BOBBY FISCHER
Name: Bobby James Fischer
Born March 9, 1943 Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died January 17, 2008 Reykjavík, Iceland
Title Grandmaster
World Champion 1972–1975 (FIDE)
Peak rating 2785 (July 1972)
Robert James "Bobby" Fischer (March 9, 1943 – January 17, 2008) was an American-born
chess Grandmaster, an Icelandic citizen at the time of his death, who became
famous as a teenager for his chess-playing ability. In 1972, he became the first,
and so far the only, American to win the official World Chess Championship,
defeating defending champion Boris Spassky in a match held in Reykjavík, Iceland.
The match was widely publicized as a Cold War battle. He is often referred to as
one of the greatest chess players of all time.
In 1975, Fischer refused to defend his title when FIDE, the international chess
federation, would not accept all his conditions. He was stripped of his title as
a result, after which he became more reclusive. He played no more competitive
chess until 1992, when he had a rematch with Spassky. The competition was held
in Yugoslavia, which was then under a strict United Nations embargo. This led to
a conflict with the US government, and he never returned to his native country.
In his later years, Fischer lived in Hungary, Germany, the Philippines and Japan.
During this time he made increasingly anti-American and antisemitic statements,
despite the fact that his mother and likely biological father were both Jewish.
In 2004–2005, after his US passport was revoked, he was detained by Japanese
authorities for nine months under threat of extradition. He was then granted
Icelandic citizenship and released to Iceland by the Japanese authorities. He
lived in Iceland from 2005 until his death in 2008.
Name: Bobby James Fischer
Born March 9, 1943 Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died January 17, 2008 Reykjavík, Iceland
Title Grandmaster
World Champion 1972–1975 (FIDE)
Peak rating 2785 (July 1972)
Robert James "Bobby" Fischer (March 9, 1943 – January 17, 2008) was an American-born
chess Grandmaster, an Icelandic citizen at the time of his death, who became
famous as a teenager for his chess-playing ability. In 1972, he became the first,
and so far the only, American to win the official World Chess Championship,
defeating defending champion Boris Spassky in a match held in Reykjavík, Iceland.
The match was widely publicized as a Cold War battle. He is often referred to as
one of the greatest chess players of all time.
In 1975, Fischer refused to defend his title when FIDE, the international chess
federation, would not accept all his conditions. He was stripped of his title as
a result, after which he became more reclusive. He played no more competitive
chess until 1992, when he had a rematch with Spassky. The competition was held
in Yugoslavia, which was then under a strict United Nations embargo. This led to
a conflict with the US government, and he never returned to his native country.
In his later years, Fischer lived in Hungary, Germany, the Philippines and Japan.
During this time he made increasingly anti-American and antisemitic statements,
despite the fact that his mother and likely biological father were both Jewish.
In 2004–2005, after his US passport was revoked, he was detained by Japanese
authorities for nine months under threat of extradition. He was then granted
Icelandic citizenship and released to Iceland by the Japanese authorities. He
lived in Iceland from 2005 until his death in 2008.