Balut for GM

Hi!

Here's NM Marlon Bernardino's take on the story of Fischer liking balut, one of the Philippines' famous duck egg:

BOBBY FISCHER LOVES BALUT SAYS EUGENE TORRE

BY: MARLON BERNARDINO

THE new breed of chess players and sports fans may know Robert James "Bobby" Fischer only by refutation as a maverick, a rebel and an eccentric.

But for Eugene Torre, Asia's first ever Grandmaster, Fischer was more than just a chess genius. He was a good friend.

"Hanggang sa ngayon ay hindi pa din ako makapaniwala na wala na si Bobby (Fischer), dumb founded ako at very sad," said the 56-year-old long-time vanguard of RP chess, who gave an inspirational message at the closing rites of the 20th season SCUAA-NCR men's and women's chess competition last Thursday at the PhilSCA campus in Pasay City. "Wish ko kay Bobby, Rest in Peace and may he (Fischer) receive the loved he missed here in earth there in heaven," he added.

According to Torre, Fischer frequently visits the country to visit him and feast on "balut" and sinigang.

"Mga lima hanggang anim na balut ang kaya ni Bobby sa isang kainan lahat yun ha (kasama 'yung ulo), mahilig din siya sa Sinigang na Isda gaya ng bangus," said Torre, who recalled a memorable experience when he brought "balut" for Fischer in Belgrade, Hungrary in 1993. "Sabi sa akin ng immigration officer ano daw 'yung dala ko. Ang sabi ko ay balut at binuksan ko at nag offer ako sa kanya kung gusto n'ya, ayaw naman," said Torre, Hall of Famer of PSA.

According to electronic mail "weekender", Fischer died of kidney failure, not in hospital as previously reported but at his home in the suburbs of Reykjavik, "the site of his greatest triumph" in 1972 when, single-handedly, he wrested the world crown from champion Boris Spassky, who had the support of the Soviet Union and its massive chess resources.

Torre also said he has no idea that Fischer was ill because one of Fischer's daily routine was a two-or-three hour walk.

"Kaya nga surprise ako na wala na si Bobby kasi health buff 'yun eh," he said.

Torre is the second/ partner of Bobby in the 1992 epic rematch Fischer-Spassky that took place in Yugoslavia. Fischer beat Spassky, 10-5, the said match.

"Sa tingin ko ay y'ung "trust" sa akin ni Bobby (Fishcer) kaya ako ang kinuha niyang second/ trainer sa rematch nila ni Spassky noong 1992 sa Yugoslavia. Baka kasi may mag spy," said Torre.

BOBBY IS A SUPER GENIUS

Torre also revealed yesterday how Bobby is a super genius. "Grabe ka genius si Bobby, mga late 70's naisip niya na ang pagkakaroon ng isang chess clock na hindi mananalo ang player sa oras lamang at that time ay mechanical chess clock pa lamang ang ginagamit, I mean magkakaroon ng increment o madagdagan ng minuto kasi nawawala na ang quality ng game pag sa oras ka lamang nanalo, sinabi niya sa akin iyan ng 80's pero na introduce yan noong 1992 sa rematch nila ni Spassky na pinangalan sa kanya, Fischer clock (digital chess clock)," Torre said.

TORRE WILL CONTINUE TO PROMOTE FISCHER CHESS RANDOM; You can kill a good men but you cannot kill a good idea---Fischer

Torre also said that he will comtinue to promote the Fischer Chess Random.

"Itutuloy ko ang promosyon ni Bobby sa Fisher Random, maganda kasi eh," said Torre, who is schedule to face Argentine champion in the introduction of Fischer Chess random in the 1996 Buenos Aires Fischer Chess Random but failed to materialize to varying reason.

" Naalala ko pa ang sinabi ni Bobby (You can kill a good men but you cannot kill a good idea)

Chess960, also called Fischer Random Chess, is a chess variant produced by former World Champion Bobby Fischer by modifying the rules of Shuffle Chess so that castling possibilities exist for all starting positions. It was originally announced on June 19, 1996, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Fischer's goal was to create a chess variant in which chess creativity and talent would be more important than memorization and analysis of opening moves. His approach was to create a randomized initial chess position, which would thus make memorizing chess opening move sequences far less helpful. The initial position is set up in a special way and there are 960 such positions, thus the name 'Chess960'.

(MARLON BERNARDINO).