Bobbby Fischer Gone Rogue

An article from Pravda:

“Bobby Fisher was indefatigable in his search for the truth. Throughout his life, Fischer looked for a vehicle to take him there. He found one: Chess provided the impetus or means. It does not surprise that later in life he often referred to the game as his ‘great paradox’. Soon after his miraculous victory in the mid 70s at Reykjavik Iceland over Russian Grandmaster, Boris Spassky, when he became the youngest World Chess Champion, Bobby Fischer vanished from the global spotlight; without reason he dropped off the world stage.

The media were miffed; and not just those journalists who covered chess. The world’s largest media conglomerates, and especially the big three American TV networks were at a loss for words. Other than “Where is Bobby Fischer?” they had nothing to say. None of them offered a plausible explanation as to Fischer’s sudden disappearance from ‘stardom’. All combined, the MSM could not proffer a cogent thought on what to do about their own irony. The anchors seemed lost. They needed Fischer. Out of their own selfish desires, journalists went on a quest. Like a spring spider’s web, they spread out all over the globe looking for him.

In the eyes of MSM, Bobby Fischer had gone rogue. Fischer was un-American…

Years later, several reporters had sightings of Fischer. So they claimed. Fischer, though a celebrity, was no longer easily recognizable. His appearance had changed. Some said drastically. Whatever reputed photos they published, many or even most depicted Fischer as a recluse. From the grainy snapshots, Fisher looked sullen. Other news outlets referred to him as a ‘bum’. How easily people forgot. Fischer’s former flatteries all but vanished. The media no longer saw him as a chess prodigy. Americans stopped rooting for him. People lost interest around the globe. In fact, the opposite happened. At first, the insinuations crept in at a snail’s pace. It was not long before the ‘movement’ gained momentum. In no time, the world’s media felt little compunction about demonizing him. In America, Fischer went from hero to goat, in less than a New York minute.

Why did the MSM have a change of heart?

Why did the MSM have this abrupt change of heart? Why would so many ‘journalists’ now cast him in such a pall? Why would his former legion of media as well as chess supporters now smear Fischer with such vitriol when they normally reserved such biased reporting for only villainous outlaws? Instead of answers, media circles stooped even lower. They muddied their own dirty laundry with outright lies. The networks now officially deemed Bobby Fischer as an undesirable maniac. On camera, he was adjudged not just paranoid nor a man afflicted with schizophrenia. Oh no! He was worse than that. In their eyes, Bobby Fischer had gone rogue. Fischer was un-American as Benedict Arnold was earlier. They implied Fischer had defected. He had committed the unpardonable act: he had gone over to the other side. To many, Fischer was essentially a bona fide Soviet agent. Without providing corroborating evidence, the media conjured up the false image that Fischer now spied for America’s Cold War enemy.
Could the MSM get away with their acts?

Could the MSM get away with their slanders and libelous acts? They did. Fischer, other than his own personal journal scribbling, did little or nothing to refute the lies. However, why was he so laconic in public? Only now, after his recent death did any intrepid reporters go digging for the truth. It did not take them long either to uncover bobby Fischer’s ‘untold’ story. People close to him, which were not many, provided the insights. From interviews with his former manager, a close career confidant, and his sister, a very different Bobby Fischer emerged. True enough, Fischer early in his adult life felt he was ‘followed’. He often complained about his frequent ‘tails’. In his travels Fischer always searched his apartment for the ‘bugs’ or electronic listening devices. When it came to revealing the source about his suspicions that others were spying on his ‘activism’ and looking into his personal ‘beliefs’, Fischer offered his candor freely. He did not suspect the Soviets. That meant only the opposite side of the equation was true: his own government did not trust him. Fischer went further. He called them by their names: the CIA, the Pentagon, and the State Department. However, he stopped short. Fischer did not provide the specifics: dates, proof discovered, or any substantive evidence that he even approached the authorities or lodged a complaint.

Regardless of what the MSM may mislead you to believe about this remarkable man and great American, Bobby Fischer remained true to his convictions. He stayed resolute in his search for the truth. Rather than cave to his critics and accept that he was ‘sick’, Fischer found absolution: he renounced his U.S. citizenship. After seeking political asylum, Iceland, the host country of his most famous achievement granted Fischer full citizenship. It was a fitting tribute.”

Montresor (January 2017)

More Russian fake news.

