This is somewhat old news, but I haven't seen an update since, so here it is:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5447613/

I used to be an avid chessplayer, but had to abandon the game when I became serious about pursuing graduate studies in law. As such, for all his flaws, I was definitely an ardent admirer of his. Its sad to see such a great man reduced to such a state. Its often suggested that the greatest heights of genius often herald a plummet into the depths of madness. Fischer, regrettably, seems to have fallen victim to such.

Here's a comment from Gary Kasparov:

http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=1798

I suppose this thread can include commentary on Fischer in general, and not just this particular episode. :(

[ December 26, 2004, 23:13: Message edited by: Beren ]

Actually, Iceland very recently granted him residency, and he's appealed the Japanese government to release him so he can move there, or failing that, for them to deport him to Iceland.

It's quite sad that he's had so much trouble from a mere chess game, but I don't feel too strongly about it, since by most of the reports and interviews I've seen relating to him, he comes across as a right bastard.

Heh, I actually just found the update today after signing off from hotmail. Go figure:

http://entertainment.sympatico.msn.ca/Celebs/News/ContentPosting.aspx?contentid=baacd05f0ce94b39ba1b 1589f3369178&show=False&number=0&showbyline=False&subtitle=&abc=abc

It was not immediately clear if Fischer would be extradited to the United States, where he is wanted for playing a 1992 chess match in the former Yugoslavia in violation of international sanctions. Japan and the United States have an extradition treaty. So if he indeed gets extradited back to the US, what penalty does he face? A nasty fine, jail time, or what...a slap on the hand? :rolling:

Man is he ever in deep **** now...

Imagine the US getting their hands on someone that praised 9/11...

Beren, what in your mind is the actual tragedy?

That he's been detained and may face imprisonment, or that he has lost his mind?

Was there a time when he wasn't crazy, or was it just not noticed/focused on while he was on top of his game?

Well, for all his flaws, Fischer always was something of an inspiration for many players, casual, serious, or otherwise, on the western side of the ocean.

Thing was, the Russian masters enjoyed privileges in their development that the others didn't. State sponsorship that paid for their livelihoods, and entire teams of trainers and coaches, etc. Fischer ended up defeating them all, and entirely on his own resources. That in itself was something inspirational.

Some of his games also have an almost mystical quality to them.

I guess the tragedy is, even though he had his flaws back then, it is somewhat sad to see somebody accomplish what he did reduce himself to such a pitiable state.

Geniuses, and particularly eccentric geniuses such as Fischer, seldom conform to social norms, and often espouse opinions that are often repugnant to reasonable men. Mozart was gauche; Wagner was virulently anti-Semitic (and personally selected a Jew to conduct the premiere of his Christian/mystic music drama Parsifal); D.W. Griffith established the movies as one of the fine arts with a film that glorifies the Ku Klux Klan; Ezra Pound wrote great poetry while spouting Fascist propaganda. Fischer stands at the end of a very long list.

Fischer's genius is in chess and, rather apparently, nowhere else. Nor is it reasonable to demand that he show exceptional awareness in other areas, like a football player who's asked how he feels about God, and whose answer is expected to reveal some special insight. His opinions, however eccentric, have done no paarticular harm. No one has lost a job, or failed an examination, or died on the operating table, because he uttered them. Fischer should be regarded as what he is: arguably the greatest chess player of the 20th century who, away from the table, suffers the same frailties as the rest of us.

The great silent film director, Eric van Stroheim, told a story that went something like this: "When you make a great film that fails at the box office, in Hollywood you are called a failure; but when you walk down the street in Paris, people address you as 'Maitre'." Bobby Fischer is a "Maitre".

Male geniuses are often abysmally cruel to women as well.

Shakespeare, the man who describes the human experience perhaps better than any other, completely hated his wife and spent as little time around her as possible. They did have a few children, however, there is much proof that Shakespeare had a homosexual affair with some noble he was working for. That might explain the disdain for his wife...

Albert Einstein, the man who's sad eyes perhaps came the closest to glimpes of the Hand of God, absolutely hated his first wife (treating her very rudely in very public situations), finally divorced her after years of misery, to get this, marry his second cousin.

Umm...hmm...well we all know of Bill Clinton's...trespasses...

Oh...don't forget about Dante...