The Tragic Story of the World’s Greatest Chess Player

Bobby Fischer’s rise and tragic fall. Ready to sleep better? You’re 1 click away: – Use code: NEWSTHINK10 for 10% off.

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Many of the images featured in this video were sourced from Alamy.

Interviews featured in video:
4:43 Carson Tonight Show interview with Bobby Fischer
5:25 CBC interview with Bobby Fischer
10:45 60 Minutes interview with Bobby Fischer

Interviews featured in this video are meant to be used for news reporting and educational purposes and fall within the guidelines of fair use.

Sources:
0:03 DiscipleofDrax, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
0:26 Background image: MMZach at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
2:25 Chess game on right: Morn, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Image on left: @FIDE_chess on Twitter
4:24 Image on left: Verhoeff, Bert / Anefo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
4:36 Yanping Nora Soong via Wikimedia Commons Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License. Previously published: Flickr Previously published:
4:40 Vysotsky (Wikimedia), CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
5:08 Image of Einstein: DonkeyHotey, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
5:12 Stevan Kragujević, CC BY-SA 3.0 RS via Wikimedia Commons
5:17 Bert Verhoeff / Anefo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
5:21 karpidis, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
6:22 Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-76052-0335,_Schacholympiade,_Tal_(UdSSR)_gegen_Fischer_(USA).jpg: Kohls, Ulrichderivative work: Karpouzi, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
7:08 Image of Fischer: Punt / Anefo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
9:35 Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-76052-0335 / Kohls, Ulrich / CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE via Wikimedia Commons
9:47 Broers, F.N. / Anefo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
9:53 Image of Dr. Reuben Fine: Harry Pot, CC BY-SA 3.0 NL via Wikimedia Commons
10:42 Image on left: Anefo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
11:39 Image on left: Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-76052-0053 / Kohls, Ulrich / CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE via Wikimedia Commons
12:25 Bert Verhoeff / Anefo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
12:32 Punt / Anefo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
13:23 Jóna Þórunn, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

500 Comments

  1. there's no actual evidence he went insane; those stories they tell, sell a narrative only. the 9/11 stuff shows he has bad judgement; hating America for how it treated him, after the tournament rematch with Spassky. hating Jews is a matter of brainwash alone – done to himself, and by others. if you surround yourselves with bad people, they will give you bad ideas.
    stuff about being paranoid; that's because the Russians no doubt wanted to poison him – they probably tried. they do that routinely to enemies of the USSR. and the hairy physical attributes; simply to blend in with the populace, to become almost obsolete in comparison to his former self. safe from PTSD danger.
    none of the popular perception is even remotely accurate. it seems, he was very cognizant. this person's perception of Fischer reminds me of the American news media's selling of a fraud narrative to American voters in 2020 – Joe Biden is not the legitimately elected US President at all.

  2. This whole story for the purpose of selling pills at the end ,,,and she said Fisher was insane.

  3. Fascinating biography and tragic . Possibly on the autistic spectrum , if one was to venture onto the psychiatric ward . Nothing is given for free .

  4. I'm just sayin, he might have not been paranoid for no reason… Governments were crazy at that time

  5. jewish? 🤣🤣🤣 what is this israel propaganda bobby hated jews

  6. The ego is a slave to the psyche (soul). I believe if we weren't so lost, culturally, it would be obvious that solely being the best chess player, for the entirety of one's life, is too small a life, considering the vastness of one's psyche. Of course other things, including relationships were desired; we're wired that way, naturally. His childhood, with paranoid parents made clear to him that he was unseen, perhaps frightening. This template is a poor foundation for, as Jungian Therapist and Author, James Hillman calls it "growing down", or grounding the needs of the soul.
    C-PTSD is the Intergenerational trauma in play, and it gets heavier with each passing generation, until the cycle is broken.
    This man's increased greatness in chess seems the tragedy of his "mental illness" in this video. I feel it is the failure to see that egoic victories will not subdue the psyche's plans.
    He knew this in the end, what would've healed him, and unconsciously protected himself against the enmeshment he felt throughout his childhood being reexperienced. Many live this way, and in the mind, outside of the body's reality. Sad story, but a common one, as in childhood, if emotions are too much, too soon, and too chaotic, upward go the energies where, depending on their use, is culturally applauded, and yet without noting a wholeness to life, we continually are surprised by the imminent fall. I'm not a genius, as he was, but when IQ doesn't include relational skills, and life skills in general, that's telling in and of itself. This happens to many who lack the fortune of having a gift (literally, the meaning of genius) that they bring to fruition before succumbing to what will invariably be called "mental illness." I see this in many an intelligent child, and recommend martial arts, Yoga, or some mind-body activity for balance. Mindfulness is the key to grounding in the body, and the ego is disinclined at best.

  7. Its hard to diagnose and judge Fischer. Admitted Russians did conspiracy about him and make various attempts to suppress fischer in many ways. As for Gender in chess female player and relatively weaker than male chess players. Do comparison. Genetics were there as a risk factor agreed but its hard to know and diagnose nor judge. Agreed that he wasnt seen by a psychiatrist for a long time. Mental illness was preserved differently then. In chess world fischer is considerably one of the greating chess champion, he invented so many things changed so many ideas fought politics and brought money in the games. His games are studied today and are very much accurate with computer engine. He fulfilled his career and no one has bettered him.

  8. The FBI was spying on his mother, but he was the paranoid one…

  9. He wasn't crazy, the US government really do spy on everyone. They do torture prisoners and they definitely hide their atrocities and always fabricate narratives to preserve their image. If a man with an iq of 181 wanted America to perish and disliked Israel it tells you something profound especially himself being an ethnic Jew. They'll do anything to paint anyone who go against their pseudo narrative as crazy or deranged. He was smart enough to realise that he shouldn't live in America.

