Bobby Fischer

One of the early experiences that peaked my interest in Icelandic culture came when I looked at a drawing in my uncle's bedroom, a drawing of Bobby Fischer beating his Russian opponent in a famous match here in Iceland. Why should this have been an important moment for Icelanders, such that my uncle would speak of it with glee, want to be reminded of it on a nightly basis? I did not understand, even though the Icelandic national obsession with chess gave some hints. Some years later the American film Searching for Bobby Fischer filled in my image of this chess playing iconoclast, but from an American perspective, as highly suspect and problematic, unpatriotic. But Icelanders seemed to embrace him, so I was still puzzled. Then I went to a meeting of the Folklore Society here in Iceland, their place is located on Fishersund, an alley in downtown Reykjavík named after Bobby Fischer. It was a cozy street, a cozy setting, and it seemed symbolic of the way Iceland had embraced Bobby Fischer. So I was not surprised when he was granted special permission to move here in 2007, though I was a little surprised that he died shortly thereafter.