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

Fischer Given Two Days to Get to Iceland

Back to 1972 News Articles

The Daily Oklahoman Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Monday, July 03, 1972 - Page 14

Fischer Given Two Days to Get to Iceland by Harold C. Schonberg
NY Times Service, Reykjavik, Iceland — Bobby Fischer, who still has not arrived here for his championship chess match with Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union, has been granted a two-day extension until noon Tuesday, to appear here. If he does not show up by then, he will be disqualified from the match, which had been scheduled to start Sunday at 5 p.m.
The decision to grant Fischer an extension was made by Dr. Max Euwe of Amsterdam, President of the International Chess Federation. Euwe, the world's chess champion from 1935 to 1937, was pessimistic. “I think there will be no play at all,” he said.
The Russians were not available for direct comment, but Euwe said Spassky has neither agreed nor disagreed with the ruling. Spassky, however, was quoted as saying that he had waited over a week and that he could wait another two days. He was reportedly doing this out of deference to his Icelandic hosts. Fred Cramer, representing Fischer, said the Russians did not wish to retain the title on a technicality, and had acted in a sportsmanlike manner. ([Actually, Spassky clarified in a 1985 interview, the Soviet delegation wanted to, but it was Spassky himself who refused to claim the title based on a technicality. Spassky's private battles with Soviet Chess Federation seldom to never, made public headlines.])
If Fischer is disqualified, a series of complicated legal battles is expected. There is, for instance, the matter of the prize money. If it is decided that the Spassky-Fischer match never legally started, there will be no problem. But if the match has indeed started, Spassky will be the automatic winner because of Fischer's disqualification, and he will be entitled to demand 62.5 per cent of the $125,000 purse. Fischer will entitled to nothing.
The Russians already are claiming that the match officially started Saturday night. Others claim there can be no legal start to any chess match until the first move is made and the clock punched. Euwe said there was nothing in the International Chess Federation rules to cover this contingency. No player previously has been disqualified for not appearing for a championship match.
“New rules will have to be formulated,” Euwe said rather grimly. “Brand new rules.”
According to Euwe, there will be no sanctions against Fischer. This disqualification does not apply to any future match or tournament in which he is involved. Fischer will be entitled, if he wishes, to compete in the next round of eliminations for the championship.
Euwe said that as far as he knew, Fischer was remaining in New York because he was unhappy about the financial arrangements for the match. This was confirmed by a source who spoke to Fischer on the telephone Saturday, “Bobby sounded calm and reasonable,” the source said. “His demands are entirely financial.”
Fischer has been asking for 30 per cent of the gate receipts, and his lawyer, Andrew Davis, has been here for several days. Davis has been negotiating with the Icelandic Chess Federation.
Last-ditch efforts to save the match are in progress. The latest reports were that Davis was still trying to work out an arrangement with the Icelandic Chess Federation. It was also learned that an Icelandic chess player, Freystrinn Thorbergsson, who claims to be a close friend of Fischer, was flying to New York Sunday night to try to persuade him to come. Thorbergsson has taken this task upon himself, and the Icelandic Chess Federation is reportedly not very happy about it.

Fischer Given Two Days to Get to Iceland

'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.

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