King Fischer

Robert James Fischer (1943-2008) was the least expected of proxy cold warriors in an age of confrontation. When he became the first American world chess champion in 1972 by beating the Russian world champion Boris Spassky in Iceland's capital of Reykjavik, he began a whole new era of professionalism in chess and heralded an age of daring and innovative chessboard manoeuvres.

I remember learning to play chess in 1971 and being totally consumed by the frenzy of the Candidates matches and the clash of the titans in Iceland. I followed every rare news article with avid attention, and played through almost every game of the match with my grandfather. Fischer was the ultimate development of Capablanca and Nimzovich as far as his era was concerned. He brought life and convincingly dramatic struggle to the chessboard.

Bobby Fischer died of unknown causes some hours ago in the Reykjavik which brought him global acclaim. Rest in peace, old friend.