Customer Reviews:
Arguably, the best chess tutorial ever written.......2007-09-08
A must have for anyone wishing to learn chess from scratch, and for all beginning level players. Fantastic reading which requires no chess board. Great companion for those long plane or train trips.
In a Category All its Own.......2007-07-28
For the right person at the right point in learning chess I believe that this is the best book. I am a USCF correspondence chess master and over the board expert. I credit this book to getting me a good start.
Chess is a skill. Learning a skill requires practice. This book helps develop that skill and the pattern recognition that goes along with that. It does so in a way that is not intimidating. It does not teach all chess tactics. It just gets you started on the path to tactical mastery, but it is a good start.
It has a unique programmed instruction format that does not require learning chess notation. This is significant as "learning a new language" just to learn chess is off putting and creates obstacles to learning the game. After an introduction to the rules the reader practices chess tactics in a variety of positions of increasing difficulty. This book helps to build a strong foundation of tactical skill.
If you can routinely solve simple "mate-in-two" problems quickly you probably already have the skill this book can teach. If not, I think this book will improve your game.
The Title Says, "Teaches".......2007-05-01
TEACHES! You teach beginners, whether you're Bobby FIscher (a pompous lout) or the faculty advisor of a grammar school chess club. In that respect, this is a great beginner book.
Which is why, when I was looking for a "teaches chess" book twenty-five years later, this is the book I looked for.
No, it will not make you an expert. You can't get that from a book. But for the basics, nothing beats this book.
Handy To Keep Close.......2007-04-23
A great beginner book on the essentials of chess, if your new to chess or it's been awhile since you played this is a perfect book to go through. It starts out explaining the moves of chess for the total beginner. A really nice feature of this book is a chess set is not needed, all the examples of the book you can work through right in your head. The puzzles are listed on one page and the answer is located on the back of the page. The size of the book is small enough to fit in a coat pocket for those times when you have some time to kill. Overall a great book for the beginner.
Graphic chess tutorial.......2007-03-28
This is a very good book on chess by Bobby Fisher. I purchased it initially in the 1970's when it first came out. This was a new copy I gave to my grandsons. The entire book shows you chess board layots on one page and asks a question or gives you information. The following page gives you the answer or demenstrates the point being made on another chess board. It is easy to follow, I read it all over again. My grandsons are using it and picking up some good pointers.I even set up some of the chess game layouts on my computer.
Customer Reviews:
Good, but not all the moves are so outrageous.......2007-03-24
I like this little book. It's a good one in that you don't even need a chess set handy to work through all the possibilities in your head, as there are very few 10-move or so combinations and variations to try to keep track of like in many combination books, so this ends up being a good a "mobile" chess book in that it can be read and enjoyed anywhere, like Reinfeld's 1001 combinations/1001 checkmates books can. I'm no great chess player, so it's hard for me to just go through so much in my mind without setting a position up on a board and playing through it.
Some of the things Fischer did were of such sublime tactical genius that they show a level of creativity in planning that approaches aesthetic art, rather than being reduced to pure technique or sterile computer reasoning. The move in game 65 is one such example, even if a computer would indeed see it.
That said, some of the combinations in this book are less than thrilling and certainly not "outrageous," but examples of good play - some of which are so obvious that beginning players with knowledge of simple tactics (forks, pins, discoveries, etcetera) will spot them instantly and probably not be too bowled over by them. I've seen 2-move chess problems that have had me much more perplexed, many from real games.
To be fair, as other reviewers have pointed out, these easy ones rate a "1" on Pandolfini's difficulty scale, but as an example, what's so outrageous about Fischer's capitalizing on Taimanov's blunder in game 21 with Qd4, setting up a rook and king fork? Answer: Nothing outrageous. Any run-of-the mill pub player with enough talent to think for a moment before making the next move would spot this one almost reflexively, despite Taimanov missing it - that's why they call it a blunder - and everyone makes them from time to time, including grandmasters. It's still not genius to see it, and this problem is filler to make the 101 number, as far as I'm concerned. There are a few other examples.
Again, it's not my place to nitpick this book apart or to be some arbiter of genius versus not genius or outrageous versus pedestrian. The book does show a wealth of things that are truly surprising and inspiring to those who wish to improve their tactical play, and it reinforces the axiom time and again that we should "see the whole board."
Great 'game' in itself!.......2006-11-15
I found this a refreshing change from the usual chess problem or instructional book. Here you can play through the book and score yourself to see how well you do. Then you go back through them again to see how you can improve with better understanding. It's also good for returning to after a good time has passed, and see if you do better or worse.
The difficulty levels are randomized so you will find problems of varying difficulties throughout the book. I think this is good as you don't know what will be coming on the next move until you get there. If someone wants to do them in order of difficulty, it could be done simply by going through and doing all the ones first, then the twos, etc. Also while it might not be most helpful to one's own game to experience only what occurs at those critical moments, one can practice through how Fischer actually developed the opportunities for these outrageous moves by checking the entire games out in the back of the book.
While the other more standard problem and instructional books remain important, I wish more like this one were published.
Such a Jaw-dropping Mind! And he helps get you to be the same way!.......2005-12-10
This is an excellent book! It really exceeded my expectations tremendously! Keep in mind what is meant by "Outrageous Moves"... many of the indicated moves in this book (though not all of them) are FORCING MOVES, which you have to learn to discern when to make such a move. Studying Fischer sets you on that path and Pandolfini guides the reader, assisting in gleaning Fischer's didactic ways. I think it can strike some people with less of an effect, though, if you just go through the book the way it's presented. The diagrams, clues and solutions are actually presented as best as they can be (except for the diagram to game 25, the White Queen should be on h3 instead of h4), it's just that you, the reader, would do well to take a folded rectangular slice of paper with tape at the top of it and cover the bottom part of each page as you go so you won't see the answers. That way you can set up the diagrammed position on your own chessboard, read Pandolfini's clue, and take a certain amount of time to try to figure out what Fischer figured out. To take it a step further, I suggest you don't even read Pandolfini's clue until you find that you can't figure out the solution in 10 minutes (then go back to trying to figure out the position for another 10 to 25 minutes. [Keep score as you go through the whole book])... I suggest that last part because I found that some of Pandolfini's clues were too revealing, but such clues are kept to a minimum. The level-of-difficulty indicators (1 through 5) were a big help too... but when you're looking at a position in a real-life, over-the-board game, you don't get to see a 1 or a 5 in the corner of the table. As if all of that weren't enough, when you finally do finish studying a position after you've read the answer, STUDY THE ENTIRE GAME SCRUPULOUSLY via the full notation in the back of the book (which has no commentary, but through filling in your own notes (get a 3-ring notebook)!, you'll force yourself to see even more than you thought you could)!! I think it was a sad oversight for Pandolfini to neglect to mention that the full notations for all the games are given in the back of the book; just imagine someone getting through a major portion of the book and then they discover that they could have been studying the entire games via the notation in the back of the book...! (by the way, Game 76 has another Outrageous Move [19....Bg4!] found only in the full notation). All of the aforementioned is a major shortcoming of the way this book is presented... Pandolfini doesn't instruct you TO MAKE A STUDY COURSE out of this book; maybe, he just expected every reader to have been familiar already with his "Solitaire Chess" section of "Chess Life" Magazine and to take it upon themselves to do the aforementioned anyway. I got SO MUCH out of doing it that way (on Fritz 8 Deluxe, by the way. I saved the games with my own notes [on my external hard drive] and now I have 101, little "CHESS MOVIES")! By the way, many of these games are on the Fritz 8 Deluxe (and the new Fritz 9, too, I'm sure) Compact Disc (in the "Database" folder). As for those people who lambasted this book as a cheap attempt to get paid off of Bobby Fischer's name, just realize that there will always be critics of you when you try to do something to help people tremendously. When you study Bobby Fischer's "out-of-the-box" way of thinking over a period of at least 90 days (about what it took me) you, yourself improve to an immense degree! You just have to make up your mind to do what you're going to do and address the criticism when it comes your way (the same way you do your opponent's attack in chess). You don't have to take that crap from people!
