Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess by Bobby Fischer, Stuart Margulies, and Don Mosenfelder

Many of the reviews here argue whether this book is just for beginners or for intermediate players as well. I believe this book is for anyone who wants to checkmate or defend checkmate! And after all, this is the main goal in chess. As a casual player for many years, I was able to work through this book rapidly in under 4 hours. When I first began reading the book I was under the impression that it was just too simplistic to learn anything from. As reading progresses the themes discussed are interwoven and you are trained to mix the simple ideas in to 3-4 move mating combinations (or to defend against them). The beauty of this approach is that by the time you finish the book the patterns become second nature and you no longer have to “think”, but rather you just “do”. This is pattern recognition, a large part of what chess is about. I believe you cannot go wrong reading this book. For the beginner it is absolutely essential reading. For the intermediate player, I believe he will gain some pattern recognition skills if nothing else. And if for some reason, he works his way through the entire book and learned not one thing, then it can be considered at the very least, a good chess exercise and a valuable benchmark.

Bobby Fischer: The Wandering King by Hans Bohm and Kees Jongkind

There was never a great champion in chess than Bobby Fischer. He was a artist over the board. His combinations, his sacrifices, and opening moves are still some of the most popular attractions. In later years, Bobby has developed a mental illness that has caused serious damage to his reputation and to the world. This book, I was hoping, would deal with his background, mostly his chess career. It disappointed me because the book was really a T.V. documentary, and much of the book was interviews with various people who have come across in Bobby’s life. I wanted to learn about this amazing talent, not so much about his off-the-wall comments over the years. I feel for Bobby, he is sick, and died recently a paranoid man. At 13, Bobby was beating grandmasters. He is a special talent, one in a million. This was not a great book on his background. It was mostly a book about the issues around Bobby, but not his chess.

Bobby Fischer: Profile of a Prodigy by Frank Brady

An excellent and very detailed biography, complete with strong insight into the unique personality of the greatest American chess player of the 20th Century. I found this book to be a quite interesting pleasure to read. The chapters on the 1972 World Championship Match were satisfying indeed. This book gives you a good background to the present ongoing Russian/Soviet domination of the game at it’s highest levels. It makes you think of the pity inherent in Fischer not defending his hard earned title.

Bobby Fischer Rediscovered (Batsford Chess Book) by Andrew Soltis

As Fischer’s “My 60 memorable games” only cover up the 1967, but the period making him a legend is the period 1970 to 1972, in fact some of the greatest games also produced in this period, e. g. the most exciting game I have ever seen, that is the first game of the semi-final candidate match with Larsen, that game whenever I play it again and again, it still make my heart beating!! Especially when Larsen’s Queen and Rook on the second and third rank, preparing for mate, on the otherhand, Fischer’s Queen is caught by Larsen rook, then comes one the greatest move of all time ( from my own point of view ), Bc5!!! That suddenly solved all the problems!!! One must think that, this is not just finding on the board at that moment. Fischer had already seen it 5 or even 7 moves before, combined with all the possible variations, who can say ( Kasparov says ) that Fischer is not excelling in complicated positions??? Also Wade’s complete collection of Fischer’s games were out of print for a long long time, I think one should needs Soltis book to fill the gap. I do not agree some of the readers said that Soltis’ job is just to fill to one hundred games. What I complain is why Soltis does not annotate more games. I think one hundred games of Fischer to his chess fans are not enough. I hope in the future, someone should publish all the games of Fischer with annotations. Of course, one need not annotat all games in details, but at least to lay out all the games and then annotate those games which are instructive and important.

Bobby Fischer Goes to War: How A Lone American Star Defeated the Soviet Chess Machine (P.S.) by David Edmonds and John Eidinow

I was in a coffee shop last weekend when I noticed two men playing Chess near the cream and sugar counter. A small but intent group had huddled around their table quite captivated by the game. Memories of Bobby Fischer came to mind. I also watched the game for a while and then decided to visit my local bookstore and just by happenstance I saw “Bobby Fischer Goes to War” and picked up a copy. It is very interesting reading. Bobby Fischer’s 1972 match with the Soviet Boris Spassky held in Reykjavik, Iceland is legendary. Spassky, the world chess champion, certainly seemed the gentleman and Fisher was billed as the young Chess prodigy. To me Chess was always a game played by elitists or other higher order members of the social ladder. In reality that is truly not the case. If there is anything elite about the game or those who play it, it is the social refinement that one takes away from the chess board. There is a certain amount of respect that one experiences and earns that should be used in a higher order of one’s conduct as a person. From this book Spassky seems to fit that picture, but Bobby Fischer is anything but. Fischer had a deep intuitive intellect for the game but his social upbringing and behavior seemed rather crude and almost not worthy of the game. His behavior during the match seems embarrassing and nothing honorable as demonstrated by Spassky. Fischer seems to have learned none of finer aspects of being a participant and journeyman of the game. This is a good book and brings many avenues of thought ion this history making Chess match.

The Unknown Bobby Fischer by John Donaldson and Eric Tangborn

This book isn`t only about Fischer. It contains many stories about Fischer and other players. It contains many games of Fischer, but also games between other players. It contains pictures of Fischer and other players too. What i especially loved about this book was the stories, about Fischer and other players. It contains many games from Fischer`s 64 simul tour of the US, and quite a few stories from these simuls. It contains articles and other things. ” A Bookstore in Argentina ” was quite intriguing, but as was other stories and stuff. It also contains letters from Fischer to Larry Evans in the 70s. It is all in all a great book about chess. It isn`t a teaching book, but many stories about players in the 50s,60s and 70s. Combined with interwievs, pictures and other stuff. Many games are included, and in a sense i do believe we can all learn something from these games…you know what i mean when i say it isn`t a teaching book. This book is a true treasure, and while i admit i regret buying mnay of the books i own this one is great.
It`s ashame it`s currently out of print, especially since it is a newer book ( 1999 ). If new copies arrive, or you see it in a used book-store grab it and never let go!!

Bobby Fischer Vs. the Rest of the World by Brad Darrach

How do you review a rainbow? Summarize a sunset? Paraphrase a pearl? I won’t even attempt to. Let’s face it, this is not Shakespeare and lord knows, the subject of the book is no Saint Francis of Assisi. Accept the book for what it is, however, and you’re in for quite an enjoyable ride. Darrach’s metaphors alone are worth the price of the book. They’re sprinkled liberally throughout; and when you hit them you’ll cry with laughter or shake your head in amazement – or both. Thinking of buying this book? Let me put it to you this way: I once sent an email to someone who was INTIMATELY involved in these proceedings in Iceland asking him for some first hand opinions of the ‘doings’ there, and he referred me to this book. That’s reason enough, but once again the writing style, structure, pacing and characterizations almost defy description. This book invites re-readings. I hate the word ‘brilliant’, but I’ll say it. Brilliant.

A Legend on the Road: Bobby Fischer’s 1964 Simultaneous Exhibition Tour by John Donaldson

This book is about Bobby Fischer’s 1964 cross country trip in 1964, playing simuls against large crowds. Lots of newspaper clippings from the various cities, and personal stories from some of the contestants. I think Bobby won 94% of his games, averaging only about six seconds a move, while his opposition had much more time to study their position. Still, it is appearing that the only ones to draw or beat him were the top players from their respective States, and even the majority of those players went down.