English Chess Forum

From my friend John Bass


All,

If you've nothing better to do on Friday night (and who has these days), you might want to watch 'Pawn Sacrifice' on BBC2 at 11:20pm, which apparently, is a dramatization of Bobby Fischer's chess career including the 1972 match versus Spassky. How accurate it is I have no idea, but it appears to be a decent film from the reviews I've read (by non-chess players).

John.

It is absolute dreck apart from Peter Sarsgaard

I wouldn't watch that if I were you. Extremely painful on so many levels. You have to be a typical American to gain any satisfaction from it. If you watch it with a critical mindset you will initially want to have the director shot. Should there be an afterlife, its only a matter of time before Fischer catches up with Maguire. I strongly suspect Maguire will have his head kicked in there, as he indeed should. If you mention you like it down your chess club you may end of being glassed or knifed. I wouldn't bother watching it if I were you.

'I wouldn't bother watching it if I were you.'

Much the same advice could be applied to your post with a rather infantile attitude to violence.

It says a lot that it's on at 11:20pm on BBC2 on a Friday; hardly prime time viewing. It might have appeal to the Newsnight crowd. Personally I'd go for Bobby Fischer Against the World but I generally prefer documentaries over dramas (with some exceptions).

And sorry to mention it, but Bobby *Fisher*??

Matt Mackenzie wrote: ↑

Fri May 15, 2020 12:10 am

And sorry to mention it, but Bobby *Fisher*??

Glad you mentioned that, Matt. I thought of doing so when the thread started. It's a shameful stain on the credibility of the forum. Devilish clever of Richard Thursby to correct it in the post before yours.

Obviously just a typo in the thread title, as it is correct in the first post,

David Sedgwick wrote: ↑

Fri May 15, 2020 7:35 am

Obviously just a typo in the thread title, as it is correct in the first post,

Where

J T Melsom wrote: ↑

Thu May 14, 2020 11:00 pm

'I wouldn't bother watching it if I were you.'

Much the same advice could be applied to your post with a rather infantile attitude to violence.

Well it could be that or it could be a very subtle reference to a certain chess club long-since closed down but which a few members are aware of and also aware of the fact that the instigator was so utterly obsessed with Fischer it triggered a nervous breakdown in the end. Once he got his rating over the 170 mark (early 80s 170) he believed he was just as good as Fischer and didn't take too well to being told otherwise. Trying to explain to him that the world champions that followed; namely Karpov and Kasparov aren't 'just nothing' was also a bit of a challenge, as was explaining that whenever he plays the pirc/modern himself it is actually possible to lose with it. I think there are two people who will automatically know who this is if I continue so I shall stop right there.

Just out of curiosity how many Fischers have there been? In England with have had two Adams, generations apart of course. Two Aronians although the first has a vowel missing and we have two Petrosians. I would imagine a strong American junior named Fischer would receive more attention than just about any other junior but I don't recall any other Fischer than Bobby.

MJMcCready wrote: ↑

Fri May 15, 2020 11:16 am

Just out of curiosity how many Fischers have there been? In England with have had two Adams, generations apart of course. Two Aronians although the first has a vowel missing and we have two Petrosians. I would imagine a strong American junior named Fischer would receive more attention than just about any other junior but I don't recall any other Fischer than Bobby.

MegaBase 2020 lists at least 200 players whose surname is/was Fischer who have an Elo rating.

The FIDE list contains 243 players.

MJMcCready wrote: ↑

Fri May 15, 2020 11:16 am

Just out of curiosity how many Fischers have there been?

Quite a common surname if you look at FIDE's rating list.

There was a Robert Fischer playing at Gibraltar this year, USA as well I believe. According to the FIDE list, born in 1960.
https://newratings.fide.com/profile/2008653

Fischer is a common German name, so I don't think we can assume any nominative determination.

I'd back team Howell against team Adams (all time, player at their peak, 4 boards). Team Littlewood also has good strength in depth.

Team Petrosian, various spellings, looks like the one to beat with an all GM line up. In fact Team Tigran (various initials) Petrosian is formidable on its own, suggesting chess has greater cultural importance in Armenia than the USA

But how many Bobby Fischers have there been?