April 9, 1972: Chess champ Bobby Fischer on 60 Minutes

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Published 2018-03-05
In 1972, Mike Wallace profiled the infamous Bobby Fischer, who was then only 29 years old and training for a Cold War showdown against Russian Boris Spassky.

All Comments (21)
  • @vajee5
    Bobby had everything. Good looks, super intelligence, talent, confidence. A loner who found his own way. Didn’t need anyone. I so admire him.
  • @drumcircler
    Bobby beat me and 19 other players in a simultaneous exhibition a few months prior to his demolition of Spassky in the World Championship. He polished off all 20 of us in 42 minutes. It was a great honor to play him, he was a stone cold genius.
  • @mensaswede4028
    What makes him spectacular among other chess geniuses in history, was that he reached the top of the world virtually by himself.
  • @MajorBluddxxx
    He did what he set out to do, win the world championship. He put in the work for years and took no prisoners, no mercy. For him to take on the Soviet Chess Machine alone during the cold war, I cant even imagine that kind of pressure. And then to crush em, its the greatest sports story ever.
  • @rickintexas1584
    This is the time I have seen this interview. The one thing that sticks out more than anything is that he had no coach or trainer. He did it alone. That is simply amazing.
  • @cursive187
    I have a lot in common with Bobby, except the child prodigy and genius part.
  • @joesmith8270
    He is not arrogant. He is just supremely confident in his ability. He knows he is the best, and he proved it a few months later.
  • "Champion of the world? I didn't even compete, he's not much of a champion of the world." what an absolute legend lmao
  • @jamie49868
    When you understand what Fischer was up against, nothing less than the entire Soviet Chess apparatus that included WC's Smyslov, Tal, Petrosian, future WC Karpov, along with every GM they could muster, it almost incomprehensible that Fischer went in alone, and destroyed them. Just an amazing story!
  • @daniellos333
    It's so upsetting that Nicholas Cage in his prime never got a role as Bobby Fischer
  • @jakemaye95
    "I used to say I was the best player in the world, and everyone said 'he's an arrogant, terrible, conceited person.' but it's just an obvious fact." incredible
  • "I am still under the shock of this loss for the world of chess. In my view Bobby Fischer was the most honest person in chess history. He never made any politics. He was a very pure personality. He could be tough from outside, but inside of him he was like a crystal - very pure. " (Boris Spasski, 2009)
  • @OzzyCat16
    Fischer was a different kind of cat. Enjoyed his solitude, didn't seem to pay much mind to what people thought of him. Absolute legend in the chess world and I'm glad everyone can appreciate his greatness.
  • @AdamantSeraph
    Bobby Fischer - the miracle of individualism and the tragedy of its loneliness
  • @TomBarrister
    They cut out the end of the interview, where Wallace wishes Fischer well, saying: "I hope you win (the match against Spassky)." Fischer replied, matter-of-factly: "I will." There was never a question in his mind about it.
  • @Krishnasarda85
    "He is the best they have got. Big deal". Fischer's confidence is at another level
  • @Baz87100
    You simply have to admire his honesty in every sense. That is all.
  • He's perfectly fine. Their complaint is that they can't understand him but he doesn't exist for them to understand. What a hit piece to this man's personality for no reason.
  • @kajaskov6270
    What I love the most about Bobby is his total lack of false humility!!!