left. He never spoke to Browne again. His paranoia extended not only to the Russians (he believed they were plotting to kill him) but to both friends and associates, whom he accused of trying to exploit him for profit. His behavior toward the Icelanders who rescued him from Japanese imprisonment, was appalling. His petty grudges against people who had helped extract him from Japan spread to generalizations about the entire country. “By the fall of 2007, Bobby's disillusionment with Iceland was fixed. He called it a 'God-forsaken country' and referred to Icelanders as 'special but only in the negative sense.'” (p.313)

Fischer was an autodidact. He never finished high school, but in his adult years, particularly after Reyjkavik, he read extensively. Yet, he tarnished even this pursuit, clinging doggedly to confirming biases and ignoring any contradictory information. Brady eschews the oversimplification of trying to cast Fischer as a tragic figure. Yet, to describe his life as a fall from meteoric success would also be wrong. His tantrums at Reyjkavik almost made one wish Spassky would win. Like the pieces on his chessboard, Fischer could only see in black and white. When Fischer died in 2008 his achievements in chess had already attained the status of mythology – paid for by a sacrifice of self-awareness that left him with the emotional maturity of a five-year-old for the entirety of his life.

NOTES:
This review in the GUARDIAN is outstanding
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2011...
A documentary for HBO was made with the title: BOBBY FISCHER AGAINST THE WORLD. The book dispels many rumors the movie perpetuates
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1777551/

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Apr 06, 2011 Bookmarks Magazine rated it really liked it

Shelves: may-june-2011

Chess has given the world many interesting words. One of the best is “zugzwang,” which is the state in which any move will disadvantage a player. Brady may have been in zugzwang when he chose to write this book. On the one hand, his friendship with and access to the famously secretive and difficult Bobby Fischer was the only thing that made the writing of a biography possible. On the other hand, several critics felt that Brady is too sympathetic to Fischer and that he tries to rationalize or exp ...more

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Jun 11, 2016 Dean rated it it was amazing

Very good biography of the man many consider to be the greatest chess player of all time. When Fischer finally reached the top of the chess world in 1972 after defeating Boris Spassky in a memorable match, it seemed as though it would be the beginning of an era of dominance for Fischer. Instead, Fischer never defended his title and became a recluse until finally returning for one final game in 1992 to ease his financial troubles. Fischer was a genius on the chess board but off it he was childish ...more

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Jul 11, 2011 Adrian added it

Tells the full story of amazing rise and sad fall. US champion at age 14 in 1956 he set the chess world on its ear and then took chess to the wider world with his victory over Boris Spassky in 1972. From there of course the story descends into what can only be described as a kind of madness. The paranoia, rage against the US government, hateful anti-semitism, picking fights with friends only trying to help him and enormous sense of superiority over all other mortals- yet it's still impossible to ...more

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Oct 02, 2011 Stephen rated it really liked it

