Fischer Random Chess

@watermelonbiscuit

Fischer started off as less than ideal human in the early 1960s, spouting that there were too many Jews in chess and that they were ruining the game. He devolved into a psychopath when he said that he hoped that the US "... will be taken over by the military—they'll close down all the synagogues, arrest all the Jews, execute hundreds of thousands of Jewish ringleaders."

I'm not sure how that equates to local school boards changing the name of a school. Aren't Jefferson and Mason still in the curricula? I believe schools should be intellectually honest and and inclusive, and so should be named after people who embody those ideals, so I sympathize with the decision to rename the schools but am not adamant.

If I had to decide between "only standard" and "only Chess960" for the rest of my life, then I would choose Chess960 in a heartbeat.

But for beginners it might be deterrent. Standard chess is already very complex.

Let both variants coexist peacefully!

@chummer

It's relevant, among other things, in that both are applying a "cancel culture" approach. This is especially problematic with historical figures. Jefferson owned slaves. He did some other stuff too, though.

Fischer went crazy. But is one of the greatest chess players of all time, and his contributions to the game -- one of them being the subject of this thread; literally, the game he invented -- should not be swept under the rug because of madness-induced anti-semitism.

Do you we talk about MLK's plagiarism and philandering? Or of his contributions to civil rights?

I hope this illustrates the point.

In respect of the inventor I suggest the name:

Psychochess!

@hendrixmaine

It isn't exactly like that, though, to be fair, tennis IS a better game that ping pong. And I wouldn't even consider that a particularly close call.

@Sarg0n

Good one. I lol'd.

@hendrixmaine

I agree with you about it affecting only the top players. For all of us mere mortals, it makes no difference.

@watermelonbiscuit

Fischer was a vocal anti-semite for nearly 50 years. Was it all madness induced, or just when he openly called for the execution of hundreds of thousands of innocent Jews?

Do you think schools should be inclusive and intellectually honest? If so, shouldn't they be named after people who espouse those ideals? For all the good Jefferson had done, I can't think of anyone less inclusive than a slaver, nor can I imagine anyone more intellectually dishonest than a slaver penning 'all men are created equal' as a core tenet for a new nation.

I think Chess960 is just too difficult in opening phase only way to play it woudl that opening selection would be published before tournament. One can lose the game one two first moves