Bobby Fischer, 1943–2008
Robert James Fischer, the reclusive eleventh World Chess Champion, has died
at the age of 64 in Reykjavik, Iceland, where he had been living for the last
three years. Fischer moved to Iceland after spending nine months in Japanese
detention while the US sought his extradition for tax evasion. He was released
when Iceland, where in 1972 he had defeated the tenth World Champion Boris Spassky,
granted him citizenship and afforded him refuge in the Nordic state. Fischer
settled in Reykjavik in April 2005, disappearing once again from the limelight
that his arrest and release in Japan had cast on him. He had just two or three
trusted friends whom he occasionally visited, a few shops and the library, where
he could occasionally be seen, and some restaurants where he ate. Fischer generally
refused to talk to journalists or entrepreneurs who approached him in droves
with projects and business proposals.
After a few relatively peaceful years Fischer, who was born on March 9, 1943,
took ill a few months ago and was admitted to hospital. His friend Einar S.
Einarsson informed the international media that in Iceland sickness is catagorized
as private matter, and being sick is not a subject of media reports. The Icelandic
press honored this ground rule and many news services – including ours
– followed suit. We knew that he was suffering from kidney failure and
that there was little hope for long-term survival. Still news of his death,
which caught us during our car journey from Hamburg to Wijk aan Zee, came as
a shock.
Round six of the Corus Chess Tournament in Wijk started with a minute's silence
in remembrance of Fischer. After the games had started attention was concentrated
on the Honorary Group, which is due to start playing their tournament on Saturday.
After a short opening ceremony, all four grandmasters gave first reactions to
the news of Fischer's passing:
-
Viktor Kortchnoi: "A chess genius has died; a loss
for humanity."
-
Lajos Portisch: "A big shock; the best chess player
in history has passed away."
-
Ljubomir Ljubojevic: "A man without frontiers. He
didn't divide the East and the West, he brought them together in their admiration
for him."
-
Jan Timman: "A great player and a great example for
many. His book My 60 Memorable Games had a big impact on me. It
is a shame he didn't continue to enrich the world of chess with his unparalleled
understanding after 1972."
News reports on Fischer's death
Remembering Bobby Fischer
The wire services and chess blogs are racing to summarize Fischer's life and
importance, and in the next days and weeks we will see comprehensive coverage
of all aspects of his career. Instead of adding another eulogy to this flood
we have chosen to remember the final phase of Bobby's life, when he settled
down in Iceland after being released from Japanese detention. We do this with
a picture gallery from April 2005.
Bobby Fischer, after nine months in Japanese detention, and after two weeks
in Iceland
Fischer with his old buddy Saemi Palsson after his 24-hour journey from Japan
Feeling better, a few days later after a much-needed trimming of hair and
beard
A dinner reception arranged for the new Icelandic citizen
With candlelight, friends and helpers
In animated discussion with friends
Bobby with Icelandic psychologist M. Skulason
With his fiancée Miyoko Watai, who returned to Japan some days ago
At a welcome dinner with Miyoko and Einar Einarsson
A blissfully happy Miyoko with tireless Einar of the RJF Committee
Saemi 'n Bob – virtually inseparably
Fischer officially gets his brief of Icelandic citizenship
ChessBase articles on Fischer's detention and release
|  Bobby
Fischer: latest news and pictures
04.04.2005
It's
more than a week since Bobby Fischer arrived in Reykjavik, and news
of his new life in the Nordic country has been steadily reaching us.
For instance that Iceland will never deport him. Or of a 60 Minutes
program that is in preparation. We bring you a collection of new Fischer
photos, articles, declarations, even
editorial cartoons.
|
 Easter
editorializing on Fischer's escape
29.03.2005
Thursday
night Bobby Fischer arrived in Iceland, looking haggard after a detention
of almost nine months in Japan. Over the Easter weekend journalists all
over the world have sat down to write down their own personal views on
the case. From the hundreds of articles that have appeared in the world
press, here are a few of the
more striking ones. |
 Tumultuous
welcome for Fischer in Iceland
25.03.2005
They
are scenes like we have never seen before, certainly not in the chess
world. Bobby Fischer arrived in Iceland to a hero's welcome from a midnight
crowd at Reykjavik Airport. Looking harrowed and gaunt after almost nine
months in Japanese detention he took time to speak to TV journalists.
We have dramatic
live footage from Icelandic TV.
|
 11:30
GMT: Fischer arrives in Iceland
3/24/2005
Bobby
Fischer is on a plane en route to Iceland, where he is due to arrive later
tonight. During his departure from Narita Airport in Tokyo he was mobbed
by press and TV. At 11:05 p.m. Fischer's plane, a private jet sent to
pick him up by an Icelandic TV station, landed at Reykjavik Airport (not
Keflavik International, which is a NATO base) at 21:30 GMT. Latest
news...
|
 Fischer
released in Japan
23.03.2005
Bobby
Fischer is due to be released from the Japanese detention center at midnight
GMT. "The passed Fischer pawn has been shepherded home to the eighth rank,"
wrote the RJF Committee. "It can now be promoted into a piece, with complete
freedom of movement." Update: we have just learnt that Bobby
Fischer has been released!
|
|  Bobby
Fischer: ich bin ein Icelander!