I really enjoyed reading this book in the Duke library. I have been into the Bobby Fischer story for a while now and saw a great documentary on him at the Full Frame Documentary festival last spring. So I had to read this book. It went into even more detail about his childhood, and development as a chess player, and vital life moments, such as the game of the century, the world championship game, and his fight against the united states government in Japan. A few key points here for my book revie I really enjoyed reading this book in the Duke library. I have been into the Bobby Fischer story for a while now and saw a great documentary on him at the Full Frame Documentary festival last spring. So I had to read this book. It went into even more detail about his childhood, and development as a chess player, and vital life moments, such as the game of the century, the world championship game, and his fight against the united states government in Japan. A few key points here for my book review
1. His development, he became world champion because he played chess incessantly. He was always playing reviewing and studying games and looking for greater challenges. The book actually portrayed him as less of a natural talent prodigy than I had assumed, and more of just a purely determined human being. 2. Some other points that are somewhat tangential to the book and story but arose as a result of reading this book. The notion that America is an illegitimate state. This is a very simple idea, and once considered, yes, seems obvious, but one in which I hadn't really reflected upon. Yes, we all know that America was taken from the indians, but until I read this claim in those words, I hadn't really realized this. and the implications of this are far reaching. One implication is that I should perhaps move back to the nation of my origin, germany, ireland or england. Another implication is that is explains the economic and military greed of the US...of course, it's based upon an illegitimate power grab, the results of this will probably be more of the same. Another implication, imagine the world we live in if europeans had stayed within their boundaries, and native americans still lived as they did here in North america. The land would be rich with game, natural beauty and natural spirituality. What a much greater blessing this would be. North and South America. We could have confined the industrial revolution the the nation of origin, england, instead of it spreading all over the place. Imagine this as an alternate reality. and point 3. This point has to do with the nature of Bobby's vitriolic outbursts. When I first heard his rant about how great 9/11 was, I was pretty shocked, we all know we are entitled to free speech, but how many people would actually go this far, to be as explicit as this. It kind of reveals that although we have free speech in theory, very few people actually practice free speech, most of us are too afraid I think to really say what we think about the economic situation, the government, or the state of our nation, for fear of being targeted by a force larger than ourselves.
So what this point bring up for me is how many things we do as a person that aren't necessary, but we do out of polite regard or obligation. For instance: It's not illegal to weigh 400 pounds, smell like a pile of trash, be completely unkempt, snort and gargle constantly, wear terrible stained outfits...etc. All these things aren't illegal, but most people, out of sheer decency, don't do these things. This is the case with Bobbys nasty nasty comments...and I'm not condemning them, my point is that, what he's saying...it's not illegal, he has the right to say them, and very few would, and this illustrates the mind of a chess genius, making moves that are on the utmost outer edge of acceptability in order to gain the slightest advantage...I think these comments in this way really reflect the chess-like strategic thinking of Bobby. I think Bobby Fischer was great, in all his forms. I do wish that he could have made more of a public chess life after the world championship in 72, but one never knows what he was really dealing with. ...more

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Jul 07, 2013 Lance rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: blog, sports

Review:

No other chess match or game has captured the world’s attention more than the 1972 World Championship match between challenger Bobby Fischer of the United States and champion Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union. After winning this match, Fischer became a huge celebrity and this extra attention also showed the world the other side of the man. His life both before and after this event is covered in this biography written by Frank Brady.

It illustrates a young man who was raised along with his ...more

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May 15, 2011 Gaby rated it really liked it

Shelves: nonfiction

Previous knowledge of chess or its masters isn't necessary to an appreciation of Bobby Fischer's story or this latest work by Frank Brady. The book is an engrossing read - well researched and full of drama. It's the story of a child prodigy, his obsessive love for the game, his foray into chess at the time that the Russians and Eastern Europeans dominated chess, and his impressive

Endgame opens with Fischer's arrest in Japan for traveling on an expired passport. His fear, confusion, and the stra Previous knowledge of chess or its masters isn't necessary to an appreciation of Bobby Fischer's story or this latest work by Frank Brady. The book is an engrossing read - well researched and full of drama. It's the story of a child prodigy, his obsessive love for the game, his foray into chess at the time that the Russians and Eastern Europeans dominated chess, and his impressive

Endgame opens with Fischer's arrest in Japan for traveling on an expired passport. His fear, confusion, and the strangeness of the scene alerts to the drama that unfolds. This glimpse into Fischer's decline is juxtaposed against Fischer's childhood and his love of chess.

Fischer and his elder sister were raised by their mother on a very tight budget. Brady met Fischer in these early years and is well acquainted with the generous New Yorkers that served as teachers and mentors and extended family to young Bobby Fischer. Brady captures what Fischer was like - brilliant, easily bored, and deeply fascinated by chess. His sister bought a chess set when he was six years old. His sister and mother weren't as interested in the game, he beat them, and played against himself often and constantly. As his obsessive love for chess overtook his other interests, his mother grew worried enough to try to get him to seek therapy or reduce his obsession. While she worried about the intensity of his obsession with chess, his mother introduced him to chess masters, teachers, and groups. Fischer's skill and grasp of the game stood out early on. I particularly enjoyed reading about Fischer's early years - the people that took an interest in him, introduced him to other talented players, discussed the nuances of the game, brought him to tournaments, welcomed him into their exclusive clubs. Brady shares small details that give a clear picture of Bobby Fischer both at an early age and as his career quickly blossoms.

As we read about each of Fischer's matches and how each of them impacted his skill and career, we learn about sports competitions during the Cold War. Chess was dominated by the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, their champions were cared for, trained supported and received significant backing from their governments. Fischer was bitter - perhaps rightfully so - about the extent to which the Russian players were supported and worked together. His brilliance, youth, abrasiveness, and confrontational attitude stood out in these competitions. In his later years, Fischer became known for his membership in fringe religious groups, anti-semitic tirades, and reclusive behavior.

