DavidTang（鄧永鏘）
"Thisistheworstplayerintheworldcallingthebestplayerintheworld."SoHenryKissingertelephonedBobbyFischer,whowasstewinginoneofhiscapriciousstupors,andurgedhimtoflytoReykjavikfortheWorldChessChampionshipinJuly1972.Everythinghadbeensetup:thereigningRussianchampionBorisSpasskywasalreadyinIceland;alltheticketsforthematchintheinsipidsportshall,theLaugardalsholl,hadbeensoldout;theprizemoneyatUS$250,000was20timesmorethanthelastworldchampionship,andtheentirefraternityofchesswaswaitingfortheclashofthetitans.TheSovietshaddominatedthegameofchesssinceWorldWarII,butnowcamethethrillofanunlikelyAmericantryingtobreakthatsupremacy.TheColdWaratthetimealsogavetheentireeventarealfrisson,fortheconfrontationoftheSovietchampionandAmericanchampiononthechessboardwasseentobeafightbetweenDemocracyandCommunism,acombatbetweentheintensehostilitiesoftheworld'stwosuper-powers.ItwastheHighNoonofchess,andideologies.ButMr.Fischerwasprevaricating.
Iwellremembermyownadolescentexcitementduringthatsummer.Iwaseighteenandhadbeenobsessedwithplayingchessalmostfrommyfirstdayatboardingschool,whenIcouldn'treadEnglishandturnedtochessnotations.For5yearsIplayedhoursofchesseachdayandtravelledaroundEnglandtakingpartintournaments.AndmyinspirationwasFischer.Tome,hewasageniuswhomademovesonthechessboardthatnobodyhaddaredorthoughtofbefore.IhadstudiedallthegamesoftheRussianmasters,particularlyBotvinnikandPetrosian,whomIrespectedwithawe,buttheywerelikerobots,reliable,methodicalandeffectivebutrathermechanical.YetwhenIgottoknowtheplayofFischer,Ibegantorealizethathegaveeleganceandartistrytothegame.HebroughtnewbloodtochessthatwasnotunlikethearrivalofNijinskyatBalletRusse.
FischerdideventuallyturnupatReykjavik,butacoupleofdayslateamidstallthetensionofasufferingandwaitingcrowd.Hisidiosyncraticandvolatilebehaviour,coupledwithhisappallingmanners,wasalreadywell-knownandmuchdreaded.Therefore,wediscipleswererelievedthathegotonhisplane.Everydayweanxiouslyfollowedhismovesonthewirelessandtelevision.Thesuspenseinachessgame,whichisseeminglyslow,ishoweverasintenseasanyfastgame.Cricketfanswilltellyouthesame.Intheend,Fischertriumphedandbecameworldchampion.TheRussians'strongholdwasbrokenandherNationalpridelost.PoorSpassky!
Then,justasonemightexpectfromamanwithanundecipherablecomplex,FischerwentintohidingandafteranappearanceontelevisionwithBobHope,hebecameareclusefromwhichheemergedonlyfleetinglyforare-matchwithSpasskyin1992.Hethrashedhisformeropponent10-5.Buttheonlytrouble,eventhoughhewonUS$3.3million,wasthatthematchwasplayedinYugoslaviaduringU.N.sanctionsandawarrantforhisarrestintheU.S.wasissuedimmediatelyafterwards.Eversince,Fischerhasbeenafugitive,mainlylivingsecretlyinthePhilippinesandJapanandoccasionallymakingextremelyprovocativeradiointerviews.Onthetraumaof9/11,Fischerpraisedtheterrorists'attack,sayingthatAmericashouldbe"wipedout".HealsodescribedJews,eventhoughhehimselfisJewish,as"thieving,lyingbastards."
LastJuly,hewasarrestedatNaritaAirportforallegedlyusinganinvalidU.S.passportandisnowlanguishinginjail,withthepossibilityofbeingextraditedtohisnativeAmericatofacehisindictmentforwhichhecouldgotoprisonfor10years.
IrememberaskingmyselfwhenIwaslastinReykjavik:"Howdoandcanweadmireageniuswhoishoweverclearlyevilinhisthoughts?"Fischer'santi-semetismandmoralturpitudearerepellent.Yetheisastupefyingwonderinchesswhoserecordstandsaboveallotherplayers,lendingmagictothismajesticgameoftheintellect.Let'shopeatleastthathisJapanesegirlfriendMissWatai(whohasdescribedherselfasa"pawn"thatmightturnintoaqueen!)mightbringhimroundtohissensessothatFischer,whoforfeitedhisworldtitlein1975,couldoncemorecontributetothebrillianceofchess,butwithouttheuglinessofhistarnishedvileness.
（Whitetoplayandmateintwomoves.Twopossiblesolutions-bothrequired.Theusualprizeof$2,000willbeofferedtothefirstcorrectentry.Emailtoforum@appledaily.com）
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作者為中國會、上海灘、太平洋雪茄和香港斯比安利創辦人，文章隔星期一刊出