Searching for Bobby Fischer

Dear bloggie,

Watched this movie recent: Searching of Bobby Fischer... A great movie...

Some of u probably be asking? WTF (Who The F*ck) is Bobby Fischer? Fischer is arguably one of the best chess grandmaster. He is well known for his deadly bishop plays.

Now for most people, when u think of chess... the first thing that comes into mind is the image of 2 people sitting on 2 wooden table with a chessboard in between them. A few people are surrounding them but the atmosphere is death silence, as everyone eyes are transfixed on the chessboard. We await patiently for one of the player that is deep in thought to make his move... but all we could heard is the ticking of the clock beside the chessboard. *Tick* *Tick* *Tick* ... Suddenly the player moves his hand towards the chessboard... Reaching his fingers for one of the chess pieces... All people gazes at him, awaiting in excitement on his move... But before he touches it, he suddenly retracts his hands and shakes his head... Then returns put backs his hand to his cheek and return back to his thought...

So wtf is so interesting bout a movie on this kinda scene u ask? While on the surface the scene above look f*ckin boring, the truth is a great game of chess is as exciting and exhilarating as riding a roller coaster. The fight is not only fought on the chessboard... but as well as in the mind of both players. It's not often the best tactical player that wins, but often it's the one that manages to keep his emotions in check and shows alot of guts.

Now, back to the movie, the movie isn't actually about finding Bobby Fischer. It's about finding the next Bobby Fischer. Adapted from the real live story of Josh Waitzkin who was a 7 years old child whom was discovered gifted in the game of chess by his father. Honing his skill from playing speed chess in the park from a chess hustler, Vinnie... Josh was brought into the mentor ship of Bruce, a former possible Bobby Fischer. Bruce teaches Josh the tactical and calculating part of chess. Under his system, Josh started to win tournaments after tournaments. However, constantly expected to win, Josh starts to feel the pressure. Things got worst when another young chess prodigy appeared which skills seems to surplus Josh's skill. Bruce desperate to prepare Josh to win, started to bar Josh from playing speed chess in the park as it's teaches Josh alot of bad habits which will hurt him in a normal chess game. Bruce also tries to impound Bobby Fischer into Josh. In one of the scenes, Bruce tries to teach Josh how to feel contempt to his opponent as this was how Bobby Fischer played. Josh unable to hate someone despite his desire to win, compound with the mounting pressure for his to keep winning finally throws a match and goes into withdrawal from chess. Josh father realizing his error of putting too much pressure on Josh to win, decides to let Josh be a 7 year old kid that he is instead of the chess prodigy he wants his son to be. Bruce meanwhile after some self reflection, realizes Josh will always be Josh and not Bobby Fischer. Despite that, he express to Josh that he is his most prized student and have been honored to be able to be called his mentor. Josh finally faces of with his rival and plays his own kind of chess which plays with the tenacity of Bobby Fischer but with the spirit and heart of Josh Waitzkin.

What I like so much about the movie is the conflict that Josh goes thru. On one hand, he is trained to be aggresive and trust his guts by Vinnie as in speed chess, one really plays by instinct. On the other hand, Bruce trains him to play calculatingly by logic. In the end, Josh plays with both teaching of Vinnie and Bruce (While Vinnie's teaching sorta handicap him in a normal chess game).

Anyway, I played chess in competition before in High School and can tell you it's far from a boring calculating game. I get cold hands when I play these kinda matches those days and still do today. When you lock horns with you opponent, everything fades away... Just you, your opponent and the chessboard inbetween you. One wrong move, and it could be over... Yet at the same time, despite all the advantage you built, your opponent could refuse to budge and drag the game into a willpower marathon where you need to constantly make the correct move to earn the win.