ROOKED:

While awaiting delivery of Timman's new magnum opus for a detailed review, I shall content myself this week with drawing together various strands and thoughts about Bobby Fischer, which have been scattered in previous columns for TheArticle . I shall also take this opportunity to comment on the sensational news that Magnus Carlsen (above) this week announced that he will not defend his world title against the renewed challenge from the winner of the FIDÉ qualifying tournament, Ian Nepomniachtchi. Magnus thus joins that brief list of champions, official and unofficial, who failed to face up to subsequent challengers.    

The 19th century American meteor, Paul Morphy, has been described as the pride and sorrow of chess. Having demolished the world's best, Morphy simply renounced the game at which he excelled and ignored the rise of his natural challenger -- the one year older Wilhelm Steinitz.  

Passing swiftly over the case of Alexander Alekhine, who missed a challenge by dying in 1946, while in possession of the title, the meteor description applies equally to the 11th World Champion, Bobby Fischer (9 March 1943 - 17 January 2008). The story of the brash, unschooled teenager from Brooklyn, who toppled the might of the Soviet chess system before his 30th birthday, epitomised the self-reliant, frontier ideals of modern America and provided the inspiration for the Tim Rice/Abba musical "Chess".

Tweet   @brothersjudd