The lono Genius
lr it not without ivi-Min (hat more hat Ixxn written about Robert Jamc* Rtchcr (bom ') March I'M J) ihan about am other player, tlie rcvnlu«H«i lie created i> comparable wilh Sinnit/'» revolution.' <Kcr the cuune of the inte-ncntng me hundred year» there had been no Htdl «coeul breakdimugh in che*t.
In the bghi of the concept»«» presented m die inirujiariion to Volume I, Rtchcr lid ideally into the context of the Cold W ar era: a lone American genius challenge« the Soviet cbc*s inaihinr and defeat* it. The paradox it ilut in l itclter'* war he, on the one hand, representee! Amcnca and the entire West. but on ihc oilier lurxl - himself and only lumtell! This i* a rate instance of a rohiliM, an irudlec-lual hippie, who ilivlainctl Western Mcktv, setting himself againM die Soviet symcm. I t»chcr found luttttclf at die leading etlgc of an itleologu il »1 niggle, tli.ink* to which hi* match Willi Sfiavsky (\')~2j Itcfuinc the nvnt significant die** event of the 3hh century.
Ala*, the hope* that the chc« world placed on tis new leader were m* rcaltsed. After he Itad won the world clunipiomhip lillc the ■iuiki|taacir* in lixcbcr"» pcnotulit) -bowed ihcmsctve*. I Ic hail nothing to Ills Ctedll apan fmen chess and therefore, despite lit* plie-nomcnal chanuna, he wa* unable to aclucxc a global breakthrough in bringing dtc game to ihc public. The tragesh i* that ihc »calc «if hn personality did not match dtc *calc ot' hi* tal cm.
Rtcbcr - arul thit it lus chicf ment - placed cliev* on a professional footing. lie wa* the fir<4 genuine cheu pro! I elo not with to call thine wlto came before him amau-uni, but in Soviet chess, wtih it* dale »uppott, the »pint of collectivism reigned, whereat l iteher laid die I «a en for the iiwlividual pnrfietuonaL The generation that came afict fischer wa* already a generation of pn>fcv*lonalt.
In a battle with Katpov lie would lave found thing* difficult, tincc lie would have been dealing with wanconc who bad reaped die fnuts of hit revolution Katpov wa* a tough professional, and by ihc time of ilietr »chcchilcd match Rtchcr liatl suffered an internal breakdown, lie wa* able to withstand neither the tcmMO of the plav, which he him-•elf had created, no» the threat of a confnjnration with an unknown, cvcdlcnalv prepared opponent. m* the burden of die new pubbc
Post a comment