Searching for Bobby Fischer

IN THE DAYS BEFORE THE EVENT,

HE HAD THE WHOLE WORLD WONDERING IF HE WOULD SHOW UP.

PLANE AFTER PLANE WAITED ON THE RUNWAY

WHILE HE NAPPED

OR TOOK WALKS AND ATE SANDWICHES.

HENRY KISSINGER CALLED

AND ASKED HIM TO GO FOR HIS COUNTRY'S HONOR.

SOON AFTER ARRIVING,

HE OFFENDED THE ICELANDERS

BY CALLING THEIR COUNTRY INADEQUATE

BECAUSE THEY HAD NO BOWLING ALLEYS.

HE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE TV CAMERAS,

ABOUT THE LIGHTING,

ABOUT THE TABLE AND CHAIRS,

AND THE CONTRAST OF THE SQUARES ON THE BOARD.

HIS HOTEL ROOM, HE SAID, HAD TOO NICE A VIEW.

NONE OF THIS HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH CHESS, OF COURSE...

OR MAYBE IT DID.

IF HE WON,

HE'D BE THE FIRST AMERICAN WORLD CHAMPION IN HISTORY.

IF HE LOST,

HE'D JUST BE ANOTHER PATZER FROM BROOKLYN.

ON THE 40th MOVE OF THE 21st GAME,

HE COUNTERED SPASSKY'S BISHOP TO KING-6

WITH A PAWN TO ROOK-4.

AND IT WAS ALL OVER.

HE CAME HOME AN AMERICAN HERO.

HE BRAGGED TO THE WORLD HE'D BEAT THE RUSSIANS.

HE DELIVERED.

HE CAN NOW COMMAND THE SAME MONEY

AS HEAVYWEIGHT PRIZEFIGHTERS.

HE WAS INVITED TO DINNER BY STATESMEN AND KINGS.

THEN BOBBY FISCHER MADE THE MOST ORIGINAL, UNEXPECTED MOVE OF ALL.

He disappeared.

WHERE IS HE?

MAYBE HE GAVE UP.

SHH.

DO YOU SEE ANYTHING?

I THINK WE LOST HIM.

IT'S COLD. LET'S GO HOME.

IF HE DOESN'T FIND US IN TWO HOURS,

I SAY WE GO.

HELLO, BOYS.

AAH! AAH!

THEO, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?

I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO GO HOME.

I HAVE TO BUCKLE MY OWN SHOES, RIGHT?

YOU SAID SOMETHING

ABOUT ROLLING ON YOUR OWN SIDE OF THE BOARD, RIGHT?

THIS IS MY SIDE.

REMEMBER THAT?

ROLL IT ON YOUR OWN SIDE.

YOU TALK TOO MUCH.

YOU TALK TOO MUCH.

JOSH?

JOSH?

YOUR MOVE.

JOSH!

THAT'S GOOD.

WELL, THERE YOU GO.

NOT TOO MUCH, BUT THAT'S GOOD.

A LITTLE MORE.

YEAH. THAT'S GOOD.

YOU GOT TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO USE IT TOO MUCH,

BUT YOU WANT JUST ENOUGH.

A LITTLE MORE. THAT'S GREAT.

O.K.

THAT LOOKS PRETTY GOOD.

HOW'S THAT LOOK TO YOU?

PRETTY GOOD.

GOOD.

NOW RUB THAT IN THERE.

SEE HOW THE LEATHER DRINKS THAT UP?

THAT'S GOT A GREAT SMELL, HUH?

SMELL THAT.

YEAH. GREAT. O.K.

NOW...

OHH.

WHAT'S WRONG?

I FORGOT TO BUY A BALL.

DO YOU BELIEVE IT?

YOU GOT TO PUT A BALL IN THE POCKET.

A HARD BALL...

TO GET THE SHAPE RIGHT.

YEAH.

THAT'LL WORK.

O.K.

PUT THAT IN LIKE THAT...

BEND THAT OVER.

ALL RIGHT. GET IN BED.

TOMORROW I BUY A REAL BASEBALL.

YOU KNOW WHAT?

I DON'T BELIEVE THIS.

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT.