Our fascination with Bobby Fischer is reflected in movies such as Searching for Bobby Fischer and a new HBO documentary Bobby Fischer Against the World. Endgame: Bobby Fischer's Remarkable Rise and Fall - from America's Brightest Prodigy to the Edge of Madness is a fascinating and well researched account of Bobby Fischer's life.

ISBN-10: 9780307463906 - Hardcover $25.95
Publisher: Crown (February 1, 2011), 416 pages.
Review copy provided by the publisher. ...more

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Apr 27, 2012 Gerry Claes rated it really liked it

In 1972 everyone knew the name of the World Chess Champion and in 2012 I am willing to bet that you can't find one person who knows the name of the current World Chess Champion! The difference? Bobby Fischer!

In 1972 the Russians(Soviets) dominated the game of international chess and other nations could only hope that they would compete somewhat respectfully against them. And then along came Bobby Fischer. Fischer was born in poverty to a single mom (Fischer's father disappeared from his life bef In 1972 everyone knew the name of the World Chess Champion and in 2012 I am willing to bet that you can't find one person who knows the name of the current World Chess Champion! The difference? Bobby Fischer!

In 1972 the Russians(Soviets) dominated the game of international chess and other nations could only hope that they would compete somewhat respectfully against them. And then along came Bobby Fischer. Fischer was born in poverty to a single mom (Fischer's father disappeared from his life before his birth and was never a factor in his life). His mother was an immigrant of Polish, Russian, Jewish descent. His mother (Regina) may hold the distinction of being the only person who was married in Moscow Russia and divorced in Moscow Idaho.

Fischer was a child prodigy with a reported IQ of 180. He took to chess at an early age and it dominated his life. By the time he was 20 years old he was beating most Americans and by his late 20's he was defeating most international players. At the age of 29 he became the youngest player to win the World Championship in Reykjavik Iceland by defeating the Russian Champion Boris Spassky. Once he did win the Championship Fischer became somewhat of a recluse. He refused to defend his title and in 1975 he lost it.

Fischer did not play competitive for 20 years. In 1995 Fischer did have a rematch with Spassky which Fischer won but by them both men were past their prime. Fischer got into trouble with the US government for failing to pay taxes on his winnings. Fischer then became a man without a country living all over the world. He renounced his US citizenship and in 2005 Iceland granted him a passport and he moved to Reykjavik where he died in 2008.

Fischer's life story is fascinating and some of his antics leave you speechless. If he wasn't bipolar then I don't know who would be. He had such potential and he did more for the game of chess than anyone else in the history of the game. It is a shame that he died in such obscurity and hasn't been given the recognition by the US that he should have received. His body resides in a nondescript grave in Iceland.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and if you have any interest in this icon of American chess I recommend this book. A historical fact of interest: Bobby Fischer and my wife were both born on the same day, March 9, 1943.

For your information, the current world champion is Viswanathan Anand of India, who won the World Chess Championship 2007 and successfully defended his title against former world champion Vladimir Kramnik in the World Chess Championship 2008, and again against the challenger Veselin Topalov in the World Chess Championship 2010. He will defend his title against challenger Boris Gelfand in the World Chess Championship 2012.
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Sep 12, 2011 William Thomas rated it liked it

Shelves: nazis, bat-shit-crazy, could-have-beens-but-never-weres

There's a strange story about concerning Marlon Brando and the death of Dag Drollet, Cheyenne Brando's boyfriend, at the hands of Marlon Brando's son, Christian. Dag was shot in the Brando home and Christian claimed the shooting to be an accident. Frenzied, Marlon and the family were searching for the shell casing but couldn't find it because the carpeting was thick and deep. So Marlon Brando and all his girth decided to strip naked and roll oround on the carpeting in order to find the casing an There's a strange story about concerning Marlon Brando and the death of Dag Drollet, Cheyenne Brando's boyfriend, at the hands of Marlon Brando's son, Christian. Dag was shot in the Brando home and Christian claimed the shooting to be an accident. Frenzied, Marlon and the family were searching for the shell casing but couldn't find it because the carpeting was thick and deep. So Marlon Brando and all his girth decided to strip naked and roll oround on the carpeting in order to find the casing and keep Dag, who claimed the shooting to be an accident. So there he is, Marlon Brando naked as a jay, rolling around in shag carpeting trying to find a shell casing before the police could arrive.

