I was moved when I heard of Bobby Fischer's, 64, death. I grew-up playing chess, although not competitively. But, I did beat my brothers on a few occasions. Fischer was a recluse, a strange character. His style of play was manipulative, engrossing at best. He sought to crush his opponent's mind. His chess career was overshadowed by his erratic tendencies. He made anti-Semitic comments, although he was half Jewish. He was a political pawn during the Cold War. The U.S. revoked his passport, and Iceland granted him citizenship. It has always been my thought that caged things lash out, against themselves, against others...
