I would be remiss if I didn’t at least acknowledge the untimely death of Chess Master Bobby Fischer. Bobby of course was a prodigy of epic proportions who later became an eccentric, anti-Semitic, and anti-American recluse, living abroad while hiding from the U.S. Government. Despite his fall from grace, there is no denying his impact on the “Game of Kings.” I for one am in awe of his infinite genius on the chessboard and prefer to remember him in his younger days. Fischer of course became a Cold War icon when he dethroned the Soviet Union's Boris Spassky as world champion in 1972. In his final years, Bobby railed against the chess establishment, alleging that the outcomes of many top-level chess matches were decided in advance.

For more, visit my favorite fan-site dedicated to Fischer’s playing days.