Japan Holds Ex-chess Star Fischer

Japan is holding controversial ex-world chess champion Bobby Fischer, wanted by the US for more than a decade.

Mr Fischer is accused by the US of breaking international sanctions by travelling to Yugoslavia in 1992 to play against a Russian arch-rival.

Mr Fischer, an American citizen, won the match against Boris Spassky but disappeared when the US authorities announced they wanted to prosecute him.

The 61-year-old says he will appeal against the extradition order.

The reclusive Mr Fischer, a fierce critic of America, was detained at Tokyo's Narita airport, reportedly on his way to the Philippines.

Chequered past

A brilliant but highly mercurial player, Bobby Fischer became a grandmaster at 15 and shot to fame in 1972 when he beat Boris Spassky of the then-Soviet Union.

The match, played in Iceland, was billed as the "Match of the Century" and Mr Fischer's win was regarded as a propaganda victory as the game had been dominated by the Soviets since World War II.

He held the title of world chess champion until 1975 and then slipped in and out of the limelight, resurfacing in Yugoslavia for the dramatic 1992 rematch against Mr Spassky.

Japan shares an extradition treaty with the US, obliging them to hand over anyone sought by America who transits in the country.

Source

Surley they can't be still after him for travelling to Yugoslavia in 1992 :blink:

It's been that long since i have heard anything about him i was beginning to think he was dead :huh:

Sadly missed from the game for far too long ;)

I think its bs. They should let him be free IMO.

he went to play chess not to sell WMD, what's the big deal.

He reminded me of Arnold Palmer. Who lifted golf out of the doldrums. Fischer did that with chess. He made the game very popular in the 70's. It was not unusual to see it being played in every other pub. ;)

Whats wrong with travelling to Yugoslavia :blink: .

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Originally posted by Ma5t3rM1nD@21 August 2004 - 07:22
Whats wrong with travelling to Yugoslavia :blink: .

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Remember when the U.S. was bombing the shit out of Slobodan Milosevic's Yugoslavia.

Just watched the movie based on him..

Searching for Bobby Fischer

Very nice movie...

if am not mistaken some other country gave him citizenship after he refused going back to US, which country was it?

Iceland, according to wikipedia.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BawA

if am not mistaken some other country gave him citizenship after he refused going back to US, which country was it?

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Iceland.:)

http://www.talkleft.com/story/2005/03/23/067/19278

Iceland

http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/7417/4511bis2.jpg

I wonder if they have Icelands in Iceland :blink:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Barbarossa

I wonder if they have Icelands in Iceland :blink:

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Never heard of Iceland being green and Greenland being icy?

I actually liked Fischer till his remarks about the 9/11 attack

iceland