Originally posted by Mad RookYou mean, Fischer didn't make any difference in the long run?
Unfortunately, I don't think it's quite that simple. Yes, the USA did become a chess nation (sort of) after 1972. Fischer's WC title alone swelled the ranks of USCF members right after 1972, and the USCF invested a lot of money in their chess infrastructure. However, after Fischer went into seclusion after resigning his WC title in 1975, Americans started f ...[text shortened]... in the USA is about at the same level as if Fischer had never won the WC in Reykjavik.
I thought that Fischer, as a world champ, mad a lot of difference, especially in those cold war years. "Hey, we beat the russkies!" kind of importance.
Originally posted by FabianFnasI think he means that he didn't make a difference in inspiring a greater interest in chess over the long term.
You mean, Fischer didn't make any difference in the long run?
I thought that Fischer, as a world champ, mad a lot of difference, especially in those cold war years. "Hey, we beat the russkies!" kind of importance.
I agree with that. Part of it might be that he went looney, but he didn't create any more of a "chess culture" so to speak in the US than there was before. It would have been nice if that was the case.
When I entered the chess scene the USCF had about 6000 members so it’s a LOT bigger now despite the fall off after Fischer. It was never known for being well run. It irks me that I get letters wanting me to contribute money. They try to make me feel guilty because as a life member I haven’t paid dues in nigh on to 40 years. They even called me at home one evening wanting me to buy some stupid book listing names & addresses of other life members. Like we’re all going to get together at McDonald’s & play chess or something. It’s not my fault they mismanaged my $100 life membership dues. I’d hate to see them go bankrupt, but really wouldn’t miss them if they did. One nice thing about those old days with so few members: if you were rated 1900-2000 you were one of the big guns at most any weekender and with only 50-60 masters in the country anybody over 2200 could really strut around. Even a 2202 rating entering an event would get everybody a-twittering. “There’s a master playing!” Fischer, Reshevsky, Bisguier, Benko, Lombardy, Evans. They were just names of players you saw in magazines and books…not real people. Now it seems everybody is at least a USCF Expert. Anyway just about everybody I know has heard the name of Fischer and most of them still think he’s the WC. We paid $10 entry fees and prize money was $100, $50 and $25. If you were the top class player you got a cheap book or a crappy trophy. So Fischer did make a big difference.
Fischer made a big difference because he became a celebrity/nut, who are valued in our society because people could make money off him. If he were just a great chess player he would only have made a difference in American chess, we all like a winner. If our gov would spend a few dollars on chess, music, art, etc, it would make a big difference in American culture. But we have to spend billions and billions on aircraft carriers, planes, and bombs to maintain our free way of life while our roads and schools go to rot. So what's left is the commercial aspect of everything to support it, so Fischer, despite himself became a celebrity/nut, valued by people who know nothing of chess. that's my story and im sticking to it.
If you didn't know chessnativity every country hates america. Why is it so hard to believe that people from america hate it as well? America thinks its the $hit, which its not, we can't even fight a third world country. Our health systems, government programs, social security programs are all screwed. We have more recourses than any other country in the world and yet we are in debt by trillions of dollars. If you have money to fight a war, you have money to help fix the country and not with B.S. programs like creating the HMO.
Originally posted by kmac27Where are you getting you info? Because it seems a little biased to me.
If you didn't know chessnativity every country hates america. Why is it so hard to believe that people from america hate it as well? America thinks its the $hit, which its not, we can't even fight a third world country. Our health systems, government programs, social security programs are all screwed. We have more recourses than any other country in the world ...[text shortened]... war, you have money to help fix the country and not with B.S. programs like creating the HMO.
Originally posted by masscatI said it earlier...i will NEVER respect his views...but have any of you ever gone through his games? You look at Tal and Alekhine and you see attack...you look at Petrosian and you see defense.
When I entered the chess scene the USCF had about 6000 members so it’s a LOT bigger now despite the fall off after Fischer. It was never known for being well run. It irks me that I get letters wanting me to contribute money. They try to make me feel guilty because as a life member I haven’t paid dues in nigh on to 40 years. They even called me at home one ev ...[text shortened]... top class player you got a cheap book or a crappy trophy. So Fischer did make a big difference.
Bobby was the most complete chess player the world will ever see.
He had no computers or databases...he had books...which is why I only use books to this day.
He played the cold war out on 64 squares in 1972...the year I was born...and won.
They never let Paul Morphy be world champ...although he was...Bobby went out and took it.
In 1997 I got to sit for about 45 minutes in Charlotte Douglas airport and talk to Pal Benko while he was in a layover...somehow my club president got the info he would be there...and i have never got to hear stories like he said.
When Chess Digest was still owned by Ken Smith and i was ordering some books he talked to me for a bit about Bobby.
They all knew he was eccentric and well..basically nuts...but they had some great things to say about how he approached the game.
Bobby was like the New England Patriots right now...all prep...and wipe them off the playing field.
Is he the greatest ever?
I think so
Is he crazy?
Absolutely
But when all is said and done with this man I hope people remember him for chess...and not his views.
I am a NM...but i grew up a mormon and that has made me hate organized religion...does that make me a bad person? I know I do not spout my beliefs or anything like he has...I am just saying...forget his crap and remember the good he did.
Dave
Originally posted by nmdavidbI pretty much agree that we can admire his chess ability and learn from it while recognizing that outside chess, he is not to be taken seriously.
I said it earlier...i will NEVER respect his views...but have any of you ever gone through his games? You look at Tal and Alekhine and you see attack...you look at Petrosian and you see defense.
Bobby was the most complete chess player the world will ever see.
He had no computers or databases...he had books...which is why I only use books to this day. ...[text shortened]... anything like he has...I am just saying...forget his crap and remember the good he did.
Dave
The good thing about Fischer as opposed to other nuts is that at least he had at least some positive influence on the world.