In 'Endgame', Frank Brady tells us that the young Bobby Fischer doesn't want to end up like Marlon Brando's character in 'On the Waterfront', Terry Molloy. I take it that he didn't want to be crying in the back seat of a limo abotu how he could have been a contender because there was no way that the older Bobby was going to wind up doing anything like sticking his neck out for other people and risking his own life for something bigger than he was.

And that's exactly what Bobby became, really- a could-have-been. He was the reigning world champion at an extraordinarily young age, but only for a single year. The previous champion held the title for 27 years. And why did Bobby only hold the title for a year? Because he was a bat-shit crazy narcissist and egomaniac with all sorts of neurosis that created a disconnect from the actual world. Not that he couldn't have defended the title for years to come, but that he wanted it his way or no way and refused to play by any other rules but his own.

It is very hard not to judge an artist's work without judging the artist themselves. It's the reason I don't read TS Eliot, I don't watch Johnny Depp movies made after 1995 and I don't support Russel Crowe at the box office, and on and on and on blah blah blah. Bobby's severely anti-semitic (a term I'm not altogether comfortable with because semitic people are not only Jews but also Arabs) views make me uncomfortable, although I can respect his genius and his art. And you'll get plenty of examples of Bobby's craziness and his genius in this book. It doesn't interpret anythign about Bobby's life, but it does help to clear up a few misconceptions and give a rarely seen look into a very private life. ...more

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Aug 12, 2012 Judy rated it really liked it

Apparently,having an IQ over 180 doesn't bring you happiness. Instead, what Frank Brady describes is a life that has elements of a Greek tragedy--without the nobility. In this biography, Bobby Fischer burst on the chess scene becoming a master at 13 and a grand master at age 15. He rose like a rocket to become the American champion several years in a row, and then became world champion in 1972 in Reykjavik, Iceland after beating Russian Grand Master Boris Spassky. But then the darker side of Bob Apparently,having an IQ over 180 doesn't bring you happiness. Instead, what Frank Brady describes is a life that has elements of a Greek tragedy--without the nobility. In this biography, Bobby Fischer burst on the chess scene becoming a master at 13 and a grand master at age 15. He rose like a rocket to become the American champion several years in a row, and then became world champion in 1972 in Reykjavik, Iceland after beating Russian Grand Master Boris Spassky. But then the darker side of Bobby Fischer seemed to take hold. He returned to a hero's welcome in the United States and over the next 20 years turned down millions of dollars for chess tournaments because the organizers either couldn't or wouldn't agree to all of his, often petty, demands. He was reduced to living for years in poverty in Los Angeles--subsisting primarily on his mother's Social Security checks--and his political views became more extreme. He was increasingly paranoid, rabidly anti-Semitic (although he was Jewish), and a Holocaust denier. He saw conspiracy everywhere and believed that he was the target of multiple death threats. Because of the civil war in the former Yugoslavia, the United States placed travel restrictions on U.S. citizens wanting to travel to that area. Then Bobby Fischer announced in 1992 that he would play a rematch with Boris Spassky in Montenegro. Although warned by the State Department not to travel to the area, Fischer decided to play the match with Spassky. He also announced that he had not paid taxes in the U.S. for the past 20 years. Following his second victory over Spassky, Fischer became a celebrity fugitive trying to avoid arrest and deportation to the United States for tax evasion. He also did not want to pay any taxes on the $5 million that he won in the second Spassky match, which he had deposited in a bank in Switzerland. By the time of his death, Fischer had publicly celebrated the 9/11 attack on the United States, tried to renounce his U.S. citizenship, been arrested and held in a Japanese prison for months, became a citizen of Iceland, and spent the last few years of his life living in Iceland as a virtual recluse. Brady delivers a fascinating book about a deeply disturbed and unhappy man--who, coincidentally, was a chess genius. Luckily, the reader has to have no prior knowledge of chess history, the rules of chess, or the strategies that are involved in international level play in order to enjoy this book. ...more

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Oct 07, 2016 Mit rated it really liked it