  10. So if someone is against US politics, he is going mad?

  11. Did Fischer have paranoid schizophrenia? Was he schizoid? Was he EVER evaluated?? I doubt it. He became a mess. He was paranoid. His mental problems were so severe, it disrupted his life greatly. People like Fischer rarely have the insight into their problems. Did anyone try to help this poor man? His life was a tragedy, and I am a person who greatly admired his chess accomplishments.

  12. When Bobby was just ten Paul Nemenyi Fisher's father said he "hoped Bobby would get over his chess phase".

  13. different opinions than yours doesn't equal insanity

  14. This is a classic example of how people who lived during the age of leaded gasoline were mentally and emotionally unstable.

  15. the whole story of fischer is just really sad the lack of love in his life his difficult childhood all the things that happen to him really difficult he is easily one of the best perhaps the best i dont know we never ever witnessed the "prime" era of him because he stopped playing chess

  16. The victim is always blamed. I think he seen right through their tactics. Not many have 2nd and 3rd stage thinking. If you do, they isolate you, as punishment.

  17. Why are people in this comment section saying Bobby didn't go insane? from following cults to nazi-esk anti semetic views, and hatred of Americans. This man was clearly suffered from mental illness.

  18. Bobby was probably a bit crazy right from the start – both his parents were geniuses but they were also slightly mad. Bobby was notorious for his paranoia and “difficult” attitude from an early age. As long as he was focused exclusively on chess, his personality problems were just barely inside the bounds of sanity, but once he lost his chess anchor he became increasingly paranoid and perhaps even psychotic. It’s terribly sad.

  19. The FBI spied on his mother and thought she was a commi spy, and you call him insane for not trusting the American government??? Calling someone mad is usually a communist tactic for those who don't conform to the government narrative.

  20. Well they government/ secretary of state told him to get to Iceland, who would want to play under those the circumstance. So they must of hated him for that even tho he went. CIA did terrible things back in the day you dont think they got in his face about the issue 😒

  21. He is far from insane. He realized how fucked up certain things are…and it really pissed him off

  22. Yikes. There's a lot of conspiracy theorists and crackpot Bobby Fischer apologists in this comment section. Just because he stopped clock was right about being spied on does not mean "he was exposing the truth how it was" in general and "just being called crazy for his exposing of elites". He's crazy because of his crazy anti-Semitic/borderline Hitler apologist views and statements about Jews and his pretty shitty takes on the US (advocating for a military coup, his comments about 9/11) and Israel.

  23. I do not think Bobby was insane and I think that is very disrespectful to say that about a dead man. Throughout his life Bobby probably couldn’t trust anyone; probably leading to people calling him “crazy”. He wasn’t crazy he was highly mentally aware

  24. Paul Morphy, Steinitz , também tiveram problemas mentais !

  25. “He went insane “…This so disrespectful and pathetic.

  26. Yeah people age. Nobody looks the same older. Dont mean he was crazy

  27. Insane like videos started automatically for no reason? Insane because he thought he had rights and didn't know his government was run by clown slappdiks?

  28. He was not mad. It seems he got the world right. All if your conclusions seem wrong.

  29. Lotta Nazis in the comments mad that you called him crazy lmao

  30. Boy talking about slandering a persons life? His parents hounded by multiple intelligence agencies, himself hound by the same ! And with no proof and an admission he was NEVER DIAGNOSED AS MENTALLY ILL you call him not “troubled” but insane! COMPLETELY UNFAIR to say the least! You could print “DONALD TRUMP IS INSANE” because 100 of the top mental health experts in the USA signed a statement attesting to that! But you took the liberty to say that about BOBBY without one professional opinion! PURE CLICK BAIT!

  31. I didn’t read the post of others until after I posted, THANKS TO ALL WHO SUPPORT BOBBY, this video was a disservice to his memory!

  32. Ha haa, one of the books in Fischers childhood reading was Karpov on Karpov

  33. Bobby called my freind Arnold Denker at his home in Fort Lauderdale to get in touch with Arnold's son Mitchell for legal advice. I was told that the first time, when he called from the Philippines, he had forgotten about the time difference. Bobby knew that Denker grew up Jewish but was friends with him anyway. Arnold said he missed the person Bobby had been.

  34. Nothing in this video convinced me he lost his mind. He seemed very coherent and expressed his views and opinions. That’s his right. Even what he said about women being terrible chess players. That makes perfect sense. Chess is a game of war. Men are biologically hardwired to be protectors and warriors, this is why war is overwhelmingly fought by men. Woman are biologically hardwired to be nurturers, emotional compassionate beings. This is why during war, woman and children seek refuge. Right now in Ukraine, woman and children are being allowed to cross the border into Romania, while the men can’t and have to stay and die. Crazy how even back then men were getting shamed for stating obvious, uncomfortable truths. So relevant today especially with radical feminist screaming misogyny or toxic masculinity every time they see a man that doesn’t have his tale tucked between his legs.

  35. Too smart at math and music especially and they just go insane.

  36. So many comments say he wasn't insane but then list all the different aspects of his insanity

  37. bobbys politics were above what the news wants u to think. he came to his own conclusion. today we have the same issue, out of all the grandmasters, the majority of men still wipe out the women. its not mysoginistic. its just telling ones truth. and look at that, the whole of peace keepers agree israel is the devil. Palestinians are getting dog watered.

  38. Robert Fischer est l’incarnation de la formule selon laquelle le pire ennemi est soi-même.

  39. Most of the energy goes into figuring out how to use Final Cut instead of Premiere.
    No really great video. I wanted a history in more then 5 minutes but less then an hour.
    Great WORK!

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