Media comments on chess

Discuss anything you like about chess related matters in this forum.
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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: Media comments on chess

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Thu Aug 08, 2019 10:10 pm

Wasn't his "credible" diagnosis Aspergers, anyway?

That is subtly different from what many perceive as autism.
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

Jonathan Rogers
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Re: Media comments on chess

Post by Jonathan Rogers » Fri Aug 09, 2019 11:03 am

I am no expert but there are, I gather, also important distinctions between being autistic (at some significant point on the spectrum) and merely having autistic traits. Probably the vast majority of strong chess players show some of the latter, but it is not necessarily obvious how many also qualify for the former.

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JustinHorton
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Re: Media comments on chess

Post by JustinHorton » Fri Aug 09, 2019 11:41 am

Also, just putting aside the general difficulties of psychiatric diagnosis, it's not obvious how this is to be performed by amateurs watching videos on YouTube.
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

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Geoff Chandler
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Re: Media comments on chess

Post by Geoff Chandler » Fri Aug 09, 2019 12:42 pm

Stewart has the experience of meeting and playing Bobby, he was possibly thinking about that when posting.

I've often read that people who met him say he was normal (what ever that means regarding chess players)
and only after 1972 he started to become seriously unwell.

The internet is awash with cowboy psychiatrists who never met him and think they can
diagnose Fischer from something they have heard, read or just guessed at.

The only quote by a qualified psychiatrist who actually met Fischer I've seen came from Magnús Skúlason

“I think he was terribly misunderstood,” Skulason says slowly and with
care. “I think he was an extremely sensitive and rather tender man on
the inside. He was deeply interested in all kinds of humanistic affairs
and searching for understanding. Unfortunately for him, it’s very
tragic because he was also known as this harsh, angry man.”

“I have a feeling he may have had an unhappy childhood. It’s always
easy to revise afterwards, but he might have needed better help after
he became so famous so young. He did not like his fame. His fame made
him uncomfortable.”

Full article here.

https://thesmartset.com/article01210802/

Stewart Reuben
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Re: Media comments on chess

Post by Stewart Reuben » Fri Aug 09, 2019 12:59 pm

Bobby's responses were perfectly 'normal' on the two shows. When we knew each other, 1963-1972, this was not always so. I had never even heard of autism in those days. So I could easily have been wrong in my later assessment.
I found his anti-Jewish statements later on deeply disturbing. How could he have been anti-Jewish when I knew him? He lived in NY, where 25% of the population were Jewish. Moreover about half the chessplayers were Jewish. We quite frequently dined at Jewish delicatessens.

As I wrote above, some of the things he said, or did, were peculiar. But I don't think on the autistic spectrum.

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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: Media comments on chess

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Fri Aug 09, 2019 1:03 pm

He is on record as making some rather "off colour" comments on Jews in his teenage years, though it was far from the mania it later became.
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

Geoff Chandler
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Re: Media comments on chess

Post by Geoff Chandler » Fri Aug 09, 2019 2:02 pm

It always appeared to me, as an unqualified observer, that this Jewish thing started after '72.

In 1968 he played in Netanya, Israel, which was held to commemorate the 20th year of Israel being state.

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chess.pl?tid=79945

Which just adds to the confusion as to what happened later.

"He is on record as making some rather "off colour" comments on Jews in his teenage year."

Jokes, remarks, comments made in jest or sudden anger/frustration are soon forgotten,
unless that person becomes famous, then people suddenly remember what was said.

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JustinHorton
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Re: Media comments on chess

Post by JustinHorton » Fri Aug 09, 2019 5:12 pm

Somewhat surprised not to find chess in the index of this
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

lostontime.blogspot.com

David Robertson

Re: Media comments on chess

Post by David Robertson » Fri Aug 09, 2019 10:53 pm


Stewart Reuben
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Re: Media comments on chess

Post by Stewart Reuben » Thu Aug 15, 2019 11:52 pm

STOP PRESS
ON sKY WITNESS the show CRIMINAL MINDS is showing a lot of chess- all accurate.
It is repeated in my system 12-1 am.

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JustinHorton
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Re: Media comments on chess

Post by JustinHorton » Fri Aug 16, 2019 6:34 am

Talking of repeats
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

lostontime.blogspot.com

Colin Patterson
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Re: Media comments on chess

Post by Colin Patterson » Fri Aug 16, 2019 6:57 pm

On the Alibi channel, the serialized drama "I Am The Night" has a season finale episode titled 'Queen's Gambit Accepted'.

I gather the show is about a young woman (India Eisley) trying to unlock the secrets of her mysterious childhood, and along the way uncovering links to witchcraft, devil worship and the like. The main star is Chris Pine. I haven't started watching it yet, but will give it a try.

Completely unrelated - I glanced at the snooker today, and was amazed to see two men with white beards playing each other in what looked like the World Championship. Blimey, I thought, aren't there any younger players that are good at snooker? Anyway ... turned out it was the Senior World Championship, and one of the grey bearded fellas was Stephen Hendry. Which made me feel very old indeed.

A painful reminder though. The Snooker Senior WC is deemed TV worthy, while the regular Chess World Championship still isn't.

Stewart Reuben
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Re: Media comments on chess

Post by Stewart Reuben » Fri Aug 16, 2019 11:51 pm

Colim. The Snooker Senior WC is deemed TV worthy, while the regular Chess World Championship still isn't.

The WCC was broadcast on both BBC2 and Channel 4 in 1993, Kasparov v Short. The figures must have been disappointing as, after that, virtually nothing. Of course you cn see chess perfectly well on the internet. But who would bother unless already a fan?

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JustinHorton
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Re: Media comments on chess

Post by JustinHorton » Sat Aug 17, 2019 6:31 am

Although of course there was BBC coverage of Kasparov v Anand
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

lostontime.blogspot.com

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JustinHorton
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Re: Media comments on chess

Post by JustinHorton » Sat Aug 17, 2019 11:23 am

Forbes interview with Caruana.
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

lostontime.blogspot.com