Nice Bobby Fischer Combinations. .......2005-09-12
Any chess player can read this book; it briefly describes Algebraic Notation in case you're a beginner. The book gives 101 diagrams from Fischers games -all are dated and the specific place or Tournament is listed. The list of his opponents is remarkable e.g., Byrne,Tal,Geller,Petrosian,Larsen,Spassky,etc starting about 1956 to 1978. Mr. Pandolfini gives the level of difficulty from 1 to 5 for each diagram-one large diagram on each page. You cover the answer under the diagram and try to figure out Bobby's moves, there is a hint also. The answers are briefly explained, some more detailed than others. Also nice is he gives the complete game moves in the back of the book.
let's make money from Fischer's name and games..........2005-02-28
Three stars are for this book:
1) Good selection of games and clear diagrams.
2) Better analysis than those Schiller's books, (even the book is 15 years olds, I got '85 edition.)
3) Provide the complete games at the end of the book so we can see the turning points of the games. (Even so, if we want a complete collection of Fischer's games, Lou Hays' book is better, and then we would miss out the "expert" analysis, right? So this book is a good bridging stone.)
Most of Fischer's games in particular, and current and ex-champions and GMs in general, have some defining turn-points; especially when the players steer the games to the tactical aspects. Often than not, they prefer to keep the game in positional struggles, so the more patient and skillful players usually come out victorious after many long deep-thought moves. We don't see much "outrageous" moves in their (GM) games. However, when the combinations present, surely they grasp them and start the fireworks. That is what Pandolfini again wrote the book "One-Move Chess by the Champions". Fischer is a fearless attacker; therefore most of his games contain those "Outrageous" moves. Any 40-50 of Fischer's winning games from Hays' book can make some "Awesome Games of the Ultimate Chess Champion", or the like. With that abundance of impressive games, Fischer chose to write "My 60 Memorable Games", and he included some of his "memorable" losses too!!!
As we see, most books written about Fischer's games will have at least 1/3 of his games in "60 Memorable Games" (other 2/3 is to try avoid 'copycats'), and as we all know Fischer's analysis is always more superior.
Now, let's make some money, by buying Hays' book and using Fritz 8 (another small investment) to analyze Fischer's games. After that, with some good story-telling co-writers, we can produce "60 Winter Days in '64 U.S. Championship the Ultimate Chess Champion Created the Most Classical Game Record in the Most Prestigious Event of All Times", or something similar.
Book Description
A lively, personal, and wonderfully informative look at Bobby Fischer, his personality and his playing. Although three decades have passed since Fischer won the world chess title from the former Soviet Union, he still remains a source of fascination and admiration for all players. Andy Soltis, a grandmaster and author of numerous chess books, looks back at his first encounters with Fischer in New York when they were both teenagers; assesses Fischer's exceptional ability to obtain and realize an advantage in play; and analyzes his career right up to his final matches with Boris Spassky. Most important, Soltis comments on and annotates many of Fischer's major matches in detail, explaining the logic behind the moves in illuminating detail. A must for any fan of chess and this remarkably enigmatic champion.
Customer Reviews:
Fantastic job by Soltis.......2007-10-05
As Fischer's "My 60 memorable games" only cover up the 1967, but the period making him a legend is the period 1970 to 1972, in fact some of the greatest games also produced in this period, e. g. the most exciting game I have ever seen, that is the first game of the semi-final candidate match with Larsen, that game whenever I play it again and again, it still make my heart beating!! Especially when Larsen's Queen and Rook on the second and third rank, preparing for mate, on the otherhand, Fischer's Queen is caught by Larsen rook, then comes one the greatest move of all time ( from my own point of view ), Bc5!!! That suddenly solved all the problems!!! One must think that, this is not just finding on the board at that moment. Fischer had already seen it 5 or even 7 moves before, combined with all the possible variations, who can say ( Kasparov says ) that Fischer is not excelling in complicated positions??? Also Wade's complete collection of Fischer's games were out of print for a long long time, I think one should needs Soltis book to fill the gap. I do not agree some of the readers said that Soltis' job is just to fill to one hundred games. What I complain is why Soltis does not annotate more games. I think one hundred games of Fischer to his chess fans are not enough. I hope in the future, someone should publish all the games of Fischer with annotations. Of course, one need not annotat all games in details, but at least to lay out all the games and then annotate those games which are instructive and important.
Classic Fischer Book.......2007-06-16
I have always admired Fischer's razor sharp play, positional understanding, tactical abilities, and his indominable will to win. His style has always enchanted me and this book displays it in 100 games. This book doesn't bogg down in masses of variations, but it gives just enough to keep the game and notes to it interesting and enjoyable to read. Some of the games he includes I had never seen before, which is a bonus. It was also interesting to read about some of Soltis' personal anecdotes when he met Fischer in the 60's at the introduction of the book, and before each game he gives a short lead in that gives some interesting insights and humorous anecdotes.
The only thing I can criticize is a few times he gives a ! or ? to a move and doesn't follow it with a note even when it isn't so obvious what made the move good or bad, and occasionally (although rarely) he makes some minor oversights. But on the whole the book is very well writen and researched. It is definately a must own if you are a Fischer fan like me, and even if you aren't it is a great book anyways!
100 Notable Games.......2007-04-12
Soltis presents 100 games chronologically spanning Fischer's career, from his evergreen game against Donald Byrne in 1956 to a memorable win with white against Spassky from their 1992 rematch. This collection also covers the important years leading up to Fischer's first match with Spassky--select games from Monte Carlo '67, Skopje '67, Sousse Interzonal '67, Netanya '68, Vinkovci '68, Rovinj-Zagreb '70, Buenos Aires '70, Siegen '70, Palma de Mallorca '70, Candidates Matches. It also includes six games from both of his matches with Spassky.
I've always enjoyed Soltis' column in Chess Life. He brings a similar treatment to BFR--establishing historical context for a game, insight into players' motivations, milestone moves (those which dictate the games direction or outcome) and germane variations of sufficient number and depth when needed. Game threads are not lost as in some texts due to copious analyses. Only on a few occassions did I feel coverage was inadequate (Tukmakov(80)[22..Bxe4] and Spassky(100)[17..Bxa1]).
