The Palm Beach Post West Palm Beach, Florida Wednesday, July 12, 1972 - Page 23
‘I Saw Greatness in Him’ By Bill Schnitt, Post Staff Writer
Fischer's Former Teacher Rooting for Pupil
Carmine D. Nigro, a retiree living in West Palm Beach, predicts his former chess pupil Bobby Fischer will wrest the world chess championship from Russian Boris Spassky.
“Bobby's a genius — there's no question about it,” says Nigro. “He's the greatest player that ever lived.”
Nigro predicts Fischer will rout Spassky 12½ points to 9½ points.
“Bobby has worked hard at it, and I hope he wins. I wish him the best,” says Nigro, a resident of Century Village.
Fischer's 97-page book entitled “Bobby Fischer's Games of Chess” is dedicated “To my chess teacher, Carmine Nigro.”
In the book's introduction, Fischer cites Nigro as “possibly no the best player in the world, but he was a very good teacher. I went to the Brooklyn Chess Club practically every Friday night. Later I started playing chess at Mr. Nigro's home on weekends and often went with him to play chess at Washington Square park.”
Nigro, a New York bandleader who played under the name “Tommy Little,” took an interest in 8-year-old Fischer when he saw him in an international tournament in January 1951. Fischer was beaten soundly and Nigro invited him to join the Brooklyn Chess Club.
“At that time, Bobby didn't play very well. But I saw greatness in him. He loved chess. He played it 24 hours a day,” recalls Nigro.
Even then, the brash youngster was known as a loner.
“He couldn't make friends — nobody liked him or would play chess with him. His mind was always on chess. Every time he went to sleep, he thought of chess, or had a chess book in his hands.” said Nigro.
For two years, Nigro tutored Fischer constantly. There were sessions after school, and each Saturday and Sunday, Nigro gave seven-hour lessons.
“Bobby's mother was a nurse. She gave Bobby one dollar for his lesson and a dollar to eat with.”
“Bobby ate like a horse. He'd eat two steaks, three pie ala mode and three glasses of milk,” says Nigro. “He was just a fabulous eater.”
At one time, Bobby's mother tried to interest her son in music as a diversion from chess.
“I gave Bobby several accordion lessons, but he wouldn't practice and he gave it up. He loved chess too much.”
Nigro isn't surprised at Fischer's dispute with chess officials over money.
“It's all psychological warfare,” says Nigro. “It's a battle of nerves. I really didn't teach him that — he learned it at the Brooklyn Chess Club.”
Nigro hasn't heard from Fischer in years, and he's not surprised.
“It's impossible to get in touch with Bobby,” says Nigro. “You just can't write to him. He won't write back. He stays by himself.”
In the meantime, Nigro is rooting hard for Fischer.
“The Russians have dominated chess and they somehow look at other chess players as uncouth. Bobby is trying to do something for chess and the American chess player.” says Nigro.
Caption: Chessman Carmine Nigro…recalls experiences with young Bobby. Staff Photo by Aida Smith
'I Saw Greatness in Him' 12 Jul 1972, Wed The Palm Beach Post (West Palm Beach, Florida) Newspapers.com
