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

Counsel for Fischer Will Fight Forfeit

Back to 1972 News Articles

New York Times, New York, New York, Friday, July 14, 1972 - Page 29

Counsel for Fischer Will Fight Forfeit by Martin Arnold
Bobby Fischer's attorney flew last night to Iceland to try to get chess officials to lift yesterday's forfeit against the American grandmaster. If he does not succeed, the attorney said, he will sue to force them to lift the forfeit.
The attorney, Andrew Davis, said that he did not know whether Fischer would agree to continue in the world championship chess match with Boris Spassky if the forfeit—imposed because Fischer failed to show up for the game—is allowed to stand. He left last night at 9:30 on an Icelandic Airlines flight from Kennedy International Airport.
Mr. Davis said in an interview that his argument would be that, since chess officials agreed “at the 11th hour” yesterday to the removal of television cameras ([the disruptive men operating said cameras]), to which Fischer objected, they in effect conceded that Fischer had made a good point in demanding their removal. Therefore, he said, they had no right to rule that the American had forfeited the game when he failed to appear.
He said that he would make the appeal to Lothar Schmid, the 44-year-old German who is referee of the match. As referee, once the match started, Schmid is the ultimate arbiter of disputes between the contestants. It was he who awarded the forfeit victory yesterday to Spassky.
Mr. Davis said that since chess officials finally agreed to the removal of the television cameras “It was really very punitive to lace into him [Fischer] that way.” “I hope I can normalize the situation,” he continued.
He said that if he could not, there were, he believed enough forums through which he could file suit against the various chess officials, but that he hoped it would not come to legal action.
Mr. Davis said he had not spoken to Fischer on the phone yesterday, and probably would not speak to him until he arrived in Iceland this morning.
He said that it was possible that Fischer would decide to continue the match despite the forfeit, but that the forfeit “so buoyed up Spassky that it would make it very difficult” for Fischer to win. With the score at 2-0, Spassky needs only 10 more points to win, Fischer needs 12½.
According to Mr. Davis, Fischer's agreement with the television producer is that “if there was to be television filming it would be so protected as to be unnoticeable by the players.”
Instead, “it was seen and heard and was otherwise noticeable,” he said. “When this was pointed out to them they agreed at the 11th hour to do something about it.”
But “by the time they decided to honor the [Fischer] requests, they had already started Bobby's clock. A forfeit is not the way to penalize him, especially when they complied with his request about the television filming.
“The noise from the television ([camera men crews]) was noticeable to Bobby,” he said. “It's obvious he is very sensitive to noise and distractions.”
Mr. Davis, 39 years old, has been Fischer's attorney for 10 years. He is in general law practice with his father, Harold Davis, with offices at 116 John Street.

Counsel for Fischer Will Fight Forfeit

'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