Bobby Fischer Died Today

dead-kingChess is like life – Boris Spassky

Chess is life – Bobby Fischer

Bobby Fischer, the renegade, recluse Da Vinci look-alike chess genius died today in Iceland at the (ironic) age of 64 today.

I have been following (and fascinated by) his life ever since I read his book “Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess” in the early 90s (and ‘forgot’ to return it to the friend I borrowed it from). His books, his openings, and the dozens of chess puzzles that resulted from his famous matches taught me a lot about the game.

He was a rebel and romantic; a proponent of the 9/11 attacks, in another life, he might have been a suicide bomber, or a cyber punk. Though he has been labeled ‘eccentric’ numerous times, but he was also brutally honest (read this rare interview to see what I mean). Thank you Bobby, for teaching us chess, and for being honest.