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

July 12, 1959 The Kings Men by Merrill Dowden Courier Journal

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World Title Hope Seen In FischerWorld Title Hope Seen In Fischer 12 Jul 1959, Sun The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky) Newspapers.com

The King's Men
World Title Hope Seen In Fischer by Merrill Dowden

Inasmuch as a crystal ball is not included in the equipage of this department, and I am not exactly proficient in palmistry or the reading of tea leaves, I usually shy away from prognosticating as one would the plague.
However, for this once I'm crawling to the very tip of a very long limb (leaving plenty of room for the saw behind) to predict:
1. That the United States will produce a world chess champion within the next decade.
2. That our champion will be one Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn, who now has reached the ripe old age of 16.
Maybe that phrase, “next decade,” seems that I'm giving myself plenty of rope, but it must be remembered that more than a century has elapsed since we produced our first and only world champion, Paul Morphy.
Bobby, whose “Fischer's Games of Chess” was reviewed in this column a couple of weeks ago, already has taken a long step toward the championship. He is present United States titlist, and is generally regarded as the strongest player for his age in history.
Bobby lost no time in getting started to fame and fortune through the royal game. Born in Chicago on March 9, 1943, he learned the chess moves in 1949 from his sister Joan, then 11. “She often bought different games at a candy store,” Bobby writes, “and one day happened to buy a chess set. We figured out the moves from the directions that came with the set.
And Bobby has been figuring them out ever since, to the consternation of almost every opponent he has faced.

Here's a gamelet with a very pretty ending.

Lovas (white) vs. Asztalos (black)
Queen's Pawn Game: Steinitz Countergambit

Descriptive
1. P-Q4 P-Q4
2. B-B4 P-QB4
3. P-K3 P-K3
4. P-B3 N-QB3
5. N-Q2 Q-N3
6. Q-N1 B-Q2
7. B-Q3 N-B3
8. KN-B3 B-K2
9. O-O O-O
10. N-K5 KR-Q1
11. QN-B3 B-K1
12. N-N5 P-KR3
13. B-R7ch K-B1
14. N-N6ch PxN
15. NxPch K-B2
16. QxPch KxN
17. B-N8ch B-B2
18. BxBch K-Q2
19. Q-B5 mate
Algebraic
1. d4 d5
2. Bf4 c5
3. e3 e6
4. c3 Nc6
5. Nd2 Qb6
6. Qb1 Bd7
7. Bd3 Nf6
8. Ngf3 Be7
9. 0-0 0-0
10. Ne5 Rfd8
11. Nf3 Be8
12. Ng5 h6
13. Bh7+ Kf8
14. Ng6+ fxg6
15. Nxe6+ Kf7
16. Qxg6+ Kxe6
17. Bg8+ Bf7
18. Bxf7+ Kd7
19. Qf5#

The Courier-Journal, Louisville, Kentucky, Sunday, July 12, 1959 Black to move and win. End-game study. Solution...

Posted by Bobby Fischer's True History on Monday, April 13, 2020

Black to move and win. End-game study. Solution below.
FEN 1k5r/pp6/1bp2pq1/3b3n/NP6/P1R3P1/4BP1P/2Q2RK1 b - - 0 1

Solution to end-game:
Black wins with
1. ... NxP (threatening 2. ... NxBch)
2. RxN QxRch
3. RPxQ R-R8 mate

1. ... Nxg3
2. Rxg3 Qxg3+
3. hxg3 Rh1#

Recommended Books

Understanding Chess by William Lombardy Chess Duels, My Games with the World Champions, by Yasser Seirawan No Regrets: Fischer-Spassky 1992, by Yasser Seirawan Chess Fundamentals, by Jose Capablanca Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess, by Bobby Fischer My 60 Memorable Games, by Bobby Fischer Bobby Fischer Games of Chess, by Bobby Fischer The Modern Chess Self Tutor, by David Bronstein Russians versus Fischer, by Mikhail Tal, Plisetsky, Taimanov, et al

'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.

Special Thanks