Searching For Bobby Fischer Page #3

not to bring his queen out|too early in the game.

Why shouldn't he?

He's won many a game|in Washington Square doing exactly that.

Why is this|suddenly wrong?

Try getting him to brush his teeth|sometime.

What I'm trying to teach him|and what he's learning there

are two very|different things.

Park hustlers play|tactics, not position.

They rely on wild,|unpredictable moves

meant to intimidate|their opponents.

Great in a two-minute|speed game for drug money,

but it'll cost Josh|dearly in real games.

Well, he's learning|some new words.

Could you keep him from playing there|so much?

Sure.

No.

Not playing in the park|would kill him. He loves it.

Just makes my job harder.

Then your job's harder.

What are you|talking about?

We're already packed.|We're, like, out the door.

Make sure his laces are tied|if there's escalators.

I don't know why|I O.K.'d this anyway.

Well, you didn't.|He wants to do this.

I should've|dissuaded him.

I grew up playing|in tournaments.

They have nothing to do|with what's important.

They're about all|winning and losing. So?

It's not chess.

Ah. Chess is art.

That's right.

No. Chess is you appreciating|the beauty of Josh's play

at 60 bucks an hour.

Will you be ready to go|in 30 minutes or not?

He's not coming.

May I talk to him?

Hold on.

Josh!

I don't...

Telephone.

Hi.

Josh, how are you doing?|You excited?

Yeah.

Listen, I can't make it.

I've got some things|I have to take care of.

Hmm.

That's O.K.

I'll be thinking of you.

You'll do great, I know it.

And I'll see you|when you get back.

O.K.

Bye.

O.K. bye. Don't bring|your queen out too soon--

[Jazzy Version of|Heart and Soul Plays ]

This is great.

Which one's yours?

Over there by the steps.

Oh. That--|that one's mine.

All right, yeah.|What?

Looks like they're friends|already.

Uh, what's his rating?

Yeah.

How old is he?

Well, I doubt that they'll be playing|each other then.

Morgan's not rated|1 ,000 yet.

Oh.

Questions during|the course of the game,

raise your hand.

He was cheating. He tried to castle|when I had him checked.

O.K., I want to remind you|to conduct yourselves

Like adults.

I don't want any trouble.

And you know exactly|what I'm talking about.

If you're going|to watch the game,

do so from|behind the player.

No throat noises.

No comments.

No eye contact.

Nobody cares if you're|guilty or not.

If you all|behave yourselves,

I think we'll all have|a very good time.

I'm not kidding.

Listen, my son can't play|with these pieces.

My daughter needs|her own clock.

[ Woman ]|Oh, this is unfair.

Start...

your clocks.

[ Chuckles ]

[ Man ]|I did not pull on my ear!

[ Man ]|You pulled on your ear!

I did not!|I scratched my ear!

- You're a liar!|- Break it up!

He's out of his mind!

Break it up!

I don't care!

Take your hands off me!

You're the one|who's trying to...

We just came|to have fun.

I don't|understand this.

Hey!

Hey, what-- Hey!

[ Clapping ]

See, you can call me|the man of many signals.

Many signals.

Knock it off,|for Christ's sake.

I don't want to "knock it off,|for Christ's sake."

I'm a man|of many signals.

Yeah, I pull|my nose, my elbow...

and whatever else|I want to pull.

You play the game fair.|That's the way it's played.

So...you see me|pulling my ear,

it's not an itch.

You might think it's an itch,|but it's not an itch.

So watch for|the subtleness.

You're lucky you don't get nervous|at these things.

Hi.

If your son|wins his game

and my son wins his,

they'll be playing each other|in the final round.

I can hardly wait.

Hey! It's only a game.

I'm going to get myself|a tuna fish sandwich.

- Can I get you a sandwich?|- No, that's--

I'm going to get you|a tuna fish sandwich.

Queen takes pawn.

Josh is in trouble.|He's down another pawn.

Don't you believe it.|Your boy'll pull it out.

No, he's down|too much material.

He's going to lose.

Knight takes rook.

Petey just hung his rook!

He probably sacrificed it|for position.

He's probably still got|the advantage.

It's over.

Wha--d--

Who won?

In school,|before he dropped out,

Bobby studied chess books

while his teachers|taught other things.

When they told him|to put his books away,

or took them away,

he studied in his head.

When a science report|came back to him once

with the words|"not satisfactory"

written across the top,

he wrote under it

just as big,

"Tough. "

He was 14

and had already beaten|the strongest adult players

in the country

to become the youngest|U.S. champion ever.

[ Ball Bounces ]

[Josh ] Welch is on the mound.|Now Casey signals.

He winds up...|the pitch!

He winds up...|the pitch!

Bye, mom.

Have fun.

[ Fred ] We'll call you|when we get there.

Bye!

There's your dad.

Yes!

Look at this.|Look at this. See this?

None of you patzers|ever won anything like this.

Shut up.|We're trying to play a game.

He gets it,

throws to first...

Gets him!

And one out.

Thanks.

[ Fred ] That's a high-1 5|instead of a high-5.

I think we got it|in the bag now.

Come on, Bruce!

All right.

The windup and...

the pitch!

Great.

He's out.

Oop!|[ Glass Breaks ]

And in first place--|Josh Waitzkin.

Mr. Waitzkin?

Oh, Hi.|How you doing?

Hi. I'm so glad|you could make it.

Me, too.|This is really great.

Isn't it? The children worked|very hard on it.

I understand from Josh|you just got back from Washington.

I think|that's super.

Yeah, it was great.

He told us|all about the hotel.

He was impressed|with that.

You've been taking him|a lot of places lately.

I think it's good.

It's important|for kids to travel.

It's a great education.|They start to realize

there's more to the world|than Washington Square.

Yes. He's been talking a lot about|Washington Square, too.

Uh...

uh, let's see...

we've heard about hotels

in, uh, Syracuse, Philadelphia,

Boston...

Washington now.

That seems to be|all he can remember.

Not the White House

or the capitol building

or the Lincoln Memorial.

And you're wondering|why that is.

It's because I'm a rotten father.|You're right.

I drag him|all over the country

for my own|selfish reasons.

Fred! Is Josh falling behind|in his schoolwork?

He is,

but I'm more concerned about|other things...

Like his|friendships.

- There's a problem there?|- Possibly.

Well, is there or isn't there?

Mr. Waitzkin...

I'm sure he's very good|at this chess thing,

but that isn't|really the issue--

Chess thing.

I'm sorry?

Chess thing.

I'm sure he's good at it,|but I'm worried.

To make an analogy--

if it was like, say...

oh, I don't know...

um, cards,

pinochle.

Pinochle.

For instance.

Pinochle.

Fred...

[ Fred ]|Bonnie...

She's comparing chess|to pinochle.

What am I supposed|to say to that?

She's trying|to make a point.

Maybe we should listen.

Vinnie thinks he's spending|too much time at it, too.

Vinnie? Vinnie's a drug addict.

I'm supposed to listen to his|opinion, too?

I'm sorry,|but your analogy

is a very bad one.

If you want to make|a comparison to something,

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