Searching For Bobby Fischer

[ Josh ]|In the days before the event,

he had the whole world|wondering if he would show up.

while he napped

or took walks|and ate sandwiches.

Henry Kissinger called

and asked him to go|for his country's honor.

Soon after arriving,

he offended the Icelanders

by calling their country|inadequate

because they had|no bowling alleys.

He complained|about the TV cameras,

about the lighting,

about|the table and chairs,

and the contrast of|the squares on the board.

His hotel room, he said,|Had too nice a view.

None of this had anything|to do with chess, of course...

or maybe it did.

If he won,

he'd be the first|American world champion in history.

If he lost,

he'd just be another|patzer from Brooklyn.

On the 40th move|Of the 21st game,

he countered|Spassky's bishop to king-6

with a pawn to rook-4.

And it was all over.

He came home|An American hero.

He bragged to the world|he'd beat the Russians.

He delivered.

He can now command|The same money

as heavy weight prize fighters.

He was invited to dinner|By statesmen and kings.

Then Bobby Fischer made the most|original, unexpected move of all.

He disappeared.

[ Girl ]|Where is he?

[ Boy One ]|Maybe he gave up.

[ Boy Two ]|Shh.

Do you see anything?

[ Boy Three ]|I think we lost him.

[ Boy Four ]|It's cold. Let's go home.

[Josh ] lf he doesn't find us|in two hours,

I say we go.

Hello, boys.

Aah!|Aah!

[ Man ]|Theo, what are you doing here?

I thought you wanted|to go home.

[ Men Talking ]

[ Dice Being Shaken ]

I have to buckle|my own shoes, right?

You said something

about rolling on your own side|of the board, right?

This is my side.

Remember that?

Roll it on|your own side.

You talk too much.

You talk too much.

[ Thunderclap ]

Josh?

Josh?

[ Man ]|Your move.

Josh!

[ Fred ]|That's good.

Well, there you go.

Not too much,|but that's good.

A little more.

Yeah. That's good.

You got to be careful|not to use it too much,

but you want|just enough.

A little more.|That's great.

O.K.

That looks pretty good.

How's that look to you?

Pretty good.

Good.

Now rub that in there.

See how the leather|drinks that up?

That's got|a great smell, huh?

Smell that.

Yeah. Great. O.K.

Now...

Ohh.

What's wrong?

I forgot to buy|a ball.

Do you believe it?

You got to put a ball|in the pocket.

A hard ball...

to get the shape right.

Yeah.

That'll work.

O.K.

Put that in like that...

bend that over.

All right.|Get in bed.

Tomorrow I buy|a real baseball.

You know what?

I don't believe this.

I can't believe it.

What?

You're 7.

Happy birthday.

Good night, Josh.

Good night.

[ Bell Rings ]

Josh!

Bye.

How was school?

Good.

O.K. Bye.

Bye. See ya.|How you doing?

Fine. Bye.

Bye-bye. See ya.

Are you in the mood|for some pizza?

I don't know.|Are you?

Are you feeling|all right?

Yeah. Why?

Where we going|to get pizza?

You want to go watch the men|in the park?

What men in the park?

I'm going to smack|this guy's ass, man.

There's fire|in the bush.

It ain't over.|We still got a minute.

When it slaps 1 2:00,|then it's over.

Then it's over.

[ First Man ]|We playing chess.

[ Second Man ]|What we playing here?

We playing chess.

Now we playing chess.

Come on, Josh,|let's go.

Is that the best you got?

That's the best you got?

You ain't got nothing.

You sure|you've played this game?

You want to go to Chinatown|and play Chinese checkers?

No, that ain't it.

You want that? O.K.

You can have that.

But you can't have that.|That's my baby.

You got to leave with that.

You can't trade queens|with me.

I ain't in|the trading business.

What you trying to do?

You're going to have|to do better than that.

That's Kamran Shirazi.

That's Kamran Shirazi.

That's Kamran Shirazi,|man.

Shirazi!

The Grandmaster's here.

You come to hustle|the hustler.

Don't look at my clock.|My time is fine.

I want to go home.

Come and take my money.

Let's go, Josh.

Come on, Grandmaster.|Show me something.

All right.|Check to his majesty.

No, no. Back up.

Check yourself|before you wreck yourself.

You can't have it.

Mmm. Hello?

That's right. Run.

Run.

Run.

Somebody call the police.

The man is loitering.

[ Speaking Russian ]

Excuse me, sir.

[ Speaking Russian ]

I noticed your sign.

Where is your camera?

No. My son would like to play|a game of chess with you.

[ Muttering ]

Check.

Nyet. Nyet.

It's over.

You lose.

Thanks.

What's his name?

Josh.

Josh what?

Don't tell him--|Waitzkin.

Josh Waitzkin.

I'm going to watch out|for you, Josh Waitzkin.

Tell these patzers

I watched you play|like Bobby Fischer.

Show them this.

Your boy used pieces in|combination to attack, lady.

Shut up, man.

Look what you did.

[ Cheering ]

And here's the pitch.

A short grounder|to second base.

Here's the throw.

And he got it.

Hey, babe.

Hi.

Hi.

Where's Josh?

He's over there.

Hey, Josh.

How's it going?

Eddie.

Come here.

Give me a hand.

What did I miss?

No score.

I took Josh|to the park today.

He played chess.

Um...

Josh doesn't know|how to play chess.

Don't ask me how,|but he does.

You going to write about sports|like your dad,

or you going to play?

I'll play second base|for the Yanks.

Make that|a four-game streak!

They could use|a second baseman.

Careful.

Careful, careful.

Oh, here.

Hey...

Look what I found.

Want to play a game?

Why?

For fun.

Let's go to a dealership instead|and get some brochures.

Well, show him.

Your dad wants|to see you play,

Like with the men|in the park.

Hey, it'll be fun.

Then we'll go|to a dealership.

Now go easy on me.

It's been a while|since I've played.

Check.

Oh, uh...

checkmate.

You see,|I've got you here and here.

See?

Can we go|to the dealership now?

Sure.

Pee and get your coat.

Yeah, I know.

I should've|let him win one.

I gave him|every opportunity.

He wasn't trying|to win.

Oh, no?

Come on, Bonnie.

It doesn't matter.

No. Say what you mean.

You don't get it?

He doesn't want|to beat his daddy.

Dad.

She thinks you're|throwing the game.

You know what that means,|throwing the game?

No.

Well, this time,|really try.

I was trying.

Well, I know you were,

but we're going to play one more|just for fun, O.K.?

Josh...

it's O.K. to beat him.

You won't|hurt his feelings.

It's your move.

Your move, Josh!

I can't.

I'm playing chess|with my dad.

Chess. It's a game,|like Monopoly.

Josh!

Don't hang up.

Hi.

Your move, Josh!

Did you move that pawn?

I moved a pawn, yeah.

Yeah, that one.

Move my horse|in front of my king.

You mean your knight.

Yeah.

O.K.

He's going to lose|his queen.

Oh, really?

Did you do it?

Yeah.

Can we go out now?

Well, the game's|not over yet, Josh.

Yes, it is.

Bobby Fischer was 6

when his mother|moved the family

to a small apartment|near Ebbets Field.

At night,

when the traffic noise|died down,

you could hear the roar of the crowd|from the stadium.

His sister brought home|games to amuse him

while their mother|was at work.

Monopoly...

Parcheesi...

chess.

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