What was Bobby Fischer anyway? Was he a Chess Prodigy as many agree? 
Was he a MonoManiac as some have said? Was he a Chess Machine as some have implied? 
Was he a Chess Genius, or was he something else? 
Let's discuss this fascinating subject! Was Bobby Fischer a Chess Genius or Something Else?
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What was Bobby Fischer anyway? Was he a Chess Prodigy as many agree? Was he a MonoManiac as some have said? Was he a Chess Machine as some have implied? Was he a Chess Genius, or was he something else? Let's discuss this fascinating subject! 
taimanovs piano teacher
Bobby Fischer's life & career in chess have all the halmarks of a creative thinker - even to his irrascible personality!
He was a chess genius with mental problems and a not so great childhood. I look at him in two ways, the chess player and the person. I like to remember him as a chess player when possible.
Thanks pawnzischeme & takl23 for your honesty! Some say Bobby's mental problems stemmed from the fact that, as he said in his own words: "All I ever want to do is play chess!" - a MonoManiacal character. Bobby shut out life & all else to make chess his life. In doing so, I think he harmed himself greatly. I too prefer to remember him as an Ardent Champion of Chess!
I dont think because that all he wanted to do was (play chess) was the problem,on top of being very poor, the fact that he didnt have a kind of normal mom added to his fragile mental state, altho very tough minded in chess, you can see that his people skills even at a young age were not the best. He was a prodigy and a genius ! Sometimes madness and genius walk hand in hand ! I will never forget what he did for the chess world ! But I wont forget the sad ending of his also.
Thanks 67jedichessmaster! These are some good insights into Bobby's true life situation & its very sad end, too!
DrSpudnik - Yes, Bobby's gone but he'll never be forgotten in the chess world on which he left an lasting mark! Thanks for your comments, too!
Bobby Fischer was a Chess Genius and Something Else also. ( i.e. Mentally Ill)
He was a troubled genius, raised without a father in a destitute household.
I think the true mark of a genius is consistency, Bobby Fischer did not stay at the top long enough to establish his talent over time.
After listening to his anti-semitic ramblings after 9/11, I think the best thing that can be said about him as a person is that he very well could have been mentally ill. some of the things he accomplished in chess were absolutely incredible, such as beating Mark Taimanov and Bent Larsen in candidate's match. I dont know that he deserves to be called the best ever, maybe he was. But I do think that his not defending his championship against Karpov counts against his chess legacy, as great as it was(It should be remembered that Fischer accomplished what he did as an American without the financial benefits, training and perks that Soviet players had).
Bobby didn't really like the Russians either! Especially their Chess Tactics(Drawing Games against Teammates in Rated Competitions and the like!)! But he was always true to himself over-the-chessboard(go for the Win & refusing any Draws - usually)!
Fischer didn't like to think of himself as a chess genius but rather a genius who just happens to play chess. He believed he could have excelled in any field, something I'm not so sure about because it's easier to get away with having an abrasive personality in the chess world.
To say his achievements were the result of some god given talent is to do him a disservice I think (unless you agree with Kasparov's opinion that hard work is a talent). To me, the Fischer story is one of a man overcoming all the odds through grit, determination, hard work etc. The fact that he did so without the aid of a stable family and support network (like so many "geniuses" from Morphy to Mozart had) is all the more remarkable
Jul 11, 2011
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#17
LOLOLOL @ the face palm. yea, there is nothing to discuss - the man was world champ, that alone puts him into the "chess genius" category. arguably the best player in history until kaspy.