This is a much more satisfying experience than Timman's "Curacao 1962" (vapid) or the Euwe/Timman "Fischer World Champion!" (I prefered Gligoric/Wade coverage in "The World Chess Championship".) Of course what I really want are Fischer (and Evans) to collaborate on "Another 60 Memorable Games", but that's not likely. Until then, these 100 notable games will do.
Exactly what I hoped for.......2007-01-05
If you enjoy the games (not...necessarily the opinions...) of Bobby Fischer- get this book and find yourself pleasantly engaged in interesting and exciting games and ideas. Soltis mends his annotations with Fischer's old Chess Life comments as well as interesting quirks of individuals and historic play/innovation sidelines. Quite frankly; for those whom enjoy annotated games and still maintain that 1970s Fischer nostalgia...this book is just great. That said, purchase and enjoy.
An excellent book about Fischer.......2006-07-06
If you are looking for a book that easily show you Fischer's greatest games and contributions to chess... this book is a excellent option.
The book combines very nicely stories about Fischer with his amazing games. The games are not deeply analyzed as they are in other books ("M60MG" or "Kasparov on Fischer"). Instead, Soltis mainly analyzes (providing a few lines) the most critical moves or those that, by the time that the games were played, were a Fischer's novelty. Sometimes, brief but interesting anecdotes or historical references are provided before each game. Also, Soltis quotes some Fischer's comments extracted from the articles that Fischer wrote for Chess Life (and of course from M60MG).
In the book, Soltis points out some Fischer's chess contributions. Also, Soltis provides very interesting comments about Fischer's style. For example, Soltis highlights that Fischer developed a materialistic approach (he used to accept pawns sacrificed by his opponents, keep the pawn and win the ending) in order to defeat the Russian School (during the 50's, Russians used to sacrifice material to take the initiative).
You shouldn't buy this book if you are looking for a book that very deeply analyzes each Fischer's game. But, you should buy this book if you are looking for a book that easily show you many relevant aspects about Fischer (anecdotes, contributions, famous games, etc).
Amazon.com
Searching for Bobby Fischer is the story of Fred Waitzkin and his son Josh, from the moment six-year-old Josh first sits down at a chessboard until he competes for the national championship. Drawn into the insular, international network of chess, they must also navigate the difficult waters of their own relationship. All the while, Waitzkin wonders about and searches for the elusive Bobby Fischer, whose myth still dominates the chess world and profoundly affects Waitzkin's dreams for his son.
Customer Reviews:
Chess is Life.......2006-01-13
Searching for Bobby Fischer is a skillfully woven set of vignettes that tell two stories, really. One, of course, is the story of his and his son Josh's discovery of the boy's precocious chess talent, the other the story of the chess environment in the US and the effect of Bobby Fischer's legacy on US chess.
Reading the other reviews I find it hard to understand what some people complain about in the book. For instance, the Russian trip had great importance, both as a contrast to the chess community in the US, and because it was a formative event in the life of the main subject of the book. How do you just leave something like that out?
The actual "search" near the end of the book is truly a beautiful, bittersweet interlude that serves to put under the glaring light of truth the amorphous, romanticized legend of Bobby Fischer. It's a dirty, confusing little search that goes nowhere, and is a telling metaphor for the life course of the once legendary champion.
One important comparison to the movie is the recounting of the Nationals that Josh finally wins. While what they put in the movie was exciting, to me it was nothing like the vibrant, tense denoument in the book. The come from behind save Josh pulled out in real life is the stuff of little legends all on its own.
This is a thoroughly enjoyable book, front to back, poignant, with the ring of truth on every page. I can't recommend enough to both chess players and non-players alike.
Young Fischer.......2006-01-09
Ever since the elusive disappearance of chess genius Bobby Fischer, who beat Russian Boris Spassky in 1972 for the world championship, the only American to do so, parents all over the United States have wondered if their little sons and daughters would someday have the potential to be the next Fischer. Searching for Bobby Fischer by Fred Waitzkin is the true story of Fred and his son Josh. In New York City, the only place for serious chess players in the US, Josh discovered chess one day in Washington Square Park. Soon after he began playing he was pronounced a prodigy and taken under the wing of one of the best chess teachers in the country, Bruce Pandolfini. Fred is infatuated with his son's potential and gets drawn into the crazy and obsessive world of chess. The book chronicles the years from when Josh begins playing until he wins the national championship. Along the way Fred travels to Moscow to watch the long awaited match of Karpov and Kasparov, two chess titans, and opposite sides of the same coin. Fred realizes the truth of what being a professional player means and how hard it is the US. He's confused about his longing for Josh to be a great player and how he obsesses so much over it. Deep down he knows Josh is not as good as Fischer, and even if he was how can you compete with these Russian players who are exposed to the game forty to fifty hours a week? Throughout this journey Fred discovers both the glory and failure in being a chess parent of a talented player, and shares his worries, fears, and hopes for his son. I highly recommend this groundbreaking story.
This book captures all the feelings and emotions of being the parent of a precocious child. On one hand, you want them to live a well-rounded life. But on the other hand, your thoughts drift to untold glory and tournaments to be won. You want the child to study and work hard and it's easy to get caught up in immediate results. Then you worry your kid's not having fun or you've pushed them too hard. Especially for chess, a parent has to wonder, why do I care so much about my child's gift, I've seen professional chess players and the dreadful lives they lead. Even the very best players cope with miserable conditions. Unlike a tennis prodigy, for a chess player there's no pot of gold at the end. But week after week these parents take their brilliant kids to tournaments and spend a weekend holed up in a stuffy hotel. They cannot understand their feelings or why they do this, but what if their son or daughter is the next Bobby Fischer?
Searching for Bobby Fischer is not only about chess. It describes the delicate relation between Fred and his son. At first, Josh is a genius. He can do no wrong and wins everything. Kids tremble when they play him. At the nationals, he'll be ranked number one. He is unstoppable. And then Josh loses at the nationals to a little kid with a much lower rating. He crushes Josh in less than twenty minutes. Fred and Bruce cannot understand what went wrong. Fred is confused and wonders why he pushes his son so hard. For six months Josh doesn't want to play and Fred fears this is the end. He feels awful about liking his son more when he wins and thinking how boring Josh's life would be without chess. Soon Fred and Bruce realize what needs to be done and the following year Josh wins the national championship. Fred starts to begin understanding the feelings he has about Josh and chess.
The chapters about Moscow and world championship match between Karpov and Kasparov are fascinating. Karpov is loved by the Soviet Union and has many powerful political connections. Kasparov is more the rebel, outspoken against Karpov and the government. Half of the battle for the title is political and psychological. Rumors that Karpov would poison Kasparov at any cost abound. It is well known in a previous match Karpov employed a hypnotist to sit in the third row and during the game hypnotize his opponent. Kasparov argues bitterly against Karpov having his team of seconds and trainers offer him drinks during the game. He says the drink could contain a message, such as they found a winning line and he should adjourn the game (in those days adjournments for very long games were allowed, meaning the game would be stopped and continued in a few hours), or a long struggle was ahead and he shouldn't drink anything to make him crash. Also, people say Karpov would regularly bribe Kasparov's seconds and trainers to give his team their opening secrets or just rob Kasparov of a critical trainer. Due to his smaller team, instead of preparing Kasparov would have to get on the phone to block Karpov's latest move. Just for the record, Kasparov won the match after six brutal months.
