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Questions tagged [fischer]

Robert J. Fischer (1943-2008) was an American grandmaster and world chess champion. At the height of his skills (1972) he was peerless. He was known for his meticulous preparation, deep understanding of the game, and mercurial temperament.

Robert J. Fischer (1943-2008) was an American grandmaster and the 11th world chess champion. At the height of his skills (1972) he was peerless. He was known for his meticulous preparation, deep understanding of the game, and mercurial temperament. After winning the world title from Boris Spassky in 1972, Fischer didn't defend his crown, and in 1975 the would-be challenger Anatoly Karpov became the champion.

For more information, see this Wikipedia entry.

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Who did Nigel Short really play on the ICC in 2001 when he thought he was playing Fischer?

In 2001, Nigel Short went public with the opinion that he had in fact played Bobby Fischer on the Internet Chess Club. This was denied by Fischer himself, and the consensus seems to be that it was not in fact Fischer that he was playing. However,…
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Did Bobby Fischer actually write "Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess"?

Did Bobby Fischer actually write his bestseller primer “Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess” (1966, 978-0553130539), or was it written by a ghost writer? I often ask myself this question because it seems very unlikely (to me, at least) that Bobby could keep…
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How come chess prodigies seem to start at a young age?

I started looking into the history of a few grandmasters such as Fischer and Carlsen, so I wondered: why does it seem that chess "kings" and queens" start playing the game from a young age? Can anyone show me any grandmasters who started playing…
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In Spassky v Fischer '72 game 11, why is 14. Nb1 considered such a great move?

In game 11 of the 1972 World Championship, Spassky as white moves his Knight back to its 14. Nb1 starting position. Apparently, this moved was received as 14. Nb1!!. But to me, it seems as a simple attack on the invading black queen to flush her out…
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How to use dice to determine starting position in Fischer Random?

Using a set of Platonic dice (tetrahedron, cube, octahedron, dodecahedron, and icosahedron), what way of choosing the initial position in a game of Fischer Random Chess (Chess 960) uses the fewest dice throws? I am looking for a way that does not…
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Did Fischer really have a 180 IQ?

I have read many times that Bobby Fischer had an IQ of 180. Did he really have that high of an IQ? Does anyone have proof that he was ever even tested (like a citation from an early book about him)? Sure, Fischer was an intelligent guy, but I tend…
PhishMaster
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Why did Bobby Fischer resign his title?

I was wondering about this question for a while. Why did Bobby Fischer resign his title?
Awesomemortality
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In Fischer-Petrosian 1971 game 7, why did Fischer give up his good knight for a bad bishop?

Fischer played 22. Nxd7, which seems strange since the knight looked very good. Why did he play it? [Title "Fischer-Petrosian, Buenos Aires (7) 1971, 10/19/1971"] [FEN ""] [startply "42"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Bd3 Nc6 6.…
user20471
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Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess - Visual Teaching of Chess

I have severe dyslexia which means that for the majority of chess books I find it very difficult to accurately read games (although having a board does help). My favorite chess book when I was younger was Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess (which I am sure…
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Why can white not mate in this position from Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess (frame 73)?

[Event ""] [Site "https://www.apronus.com/chess/wbeditor.php"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "6rk/p5p1/1q2Q3/3p4/6P1/8/2b2PK1/4R3 w - - 0 1"] I'm fairly new to anything more than the basics of chess and I'm currently working through Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess.…
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Why and how do great chess players become "crazy"?

I know that this question may be for a more psychology-focus forum, and "great" is an understatement for players such as Fischer; yet, I want to know your opinion on this question. Is it intelligence? Is it pressure? Or is it the game itself?…
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Why did Bobby Fischer quit chess after the match with Spassky?

I am not asking about the 1975 "resignation" to Karpov, but for which reasons did Bobby Fischer gradually lose interest in competitive chess after becoming World Champion? Jews or not Jews, he did not play a single tournament or match game until the…
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Why did Bobby Fischer play the Queen's Gambit as White vs. Spassky?

Why did Bobby Fischer play the Queen's Gambit as White in many games in the 1972 World Championship match vs. Spassky, although he almost never played it in any other tournament or match game?
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What is the opening value of 1. e4 in 2020?

Bobby Fischer: e4 -- best by test. What is the current theory or trend in theory behind this statement? We have seen huge strides taken in chess AI in the past two years. How is this affecting opening theory regarding the "best first move"?
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What were Fischer's 179 demands for a World Championship rematch?

According to this video (at 4:25), Bobby Fischer made 179 demands for a rematch for a World Championship, after he won the title. What were those 179 demands?
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