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

The West and the World Championship

The Gazette Montreal, Quebec, Canada Saturday, July 22, 1961 - Page 29

The West and the World Championship
On the question of the chances for a player from the West winning the world championship, the former British champion, C.H.O'D. Alexander has given his views in the Long “Sunday Times”:
“Every match for the world championship since the War has been between Russians. Is there an inherent Slav genius for the game? I am sure the answer is ‘No’. The reasons are social and economic, not racial. Chess is great encouraged in the Soviet Union: good young players are coached by experts and strong players (many of them effectively professional) can give as much time as they need to the game. A master player has considerable social status as such — including the valuable privilege of being able to travel abroad. Further, the fact that little or no bridge is played in Russia tends to increase the amount of chess. All told there are about ten million registered club players in the USSR and many more casual players. As in all other fields, success breeds success—such numbers improve the general standard, throw up more great players, increase the prestige of the game and thus produces still greater numbers.
For a non-Russian to wrest the championship from the USSR he will have to be a man of quite outstanding genius for the game; and there is just one possibility—the American Bobby Fischer. Seventeen years old, Fischer has won the USA championship for the last four years and is already the strongest player in the world outside the USSR; he might do it. On the whole, I think (but I am usually wrong in forecasting) that he will fail: I believe that his inherent ability is little, if any, greater than that of the leading half dozen Soviet players and that their advantages in State aid and so much more of a chess climate surrounding them — will outweigh any small edge he may have in natural genius.””
Some of the points that Alexander makes can be accepted but he takes no notice of the mechanical set-up instituted by FIDE to find the challenger. This was considered ideal until practice showed that the Russians, through sheer weight of numbers and working together as a team, could almost assure that one of their group would gain the challenger's position. Reshevsky tried it and gave it up as a hopeless set-up. He then tried direct negotiation with the champion for a match, in the style of the ‘good old days’, but nobody, except Reshevsky, expected anything to come of that. The champion had the law on his side, laid down by FIDE. It is doubtful if even a genius of the order of Capablanca could break through this ‘iron curtain’ and unless the West can get a player that far speculation as to his chances in a set match for the title hasn't much value. Some modifications are being made and in the 1962 Challengers tourney not more than three of the eight entries can come from the same country. The West awaits the outcome.
As to Fischer, he is tougher than he looks, has tremendous ambition and capacity for work in his chosen field. As a grandmaster reaches his peak around 35 he has many years to improve and mature. The one serious deficiency that seems to bother his friends is his lack of a good general education. He left half way through high school and all the world champions for the last hundred years, with the exception of Steinitz, had a college education. And Steinitz largely made up for it through his own efforts. Fischer apparently has little interest in anything outside of chess.
From Zurich International 1959:

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