Searching for Bobby Fischer is a fast and thoughtful read. Fred movingly conveys his hopes and dreams for his son, and opens a world up that many people didn't even know existed. A truly good book.
A.M.
A Book For All Chess Players - Good Read.......2005-08-24
This book has the championship chess presence like "The Queen's Gambit" by Tevis and the scholastic excitement of "The Chess Team" by Sawaski - The others are fiction, but what sets this book (SFBF) apart is that it is a real story. However, the title is a hair misleading. This book really has nothing at all to do with the real Bobby Fischer (Former World Chess Champion) - but rather about chess prodigy and future chess grandmaster Josh Waitzkin.
The book itself is very much different from the movie and although the movie was very well done and one of my favorites of all time, the book is outstanding and should be read even if you watched the movie. If you play chess or like to teach chess, this book is highly useful for experience. The whole work just flows nicely and you get excited for Josh on his trials and tribulations. It is a quality book, with interesting experiences and I highly recommend it to all.
superb ! excpet couple of chapters.......2005-07-15
superb book!
postives:
1. insights into everything it covers
chess world, inights into a chess parent
2. smooth reading
3. the suspense in the last chapter itself is worth 5 starts
4. honest expressions about his feelings and his ideas
about others
5. the expression of the dilemma within him (or any chess
parent) on where this is headed.
negative:
1. couple of chapters seemed boring (irrelevant) at times,
but that could be me looking to get ahead with story
of him and his prodigal son.
Pretty Good Book.......2005-06-17
I read this book, and I think the movie is better. This book is about the father of a young boy named Josh Waitzkin, who is a chess prodigy. I think the main problem in this book is that it doesn't talk about Josh as much as it should. Also, I think there were just a few inappropriate things that didn't need to be written. Its a pretty good book.
Note on Josh Waitzkin
It's sad that Josh Waitzlin quit chess. I think he quit because everyone thought he was going to be the next bobby fischer, and deep down he knew he wasn't. He was an International Master at age 16 while Bobby Fischer was a Grandmaster at age 16. The even more sad thing was in a newspaper article, he said he would never quit because he would never want to think about what he could have been. Also, in his book Josh Waitzkin's attacking chess, he wrote that when a prodigy grows up, they may hit a wall. Some people may say he never had it, some may say he never will. But the prodigy should keep going. Anyway, he quit at a ration in the low 2400's.
Book Description
In the summer of 1972, with a presidential crisis stirring in the United States and the cold war at a pivotal point, the Soviet world chess champion, Boris Spassky,and his American challenger, Bobby Fischer, met in Reykjavik, Iceland, for the most notorious chess match of all time. Their showdown, played against the backdrop of superpower politics, held the world spellbound for two months with reports of psychological warfare, ultimatums, political intrigue, cliffhangers, and farce to rival a Marx Brothers film. Thirty years later, David Edmonds and John Eidinow have set out to reexamine the story we recollect as the quintessential cold war clash between a lone American star and the Soviet chess machine. A mesmerizing narrative of brilliance and triumph, hubris and despair,
Bobby Fischer Goes to War is a biting deconstruction of the Bobby Fischer myth, a nuanced study on the art of brinkmanship, and a revelatory cold war tragicomedy.
This P.S. edition features an extra 16 pages of insights into the book, including author interviews, recommended reading, and more.
Customer Reviews:
A brilliant work of excellence!.......2007-04-06
This is the 2nd book I read by these 2 prize-winning journalists and authors and I praise this work once again as a brilliant tour of famous chess match between Spassky and Fischer!
The book has multiple focuses. While the matches themselves are not described in stark detail, the atmosphere around is. Included in this are brief biographies of these 2 chess superstars, pre-match and post-match reactions as well as its influence and possible involvement in the Cold War.
In it, one discovers the passive, gentle and cordial personality of Spassky - a gentlemanly figure, in contrast to a demanding, bad-boy personality, yet a prodigy, of Bobby Fischer. The book recounts all the relevant events prior to this championship in Iceland in 1972, as well as reactions to it afterward. While there is some allusion to the matches themselves, as well as precise moves and brief analysis, the book in no way targets chess players as their primary readers. The book is targeted for anyone interested in history, particularly one having to do with chess and Cold War.
The book is a real page turner and hard to put down. The style has a fast pace to it, yet thorough enough to capture even minute details. Overall, a great read for anyone and I highly recommend it!
If not for the Cold War, many Americans might have rooted for Spassky.......2007-03-31
And some did, anyway!
Learn why, in this great combination biography of Fischer, biography of Spassky, and analysis of the 1972 showdown in Iceland.
To take an analogy from the same year, this was like the Soviet-US basketball showdown at the Munich Olympics.
And, while the chess championship wasn't rigged, due to his own and his camp's incessant hectoring, especially in getting Game 3 moved to a back room, Fischer was probably dissuaded from walking out from the match.
As it was, he lost Game 1, forfeited Game 2, then roared back to score over half the remaning points scored, losing only once, while winning 9 and drawing 7.
It's probably the most impressive display of chess ever, culminating from a start of Fischer "sweeping" the first two matches in the Candidates' series to earn the right to face Spassky.
Then you have Spassky, who considered himself a Russian first, a Soviet second, and wasn't on perfect terms with the Soviet sports hierarch. A Spassky who was pretty much a "normal" human compared to the average populace and definitely to Fischer.
And, that's the other good part. Briefly but precisely, the authors sketch Fischer's development from childhood, and even spring new evidence about who was actually his biological father.
If you want to learn more both about the contestants and the importance of this match, read this book.
Outstanding book........2007-02-03
Is it possible to make a book about chess that is a gripping read? Even for a reader not that familiar with, or interested in, the game itself? This book answers with an emphatic "Yes".
I was 16 in 1972, an avid (though very mediocre) chess player, and a very close observer of the events recounted in this book. The authors do not exaggerate the importance that this match took on the world stage. Fischer's victory was indeed viewed as a great triumph in the US, on a par with the 1980 Olympic hockey "miracle on ice". But it has taken the passage of time to put everything in perspective. Fischer was a brilliant player, maybe the best of all time; but his antics that were then viewed as idiosyncracies, as the spoiled behavior of the prima donna sportsman, can now -- in view of his behavior of the last 30 years -- be seen as the early signs of absolute craziness (pardon the layman's term, I'm not a psychologist). The guy was, in a word, nuts.
A story of triumph and tragedy, and very well told -- it makes for a completely absorbing read.
