Bobby Fischer

At barely 14, Robert "Bobby" James Fischer started to play chess. Throughout his golden career, he won eight US Chess Championships, became the youngest Master (at age 15), and was the youngest contender for the World Chess Championship.

Fischer won twenty straight matches in the "1970 Interzonal" in 1970. And then, in a historic encounter in 1972, he beat Boris Spassky to receive the title of the World Chess Master. Unfortunately, in 1974, he failed to defend his championship because he and FIDE were unable to settle on match conditions.

Later on, he sadly became involved in several issues and scandals; yet, he still received lots of love from people around the world, as it's rare for the world to have such a talented chess player! His method of playing has made him a household name among chess masters of all skill levels.

Some of you may ask, what is Bobby Fischer's best game? Well, it's impossible to select just one out of his many outstanding chess games, though we cannot deny that the sixth game of his memorable 1972 World Championship Match versus Boris Spassky in Reykjavík was unquestionably one of the most significant games of his chess career.

Given that this was the Cold War fought over 64 squares, media attention was very high. Bobby Fischer ended the chess dominance of the Soviet Academy single-handedly, elevating his own fame to the next level.

Born: 1943

Nationality: American

World Champion: 1972 - 1975