Whatever happened to Bobby Fischer?

Have you ever wondered what Bobby Fischer has been up to since becoming the first American to win the official World Championship in 1972? We wrote a little series of articles about one of the all-time greats last summer. We track him from his earliest beginnings to his latest crazy rants. Whatever happened to Bobby Fischer? Click "Articles" on the right to find out.

The Denker 2003

- Tournament of H.S. Champions. Every year, in conjunction with the U.S. Open, there is a national tournament sponsored by noted chess philanthropist, Arnold Denker. This tournament gathers together the H.S. Champion from every state in the Union. They travel to the site of the U.S. Open and play in a 6 rd. Swiss. Since the rounds are played in the morning, there is also time for them to play in the U.S. Open concurrently.

Approximately 1957

- a 14 yr. old Bobby Fischer enthusiastically recreates a position on a demo board. What happened to that young man with the bright future? Oh, if we didn't know now, what he didn't know then!

Down and Out in Pasadena (No.5)

Fischer returned from the '72 Championship match to a hero's welcome. New York City Mayor, John Lindsay presented him with the key to the city. He was treated like a rock star. Women wanted him and men wanted to be like him. But all the attention made Bobby feel a bit claustrophobic. He made a reference to "The creeps closing in on him" and reportedly left $5 million in unsigned endorsement contracts on his lawyer's desk to flee for Pasadena.

September 1972

- a 29 yr. old Bobby Fischer proudly accepts his crown as World Chess Champion. It was a huge victory for the USA over Russia, but it would be the last time he'd play competitive chess for 20 years.

The 1963 Western Open (No.3)

On the weekend of July 5-6, 2003 the Western Open will meet for the 47th time. The tournament will be played, as usual, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It will be a simple 5 Round Swiss System affair with very few big names from the American chess scene in attendance. If you're looking for the biggest names in American Chess you should get on I-94 heading toward Chicago, then when you get past Chicago take I-80 East past Cleveland, then take I-76 all the way into Philadelphia.

Approximately 1999

- Bobby Fischer in his mid-fifties no longer plays chess, which he calls "rotten to the core". He's more interested in conspiracy theories and self-pity.

Prologue (No.1)

That's a question for the ages. A deep question with dark & often disturbing answers. Last year at a chess camp my son wanted to get the book "Bobby Fischer: The Complete Games of the American World Chess Champion".

The Future of Tournament Chess in Michigan

Sunday afternoon, prior to the start of the final round of the 10th U.S. Amateur Championship North, Pete Nixon announced that the event would not be run by the MCA at the present location. The MCA, according to Nixon, lost $700 promoting the event, Editor's Note: Bob Ciaffone, MCA President, sends us this note "(From Pete Nixon's actual financial report on the event) The MCA lost a total of $474.10.

Young Masters in the Making

We begin this series with one of the bright young lights in Michigan Chess. Manis Davidovich. A Series devoted to the nurture and celebration of the bright young Chess talent on Michigan's horizon.