The Gift of Chess

Notice to commercial publishers seeking use of images from this collection of chess-related archive blogs. For use of the many large color restorations, two conditions must be met: 1) It is YOUR responsibility to obtain written permissions for use from the current holders of rights over the original b/w photo. Then, 2) make a tax-deductible donation to The Gift of Chess in honor of Robert J. Fischer-Newspaper Archives. A donation in the amount of $250 USD or greater is requested for images above 2000 pixels and other special request items. For small images, such as for fair use on personal blogs, all credits must remain intact and a donation is still requested but negotiable. Please direct any photographs for restoration and special request (for best results, scanned and submitted at their highest possible resolution), including any additional questions to S. Mooney, at bobbynewspaperblogs•gmail. As highlighted in the ABC News feature, chess has numerous benefits for individuals, including enhancing critical thinking and problem-solving skills, improving concentration and memory, and promoting social interaction and community building. Initiatives like The Gift of Chess have the potential to bring these benefits to a wider audience, particularly in areas where access to educational and recreational resources is limited.

Best of Chess Fischer Newspaper Archives
• Robert J. Fischer, 1955 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1956 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1957 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1958 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1959 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1960 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1961 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1962 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1963 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1964 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1965 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1966 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1967 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1968 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1969 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1970 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1971 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1972 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1973 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1974 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1975 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1976 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1977 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1978 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1979 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1980 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1981 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1982 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1983 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1984 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1985 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1986 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1987 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1988 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1989 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1990 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1991 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1992 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1993 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1994 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1995 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1996 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1997 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1998 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1999 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2000 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2001 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2002 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2003 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2004 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2005 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2006 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2007 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2008 bio + additional games
Chess Columns Additional Archives/Social Media

Fischer Yields and Re-Enters U.S. Title Chess: Champion Drops Pairings Dispute

New York Times, New York, New York, Saturday, December 19, 1959 - Page 24

Fischer Yields and Re-Enters U.S. Title Chess
Champion Drops Pairings Dispute
Fischer Regains Place in Title Chess Tournament When Saidy Withdraws

Bobby Fischer, the tempestuous Brooklyn high school student, will defend his national chess title after all.
The 16-year-old Fischer had withdrawn from the tournament on Tuesday in a dispute over the way the pairings for the twelve-man round-robin were drawn.
On Thursday he had a change of heart and yesterday this was communicated to the sponsoring United States Chess Federation and the American Chess Foundation through an intermediary.
Last night, at the West Side Y.M.C.A. the blond, gangling youth who is rated by many as the best chess player in the Western Hemisphere was hunched over his board in his first-round match with Arthur Bisguier of Elmhurst, Queens.
Anthony F. Saidy of Douglaston, Queens, who had been named as Fischer's replacement, withdrew to make way for Bobby's return.
Saidy a Medical Student
Saidy, 22, is a student at Cornell Medical School and the son of Fred Saidy, co-author of the books for “Finian's Rainbow,” “Bloomer Girl,” and other Broadway successes.
The last-minute switch was engineered by Jerry Spann of Oklahoma City, president of the chess federation.
“I thought it was very important to make every effort to smooth out the difficulties since Bobby was the defending champion,” Spann said, “but he had to make the first move.”
The drawing for the tournament, which determines the order in which the players meet one another and the color they play, was conducted by a five-man committee here and the players were notified by mail.
Fischer, who earlier this year competed in the world challengers' tournament in Yugoslavia, protested. He demanded that the pairings be redrawn in public the day before the tournament, as is the custom in Europe.
Change Due Next Year
“We'll be very happy to hold the drawing in public next year,” Spann stated. “In fact we've never had any objections to doing it. The point simply never came up before.
“When Bobby brought it up the drawing already had been made and we didn't feel that it ought to be done again. Time was growing short, for one thing.”
Spann, a slow-talking former football-player at the University of Southern California in the early Nineteen Thirties, had high praise for Saidy.
“He had been looking forward to playing, I know,” Spann said. “But when I called and asked him, as a personal favor, to withdraw he did so immediately.”
Saidy, who was present as an onlooker, smiled ruefully. “I had been out of bed only about three minutes when Jerry called,” I guess I wasn't thinking too clearly when I said I'd drop out.”
The sprinkling of spectators in the Y's auditorium applauded when Maurice J. Kasper, treasurer of the chess foundation, announced Fischer would play.
Bobby lounged against a side wall, chatting with some of the other players, while waiting for the competition to begin. Asked why he had decided to play, all he would say was, “I just changed my mind, that's all.”
Fischer Adjourns
Fischer was held on fairly even terms by Bisguier and they adjourned after forty-one moves early this morning.
Raymond Weinstein of Brooklyn defeated Robin Ault of Cranford, N.J. in forty moves. Weinstein is a former national junior champion, the title now held by Ault.
Edmar Mednis of New York University and Pal Benko, a Hungarian refugee now living here, drew in thirty-seven moves. Benko played a Sicilian defense.
Herbert Seidman of Brooklyn, a former intercollegiate champion, defeated Arnold Denker of East Rockaway, Queens, in forty-four moves. James T. Sherwin of New York, a former state champion, and Robert Byrne of Valparaiso, Ind., adjourned after forty-four moves.
In a match played last Sunday, Samuel Reshevsky, like Fischer an international grandmaster, defeated Sidney Bernstein.
Having drawn the white pieces against Bisguier, Fischer was called upon to deal with the old-fashioned Petroff defense, so popular in the late Eighteen Nineties, when Pillsbury was its chief exponent. With 7, QxQch, simplification set in to some extent, both castling on the queen's side of the board.
Fischer retained the initiative, but Bisguier, at his nineteenth turn, capture a central pawn, challenging an exchange of bishops, which the champion accepted. The loss of the pawn was only momentary. Other pawn captures came in quick succession, but Fischer emerged advantageously with a passed pawn on the king knight's file. His three pawns on the other wing blocked a black quarter. In return Bisguier had a rook on the seventh rank and a knight opposed to a bishop.
Experts believed that the United States champion held a good edge.

