RIP Bobby Fischer

January 18, 2008: US Grandmaster Bobby Fischer died in Reykjavik, Iceland at the age of 64.

Fischer became world champion after a legendary game against Soviet player Boris Spassky in Reykjavik in 1972.

After winning the world title, he did not play another chess match for 20 years.

In 1992, he played a rematch against Boris Spassky in Serbia, in violation of UN sanctions.

As a result, he could have faced a ten year sentence if he ever returned to the United States.

He lived in Hungary,the Philippines, and Japan.

He was arrested at Tokyo's Narita airport in 2004 for travelling on a passport that had been revoked by the US government.

After spending months in Japanese custody, he was granted citizenship by Iceland in tribute to his making the island famous in 1972.