07/19/2004
The US government
revoked Bobby’s passport, while he was in Japan. Japanese authorities
arrested him and are working on extraditing Bobby to the US. Bobby has been
a fugitive from US justice for 12 years now.
Bobby’s crime was violating a Presidential decree baring US
citizens from dealing in commerce with Yugoslavia. Bobby was not allowed
to play the championship match against Spassky in Yugoslavia in 1992.
Yugoslavia was embattled in ethnic warfare.
All business between Yugoslavia and the US was to cease. Bobby
ignored this order.
Lets put
this crime in perspective with recent events of illegal commerce.
The current commerce scandal involves the UN and Saddam Hussein's oil for aid program.
Saddam was allowed to cut his own deals, and
sold oil well below market price to France and Russian. They in turn sold
it for huge profits and kicked money back to Saddam. Commentary magazine,
May issue, cites a Saddam-Alqaeda link thru this program. Saddam got the
lion share of the aid that was meant for Iraqis. Many western countries sold Saddam high technology, which
Saddam used for weapons of mass destruction.
Bobby is facing up to 10
years in prison and up to 250,000-dollar fine for playing a chess match. I think it would be a major
injustice if Bobby were hit with those penalties. All the man did was play
30 chess games. Punishment must fit the crime. Bobby’s greatest crime
isn't playing chess in
Yugoslavia in defiance of a presidential decree. His crime is his hateful
remarks about Jews and the people of the United States. However hateful
and hurtful these remarks are, they are not against the law. Another one
of Bobby’s crimes was leaving the chess world.
Bobby has had moments of great confusion:
1)
His admiration of Hitler.
2)
His denial of the Holocaust.
3)
His hateful views of Jewish people.
4)
His hateful views of the United States and 9/11.
5)
His withdrawal from chess, a game that gave him purpose.
6)
Pulling out of the Sousse Interzonal in 1967 while leading and
missing a chance to challenge for the title.
7)
Aborting the chess match against Reshevsky in 1961.
8)
Refusing to defend his title in 1975, even though he got all but
one of his demands.
9)
His failure to play game 2 of the world championship match in 1972.
10) His failure to play in the 1970 US Championship.
If Bobby is extradited back to the US, this could be a turning point
for the better. Bobby has had his forced moments of clarity during his
life and career:
1)
1972 going to Iceland to play in the world championship.
2)
Playing game 3 of the 1972 world championship and accepting his
forfeit of game 2.
3)
Coming out of retirement and playing Boris Spassky in 1992.
I say to Bobby, “come home you are an American.” If Bobby comes
home, this could be another forced clarity situation. Bobby has a great
chance to renounce his hateful views. He can beat these charges. I feel Bobby can fix all his problems by apologizing for his
hateful views. Bobby is an
American, a cold war warrior. He beat the soviets at their own game.
Bobby did it by himself, with his single mined pursuit of chess truth.
Bobby needs to stop taking on the world. At 61 years of age,
it's time to stop bucking the system. Bobby needs to live peacefully with
in it. Bobby you were an expert at exchanging down to a winning endgame. You
were great at managing your clock. Bobby your time is growing short, you
need to simply your life. Bobby you need to point your strong intellect
now to the real world. You need to use your subtle skills of knowing when
to punch and when to duck. Bobby, renounce your hatred, stop fighting the world,
and come back to chess. Bobby, come back to your roots, and write about your matches of
1972 and 1992. Bobby you were a King once, your poor judgment has made you
a fugitive pawn on the run. Your path is now blocked; you need to unblock
your path so you can finish your life’s journey. Lev Alburt said it
best, on Fred Wilson's Chess Fm show, Bobby needs chess to keep his
sanity.
Bobby
this is your last shot to get your act together, comes back to your roots,
and come back to chess. It’s ok that you’re not the best player in the
world today. You should enjoy your life’s endgame.
You can have a winning life endgame.
I am sure there will be plenty of lawyers willing to defend you.
Here's what I feel is appropriate punishment for his crimes, provided he renounces his hateful views.
1)
Well, Martha Stewart will serve half of her 10-month sentence under
house arrest. I think Bobby should serve his time under tournament arrest.
He should have to play in 10 more US Championships.
2)
He should finish his
1961 match against Sammy Reshevsky. This may be difficult since Sammy died
in 1992. However Victor
Kortchnoi was able to play a game against Geza Marcozy through a psychic.
3)
He should play game 2 of his 1972 world championship match in full view of the TV
cameras.
4)
He should play the 1975 world championship match against Karpov.
I think the
greatest and worst move ever played on a chess board was made during game
one of the 1972 world championship match against Boris Spassky.
Bobby
had never beaten Spassky and had lost three games with two draws. In the
first game of the world championship, Fischer, after 28 moves had achieved
a drawn position with the black pieces against the world champion Boris
Spassky. This was a very good start for a challenger of the world
championship. However, it wasn’t good enough for Bobby who cut through the
candidate match process like a hot knife through butter. He shut out and
no hit Taimanov and Larsen by scores of 6-0 and 6-0. Fischer then ran through
ex world champion Tigran Petrosian by a score of 6.5-2.5. During this time
Bobby set a record by defeating 18 top GMs in a row. Bobby was
always looking
for every resource in a position. He stunned the chess world by playing 29 …
Bxh2. Spassky jolted upright by this surprising move. This was a horrible
move. Every one knows not to take the rook pawn with the bishop, because
the bishop can be trapped. Bobby had made a mistake, it's not a losing
move. He still had drawing chances. However Bobby could not find the
drawing moves. He blamed his troubles on the noise level and TV cameras in
the playing hall.
However, I think this move is one of the greatest moves
played as well. I am speaking not from a technical chess sense. From a
technical chess stand point and match strategy stand point, the move was a
disaster. But with so much on the line, a world championship game,
Fischer was not satisfied with a draw in the first game with black. Bobby
was searching for an advantage, trying to exploit every possible hidden
resource. It was a great move because it showed Bobby's great will to win.
This is why great players played below their strength against
Bobby. Bobby was always on the hunt for a full point and always on the hunt for
exploiting hidden resources. Bobby wanted to crush Spassky early.
This
uncontrolled desire caused Bobby's defeat in game 1, the forfeit in game 2,
and almost the forfeited of the match. Bobby quickly regrouped and won game three
with the black pieces. Bobby took control of the match and defeated
Spassky by a score of 12.5 –8 .5. Bobby Fischer became the
11th World Champion.
Today chess is plagued with the friendly-no-fight draw. More players need
some of Bobby Fischer’s desire at the chessboard. During the 1992
Fischer vs. Spassky match, Bobby was asked about 29 … Bxh2. He was asked
if it was
about trying to create winning chances from a drawn position. Bobby
agreed with that statement. Chess fans worldwide admire Bobby for his great chess talent and
desire. Bobby brought many new fans into the sport during his 1972
world championship fight.
Since Bobby hasn't taken a pawn in over 12 years, I think
these charges have exceeded the 50 move rule and should be dropped with a
draw being declared.
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