If Fischer had had a normal personality type, would we remember him today?

What's this?  A thought out and sensible post in a place like this?  Amazing.

What if we discover that Reb is right, and he really COULD walk on water? 

I've had enough discussion of Fischer to last me several lifetimes, but let's set the record straight on this nonsense.  Anyone who applauded 9/11 clearly is not making a distinction between the American government and its people.

 They also prove themselves to be an irrational nut job.

Expanding on electricpawn's point; if Fischer was a feline, would he have to claw his notation directly into the table he played at, or would he be allowed to have someone else record his moves?

Another important point; if he was an international superstar DJ, would you breakdance to his fire beats?

And, is there some sort of formula to determine when Reb will come into this thread and post "Stop the Hate"?

    I found it an interesting side note that the two greatest American chess players in many people's eyes (Paul Morphy and Bobby Fischer) seemed to have lost their hold on sanity after reaching the top of their chess careers.  It might be argued that it was because of their personalities, the bad as well as the good, that they were able to become the great chess players that they were.  If that is the case we might not be talking about Mr. Fischer at all if he were more "normal," for lack of a better word on my behalf.

     It would be hard for one to argue that Fischer's chess play itself was lacking in some way.  When he played he appears to have been a very dominating player.  After taking the chess world by storm at the beginning of his career, he took a break from the game.  After this break he returned refreshed and played brilliantly; his play eventually making him World Champion.  Then, Mr. Fischer walked away from the game; refusing to defend his title and losing it to Mr. Karpov.  I personally feel that this lack of consistancy hurts his status as a complete chess player.  If this same inconsistancy was produced by another player I think it would limit their status.

     The sporatic play of Bobby's career is a direct result of his character traits.  While these traits hurt his status as a complete chess player, they did make him a complete chess personality!  His mystique will continue to exist for the current chess world because of all of the "what if" and "what happened" scenarios that he himself created with his actions and ideas.  In his career through the middle of the 1970's, he brought about controversies in the chess world that were fueled by the cold war atmosphere; as well as many of his personal demands that many at the time considered strange; making him a rebellious character.  He was, in his prime, a unique personality that brought a different image to chess at the top level.  His late reappearance after his prime brought about controversies outside of the realm of chess, adding to his mystique more questions about the man "who should have" as well as more "what happened" questions.

     His character also allowed him to stand out in contrast to Soviet chess.  For a large portion of the 20th century the Soviet chess machine dominated the game (before as well as after Fischer's championship).  In many ways he was the opposite in expression compared to his Russian competition.  His loner image was in direct contrast to the image of the U.S.S.R.'s stable of top players.  His personal demands clashed with the conformity presented by Soviet players.  Even his approach to the game was in contrast to the Russian approach at times.  And because of his status as the only non-Soviet champion for years before as well as after his climb to the top; he represented the only real alternative to the chess machine that the U.S.S.R. created in the 20th century.

     So, my personal take on the topic is that we would not remember Bobby Fischer in the same way if he had a more "normal" personality type. 

What "nonsense" are you talking about? I was saying "our nation" doesn't really exist. That's just silly. Fischer definitely did not think "our nation" existed because he said it was "illegitimate". He said it belonged to the Native Americans. When 911 occurred, Fischer was more than pleased about "blowback" for all the crimes the U.S. government committed around the world, and throughout history as he saw it, and he was quite happy about it happening in New York--"Where the Jews are."

I didn't make any distinction between Americans, and their government in the above quote, as Fischer did not give any indication either way, that there is a seperation, or not. But he constantly ranted about the "U.S. government", "The Jew-controlled government", "Those phony politicians in Washington", etc., etc. When he said, "America needs a lesson." He could have been talking about everyone here, or he could have been talking about the "Jews", who have, "infected America". He wasn't clear on the matter in the hours of tapes I listened to, and pages of transcripts I read. Fischer wasn't very consistent with his thinking, other than the puerile Jew claims. Apart from chess, not a bright guy at all, IMO.

On a curious note, there is video and eye-witness reports of a van-load of Israeli Nationals cheering, applauding, and video-taping the planes hitting the towers on 911. I haven't really looked into it much, but it is a curiosity you could google...

 Fischer wouldn't like that. Jesus was a Jew!

 Claw's probably best. Paw prints would be messy and cumbersome. If Bobby Fischer was a cook at IHOP, do you think he'd get more orders for pancakes or waffles?

We would, since he caused an uproar with his defeat of one grandmaster after another in order win a chance at the title. However, his weird personality made it harder for us to forget who did it. He also dispelled the intelligence aura from the game and made it quite clear that even the mentally unstable person can become a grandmaster and that the fabled inseparable link between general high intelligence and chess proficiency is bogus.

If Fischer had explained to the people who invited him to play Spassky in Yugolasvia that the US government did not allow him to play in that country, don't you guys think that those people would have understood Fischer's position and set the event in another country? Possibly, but Fischer had an ego the size of the universe and would not accept "no" from the people who according to him owed him a great deal of gratitude. Fischer went into a hell of his own making the moment he decided to make the US government his enemy, and the sad part is that in his own masochistic way he probably enjoyed being there.

It wasn't a secret.

In fact it was the opposite.  What's a good word?  Forthright, transparent, clear, public, explicit, common knowledge, obvious, disclosed, candid, overt, plain to see, evident... not strong enough... need a word like famous... famous information... eminent, that's a good one, the information wasn't secret, it was eminent information

For those that weren't clear on the position of the US, and how Fischer felt about it, he held a press conference and spit on the letter telling him (Fischer) not to play there.

Your conclusion is incorrect. If anything, Fischer proved that mental health and intelligence don't always go hand in hand. Only ignorants believe that crazy = stupid. For the record, Fischer was reported to have an IQ of around 180.

Yeah, I wasn't saying no one can become a legend without being crazy. 

I once read an article which said how tragic it was that Beethoven had died of cirrhosis of the liver, and how many symphonies did we lose because of his alcoholism?  My immediate reaction was to think "No, the quesion should be 'How many symphonies would he have written if he'd never taken a drink?'"

I feel the same about Fischer.  If he hadn't had that mad streak in him, who knows whether he'd even have bothered with chess at all?

Thank God for Fischer and Beethoven, craziness, drunkenness and all!

           S T O P    T H E    H A T E !

 Blame it on the Christians and the " Jesus Stuff " eh trysts !?  LOL  Tell me, do you hate them more than hunters ? What about a christian who also hunts ?

I think Fischer's feelings soured towards jews due to his personal dealings with many of them more than with the "jesus stuff " myself but maybe thats just me ?

 A person who couldnt name a measley 4 world chess champions is NOT a serious chess player/fan in my book. I mean.. almost everyone can name Fischer and Spassky and then the rivalry between Kasparov/Karpov ....... just those are 4 ....

There are quite a few openings and variations that have been named after people who have been WC one time or another. How do you not know only four WC and "seriously" play chess!?!?!