Bobby Fischer (March 9, 1943 - January 17, 2008)

Kirk · Post by **Kirk** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 7:17 am

The radical change in behavior should have given a clue.

Mental Illness is still poorly understood in the world. An injured leg is out there for all to see, so people would expect that person to limp. Nobody can see when the brain is "injured", so they are ridiculed.

We are not that different from those who thought epilepsy was a person inhabited by the devil

I even the eccentric Thorston Czub showing some pity for Fischer and recognizing that he had mental illness.

Kirk · Post by **Kirk** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 7:20 am

Terry McCracken wrote:
Bill Rogers wrote:I have always admired Bobby for his chess ever since I watched him play Boris Spasky. He was and will be going down in history as one of the worlds greatest.

What I find funny now is that over the years if any one on this forum mentioned his name they were quckly damned for bring him up.
The fact that he had a mental problem was never taken into as a possiblity
and he was damned for what they thought was his outright hatred of Jews. No one ever postulated that he might have some other problems.
Bill
I did, but few cared. Of course I'm not the most popular person around either.

but often make more sense

ozziejoe · Post by **ozziejoe** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 7:42 am

quote: "Geniuses always seem to teeter on the edge of insanity."

I don't know about that . Kasparov seems pretty sane. so does polgar, etc
Anti-semitism is ugly, no matter how you excuse it. The man might have been admirable on the chess board, but does anybody really think he was a "hero"

J

ozziejoe · Post by **ozziejoe** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 7:53 am

Nimzovik wrote:Having been in the Psych. business (worked 16+ years on an acute admissions suite in california for the Mentally Disabled) it is clear to me that he was schizoid. His tirades and grandiose/paranoid behavior is classic symptomalogy. It is a pity that in this age of "Political Correctness" the media highlitghted his anti-semtic rants. I am definitely NOT anti semitic. However in my estamation his rants were due to his illness and definitly NOT reasoned well thought out philosophies of a sane mind. Where is the mercy for the mentally ill? Does politics dictate all "correct" behavior? His acievement was absolutely remarkable. I would like to hear Larry Evans speak on this matter.......Alex

Well, i'm a psychologist too, and I'd agree with you, yes, there are reasons why he was so anti-semetic. Other people have reasons (potentially insane reasons) for commiting hate crimes against others because of the colour of their skin or their religioin.

Maybe we can have some sympathy for fischer and these other people. But i don't think we need to make them into heros. I would not want any young chess players to be emulating his (excuse my french) f'd up behaviour.

There are better heros in the chess world.

best
J

best
J

slobo · Post by **slobo** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 9:56 am

ozziejoe wrote:quote: "Geniuses always seem to teeter on the edge of insanity."

I don't know about that . Kasparov seems pretty sane. so does polgar, etc
Anti-semitism is ugly, no matter how you excuse it. The man might have been admirable on the chess board, but does anybody really think he was a "hero"

J

Yes, I think he was a hero. "The Jews" he was referring to are not of Semitic origin, so there was no anti-Semitism.

slobo · Post by **slobo** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 9:58 am

ozziejoe wrote:
Nimzovik wrote:Having been in the Psych. business (worked 16+ years on an acute admissions suite in california for the Mentally Disabled) it is clear to me that he was schizoid. His tirades and grandiose/paranoid behavior is classic symptomalogy. It is a pity that in this age of "Political Correctness" the media highlitghted his anti-semtic rants. I am definitely NOT anti semitic. However in my estamation his rants were due to his illness and definitly NOT reasoned well thought out philosophies of a sane mind. Where is the mercy for the mentally ill? Does politics dictate all "correct" behavior? His acievement was absolutely remarkable. I would like to hear Larry Evans speak on this matter.......Alex

Well, i'm a psychologist too, and I'd agree with you, yes, there are reasons why he was so anti-semetic. Other people have reasons (potentially insane reasons) for commiting hate crimes against others because of the colour of their skin or their religioin.

Maybe we can have some sympathy for fischer and these other people. But i don't think we need to make them into heros. I would not want any young chess players to be emulating his (excuse my french) f'd up behaviour.

There are better heros in the chess world.

best
J

best
J

You are not well informed. So, it would be better if you speak about psicology without labeling people.

emerson4301972 · Post by **emerson4301972** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 11:36 am

Yup, that's a good idea

emerson4301972 · Post by **emerson4301972** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 11:43 am

emerson4301972 wrote:Yup, that's a good idea

I mean, play an engine tournament with fischer's openings

emerson4301972 · Post by **emerson4301972** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 11:46 am

Chess Gator wrote:We are all aware of Bobby's issues, but I still could help feel sad and a sense of loss at Bobby passing away.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gZKs ... QD8U8923G0

Did you notice that he died at the age of 64? the chess number. He completed the 64 squares.

His games and contribution to chess improvement and popularity will live on...

ozziejoe · Post by **ozziejoe** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 12:06 pm

It is possible I am not well informed, and I am of course willing to correct my views. I want fischer to be heroic too. His chess was amazing. And I feel a sadness for his situation later in life. I feel compasion, but I do nto think he is a hero or an example of how other young chess players should live and act.

So, I ask, did he say the below things (maybe it is just media misrepresentation?). Maybe these statements are taken out of context, and their is a deeper, more meanginful position underlying them. i really want to hear people's views. I admit i could be misinformed

"America is totally under control of the Jews, you know. I mean, look what they're doing in Yugoslavia."

"That statement is accurate, but Lisa Lane really wouldn't be in a position to know. They're all weak, all women. They're stupid compared to men. They shouldn't play chess, you know. They're like beginners. They lose every single game against a man. There isn't a woman player in the world I can't give knight-odds to and still beat."

in response to 9-11, he says

"This is all wonderful news,' he announced. 'I applaud the act. The US and Israel have been slaughtering the Palestinians, just slaughtering them for years. Robbing them and slaughtering them. Nobody gave a shit. Now it's coming back to the US. Fuck the US. I want to see the US wiped out.'

Bobby Fischer (March 9, 1943 - January 17, 2008)

Re: Bobby Fischer (March 9, 1943 - January 17, 2008)

Re: Bobby Fischer (March 9, 1943 - January 17, 2008)

Re: Bobby Fischer (March 9, 1943 - January 17, 2008).

Re: Bobby Fischer (March 9, 1943 - January 17, 2008)

Re: Bobby Fischer (March 9, 1943 - January 17, 2008).

Re: Bobby Fischer (March 9, 1943 - January 17, 2008)

Re: Bobby Fischer (March 9, 1943 - January 17, 2008)

Re: Bobby Fischer (March 9, 1943 - January 17, 2008)

Re: Bobby Fischer (March 9, 1943 - January 17, 2008)

Re: Bobby Fischer (March 9, 1943 - January 17, 2008)