1 No one had the temerity to disagree Author’s conversation with Carmine Nigro, May 1955, Brooklyn, NY.
2 Even Emanuel Lasker Hannak, p. 17.
3 where Enrico Caruso and Geraldine Farrar had sung CR, December 1944.
4 After coaxing from Nigro Discussion with author, 1956.
5 “At first I used to lose all the time” BFE, p. 2.
6 Nigro would greatly increase his son’s allowance PRO, p. 7.
7 there are 72,084 positions after two moves each AnswerBag.com.
8 “Mr. Nigro was possibly not the best player in the world but he was a very good teacher.” BFE, p. 2.
9 “My mother was often on duty on weekends” BFE, p. 2.
10 Dr. Sussman was also an amateur photographer Letter from Dr. Sussman to author, circa 1972, FB.
11 one could tell by the inflection in his voice that he was affected by the experience Author’s conversation with Bobby Fischer, New York City, circa 1964.
12 Carmine Nigro was a professional musician, and taught music in a number of styles NYT, September 2, 2001, p. 27.
13 Soon Bobby was playing “Beer Barrel Polka” and other tunes Regina Fischer press release, circa 1956, MCF.
14 “I did fairly well on it for a while” BFE, p. 2.
15 He played at the Brooklyn Chess Club every Friday night BFE, p. 2.
16 Nigro would drive Bobby to Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village BFE, p. 2.
17 Nigro felt they wouldn’t tolerate Bobby’s sometimes languorous tempo Author’s conversation with Carmine Nigro, May 1955, Brooklyn, NY.
18 Bobby spent hours after school at the Grand Army Plaza library BFE, p. 3.
19 a photograph showing him studying appeared Brooklyn Public Library News Bulletin, July 1952.
20 Years later, when a chess collector finally took possession NIC, 2008, Issue 4, p. 6.
21 He even maintained his involvement with the game while bathing Conversation with Regina Fischer, circa 1958.
22 “Bobby virtually inhaled chess literature” Author’s interview of Allen Kaufman, New York, March 16, 2009.
23 he was taught songs by rote for Hanukkah and Purim, in both English and Yiddish, a language he didn’t know Undated papers from Brooklyn Jewish Children’s School, MCF.
24 And in the restroom he may have seen that his penis was different from the rest: He wasn’t circumcised Fischer’s open letter to Judaica Encyclopedia, 1984.
25 and he later claimed that he’d received no training in Judaic customs or theology Fischer’s open letter to Judaica Encyclopedia, 1984.
26 Bobby could concentrate on puzzles or chess for hours Article in Parade, October 27, 1957, p. 21.
27 By the time he reached the fourth grade, he’d been in and out of six schools Ibid.
28 In frustration, Regina registered Bobby in a school for gifted children Ibid.
29 In the fall of 1952, when Bobby was nine, Regina secured scholarship enrollment for him in Brooklyn Community Woodward Architecture 101: 321, “Clinton Avenue, The Architecture of Brooklyn.”
30 The school’s philosophy of education was based on the principles of Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi BFE, p. 9.
31 To learn early American history, for example Brooklyn Eagle, January 31, 1943.
32 “If he’d been born next to a swimming pool he would have been a swimming champion” Schonberg. NYT, February 23, 1958; P. SM 38.
33 “Dear Bobby—Finish off the soup and rice” Regina Fischer notebook, MCF.
34 that potential friend would have had to not only know how to play chess but Associated Press wire story, October 12, 1958.
35 He was happy when the glare of the winter light ceased Letter from Regina Fischer to Bobby Fischer, circa September 1958, MCF.
36 A young math student replied—he even knew how to play chess Postcard, September 24, 1951, MCF.
37 And off he’d go to his chessboard, without his mother’s permission Author’s conversation with Regina Fischer, December 1960, New York.
38 One of Bobby’s few non-chess interests emerged unexpectedly during his eighth year in the summer of 1951 BFE, p. 1.
39 Bobby would train to take various Red Cross swimming tests American Red Cross Swimming Cards, various dates, MCF.
40 Regina insisted that he have a psychological evaluation Author’s conversation with Regina Fischer, December 1960, New York.
41 “I just go for it.” Author’s conversation with Bobby Fischer, January 1964, New York.
42 “I told her that I could think of a lot worse things than chess that a person could devote himself to” Letter from Dr. Ariel Mengarini to author, March 31, 1963, New York.
43 “I’d already gone through most of the books in the public library” BFE, p. 3.
44 the money was spent on chocolate milk for lunch and a candy bar after school Regina Fischer notebook, MCF.
45 he expected to be called in front of Senator McCarthy’s House Un-American Activities Committee hearings Author’s conversation with Harold M. Phillips, New York City, June 1960.
46 When Mikhail Botvinnik, who became World Chess Champion, arrived at the Bolshoi Opera House Alexander Kotov, “Why the Russians?” Chessworld, 1964, No. 2.
47 One Soviet tournament registered more than seven hundred thousand players Ibid.
48 “They are out to win for the greater glory of the Soviet Union” NYT, June 13, 1954, p. SM19.
49 He dutifully took his seat in the auditorium, as though he were at the Academy Awards of chess PRO, p. 9.
50 David Bronstein asked for a glass of lemon juice NYT, June 25, 1954, p. 23.
51 there was the Soviets’ recent routing of the Argentine team in Buenos Aires and the French team in Paris NYT, June 13, 1954, p. S4.
52 Nigro noted with proud amusement that his protégé was watching carefully Author’s conversation with Carmine Nigro, May 1955, Brooklyn, NY.
53 Dr. Fine wasn’t playing for the United States CR, July 1954, p. 199.
54 the man Bobby had played in a simultaneous exhibition three years previously Ibid.
55 “He seemed to be a nice kid, somewhat shy” Interview of Allen Kaufman by author, March 16, 2009.
56 “Chess spectators are like Dodger fans with laryngitis” NYT, June 23, 1954, p. 27.
57 “No matter how talented by natural heritage, the amateur lacks that sometimes brutal precision” CL, July 5, 1954, p. 4.
58 The following year, in July 1955 NYT, July 7, 1955, p. 33.
59 There Khrushchev issued a policy statement NYT, July 5, 1955, p. 1.