21.03.2005
At
5:06 p.m. today the Icelandic Althingi, has granted former world chess
champion Bobby Fischer full Icelandic citizenship. Despite stern U.S.
diplomatic warnings, the world's oldest existing democratic parliament
voted 40 in favour and two abstentions to make Fischer a full citizen.
The
readings took just 12 minutes.
|
 Fischer
to receive Icelandic citizenship
19.03.2005
"Iceland
has just got its tenth grandmaster – Robert James Fischer," rejoiced
the RJF Committee. The country's parliament decided unanimously a few
hours ago to grant Fischer Icelandic citizenship. Japanese authorities
have confirmed that in such a case they would release the detained former
world champion. Long
read.
|
 Playing
the Al Capone Gambit against Fischer
15.03.2005
It's
a strategy that worked well on leading mob figures: if you can't get
them, let the IRS do the job. Former world champions Fischer was initially
detained in Japan because of invalid travel document, then we were told
it was for breaking sanctions in 1992. Now it looks like the US government
will use tax evasion and money laundering to bring him down. Reports
and video.
|
 Bobby
Fischer: five days in solitary confinement
08.03.2005
We had just reported about Fischer's new passport, which an Icelandic
delegation had carried to Japan. A minor mystery was why it had not been
handed over to him last Wednesday, as planned. Now we learn that Japanese
authorities had put the former world champion into solitary confinement.
For five days. Over a hard-boiled egg. We
are not joking. |
 Fischer's
passport – to freedom?
08.03.2005
March 9th is Bobby Fischer's 62nd birthday. By chance a very special
gift has arrived in Japan for the former world champion: an Icelandic
passport with which he may be able to travel to freedom after more than
six months in a Japanese detention facility. We have exclusive
pictures of the new passport.
|
Fischer
receives an Icelandic passport
2/23/2005
Immigration authorities in Iceland have decided to issue full travel documents
for former world champion Bobby Fischer, who is being held in Japanese
detention for not possessing a valid passport. Fischer's new passport
will be sent to Japan by diplomatic mail, and a delegation is traveling
there to escort him to Iceland.
|
 Fischer's
lawyer Masako Suzuki speaks out
02.02.2005
Is Japan buckling under pressure by the US? Bobby Fischer, 61, former
World Champion of Chess who has been jailed in Japan for six months now,
is applying for Icelandic citizenship. But Tokyo seems to be balking at
a constructive solution entailing his release to Iceland. Fischer's lawyer
Masako Suzuki has given us an exclusive
interview. |
 Bobby
Fischer applies for Icelandic Citizenship
25.01.2005
After
the Japanese authorities last week refused Fischer's request to be extradited
to Iceland the chess legend, who is being held in a Japanese detention
facility, has today written to the President of the Icelandic Althingi
(picture), applying for Icelandic citizenship. A special law would have
to be passed to grant
Fischer's request.
|
 Bobby
Fischer – immigration plans on ice
22.01.2005
His
supporters filed a petition that Fischer might be released from detention
in a Tokyo jail and allowed to travel to Iceland, where he has been
granted refuge. But Japanese Justice Ministry lawyers said they were
not prepared to change Fischer's deportation destination to Iceland,
and that he would have to remain in detention. A
harsh blow for the chess legend.
|
 Bobby
Fischer – six months in jail
1/17/2005
On
July 13, 2004 he was arrested at Narita Airport in Tokyo, for attempting
to leave the country on an invalidated. Since then the greatest hero
of Western chess has been languishing in a Japanese detention facility,
now physically exhausted and suffering from dizzy spells. His Icelandic
friends, who are offering him refuge, have launched another appeal
to the authorities.
|
 US
threatens Iceland, Fischer Committee appeals
22.12.2004
Iceland
is under US pressure to drop plans to offer a home to fugitive former
chess champion Bobby Fischer, the Reuters news agency tells us. But
the Icelandic government has stated that its offer "will not be withdrawn
despite pressure from the United States." How do we know that? Among
other things we read it in Aljazeera, would you believe? Here's the
latest on this international
confrontation.
|
 RJF
Committee mobilizes pro-Fischer forces
18.12.2004
While Bobby Fischer remains incarcerated in a Japanese prison a special
committee in Iceland is moving to get him free and find him a home on
the North-Atlantic island country. Iceland's foreign minister and a prominent
political scientist have spoken out. Here's a report on Fischer's Iceland
Connection... |
 Fischer
to get refuge in Iceland?
