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

Bobby and Sammy the Cop Best of Pals in Reykjavik

Courier-Post Camden, New Jersey Monday, August 14, 1972 - Page 4

Bobby and Sammy the Cop Best of Pals in Reykjavik
By Jim Ward, Reykjavik, (UPI) — It was past midnight and outside the suburban villa all was still.
Police officer Saemon “Sammy” Paalson was ready to go off duty when a first-floor window opened and a voice asked:
“Any journalists around?”
“No sir,” he replied.
Two minutes later, U.S. chess grandmaster Bobby Fischer peeped out, then slammed the front door and came up to Paalson's police jeep.


Started to Walk
“Which direction towards the town,” he asked. The officer pointed and Fischer started to walk. Paalson called the police headquarters and was ordered to follow Fischer.
“He was already off-line,” Sammy recalled, “so I drove up and asked him if he knew the number of his house and the name of the street.”
“No indeed.” Bobby replied. “But I'm cold, so please take me back to get a sweater.”
That was the start of the friendship between Bobby the chess genius and Sammy the cop.

Three Days Late
Fischer had arrived three days late for the $250,000 “match of the century” against world chess champion Boris Spassky, but he refused to leave his villa until all his conditions had been accepted.
Standing in the crowded corridor outside the dark hall where Bobby rocked back and forth over the wooden board in deep concentration, Paalsson smiled when he recalled that first night.
“When Bobby came out again with his sweater I asked him, just as a joke, if he wanted to go for a drive. You could have knocked me down when he climbed into the seat and said, ‘Let's go.’ After all, I was an ordinary cop on duty and he the greatest chess player in the world.

Drove Inland
“First we drove inland and watched horses graze. Then I took him to a salmon river and told him about the fish. Finally, he pointed to the mountains and we went there. We didn't get back until 4 a.m. and I had to go on duty three hours later,” Paalsson said.
For two weeks, Sammy doubled as guard during the day and as nightly companion for the erratic and temperamental American, who fought Spassky, the organizers, television cameras and arbiters before the match finally got under way.
“It was great but I started to feel the strain. I never got more than a few hours of sleep and only said hello and goodbye to my wife and kids,” Sammy recalled.

Flight from Calif.
“Then one day, Bobby's sister Joan (who flew in from California with her husband and three children) phoned and said she and Bobby were worried over the amount of sleep I missed. Would my police chief accept to assign me permanently as Bobby's guard?”
The answer was yes, and since then, the 36-year-old athlete has been Fischer's constant companion. Once the uncrowned rock king of Iceland, who toured with a dance band to Elvis Presley hits, Sammy settled down as carpenter only to join the police force three years ago.
He narrowly missed winning the Icelandic judo title last year “because I underestimated the opposition and stayed up all night, a bad habit of mine even before Bobby came along,” he said.

Made Fischer Laugh
His English is good and Sammy picked up enough American expressions during a New York visit some years ago to make Fischer laugh.
Whenever the challenger is in the mood, the two will go bowling after midnight at the U.S. Keflavik airbase, 25 miles west of Reykjavik. Paalson is also there when Fischer plays tennis, ping-pong or goes swimming in the hotel Loftleider's indoor pool.
Bobby is also a welcome visitor in the Paalsson home next to the indoor tennis court.
“Bobby will spend hours playing with my kids. I've got five of them, and he likes whatever the missus come up with…herring, lamb chops and big steaks—not to mention his favorite dish, Skyr” (an Icelandic milk specialty a la yogurt).
“My house is on the coast towards Keflavik and we pick up the American television programs with no trouble. The other night Bobby watched ‘Perry Mason,’ a favorite of his. Then he'll switch on my radio and sit listening to shortwave broadcasts from Russia and Germany—but best of all BBC's foreign service,” said Sammy.
“It's so funny listening to him mimic the (British) broadcaster's perfect accent,” he said.
“Bobby is the nicest guy once he comes out of his shell. I have never heard him speak one bad word of Spassky, whom he admires and calls the friendliest Russian he ever met. He said Spassky had always gone out of his way to be friendly and Bobby thinks he is a great player,” said Paalsson.
“I've got an old chess board and Bobby will explain the basic rules for me and try me out with small puzzles, laughing when I make a mash of the things,” Sammy said. “He also found a 1941 edition of Al Horowitz's book on chess and played several of the games listed there.”
Suddenly a burst of applause came from the dark hall. This time Spassky had demolished the challenger in 31 moves, but Sammy was already back-stage waiting for Bobby.

Bobby and Sammy the Cop Best of Pals in Reykjavik

'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