The following libraries offered up surprising nuggets of Fischeriana: the New York Public Library, the Brooklyn Public Library, the Long Island Collection of the Queensborough Public Library, the John G. White Collection of the Cleveland Public Library, the Columbia University Library, and the Lilly Library of the University of Indiana. The publications New in Chess, Chess, and Chess Life, as well as the websites ChessBase, Chess Café, and Chessville, were of enormous help. To each I am indebted, as I am to Mirjam Donath, a Fulbright scholar; and Taryn Westerman, my former graduate assistant; both of whom helped me research the work.
I’ve never had an editor before as perceptive and as hardworking as Rick Horgan. He is not only responsible for this book coming into existence, but helped shape it in every way, shoving needles into the eyes of my discursive prose from time to time and serving as a sounding board throughout the compilation of the book.
My literary agent, Jeff Schmidt, deserves special commendation for recognizing the potential of Endgame, and for steering the book to one of the best publishing houses in the world.
Finally, there is my wife, Maxine, to whom this book is dedicated. Like me, she also knew Bobby, spent time with him, and observed and interacted with him in our home, at parties, and at many tournaments, so her intelligence and memory—in addition to her writing and editing skills—were essential signposts for me in virtually everything that appears here. Without her contribution there would be no Endgame. My sincere gratitude for her constant consultation is simply not enough.
NOTES
The sources for this book come from a variety of origins: interviews of and correspondence with chess players; friends and relatives of Bobby Fischer; chess periodicals and books; the general press; Bobby Fischer’s own writings; libraries and archives; and the author’s own memories, conversations, and observations of Bobby Fischer spread out over a lifetime.
Abbreviations
Bobby Fischer Autobiographical Essay—BFE
John W. Collins Archive—JWC
Marshall Chess Foundation Archive—MCF
New York Times—NYT
Chess Life—CL
Chess Review—CR
Chess Life & Review—CL&R
Frank Brady Archive—FB
New In Chess—NIC
Chess Base—CB
Profile of a Prodigy—PRO
KGB Reports—KGB
Author citations refer to books in the Bibliography.
Author’s Note
1 “A biography is considered complete” Clare Colquitt, Susan Goodman, Candace Waid. A Forward Glance: New Essays on Edith Wharton, Associated University Presses, Inc., 1999, p. 23.
2 “a whole world of feelings” Mack Frankfurter. Options: A Three Dimensional Chess, October 13, 2006. At safehaven.com. Accessed December 14, 2008.
Chapter 1: Loneliness to Passion
The sources for this chapter came, in some part, from a statement written in the third person by Bobby Fischer while he was incarcerated; examination of the FBI files on Regina Fischer; Bobby’s autobiographical essay written when he was a teenager; talks of the author with Bobby’s teachers, Carmine Nigro and Jack Collins, as well as Regina Fischer; observations of the author; and previously published accounts in books and periodicals.
1 “I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe.” Legal statement of facts written by Bobby Fischer, 6 pages, July 2004, orwelltoday.com/fischerroom202.shtml.
2 “as soon as he lands at JFK, we’ll nail him.” Recollection of author, who talked with State Department official, circa late 1990s.
3 The group’s destination was the Silver Moon Chinese restaurant. This incident occurred circa 1956. Discussion with Jack Collins, circa 1956; and reported in Newsday, September 28, 1992.
4 he’d just returned from the U.S. Open Championship in Oklahoma City CR, August 1956, p. 227.
5 at the first Moscow Medical Institute Discussion of Regina and Gerhardt Fischer in Moscow. Johnson, p. 125.
6 Regina Fischer had no long-term residence PRO, pp. 1–4.
7 One of Bobby’s first memories BFE, p. 1.
8 flung his pencil down in frustration and grabbed a brown crayon, but this time he paused MCF
9 Later, he became enamored of Japanese interlocking puzzles NYT, February 23, 1958, SMD 38.
10 In early 1949 Regina Fischer took the least expensive housing she could find FBI report, 8-24-53 (SAC, New York, 100-102290).
11 on a rainy day when Bobby had just turned six Parade, October 27, 1957, p. 22.
12 Neither Joan nor Bobby had ever seen a chess set before BFE, p. 1.
13 “Nobody we knew ever played chess” BFE, p. 1.
14 “At first it was just another game” BFE, p. 1.
15 “She was too busy to take the game seriously.” BFE, p. 2
16 “My mother has an anti-talent for chess” Life, February 21, 1964.
17 Instead, he sought to discover any trap or pitfall lurking in his “opponent’s” position Life, February 21, 1964.
18 Bobby, then seven years old, hated his new environs BFE, p. 1.
19 The tenants downstairs complained of the banging noise Letter from landlord to Regina Fischer, no date, MCF.
20 “Bobby could discuss concepts like infinity” Parade, October 27, 1957, p. 21.
21 He then named Siegbert Tarrasch, a German player Chessworld, Vol. 1, No. 1, 1964, p. 59.
22 “MOMMY I WANT TO COME HOME” Postcard, no date, MCF.
23 In the winter of 1950, when he was seven years old BFE, p. 1.
24 However, a distant relative of Bobby’s suggested Interview of Russell Targ by author, December 2008.
25 “my little chess miracle,” Letter from Regina Fischer to Herman Helms, Brooklyn, New York, Nov. 14, 1951.
26 “They did not interest me too much” BFE, p. 1.
27 One spectator at the exhibition that evening was Carmine Nigro BFE, p. 2.
Chapter 2: Childhood Obsession
Discussions with Carmine Nigro about Bobby Fischer supplied much of the material in this chapter, as well as correspondence with Dr. Harold Sussman and Dr. Ariel Mengarini. Several notes exchanged between Bobby Fischer and his mother were also helpful in outlining this period of his life; his autobiographical essay supplied information that filled in gaps of knowledge.