Coffee, Chess and Politics .......2007-01-24
I was in a coffee shop last weekend when I noticed two men playing Chess near the cream and sugar counter. A small but intent group had huddled around their table quite captivated by the game. Memories of Bobby Fischer came to mind. I also watched the game for a while and then decided to visit my local bookstore and just by happenstance I saw "Bobby Fischer Goes to War" and picked up a copy. It is very interesting reading. Bobby Fischer's 1972 match with the Soviet Boris Spassky held in Reykjavik, Iceland is legendary. Spassky, the world chess champion, certainly seemed the gentleman and Fisher was billed as the young Chess prodigy. To me Chess was always a game played by elitists or other higher order members of the social ladder. In reality that is truly not the case. If there is anything elite about the game or those who play it, it is the social refinement that one takes away from the chess board. There is a certain amount of respect that one experiences and earns that should be used in a higher order of one's conduct as a person. From this book Spassky seems to fit that picture, but Bobby Fischer is anything but. Fischer had a deep intuitive intellect for the game but his social upbringing and behavior seemed rather crude and almost not worthy of the game. His behavior during the match seems embarrassing and nothing honorable as demonstrated by Spassky. Fischer seems to have learned none of finer aspects of being a participant and journeyman of the game. This is a good book and brings many avenues of thought ion this history making Chess match.
"Our story is in essence a tragedy".......2006-12-23
Fischer/Spassky was a seminal event of my childhood. I was 10 going on 11 at the time. It's tough to explain to people today how the whole event held everyone in its spell. This retrospective look at the event and its implications is a great piece of journalism by writers David Edmonds and John Eidinow. Of course, they had no cooperation from the famously vituperative Fischer. Spassky - the perfect gentleman as always - was obviously inordinately helpful in piecing together the story.
I think the best line summing up the tenor of the book is by lyricist Tim Rice, who based his muscial 'Chess' partly on Fischer/Spassky. Rice says "The good guy was the Russian who was meant to be the bad guy, and the bad guy was the American, who was meant to be the good guy. It was all very confusing and a perfect illustration of how politics creeps into everything."
Edmonds and Eidinow summarize things perfectly: "Boris Spassky went to Reykjavik to celebrate chess. Bobby Fischer went to fight. His version of the match triumphed." For this reason, the authors declare that "our story is in essence a tragedy." Read their fine work, and you'll surely agree with this assessment.
Book Description
Even chess legend Bobby Fischer occasionally lost matches, and his rare defeats offer valuable lessons for ordinary players. This intriguing collection, compiled by a noted chess master, features comprehensive text-and-diagram analyses of 61 of Fischer's losing games. Highlights include "the losing moment," the move at which each game was beyond saving.
Customer Reviews:
Other Books.......2007-09-03
Ok, so for basically everybody this is not possible. The catchy title is of course used to draw you in, and get you to have a look at it.
In actuality, it is an analysis of the games where Fischer actually lost, and it attempts to instruct you in the game through the use of these particular examples.
dream on, it has kept us playing chess... ;-).......2005-02-28
Everyone wants 5 minutes of fame at least once in his/her life. To be able to beat the champion in any category is a dream come true. Until the time Fischer forfeited his chess title, he had been considered the most fearsome player since Tal. With win/draw ratio of 2/1, he is the most dangerous player (as Mednis mentioned in the book, the ratio 1/1 is already very awesome.) Mednis took the 61 Fischer's losses since Fischer becoming the U.S. champion at fourteen, and grouped into four significant periods during Fischer's career. Then he created 8 tables to show the statistics on:
1) How mush Fischer lost with White/Black pieces
2) Who had better records on Fischer
3) (Where) which countries had plus scores against Fischer
4) Why Fischer lost
5) What openings Fischer had problem with
And on the last table, Mednis listed the games in chronological order (when) Fischer lost them.
The stories begun of each part were insightful. The explanation begun and analysis during each game were good. The author now is a GM; he wrote the first edition (when he was an IM) after Fischer announced his retirement from chess (1974). Mednis is qualified to write the book and got fame when he beat Fischer one (1) game in 1962. This second edition from Dover, Mednis included an addition of the 1992 rematch between Fischer and Spassky. Fischer is still the better player, however comparing to the present tough competition Fischer would have to work really hard to maintain the expectation. Even so, he is still better than 95% of us (the chess mortals). (I guess, our chance to win is to wait until Fischer is 90 years old and he gives a 128 table simultaneous exhibition, and we remember to bring a portable Deep Jr. along.)
Great book - no thanks to DanJJ's review.......2004-03-08
Sorry DanJJ, but you need to read your chess history before posting such a review. Fischer wasn't the defending champion, Spassky was. And Fischer won the title off Spassky.
I am at 919 trying to break a 1000.......2002-01-18
Bobby Fischer is probably the greatest and most influential chess player the world has ever seen. Being only 14 when he won his first US championship. My dad recalls when Fischer won the world title in 1972, when he returned to college from summer vacation everyone was playing chess. That showed Bobby's influence on the nation.
How to beat Bobby Fischer is a great collection of games in which fischer was simply outplayed. You would think there wouldn't be many but there are well over 50 games that are fully annotated with commentary.
Although this resourceful chess study tool contains many lectures on Fisher's weaknesses it contains a detail account of Bobby's childhood to when he completely disappeared from the chess world.
The greatest game Fischer ever played (and lost) was one against Boris Spassky in the world championship in Iceland. Fischer played Black as the defending champion. The game opened with a Nimzo Indian Defense (Pawn bishop and knight formation) , Spassky had an Eye on the Title. Although Fischer lost on a careless error it was a very suspenseful match. At around the 20th move Fischer stood up and ordered the spectators out of the auditorium. Bobby went on to lose the title in the match and thus disappeared from the chess world.
I received this as a gift from my dad when I first started to study chess and play competitively. The strange thing is that I never read it until recently. I feel that this book is a necessary addition to any chess library.
Learning about Bobby Fischer!.......2000-04-30
Who is he?What's so special about him?Where is he from?These are all questions we ask when it comes to Bobby Fischer.He is a man!A very smart man,that has a massive memory,and for some reason lives in a chess world.Bobby Fischer was capable of seeing moves in the blink of an eye!He could see ahead 3 moves within 2 sec and up to 7 within 5 sec,he also knew what to do to break a defense.He had a mind of a genius ,the memory of a computer,and the eyes of an Hawk.Born in Chicago on Mar 9 1943,learning to play chess at age six,Fischer took 6 years to become a "master".At age 12 Fischer was played 12 members of his chess club and won all 12 games.
Not only did he have a sharp mind but he could replay games move by move that he had played years earlyer with his opponents.He also has what any one would think to be the highest IQ the world of chess as ever seen.
Customer Reviews:
Great book, but don't trust the Batsford edition. .......2004-08-18
'My 60 Memorable Games' is a fantastic collection from one of the great players in the history of chess. But, if one happens to run into the Batsford edition of the book, don't trust it at all. Fischer has publicly spoken as to how Batsford has ruined his book. Here is the website where Fischer talks about it. http://home.att.ne.jp/moon/fischer/
It is true. It seems like the people at Batsford are purposely trying to ruin his credibility. They are trying to make him look like an idiot, like a no-good potzer. Nonetheless, the games are awesome and immortal. Fischer should publish a new edition of this book with 40 extra games. He should add the games from 1968 to 1972 and the games from the 1992 rematch.
