The Gift of Chess

Notice to commercial publishers seeking use of images from this collection of chess-related archive blogs. For use of the many large color restorations, two conditions must be met: 1) It is YOUR responsibility to obtain written permissions for use from the current holders of rights over the original b/w photo. Then, 2) make a tax-deductible donation to The Gift of Chess in honor of Robert J. Fischer-Newspaper Archives. A donation in the amount of $250 USD or greater is requested for images above 2000 pixels and other special request items. For small images, such as for fair use on personal blogs, all credits must remain intact and a donation is still requested but negotiable. Please direct any photographs for restoration and special request (for best results, scanned and submitted at their highest possible resolution), including any additional questions to S. Mooney, at bobbynewspaperblogs•gmail. As highlighted in the ABC News feature, chess has numerous benefits for individuals, including enhancing critical thinking and problem-solving skills, improving concentration and memory, and promoting social interaction and community building. Initiatives like The Gift of Chess have the potential to bring these benefits to a wider audience, particularly in areas where access to educational and recreational resources is limited.

Best of Chess Fischer Newspaper Archives
• Robert J. Fischer, 1955 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1956 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1957 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1958 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1959 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1960 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1961 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1962 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1963 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1964 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1965 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1966 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1967 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1968 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1969 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1970 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1971 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1972 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1973 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1974 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1975 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1976 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1977 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1978 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1979 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1980 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1981 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1982 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1983 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1984 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1985 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1986 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1987 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1988 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1989 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1990 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1991 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1992 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1993 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1994 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1995 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1996 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1997 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1998 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1999 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2000 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2001 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2002 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2003 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2004 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2005 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2006 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2007 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2008 bio + additional games
Chess Columns Additional Archives/Social Media

Chess Regains Foothold Here: Verber Stepping in Famed Path of Fischer

Chicago Tribune Chicago, Illinois Sunday, September 03, 1961 - Page 21

Chess Regains Foothold Here
Verber Stepping in Famed Path of Fischer
By Tom Fitzpatrick

Dick Verber has been playing chess on a serious level only two years but already the 17 year old St. Ignatius High school senior has scored enough points in tournaments sanctioned by the United States Chess association to earn the rating of master.
Regarded as one of the more promising players in the Chicago area, Dick is a husky 6 footer who looks more like a football candidate than a young man dedicated to the development of a skill of an essentially intellectual nature.
Yet in recent months Dick has won the Junior championship tournaments for the states of Wisconsin and Ohio as well as the speed championship of Chicago. Junior tournaments are restricted to entrants 18 and under but speed events are open to all comers.

Tutored by Leef
Credited with responsibility for Dick's rapid development is Harold Leef, a professional chess instructor for 30 years. Leef serves as tutor for members of the Chicago Chess and Checker club, 64 E. Van Buren st., where Dick plays almost every day.
Leef, who has seen most of the great masters perform, believes his current pupil has a bright future.
“Given the proper length of time to develop,” says Leef, “Dick will become a very strong player. This is an intelligent young man who possesses great imagination. He reacts well to the extreme pressure of tournament competition and perhaps, just as importantly, he is able to accept defeat and even derive valuable lessons from it.”
Leef's assessment is shared by Larry Radin, the club's public relations director. Radin, himself an excellent chess player, believes the story of Dick's development is symptomatic of a general rebirth of interest in chess among the young people of Chicago.

Fischer Helped Cause
Principal cause of the renaissance, says Radin, is the prominent position held in world chess by Chicago born Bobby Fischer, who won the first of his four United States men's championships four years ago at the age of 14.
The Chess club, founded in 1870, has 160 members. This represents an increase of 30 percent over the last four years. During the 1930's when Chicago was a center of chess activity, the club had as many as 350 members.
There are 20 other clubs in the city which operate under the auspices of the Chicago Park District system, according to Tom Hackett, physical activities supervisor. He estimates that each club has about 35 members. Each year more than 1,000 persons enter the city-wide chess tournaments sponsored by the Park District.
But the Chess club is the only organization which maintains its own permanent meeting place and whose doors are open 24 hours every day. It is this which gives it a pre-eminent position in chess circles and which attracts aspiring players such as young Verber to become members.

Many Study Books
Most serious chess players study the literature of the game in the books of great masters, notably Jose Capablanca and Paul Morphy. This has not been the case with Dick.
“Some one told me that a good chess player learns by instinct and experience what the best moves are. You must, of course, study the great games of the past but they won't do you any good unless you can apply the necessary tactics when the situations develop in your own games.”
Dick is reluctant to make any claims about his skill that he can't back up on the chess board. It is only on the subject of women and chess that he is ready to make a flat statement.

Game Not for Women
“Women,” he says, “are just not cut out to be good chess players. There is something about the way they think that prevents them from becoming really adept to it.”
This is an opinion which Dick had a chance to confirm recently when he was matched against Lisa Lane, reigning United States Women's champion, during a tournament in Milwaukee. Dick defeated her handily.
Miss Lane, who is not used to being treated in so cavalier a fashion by unknowns in the game, nearly quit the tournament in a huff as a consequence.
There were those who were surprised a youngster from Chicago could score a decisive victory over a national champion but Dick wasn't one of them.
“It was like I said right from the start,” says Dick with a broad grin, “women just aren't cut out to be good chess players.”

Bobby Fischer - Chess: 1961

'til the world understands why Robert J. Fischer criticised the U.S./British and Russian military industry imperial alliance and their own Israeli Apartheid. Sarah Wilkinson explains:

Bobby Fischer, First Amendment, Freedom of Speech
What a sad story Fischer was,” typed a racist, pro-imperialist colonial troll who supports mega-corporation entities over human rights, police state policies & white supremacy.
To which I replied: “Really? I think he [Bob Fischer] stood up to the broken system of corruption and raised awareness! Whether on the Palestinian/Israel-British-U.S. Imperial Apartheid scam, the Bush wars of ‘7 countries in 5 years,’ illegally, unconstitutionally which constituted mass xenocide or his run in with police brutality in Pasadena, California-- right here in the U.S., police run rampant over the Constitution of the U.S., on oath they swore to uphold, but when Americans don't know the law, and the cops either don't know or worse, “don't care” -- then I think that's pretty darn “sad”. I think Mr. Fischer held out and fought the good fight, steadfast til the day he died, and may he Rest In Peace.
Educate yourself about U.S./State Laws --
https://www.youtube.com/@AuditTheAudit/videos
After which the troll posted a string of profanities, confirming there was never any genuine sentiment of “compassion” for Mr. Fischer, rather an intent to inflict further defamatory remarks.

This ongoing work is a tribute to the life and accomplishments of Robert “Bobby” Fischer who passionately loved and studied chess history. May his life continue to inspire many other future generations of chess enthusiasts and kibitzers, alike.

Robert J. Fischer, Kid Chess Wizard 1956March 9, 1943 - January 17, 2008

The photograph of Bobby Fischer (above) from the March 02, 1956 The Tampa Times was discovered by Sharon Mooney (Bobby Fischer Newspaper Archive editor) on February 01, 2018 while gathering research materials for this ongoing newspaper archive project. Along with lost games now being translated into Algebraic notation and extractions from over two centuries of newspapers, it is but one of the many lost treasures to be found in the pages of old newspapers since our social media presence was first established November 11, 2017.

Special Thanks