Approximately 1999

American Grandmaster Yasser Seirawan exchanged 'high fives' with those in the room where they were awaiting word on whether this match actually would take place. What was all the excitement about? They'd just gotten official word -- Fischer had made his first published move in just over twenty years. What was the move? Fischer had the white pieces so, of course, he moved his King pawn forward two squares. 1. e4! The move Fischer had championed for years. He called it "Best by test" and would have no part of the modern foolishness of playing 1. d4 as Kasparov loves to play or even worse 1. Nf3 popularized by the Hypermodern School inhabited by the ghosts of Reti, Nimzovich, etc. So, was the cheer for the move he made, or the fact that there were moves being played? If Las Vegas were setting the odds on whether Fischer would play something other than 1. e4 or whether he'd cancel an appearance at the last second -- any prudent bettor aware of Fischer's history would have the odds in his favor betting on a no-show.

Just the day before the match began Fischer attended a press conference. He held up a warning from the U.S. State department that threatened dire consequences should he participate. He spit on the piece of paper. He wouldn't back out of this event -- he only did that when he was trying to extort more money or better playing conditions from tournament organizers. So, why was it that Seirawan & this room full of people were so excited? Well, of course, the main thing to cheer was that the match had started and the games would be played. But don't underestimate the importance the affect that first move had on Bobby's faithful followers. If Fischer had played something other than his signature move from the white side it would suggest that he had lost confidence in himself, he had changed, he had sold out. But here stood Fischer, in all his glory, the rebel King. Seirawan, who at one time, was thought to be the best chance the U.S. had for another World Chess Champion had longed to experience Fischer in the flesh. Yasser was a young man when Fischer disappeared. Fischer was his idol, though he had never seen him in person. But that would all change now. For at the moment they got word of that first move his airline tickets had arrived. He would be going to meet his idol, in person! And he would be writing about his comeback!

The Comeback that Almost Wasn't

This "World Championship" rematch, as Fischer liked to call it, had many obstacles to overcome -- not the least of which was the fact that the U.S. government had forbidden it's citizens to have any dealings with Yugoslavia, as it was under U.N. sanctions. And while the threat of the U.S. government would be enough to back most people down. We're talking about Robert James Fischer, here. That threat may have actually been the thing that kept Fischer from backing out. Would his ego keep the Rebel King from dropping out for other reasons, because it would appear that the U.S. had backed him down? I, for one, think that's entirely likely. I believe he was caught in a trap, forced into a chute, if you will, that would force him to play this match no matter what his personal objections may be because to do otherwise would make it look like the U.S. government was big enough to push Fischer around. But, many suspect, Bobby Fischer's self importance is bigger than the whole planet. After the match Fischer was indicted on Federal charges and remains a fugitive from U.S. Justice. Fischer was in his glory at the pre-match press conferences. He told the world about his Fischer Clock, which he had received a patent for just prior to the beginning of the match. They would be using this invention of his in the match. It was designed, so that, increments of time could be added on each move. This was, of course, another improvement he had longed to get sanctioned. He also talked about the state of chess today, and how he would have destroyed Karpov, had he played him. He talked about the 'low-life criminal dogs' that the world knew as Korchnoi, Karpov and Kasparov. What frauds these men were perpetrating on the chess public who are unaware of the huge number of prearranged games these men play against each other! When asked if he was an anti-Communist fighter. Bobby replied that "Communism is basically a mask for Bolshevism, which is a mask for Judaism". When asked, "You have been characterized as anti-Semitic in various publications -- what is your response?" Fischer replied, in terms that would make Bill Clinton or Dick Morris green with envy "In the first place, this term 'anti-Semitism' is a nonsense term, because my understanding is that the Arabs are also Semites, not only the Jews; so I don't know what that means. I'm definitely not anti-Arab." He also talked about the research he had done into the Korchnoi, Karpov, and Kasparov bunch (oh, my!) prearranging their games and the proof he had of this. He promised that he would soon write a book that would detail the 'proof' he had of this alleged fact. Sadly, all the notes that Bobby had accumulated to write this book that could have satisfied a starving chess public for the proof they had craved on this matter, were 'stolen'. Bobby surmised that it must be that group of Semites that he didn't like that perpetrated this crime on humanity.

One sad note -- it's generally accepted that Fischer is half Jewish. This may not be quite true. Bobby's Mother Regina was a secular Jew who never had Bobby circumcised. His father was officially listed as Regina Fischer's German husband, Hans-Gerhardt Fischer. However according to evidence dug up by the FBI, it's very likely that Fischer's real father was Regina Fischer's Hungarian friend, Paul Nemenyi. Nemenyi came to the United States in the 1930s, taught college mathematics, and met Regina Fischer in 1942. Nemenyi paid child support to Regina for young Bobby and his son Peter Nemenyi claimed Fischer to be his half-brother after his father's death in 1952. Paul Nemenyi was also Jewish. So it seems that Fischer, in his rejection of all things Jewish, was fighting against his own ancestry.

The Motivation for the '92 Rematch

What was it that inspired Fischer to play this match? Many believe that the main motivating factor came from a relationship he developed with an 18-year-old Hungarian chess prodigy named Zita Rajcsanyi. This young girl started as a pen pal with Fischer where she wrote beautiful letters telling him how his great genius inspired her, they then reportedly carried on a full-fledged romance in Yugoslavia during the match, she later wrote a tell all book about their relationship. Such is the life of Robert James Fischer, chess genius at large.