One of the Greatest Chess Books of All Time.......2003-12-06
This is the first non-beginners' chess book I ever read. Since it was the only chess book I had at the time, I read it over and over until I inadvertently memorized most of it. I can't say that it's the best chess book ever written. There are a few I like better, but this book was the right one for me at the time (1972).
I was a terrible player when I first read this book. Eventually I went on to become a pretty good one. I don't know how much credit Fischer gets. He probably would have told me to get a real job, but I loved the game no matter how awful I was.
I had the Descriptive Notation version in 1972. Sometime I lost it, but a few years ago, I managed to get a copy of it in hardback at a used bookstore for a couple of bucks. No, I am not offering it for sale.
Truly a classic.......2003-11-24
I own the Faber paperback version. Love his chess. Pretty balanced, down to earth style. Not dry and dull like Capa or Botvinnik, neither is it too speculative and complex like Tal. More like a aggressive positional with scope for tactics - an in between of the above players. I have modelled my play on his style and i had been playing better chess. I dislike studying all those opening books with plentiful variations and theories, but through this book I learnt something about The Sicilian Najdorf and the KID and Sozins which I still play, and develop my own ideas based on the way Fischer handled those openings. Have to admit that this book is full of heavy analysis and variations which my limited abilities cannot fathom everything or visualise too far ahead, the analysis notes helps in the practice of calculating variations in the manner prescribed by Kotov in his book Think Like a Grandmaster as not many games books are filled with all kinds of variations and sub variations. Apart from the book being more for the stronger or advanced player's study, lesser players like myself can gain quite a fair bit of ideas and insight in just playing through and appreciating the games and ideas as played by Fischer or his opponents. If you are only going to own just 1 chess book, then own this one. Pity it is no longer in print. Get hold of the Faber version if you can. Its the original one.
The finest chess book I have ever owned.......2003-01-05
I agree with all of the positive remarks in the previous reviews.
This book is magical. I still remember the names that Larry Evens
gives to each game some 30 years after reading the book. This one
chess book was responsible for me to go from a novice 1600 rated player to a expert almost overnight. The clarity of Fischers approach to the game and his marvelous annotations completely changed my understanding of the game. It is a pity that such a gifted player and writter turns out to be such a creep in real life.
A must have for anyone's chess library.......2002-08-21
My edition is Faber paperbacks 1972 and covers the period 1957-1967. I always tell people that it is the best (money) that I've ever spent! IM Larry Evans introduces all of the 60 games with titles like "Slaying the dragon", "Peekaboo strategy" and "Meat and potatoes". Although, of course, it is the annotations given by Fischer that make the book - highly recommended.
Book Description
Bobby Fischer emerged from his reclusive privacy just long enough to defy the U.S. government and give the interview referenced by the title of this collection of interviews from 10 years of NEW IN CHESS MAGAZINE. Other subjects includ Garry Kasparov, Viswanathan Anand, Anatoly Karpov, Judit Polgar and a host of other chess luminaries.
Customer Reviews:
another exploitation of fischer s name.......2004-02-18
i am very disappointed from this book. Its title seemed to me very promising but nothing matched my expectations. This book contains a lot of chess interviews some interesting some not..But nothing more, it is just a collection of interviews that the author- a known chess journalist- has taken through out his career. Moreover he uses the very marketable name of bobby fischer inspite that only a brief part of the book is refering to him. Save your money for something else....
Customer Reviews:
A Fascinating and Totally Unique Book.......2006-12-26
If you read and enjoyed "How Karpov Wins" by Mednis, you will fall madly in love with this book. Agur has written an incredibly fascinating book about the chess world's most enigmatic personality. What makes the book so outstanding is the breadth and depth to which Agur has analyzed Fischer's playing style. You can learn things here which you would not understand clearly even after reading Fischer's "Memorable Games". He breaks down Fischer's games according to topics like: Style, Defense, Technique, Clarity, etc. I know of no other book like this at this level of detail and depth. I'm not so sure it will improve your playing strength, but it will give you a perfect scheme for playing 'a la Fischer'
A must for any serious chess lover.
Methodical study of Fischer's play - a new dimension!.......2005-02-13
While not a grandmaster himself, Elie Agur has obviously made a deep study of Bobby Fischer's games. In this fascinating and highly instructive book, he analyzes the elements of Fischer's style with reference to specific games. As Agur says, "Besides being a study on Fischer, it is a treatise on the middlegame at large". Over 300 diagram positions are taken apart, with a page or more sometimes devoted to a single move, its implications and alternatives.
Topics include pawn structure, piece placement, material, timing, strategy (e.g. plans, seizing the initiative, liquidation, and playing for space), clarity, straightforwardness, alertness, reducing the opponent's options, playing to win, practical chances, tactics, technical aspects and overall vision. Fischer's weaknesses are not allowed to pass unmentioned, either. Agur devotes whole chapters to superficiality, misplaying won positions, and typical blunders and oversights.
You can learn all sorts of fascinating details about the great man and his opponents. For instance, Fischer's decision to play Alekhine's Defence against Ciocaltea in the 1965 Capablance Memorial tournament amazed fans. Agur explains what really happened. Fischer was participating by cable, as the State Department denied him a visa to go to Fidel Castro's Cuba in the aftermath of the 1962 missile crisis. Ciocaltea's first move was received as 1. d4 and so played on the board, and Fischer replied 1...Nf6 as usual. Only when the second move, 2. e5 came through was the mistake discovered. Characteristically, Fischer refused to change his first move and achieved a hard-fought draw after a long struggle against an opponent he would often have expected to beat.
For my money, this is a superb book. If I had to choose between it and any other book on Fischer - even his own "60 Memorable Games" - I think I would have to pick this one. It strikes a perfect balance between quantity and quality. Reading it carefully should increase anyone's playing strength, and is sure to afford hours of pleasure. Just one warning - chess theory has made huge strides since Fischer was playing, so don't take any of the opening analysis on trust without checking in a modern reference book.
Unique amoung chess books.......2003-07-17
This book delivers as the title says. Discussed are Fischer's decisions across various motifs (pawn structure, piece placement, strategy,...) from a diagrammed position. Much of the book can be read without a board depending on your strength. I think this book is more for advanced players, you just need to know things to get the most out of this book. Really the book is about style -- the style of a genius, so no chess player should be without it.
Excellent book to synthesize elements of chess.......2001-03-20
This book will change the way you approach chess regardless of your playing level. As noted by previous readers, Elie Agur has done a nice job of systematically analyzing Fischer's approach to chess into clear parts (e.g., pawn structures, traps, typical manuevores) clearly for the reader to grasp. The usefulness of this catagorization goes beyond having to fill up a content page. What has not been said is that reading this book actually helps you to integrate almost all the chess concepts you learnt (e.g., tactics, positional chess, etc.) but never know how to go about applying them.
For the more advanced player, I would recommend you taking a look at how Agur, given a chess position with a variety of candidate moves, manage to compare and contrast Fischer's style with other schools of playing chess (e.g., Karpov and Capablanca). This is interesting in itself as this is one clear evidence of chess style at work, and that no particular style is necessarily the best (although Fischer's style has been known to be the most accurate and straightforward in selection of candidate moves).