WHAT?

YOU'RE 7.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

GOOD NIGHT, JOSH.

GOOD NIGHT.

JOSH!

BYE.

HOW WAS SCHOOL?

GOOD.

O.K. BYE.

BYE. SEE YA. HOW YOU DOING?

FINE. BYE.

BYE-BYE. SEE YA.

ARE YOU IN THE MOOD FOR SOME PIZZA?

I DON'T KNOW. ARE YOU?

ARE YOU FEELING ALL RIGHT?

YEAH. WHY?

WHERE WE GOING TO GET PIZZA?

YOU WANT TO GO WATCH THE MEN IN THE PARK?

WHAT MEN IN THE PARK?

I'M GOING TO SMACK THIS GUY'S ASS, MAN.

THERE'S FIRE IN THE BUSH.

IT AIN'T OVER. WE STILL GOT A MINUTE.

00, THEN IT'S OVER.

THEN IT'S OVER.

WE PLAYING CHESS.

WHAT WE PLAYING HERE?

WE PLAYING CHESS.

NOW WE PLAYING CHESS.

COME ON, JOSH, LET'S GO.

IS THAT THE BEST YOU GOT?

THAT'S THE BEST YOU GOT?

YOU AIN'T GOT NOTHING.

YOU SURE YOU'VE PLAYED THIS GAME?

YOU WANT TO GO TO CHINATOWN AND PLAY CHINESE CHECKERS?

NO, THAT AIN'T IT.

YOU WANT THAT? O.K.

YOU CAN HAVE THAT.

BUT YOU CAN'T HAVE THAT. THAT'S MY BABY.

YOU GOT TO LEAVE WITH THAT.

YOU CAN'T TRADE QUEENS WITH ME.

I AIN'T IN THE TRADING BUSINESS.

WHAT YOU TRYING TO DO?

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO BETTER THAN THAT.

That's Kamran Shirazi.

That's Kamran Shirazi.

That's Kamran Shirazi, man.

SHIRAZI!

THE GRANDMASTER'S HERE.

YOU COME TO HUSTLE THE HUSTLER.

DON'T LOOK AT MY CLOCK. MY TIME IS FINE.

I WANT TO GO HOME.

COME AND TAKE MY MONEY.

LET'S GO, JOSH.

COME ON, GRANDMASTER. SHOW ME SOMETHING.

ALL RIGHT. CHECK TO HIS MAJESTY.

NO, NO. BACK UP.

CHECK YOURSELF BEFORE YOU WRECK YOURSELF.

YOU CAN'T HAVE IT.

MMM. HELLO?

THAT'S RIGHT. RUN.

RUN.

RUN.

SOMEBODY CALL THE POLICE.

THE MAN IS LOITERING.

EXCUSE ME, SIR.

I NOTICED YOUR SIGN.

WHERE IS YOUR CAMERA?

NO. MY SON WOULD LIKE TO PLAY A GAME OF CHESS WITH YOU.

CHECK.

NYET. NYET.

IT'S OVER.

YOU LOSE.

THANKS.

WHAT'S HIS NAME?

JOSH.

JOSH WHAT?

DON'T TELL HIM... WAITZKIN.

JOSH WAITZKIN.

I'M GOING TO WATCH OUT FOR YOU, JOSH WAITZKIN.

TELL THESE PATZERS

I WATCHED YOU PLAY LIKE BOBBY FISCHER.

SHOW THEM THIS.

YOUR BOY USED PIECES IN COMBINATION TO ATTACK, LADY.

SHUT UP, MAN.

LOOK WHAT YOU DID.

AND HERE'S THE PITCH.

A SHORT GROUNDER TO SECOND BASE.

HERE'S THE THROW.

AND HE GOT IT.

HEY, BABE.

HI.

HI.

WHERE'S JOSH?

HE'S OVER THERE.

HEY, JOSH.

HOW'S IT GOING?

EDDIE.

COME HERE.

GIVE ME A HAND.

WHAT DID I MISS?

NO SCORE.

I TOOK JOSH TO THE PARK TODAY.

HE PLAYED CHESS.

UM...

JOSH DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO PLAY CHESS.