12/16/2004
The news today on Bobby Fischer, who is currently being held in a Japanese
detention facilities pending extradition to the US, is that the Icelandic
government has offered to grant him a residence permit. In a telephone
interview Fischer speaks about his plight in Japan and reacts to statements
by Garry Kasparov on Fischer Random Chess. Full
details... |
 Returning
to the 'scene of the crime'
30.11.2004
Twelve years ago Boris Spassky played a match against Bobby Fischer in
Yugoslavia. That got Fischer into a lot of trouble, while for Spassky,
a French citizen, there were no repercussions. Now the tenth world champion
returned to Belgrade to open the Belgrade Chess Trophy. Quick
interview... |
 Fischer
to Bush and Koizumi: 'You are going to pay for this!'
18.10.2004
Bobby Fischer, still in detention in Japan, has spoken out again in an
interview, this time threatening the Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi and
US President Bush: "You are going to pay for this, and you are going to
pay for your crimes in Iraq too." His new lawyer, Richard J. Vattuone,
plans to release documents to prove US government involvement in a
plot against Fischer. |
 'We
want to live together forever'
01.09.2004
She collected pictures of her chess hero after his match with Boris Spassky
in 1972. One year later they met in Tokyo – the start of a romance spanning
decades. Since four years the two have lived together in downtown Kamata
in Tokyo's Ota Ward. In an exclusive interview for ChessBase Miyoko Watai
tells us the story of her life
with Bobby Fischer. |
 Listen
to Bobby Fischer
26.08.2004
In emotional phone calls from his detention cell in Tokyo ex world champion
Bobby Fischer gave a Philippine radio station two lengthy interviews.
Fischer is facing deportation and incarceration in the US, and voices
his nightmare fears: "I will be tried, convicted, sentenced, imprisoned,
tortured and murdered." We have summary
transcripts and audio files. |
 Dramatic
moments around Fischer's deportation
25.08.2004
First the Japanese Justice Minister Daizo Nozawa issued a deportation
order against former world champion Bobby Fischer's, then Fischer's lawyers
filed a lightning appeal on the grounds that physical deportation would
be a flagrant violation of Fischer's right to full legal recourse and
protection under Japanese law. Here's the full
story by Fischer's legal coordinator. |
 'Bobby
Fischer and I have decided to marry'
17.08.2004
Bobby Fischer, the former world chess champion, plans to marry the president
of the Japan Chess Association (and four-time Japanese women's champion)
Miyoko Watai. This was reported in newspapers and wire services last night.
Now Watai-san has sent us a statement explaining the background of her
personal relationship with Fischer. |
Fischer
renounces US citizenship
15.08.2004
Bobby Fischer has been moved to a new detention facility in Tokyo, pending
a decision on his deportation to the US, where he faces a 10-year jail
sentence. A lot of new material has surfaced, including Fischer's handwritten
renouncement of his US citizenship and a blow-by-blow description and
picture of his arrest at Narita Airport. Harrowing
stuff... |
 Spassky
to Bush: Arrest me!
10.08.2004
Boris Spassky, who played the contentious return match against Bobby Fischer
in Yugoslavia 1992, for which the latter is currently facing deportation
and incarceration in the US, has appealed to President Bush to show mercy
and charity for his tormented successor. If for some reason that should
be impossible, Spassky suggests a very
imaginative alternative... |
 Fischer's
appeal rejected
28.07.2004
Bobby Fischer's appeal against his deportation was rejected today by Japanese
authorities. Meanwhile the Icelandic Chess Federation has appealed to
US president Bush to pardon Fischer and set up a petition web site to
collect signatures. In Tokyo a "Free Fischer Press Conference" is scheduled
for Thursday. More...
|
 Fischer
a sacrificial pawn?
25.07.2004
Bobby Fischer is still in detention at Narita Airport in Tokyo, traumatised
but stubborn, "behaving like a Samurai". At the same time news outlets
all over the world are covering the story, with Fischer's brother-in-law
Russell Targ assailing the Bush administration for playing election year
politics with the former chess champion's freedom. There's
a lot to be read... |
 Game
of Life: Kasparov on Fischer – in full
20.07.2004
The news of Fischer's arrest in Japan came as a shock to Garry Kasparov,
who was in a holiday camp working intensely on the games of his greatest
American predecessor. In today's issue of The Wall Street Journal Kasparov
assesses Fischer's chess career – for a public that was being exposed
to his current situation. We now bring you Kasparov's
full article. |
Will
Fischer be extradited?
19.07.2004
Chess legend Bobby Fischer, the hero of millions, languishes in the detention
facilities of Narita Airport in Tokyo, waiting for a decision by Japanese
Immigration authorities on his deportation to the US. We have collected
all the documents and reconstructed a timeline to his arrest. Fischer,
who has no legal counsel, is appealing
for international assistance. |
 Bobby
Fischer detained in Japan (updated)
16.07.2004
It's the latest twist in the sad tale of American former world champion
Bobby Fischer. He has been detained in Japan and faces possible deportation
to the US to face charges for playing in Yugoslavia in 1992. Fischer's
website says he was "very nearly killed" in Japan. The story has been
picked up by news services all
over the world.
|