The Chess of the '92 Rematch

In the first official game that Bobby played in twenty years, the opening was a Ruy Lopez (Bobby's old standard) Breyer Variation (ECO code C95). The chess was great; Fischer was brilliant according to most observers. He won game one! After twenty long years, Fischer was back! The next few games were a bit of a letdown, with draws in games 2 and 3. The experts complained that the chess was not quite at the level of game 1. Spassky won games 4 and 5. Fischer was behind in the match and the experts wondered if he had lost something in the long layoff. They were playing this match under the rules that Fischer had long sought to institute -- the first one to ten victories would be the winner. After a draw in game 6 Fischer won the next three games to lead the match 4-2! He was never seriously threatened after this, and eventually won the match ten victories to five on the thirtieth game. After game 22, with Fischer leading the contest 8-4, Spassky was asked whether he felt the contest was over. He replied, "It's a very difficult question for me because I'm ready to fight and I want to fight but on the other hand I would like to handle Bobby as my victor subconsciously somehow because I have a conception that Bobby must come back to chess and show his best." He continued, "I'm [a] fighter and from another side I am on Bobby's side. And this is absolutely natural because for me according to my conception we must have our king in chess and Bobby can be the king. For me, for example, Karpov or Kasparov can't be kings because they are Communists. I am anticommunist according to my experience from my living in the Soviet Union for 40 years."

Some very candid words from the ex-Champion signaling the battle that raged within him. It makes one wonder whether those words that Ayn Rand directed his way almost twenty years ago really had an effect on him. How could he really give his utmost to beating Fischer when he not so secretly hoped that Fischer would win the match 'for the good of the game'? Anyone who knows chess very well knows the impact that psychology has on a competitor's will to win. Perhaps this explains some of the Spassky blunders in the match.

I'm sure there is little confusion about where the grand old communist of the game, Mikhail Botvinnik, stood on the issue of a Fischer comeback. He was particularly critical of Spassky. Said Botvinnik, "I must say that this is not the Fischer we used to know, the Fischer who used to fascinate us with his play. That Fischer is no more, nor can he be." He then pontificated, "The eleventh game resembles a rendering from a simultaneous game. Fischer has, of course, played well, but Spassky with his weak performance seemed absolutely helpless." The old Soviet then interjected, with a slight dose of political correctness, "As human beings, we are all, of course, happy that Fischer has returned to chess, but it is not the same old, or rather young, Fischer."

Many observers agreed that Fischer was not the Fischer of old, nor would he be any match for today's young crème de la crème. However, many expert chess observers took the opposite tack, saying that the games were of a very high quality. Almost all observers agreed on one thing -- they wanted to see Fischer play Kasparov or Anand or Karpov. Of course Fischer would leave everyone hanging on that one.

Yasser Seirawan: Peacemaker

In his excellent book on this match entitled "No Regrets: Fischer-Spassky 1992" Seirawan tries to walk a fine line of reporting on his idol, making objective comments on the match and trying to form a bridge between Fischer and all the people he has alienated in the chess world. The waltz that he does with this subject is highlighted in pp. 291-302 of that book. He works hard to present Fischer as a normal guy who is "the most misunderstood, misquoted celebrity walking the face of this earth". Well, I haven't heard Yasser Seirawan's response to Bobby Fischer's gleeful jubilation that America had been attacked on September 11th, 2001. But even Yasser Arafat looked into the TV cameras that day and convinced some people that he was very upset at this horrible tragedy that had befallen his great benefactor, the United States. While in the streets the Palestinian people couldn't hide their great joy that the news brought them. Some people believe what they want to, say what they want to and publish what they want to irregardless of facts. Yasser Seirawan is a great chessplayer, a good American and a person who longs to make peace between Bobby Fischer and the chess world. But I've read the things that Bobby Fischer writes; I've read transcripts of his radio interviews. He once called into his favorite radio station to apologize for complaining about Jews and being so vulgar the last time he was on the show. After his sycophantic host accepted his apology he immediately told a sexual joke about a Jewish man. He's like a cartoon character sometimes. His supporters say that he has a good child-like heart. That may very well be, but he certainly has enough "foot in the mouth" quotes to make you wonder what really lies in his heart. You can't soft-pedal or explain away the things Fischer has to say. Bobby Fischer's own words are his own worst indictment.

The Aftermath of the 1992 Rematch

After his disappointing break with Zita Rajcsanyi Fischer reportedly roamed central Europe for several years. Susan and Judit Polgar, who were becoming world class chessplayers, then befriended him. He stayed at their house living with their family for a short time. Susan said, of this time period, "I remember happy times in the kitchen cutting mushrooms. He's very normal in that sense, very pleasant." That the Polgars are Jewish didn't seem to cause any conflict between them and Bobby. He shared analysis with them of chess positions that they were involved in and they often played Fischer Random Chess, in which both players' back-row pieces are arranged according to the same random shuffle before play begins. He was reportedly quite impressed with the girl's play and it was decided that a widely publicized Fischer Random match would be played between himself and Judit. The promotion of this event soon fell apart. Fischer blamed the Polgar's Jewish heritage for the breakdown of the deal according to a Fischer confidant. Seirawan suggested that Fischer's main problem with Jews was in business relationships. He believed that this stemmed from his experience as a naïve young chess genius who often felt that he didn't get what was coming to him in negotiations with chess promoters as he grew up in New York City. Perhaps Yasser was correct.

After negotiations broke down with the Polgars Fischer disappeared from public view again. He would be heard from in 1999 when his voice was broadcast from an obscure Filipino radio station. He had plenty to say about how he'd been wronged by Jews and a worldwide Jewish conspiracy, etc. but nothing of any real value. He seemed to think that venting his spleen in his, now widely recognizable, incoherent style would somehow alleviate the persecution he clearly believed he was suffering from.