Fischer Yields and Re-Enters U.S. Title Chess

'til the world understands why Robert J. Fischer criticised the U.S./British and Russian military industry imperial alliance and their own Israeli Apartheid. Sarah Wilkinson explains:

Bobby Fischer, First Amendment, Freedom of Speech
What a sad story Fischer was,” typed a racist, pro-imperialist colonial troll who supports mega-corporation entities over human rights, police state policies & white supremacy.
To which I replied: “Really? I think he [Bob Fischer] stood up to the broken system of corruption and raised awareness! Whether on the Palestinian/Israel-British-U.S. Imperial Apartheid scam, the Bush wars of ‘7 countries in 5 years,’ illegally, unconstitutionally which constituted mass xenocide or his run in with police brutality in Pasadena, California-- right here in the U.S., police run rampant over the Constitution of the U.S., on oath they swore to uphold, but when Americans don't know the law, and the cops either don't know or worse, “don't care” -- then I think that's pretty darn “sad”. I think Mr. Fischer held out and fought the good fight, steadfast til the day he died, and may he Rest In Peace.
Educate yourself about U.S./State Laws --
https://www.youtube.com/@AuditTheAudit/videos
After which the troll posted a string of profanities, confirming there was never any genuine sentiment of “compassion” for Mr. Fischer, rather an intent to inflict further defamatory remarks.

This ongoing work is a tribute to the life and accomplishments of Robert “Bobby” Fischer who passionately loved and studied chess history. May his life continue to inspire many other future generations of chess enthusiasts and kibitzers, alike.

Robert J. Fischer, Kid Chess Wizard 1956March 9, 1943 - January 17, 2008

The photograph of Bobby Fischer (above) from the March 02, 1956 The Tampa Times was discovered by Sharon Mooney (Bobby Fischer Newspaper Archive editor) on February 01, 2018 while gathering research materials for this ongoing newspaper archive project. Along with lost games now being translated into Algebraic notation and extractions from over two centuries of newspapers, it is but one of the many lost treasures to be found in the pages of old newspapers since our social media presence was first established November 11, 2017.

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