I have to assume that by “MSM”, you mean main stream media. Unlike some chess players, the media were not that obsessed with Fischer and his doings. The revisionist history is little more than jibber jabber. He was a great player and a sick man. It is a sad story that does not get better by twisting history.

Here’s a link to the article.
pravdareport.com/opinion/col … fischer-0/

Comparing Fischer to Snowden and Wikileaks is delusional. there are other delusions as well, some sadly funny…
“On camera, he was adjudged not just paranoid nor a man afflicted with schizophrenia. Oh no! He was worse than that. In their eyes, Bobby Fischer had gone rogue. Fischer was un-American as Benedict Arnold was earlier. They implied Fischer had defected. He had committed the unpardonable act: he had gone over to the other side. To many, Fischer was essentially a bona fide Soviet agent.”

Fanciful at best.

“True enough, Fischer early in his adult life felt he was ‘followed’. He often complained about his frequent ‘tails’. In his travels Fischer always searched his apartment for the ‘bugs’ or electronic listening devices. When it came to revealing the source about his suspicions that others were spying on his ‘activism’ and looking into his personal ‘beliefs’, Fischer offered his candor freely. He did not suspect the Soviets. That meant only the opposite side of the equation was true: his own government did not trust him.”

He of course was followed, but only because his mother was considered suspect during the hightend period of anti-Soviet feeling in the US. Fischer himself hated the Soviets. Eventually, he hated mst everyone and everything as his illness progressed.

“He stayed resolute in his search for the truth. Rather than cave to his critics and accept that he was ‘sick’, Fischer found absolution: he renounced his U.S. citizenship. After seeking political asylum, Iceland, the host country of his most famous achievement granted Fischer full citizenship. It was a fitting tribute.”

Truth? Poor Bobby was taken in by Iceland in appreciation of who he had been and what he had accomplished. It was not a tribute to Fischer to give him citizenship, IMO. Rather, it was an act of compassion by a country known for its egalitarianism and rationality.

“Pravda” is anything but.

The less time spent on drivel like this thread the better. Moderators - is this thread really serving the interests of chess?

One person’s drivel is another person’s discussion of choice. This forum is All about Chess. We’ve discussed Fischer’s life and chess here on numerous occasions. The Pravda article is interesting as Pravda is a semi-official news organ of the Russian State. I find it fascinating, not only from the standpoint of Fischer and all that we know about him ,especially after Dr. Ponterello’s psychological biography, US-Russian relations after Trump’s election and Kirsan’s being placed on the Treasury Dept.‘s sanctions list. Kirsan has publicly stated that he believes a Trump administration will lift the sanctions against him. Consider also that one of Putin’s top aides was in attendance at the Carlsen-Karjakan match in NYC and it becomes clear that this Pravda piece has motifs and leitmotifs of both chess and politics. It’s interesting to me and others. No you? That’s’ OK. Just by-pass the thread.

“Only now, after his recent death did any intrepid reporters go digging for the truth. It did not take them long either to uncover bobby Fischer’s ‘untold’ story. People close to him, which were not many, provided the insights. From interviews with his former manager, a close career confidant, and his sister, a very different Bobby Fischer emerged.”

Good thing they didn’t try for a more current interview with his sister, since she had died 10 years before Bobby. Tomorrow, the 17th, is the anniversary of his death in 2008. The whole article really sucked.

Another aspect of “fake news.” In other eras it was called revisionism or disinformation. The latter term referred to taking a set of alleged facts and targeting an audience to damage their understanding of what is true. This goes beyond propaganda to influence historical perceptions.

Fischer had deep psychological problems.

In the early 90’s, against United States laws, he played a match again, some 20 years out of touch with the chess world, but played on a island that was off limits due to it’s main country being in a state of war.

After that, he had to basically go into hiding to keep away from the long arms of the United States. Eventually, out of compassion, Iceland granted him asylum, while he was being held in Japan for deportation to the USA. That solved his more immediate problem.

Then there was his anti-Semitic tirades…

Over all, by that time, even the main stream media was debating Fischer’s mental health. Obviously Fischer didn’t have anything nice to say about the USA, having been on the run from them for some years before being apprehended in Japan.

I would presume his rematch games with Boris Spassky are available someplace, probably most databases would have them. I remember reading about them in college. Experts were mostly saying that both Fischer and Spassky were out long out of tournament practice, although not to say the games were bad, but just not on par with top talent of the early 90’s.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fischer%E … 1992_match