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M*Th* Poai-Reffisfar,AngtiM1972B-3Bobby Fischer— Genius, Or Spoiled Brat?Ry Will ClrtmslcvAT lt;nrrc«»pnn*lrnlNFW YORK lt;AP»I ncv!er thought I'd he cheering for a Russian, the nattily dressedbusinessman said to a couple of fellow commuters on thp I/wigIsland Railroad. That Fischeris a ltink head I hopp Spassky bpats his brains out.**I think Spassky is cute, thp secretaiy was hpard to rrmark during an nffirp roffpp break “Wasn't that terrific thp way hp stood up and bnwpd thp day Robby didn’t show up? Fis chet — ugh—hp's dreadful.Robby Fischer, perhaps thr groatpst chess genius thp worldhas known, doesn t exactly havp his country cheering for him as hp seeks to break the Soviet Fnion's long time hold on the world championship inhis nose to nose confrontationwith Boris Spassky in i-emotcReykjavik. Iceland. ]Hp has taken over the role of heavy in the drama of the pawns, knights and bishops He wears the black hat. Spassky is the hero. And even the Americans are hissing their ownman.Is Robby Fischer really theheel he has made himself nut tobe with his late arrivlals, his protests and his outlandish demands—or is it a case of pay chological warfare which is shredding the Russian’s mental processes before the Red champion can unleash a sustained offensive?“It's strictly psychological warfare, and it’s working, ar gued a close friend of Fischer, who spent more than two weekswith the onetime Rrooklvn chess prodigy before the lat-tcr’s departure for Iceland“Robby knows that the Rus sians use the world chess crown, which they've monopoli/ed, as a giant propaganda springboard. he said “Hetalked with me for hours howthe Russians had smothered every effort by outsiders to take the title and he said he was de termined to beat them—no matter what the costs“One of the coats is to be pic* tured internationally as a spoil*ed brat and s crude, uncouth an hour, Robby returned He lout. It's a price he has been won the second setln H- *«» tho hit of I ho 'how.•cv* ™ Alhloloo playing In fho toum«At Mrosta. shortly before ment—0„T. Simpson. Deacon Fischer’s depatlure for Iceland fierry l.indgren and othand the ensuing controversies, era—mobbed him for auto It was possible to scratch he ftraphs.neath the surface of this A child prrrtigv whose adoles moody, lonely man whoae gen cence was dominated b\ an ius at the chess board has fas ambitious mother, a chess ma« cinated the world. ! ter at 10. one of the world'shest at 14. Bobby appears total enberg, the Tor 1v unablr ,n relate to a normalTiget baseball sor'al ]***• gives the impresside, his face gaunt andand his blue eyes alwaysdaring to the sky as Iftrancepalewan*in a“t’ll tell you why. They knowI’m going to win the champion ship and they want to hide it asmuch as they can. Another , they want to upset me.met Detroitslugger, and a pair of news ... . ,men Fischer agreed to the , u knowpairing but when he appeared n suspicionat the courts, a racket and asion of wanting to join the fun_ ,——- — —— — V w-balked.Fischer teamed with flreen berg, a good player. Robby, a strapping figure f2, 190 pound er was awkward but deter mined Ironically, he had trouble keeping scoreIn the friendly tennis setting, surrounded by people with little knowledge of chess. Fischer emerged from his shell and be came quite talkative.He pictured the Russians asogres who had dominated chess for decades because they madetheir own rules and“ foundsmothering every outAfter losing the first set. Fis-,cher balked again I want to!s'e challengepractice before I play the sec | Why did the Russians insisond set, he said. His partners on Iceland?” he asked rhetorlsat out the practice. After half1 cally one day as he sat at courThey know I like to relax, tlike good books, good showsand a pleasant atmosphere. At Reykjavik, the big deal is forpeople to go to the hotel on Saturday night and sit around picking their teeth.Robbv said he had urged theRussians to pick a better site, possibly one of the capitals in Scandinavia He added that he was in favor of free access of television networks and writers to get as much exposure as possible,Fischer never denied that he also had mercenary’ motives Athletes today are getting paid huge salaries. he said. I am the best chess player in the world Why shouldn't I get my share?
Newspaper Details
Idaho Falls Post Register
Idaho Falls, Idaho, US
Mon, Aug 07, 1972
Page 9
Full Page
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Los A.
CA, USA 14 Feb 2023
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