I always like to read a biography of a genius and this was also no different.. Bobby Fischer was a promising talent in the world of chess. He started playing chess at a very early age before he had even hit the double figures. There were some initial defeats but he kept on playing and like every genius, he had the right brain for chess and his constant practice and obsession towards chess lead him to the grandest stage.
In 1972, the world's attention was directed towards Reykjavik, where the cha I always like to read a biography of a genius and this was also no different.. Bobby Fischer was a promising talent in the world of chess. He started playing chess at a very early age before he had even hit the double figures. There were some initial defeats but he kept on playing and like every genius, he had the right brain for chess and his constant practice and obsession towards chess lead him to the grandest stage.
In 1972, the world's attention was directed towards Reykjavik, where the championship match for chess between Bobby Fischer and then champion Boris Spassky was organized. The world was living at the top of cold war and the match between an american challenger and a Russian champion was also hyped as a "cold war" battle.. For the first time the cold war would be decided not on the battlefield, not by some diplomatic discussions and meetings but on the 64 squares..
Bobby Fischer's rise was mainly due to his personality which was more associated with a behavior of a Diva than with what one expects from a master of a demanding game of logic. Everyone wanted to meet him, wanted to take photo with him, United states finally had a promising chess player and who can defeat a Russian, that was more than what anyone can ask for during that time.. He was at his peak and got as much attention as any Hollywood star can get..
After becoming grandmaster and world champion, Bobby had developed a passion about reading as much as possible and though he had self-imposed himself into an exile he had not forgotten about chess.. But it is said that higher you rise, the deeper you can fall and it was true in the case of Bobby too.. He started to refuse multi-million dollar offers to play, to advertise and soon his anti-American and anti-Semitic invective turned his good into a disgust from people...
So, what exactly happened? Why such a promising talent went towards the path of evil remarks and especially away from chess?
Frank Brady tries to answer all these questions in this book as he looks at the career of Bobby Fischer and his odd behavior, from the most cherished person in the United States to the "most wanted" person in the United States, Brady portraits one of the greatest chess player who ever lived in a lucid manner... ...more

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Jul 12, 2011 Elc rated it it was amazing

Warning: Spoiler alert.

Bobby Fischer (BF) was a boy genius who lost his mind as an adult. Playing--and becoming really good at--board games with his sister was a gateway drug to playing chess. Eventually he played so much chess as a child that he missed out on a lot of things, namely social interactions with peers. He was very bright at school--and skilled at both swimming and baseball--but chess was always a priority for him. In fact, he was absent so frequently from school because he competed ...more

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Jan 16, 2013 Scott Fabel rated it it was amazing

I am a huge fan of chess. Moreover, I believe that Bobby Fischer is quite possibly the best player to have ever lived. In this book, Bobby's life is described in near intimate detail. From his early childhood, it's clear that Bobby was a genius. In his final days, it's clear that he descended into his own type of madness--though still a genius.

Although this book is written as non-fiction, it could almost be a fictional story. The events in Bobby's life are so extraordinary that it's hard to beli ...more

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Frank Brandy is the author of numerous critically acclaimed biographies. Internationally recognised as the greatest authority on the life and career of Bobby Fischer, he is also president of New York City's Marshall Chess Club and was the founding editor of Chess Life. ...more

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“Practice isn’t the thing you do once you’re good. It’s the thing you do that makes you good.” — 18 likes

“But to play in an international tournament of the caliber announced, he had to spend much more time at careful, precise study, analysis, and memorization. He stopped answering his phone, because he didn’t want to be interrupted or tempted to socialize—even for a chess party—and at one point, to be alone with the chessboard, he just threw some clothes in a suitcase, didn’t tell anyone where he was going, and checked into the Brooklyn YMCA. During his stay there, he sometimes studied more than sixteen hours per day. Malcolm Gladwell, in his book Outliers, describes how people in all fields reach success. He quotes neurologist Daniel Levitin: “In study after study, of composers, basketball players, fiction writers, ice skaters, concert pianists, chessplayers, criminals and what have you, the number comes up again and again [the magic number for true expertise: ten thousand hours of practice].” Gladwell then refers to Bobby: “To become a chess grandmaster also seems to take about ten years. (Only the legendary Bobby Fischer got to that elite level in less than that amount of time: it took him nine years.) Practice isn’t the thing you do once you’re good. It’s the thing you do that makes you good.” — 2 likes

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