Should Be A Classic.......2000-05-10
This work is absolutely brilliant. Elie Agur observes much that had previously gone unnoticed in the play of this great genius. However, you will learn much more than simply how Fischer played. From the study of Fischer's "Approach to Chess," you will learn much about the nature of the middle game. This book contains many deep observations about the game of chess: If this same book had been written by a more famous player, it would already be a classic. Buy this book! I would also recommend Raymond Keene's Nimzowitch: A Reappraisal---the second, updated edition of Nimzowitch: Master of Planning.
Book Description
In the summer of 1972, with a presidential crisis stirring in the United States and the cold war at a pivotal point, two men -- the Soviet world chess champion Boris Spassky and his American challenger Bobby Fischer -- met in the most notorious chess match of all time. Their showdown in Reykjavik, Iceland, held the world spellbound for two months with reports of psychological warfare, ultimatums, political intrigue, cliffhangers, and farce to rival a Marx Brothers film.
Thirty years later, David Edmonds and John Eidinow, authors of the national bestseller Wittgenstein's Poker, have set out to reexamine the story we recollect as the quintessential cold war clash between a lone American star and the Soviet chess machine -- a machine that had delivered the world title to the Kremlin for decades. Drawing upon unpublished Soviet and U.S. records, the authors reconstruct the full and incredible saga, one far more poignant and layered than hitherto believed.
Against the backdrop of superpower politics, the authors recount the careers and personalities of Boris Spassky, the product of Stalin's imperium, and Bobby Fischer, a child of post-World War II America, an era of economic boom at home and communist containment abroad. The two men had nothing in common but their gift for chess, and the disparity of their outlook and values conditioned the struggle over the board.
Then there was the match itself, which produced both creative masterpieces and some of the most improbable gaffes in chess history. And finally, there was the dramatic and protracted off-the-board battle -- in corridors and foyers, in back rooms and hotel suites, in Moscow offices and in the White House.
The authors chronicle how Fischer, a manipulative, dysfunctional genius, risked all to seize control of the contest as the organizers maneuvered frantically to save it -- under the eyes of the world's press. They can now tell the inside story of Moscow's response, and the bitter tensions within the Soviet camp as the anxious and frustrated apparatchiks strove to prop up Boris Spassky, the most un-Soviet of their champions -- fun-loving, sensitive, and a free spirit. Edmonds and Eidinow follow this careering, behind-the-scenes confrontation to its climax: a clash that displayed the cultural differences between the dynamic, media-savvy representatives of the West and the baffled, impotent Soviets. Try as they might, even the KGB couldn't help.
A mesmerizing narrative of brilliance and triumph, hubris and despair, Bobby Fischer Goes to War is a biting deconstruction of the Bobby Fischer myth, a nuanced study on the art of brinkmanship, and a revelatory cold war tragicomedy.
Customer Reviews:
A celebration of chess?.......2007-05-18
Prior to the match Boris Spassky said that regardless of the results the events in Reykjavik would be a "celebration of chess". Bobby Fischer on the other hand, was going to war and wanted "to crush the Soviets". Two thoughts on Fischer come to mind after reading this book: What a jerk, and what a shame. He pretty much flushed his career down the toilet after this match by refusing to defend his title against Karpov in 1974, and for the most selfish of reasons - he couldn't handle losing - and he went out on top. How convenient. While his chess games are incredible to follow (and I highly recommend you take the time to do so) the fact is that he lost in life; while Spassky, whom he beat over the board, won (some observers even say that Spassky should've won the match based on pure chess skill and preparation; regardless of the results, his best games are as well worth studying as Fischer's). Fischer's absence throughout much of the 70s and all of the 1980s is lamentable, and like so many of his acquaintances, the more I find myself making excuses for his ridiculous behavior. "Bobby Fischer Goes to War" depicts this paradox and phenomenon pretty well and anyone interested in Cold War history might really enjoy the bizarre and intriguing events in this little corner of the wider, global show-down between communism and capitalism. Nevertheless, I have a few reservations about this book.
Despite its being a well-researched, compelling and easy-to-read account of the off-board, behind the scenes battles between Fischer & the Russians, it has several short-comings, the foremost of which is a lack of chess. Sure, the authors make some token efforts to summarize certain highlights of a few games, but the focus is on Fischer's antics rather than his moves (or, if you're a Fischer apologist, his "off the board brinksmanship") and this seems unfortunate to me. By having the games interwoven into the main storyline the peripheral hoopla of the match would have its proper context. Not only this, but it would relieve the tedium of some 300 pages of some rather petty and exasperating behavior, and ultimately, would redeem the man himself. Reading about Bobby Fischer without his chess games is like, well, try imagining Mike Tyson without boxing. Additionally, I'm not sure how this book is any different from "The Russians vs. Fischer" (D. Plisetsky & S. Voronkov, Everyman, 1994, 2005 2nd ed.)? Not having been able to read it I can't say for sure, but from what I can tell it contains more interviews from the Russian side (the authors apparently utilized the same "unpublished U.S. & Soviet records" so prominently advertised on this book's jacket) and the games themselves. These two factors alone make me suspect that I bought the inferior product, and so I recommend you compare the two.
Other criticisms:
A complete absence of reference notes for any of the some 150+ sources for this book make it difficult, if not impossible to locate the sources for a large amount of curious material. Have these guys ever heard of plagiarism?
The authors, who are journalists, write in the typical "play by play" style of their profession, which works well in pithy newspaper or magazine columns (or for John Krakauer & Mark Bowden), but wears thin in a full-length narrative about a chess match without any real chess.
The coverage of the 1992 re-match is given short-shrift and conveniently written off a "a bad sequel".
In the end I wanted to hear more from Spassky and Fischer themselves. There are a lot of secondary viewpoints and great sources of information here, but how much better could the text have been had the authors solicited or used more direct quotes from the participants themselves - especially Spassky since he seemed most willing to talk? Recently I discovered "B. Fischer: The Wandering King" by H. Bohm & K. Jongkind (Batsford, 2005) which looks to be fill this gap.
The one thing that redeems the author's decision to focus on the non-chess related action in my mind is that it does illuminate something important that I don't believe they intended; namely that, despite their extreme differences, both chess masters managed not only to play some great chess, but refused to be manipulated by their respective political systems. That is, regardless of Fischer's obsession with control and the fiasco he made of this match - not to mention the ass he made of himself - it seems to me that the "celebration of chess" Spassky envisioned came about in-spite of all this, and in no small part due to his own tolerance, patience and ability to challenge Fischer on the chess board. For it was these two individual chess-artists who not only enriched and popularized the game worldwide through their immortal play, greatly benefiting their fellow players through larger purses future tournaments, but most importantly, their outmaneuvering of systemic powers that sought to constrain them for narrow-minded political propaganda.
