@majesski1957 saidso it wasn't from the George Bush persecutions?
@chessturd
I dont think the statement Fischer Ran Scared is quite the right phrase, however the reason behind Fischer not defending his title was i think a combination of two issues:
1.) Mentally Fischer was having serious Issues, this was well documented by his Second for many years Larry Evans.
2.) Fischer had not played a competitive game for over 2 years so to ...[text shortened]... nging and lack of a decent childhood he was probably always doomed to a meltdown, rather sad really.
@chessturd saidYour thesis is BS. Think about the Spassky/Fischer match in 72, the first game Fischer was pissed he didn't get his way and refused to play game one which he lost by default. He wasn't scared of Spas, he was going on his own internal principle about the match and was goaded in to played the rest of that match and beat Spas the first game they actually played. So the idea he was afraid of Karpov is utter gum pucky.
Did Karpov ever play Fischer?
In previous tournaments?
@chessturd saidSo you are trying to figure out the mind of a genius even though an 1800 player can kick your butt? Good luck with that.
So you say that Fischer wasn't scared of Karpov because he wasn't scared of Spassky?
What kind of logic is that? 🤪
@sonhouse saidI don't agree with the thesis, either, but we should be careful to make sure our facts are straight before entering the debate.
Your thesis is BS. Think about the Spassky/Fischer match in 72, the first game Fischer was pissed he didn't get his way and refused to play game one which he lost by default. He wasn't scared of Spas, he was going on his own internal principle about the match and was goaded in to played the rest of that match and beat Spas the first game they actually played. So the idea he was afraid of Karpov is utter gum pucky.
Fischer played the first round, and blundered in the endgame. For reasons we may never know for sure, he forfeited the second game.
Perhaps it was a principle, or perhaps he was simply embarrassed, or just wanted to pause before continuing. It may well have been all of them, or other reasons we know nothing about.
@greenpawn34
I read an opinion someplace that likened the 1992 Fischer - Spassky match to a couple of aging boxers doing one last exhabition match before going out to pasture.
Essentially the author of that opinion said that chess theory had made great strides since the early 70's, and neither Spassky or Fischer had kept up.
As far as the quality of the games, he said the games could have been played by the most average GM, which I figure is under 2600 elo, strength wise. Perhaps some of the games could have been played by an IM on a good day.