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 Turns 13 Into Lucky Number

The Central New Jersey Home News New Brunswick, New Jersey Saturday, August 12, 1972 - Page 5

Bobby Turns 13 Into Lucky Number
Reykjavik, Iceland (AP)—Bobby Fischer boosted his prospects for the world chess championship by winning the 13th game yesterday and leaving the champion Boris Spassky defeated, dejected and alone at the chessboard with a sagging 5-8 deficit.
As Fischer left the stage, Spassky sat down and gingerly reset the pieces to the position at the 69th move, when grand masters said he had made a terrible blunder.
The champion reached out a hand and changed his play.
Referee Lothar Schmid, himself a grand master, lowered himself into the opposite chair. The two sat quite still until Schmid got up, and slowly Spassky followed.
The American challenger forged to a three-point lead over the Soviet titleholder by forcing him to resign after 74 moves and 9½ hours of play over two days. Fischer needs 4½ more points to wrest the title from Spassky, while the Russian must amass 7 points to retain his crown.
Play resumed after Thursday's adjournment with Spassky, playing the white pieces, in a seemingly hopeless position.
He made a poor rook maneuver on the 69th move and experts termed it a “terrible mistake” which lost him the chance for a draw.
Fischer pounced on the mistake pressing the champion relentlessly, until Spassky resigned.
“Bobby poured more into this end game than he ever did in his life,” said his second, William Lombardy. “It was exquisite.”
With a maximum of 11 games remaining in the 24-game chess series, Fischer could win with a run of draws. The Brooklyn, N.Y., chess wizard needs a total of 12½ points to capture the title while the Russian needs 12 points to retain it. A win counts one point and a draw one-half point.
Spassky had somewhat of an advantage in the game because the white pieces allowed him to open. But Fischer's unremitting attacks left him in a bad position at the end of play Thursday and he took half an hour to decide his sealed 42nd move.
When play resumed yesterday Spassky was punctual as usual but Fischer was a record 25 minutes late. He strode to his seat without acknowledging the Russian's presence.
The first 10 moves were lightning fast, but play gradually slowed through a long afternoon. At one point Fischer complained about noise and called for coffee.
Before the fateful 69th move, Yugoslav grandmaster Svetozar Gligoric said of Spassky:
“He sealed the best move and he defended like a genius. He has a draw now.”
Minutes later, however, the champion blundered. On his 68th move, he slid his rook to the queen's bishop square threatening to pick off a black pawn and give check.
But on the 69th move, he shunted the rook along horizontally again, to the queen square.
“This is tragic,” Gligoric said.
Spassky's final moves bore the mark of desperation. He moved his bishop down, letting his pawn fall to Fischer's freed rook, in a bid to stop Fischer from queening a kingside pawn.
Fischer closed in with his rook.
Spassky ran his fingers through his hair, clutching his face. Finally, he switched his clock off, defeated.
After signing his scoresheet and watching Fischer walk away, Spassky sat down for the replay. Instead of moving his rook horizontally to the queen square, he pushed it up, giving check.
That move might have given him a draw.
The next game is scheduled for tomorrow.

Bobby Turns 13 Into Lucky Number

'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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