Bobby Fischer
Awards & Honours
27
Awards Won
7
Honours
5
Rankings
7
Covers
4
Records
Bobby Fischer is widely regarded as one of the greatest chess players of all time. His 1971 Candidates sweep of three consecutive 6-0 matches is a feat unmatched in chess history. At 14, he became the youngest U.S. Champion ever, a record that still stands. His perfect 11-0 score in the 1964 U.S. Championship remains the only perfect score in the tournament's history. Fischer's Chess Oscar wins in 1970, 1971, and 1972 reflect his dominance during his peak. His induction into the World Chess Hall of Fame in 2001 and the U.S. Chess Hall of Fame in 1986 honor his lasting impact on the game.
Awards
Honours & Distinctions
World Chess Hall of Fame
Inducted for his contributions to chess.
U.S. Chess Hall of Fame
Inducted as one of America's greatest chess players.
FIDE Grandmaster Title
Youngest Grandmaster in history at the time (age 15).
Honorary Icelandic Citizenship
Granted by special act of parliament to allow Fischer to live in Iceland.
Guinness World Record
Youngest U.S. Chess Champion (age 14).
Guinness World Record
Perfect score in U.S. Championship (11-0, 1964).
Guinness World Record
Three consecutive 6-0 sweeps in Candidates matches (1971).
Rankings & Lists
100 Greatest Chess Players of All Time
Greatest Chess Players of All Time
Greatest Chess Players of All Time
50 Greatest Sports Figures of the 20th Century
100 Most Important People of the Century
Magazine Covers
Time Magazine
July 31, 1972
The King's Gambit: Bobby Fischer vs. the Russians
Time Magazine
September 11, 1972
The King of Chess
Life Magazine
August 4, 1972
The Chess Battle of the Century
Life Magazine
September 8, 1972
The Winner: Bobby Fischer
Newsweek
July 31, 1972
The Chess Match
Sports Illustrated
August 7, 1972
Bobby Fischer at the Chessboard
Sports Illustrated
September 11, 1972
Bobby Fischer: The New King
Records & Feats
Youngest U.S. Chess Champion (age 14)
Fischer won the U.S. Championship in 1958 at age 14, a record that still stands.
Youngest International Grandmaster (age 15)
Fischer became the youngest Grandmaster in history in 1958, a record that stood for 33 years until 1991.
Perfect 11-0 Score in U.S. Championship
In 1964, Fischer won the U.S. Championship with a perfect 11-0 score, the only perfect score in the tournament's history.
Three Consecutive 6-0 Sweeps in Candidates Matches
In 1971, Fischer defeated Mark Taimanov, Bent Larsen, and Tigran Petrosian each by a 6-0 score, an unprecedented feat.