STORY OF A PATHETIC BOY IN A MAN'S SUIT.......2006-11-09
BOBBY FISHER GOES TO WAR is a well-researched book, using, among other sources, recently opened Soviet files on the match. The authors (Edmonds and Eidinow) fill in the background leading up to the match, including bios of the lives of Fisher and Spassky, the two combatants in "the chess match of all time". However, the story lacks for sustainable drama; things poke along, the authors obviously stretching out a long magazine piece into a book. This is fine for chess fans but the general reader may feel too bogged down. On the other hand, there is little analysis of the games played in the match, which might frustrate a chess buff who has not yet read any of the analytical books on the match. BOBBY FISHER GOES TO WAR is probably more a political book than a sports book as all the negotiations, psychology, and behind the scenes manuvering are spelled out as well as the actions of the Soviet Communist party machinery regarding the match and very little on the games itself. Fisher comes off as brilliant but insane and this reader had little sympathy for his pathological behavior or the chess authorities caving into his ridiculous and nuerotic demands. All of that is covered in detail in the book. Ultimately, this is not the story of an American hero but of a pathetic, spoiled, ungrateful boy in a man's suit.
couldn't put it down.......2006-03-04
really wondeful. the appendix chapter his mother is, in my opinion,
even more interesting than the book. book, of course, is a fantastic read.
A very brief review.......2005-12-02
Plus: Just the facts. This is a straightforward history of the 1972 Fischer-Spassky match, told with enough context to make the story understandable, interesting, and entertaining, but without exaggeration. The story is balanced, and tells Spassky's side as well as Fischer's.
Minus: It assumes the reader knows absolutely nothing about chess, and therefore loses the drama of the games themselves. The authors do describe the "poisoned pawn" of Game 1, but otherwise there's very little chess in the book. Of course, some readers may think this is a plus! I enjoyed this book and recommend it if you are interested in the match.
Cold War Intrigue...Over 64 Squares.......2005-10-15
It had all the intrigue of a Cold War novel: there was the arrogant, boyish challenger; the imperious, quiet Soviet; the behind-the-scenes dealings; the suspicious delegates; the spies; the double-agents; hypnotists and spiritualists; food poisoning and wire-taps; searched briefcases and searched rooms; a mother suspected of being a communist sympathizer; the FBI, the KGB and the CIA; even Henry Kissinger has a cameo.
--Oh, and almost incidentally, there was the world championship of chess. In Iceland, of all places.
Two men were the center of this event, hunched over a chessboard, each trying to prove the superiority of -- well, of what?
To the political leaders on each side, the winner of this grueling contest would prove that their political, social and philosophical system was somehow superior. That may seem silly today, but there were a lot of silly ideas about politics in 1972 (unlike today, ha ha ha).
Bobby Fischer Goes To War is an entertaining account of a match where for many the chess was almost incidental. Who could have imagined, back in that summer of '72, that a dull game only vaguely understood by most Americans would have captured the imagination? But capture it it did: the event was broadcast on TV. Bars showed the match rather than baseball, and got flack from customers if they changed the channel. Chess club memberships went through the roof. Stores could not keep chess sets and chess books in stock. Grandmasters were treated like rock stars. They arrived in limosines. Strangers begged for their autographs. They had groupies! Chess was sexy!
It was a surreal time. And this book profiles it all rather flatly, missing the zeitgeist. The writing is relatively bland and matter-of-fact. (Where is Tom Wolfe when you need him?) The authors could have really had fun with this story. Instead we get what is sometimes an overload of facts, given in a newspaper-style dryness. This is one of those rare times when I wished for more sizzle and less steak.
Still, though the book could have been more lively, this is a very thoroughly-researched chronicle of a unique event in U.S. history.
As for the match itself, I found myself, to my surprise, actually rooting for--and somewhat feeling sorry for--Spassky. Fischer lost my sympathy after his 80th or so temper tantrum over the lights. Or was it the chairs? Or the stage? Or the noise? Or the squares on the board? Or the TV cameras? Or the prize-money? Or the hotel? Or the limo? Or the lack of bowling alleys in Iceland? At some point you just want the match organizers to pull the plug and send Fischer back home in disgrace, because that is truly what he deserved. The Russians hurled accusations that Bobby was using psychological warfare to make Spassky crack, which was mostly dismissed at the time as sour grapes. Today it's easier to see that their claims had some merit. Even though Fischer may have been a more brilliant player, I doubt he would have won in a straight match without all the off-stage melodrama. Unquestionably supremely gifted, he was nonetheless simply too scared. I think he fould it hard to live up to all his own bravado--who wouldn't?--and his last weapon against his opponent was his endless, unpredictable melodramas.
Spassky comes across as harder to peg. Hardly a model Soviet, but definitely a loyal Russian, he seemed interested in playing Fischer for the joy of playing Fischer, rather than to prove anything about the "great Soviet Chess Machine." (Inexplicably he agreed to changes in match conditions in the third game that may have led to his very downfall.) He apparently still hasn't lost his Fischer fascination. He played another match against the American in 1992 in Yugoslavia, and more recently, when Fischer was arrested in Japan (he is wanted by the U.S. Department of State) Spassky reportedly said, "Arrest me too, put me in a cell with Fischer and give us a chess set." Whatever his motivation in Iceland, he clearly was not a loyal Soviet, and his handlers knew this. Some feared he would defect. Others put up with his comments against the system that would have landed most others in jail. There was almost relief that another Russian would challenge Fischer in 1975--a challenge the champion never met, forfeiting his title--even though Spassky was a stronger player than Anatoly Karpov.
Despite not winning the title, Spassky's life turned out a lot better than Fischer's. Boris ended up abroad, still a Russian citizen, but married to a French woman and living the life of a country gentleman. Fischer wound up living the life of a derelict, abandoned by his country, fighting demons in his head that are telling him everything is a Jewish conspiracy. (Ironically, it turns out that Fischer is fully Jewish, and not half-German like he had always believed.) It's hard not to conclude his was a wasted life, at least after 1972. It's sad to think how much chess could have benefitted if the first and only U.S. champion had been wrapped a little more tightly.
Books:
- Bungalow Style: Creating Classic Interiors in Your Arts and Crafts Home
- Classic Battletech: Total Warfare (FPR35101) (Classic Battletech)
- Collected Works of Karl Marx and Frederick Engels (50 volume set)
- Companions of the Night
- Creative Whack Pack
- Cross Stitch Designs From India
- Double Cross: The Explosive, Inside Story of the Mobster Who Controlled America
- Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (Signet Classics)
- Endgame Tactics: A Comprehensive Guide to the Sunny Side of Chess Endgames
- Essentials of Stage Management
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Practical Business Ethics
- Every Man's Battle: Winning the War on Sexual Temptation One Victory at a Time
- ART OF THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME, THE
- Barn Burning Barn Building: Tales of a Political Life, From LBJ to George W. Bush and Beyond
- Designing the Hamptons: Portraits of Interiors
- History: Fiction or Science
- Dynamic Strength
- Intellectual Property Assets in Mergers and Acquisitions
- Citation Analysis in Research Evaluation
- BUCKING THE SUN : A Novel
Chess
| Board Games
| Puzzles & Games
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Beginning Chess: Over 300 Elementary Problems for Players New to the Game
How to Beat Your Dad at Chess (Gambit Chess)
1001 Brilliant Ways to Checkmate (Chess Lovers' Library)
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Chess, Third Edition
Chess Tactics for Kids
