When I was about 12, I thought I was pretty good at chess. My regular opponent? My grandfather. Most games ended with me winning, and I wore those victories like medals. But then, one day, he decided enough was enough.
Without warning, he changed his style.
He started using what he called "psychological warfare." Every move he made was followed by something completely unexpected — he’d get up and slowly walk around the room, never breaking eye contact with me. It was intense. Unnerving. Like something out of a Cold War movie.
Not only that — I began to notice a pattern. He was taking exactly 20 seconds for every move. Not 19. Not 21. Exactly 20. My brain went into overdrive trying to decode it. Was this some kind of grandmaster-level pacing technique? Was he sending me a hidden message? Was I cracking under pressure?
Turns out... yes. I was sweating bullets. My confidence dissolved, I blundered several pieces in a wild endgame, and then, just like that — checkmate.
I sat there stunned.
I asked him, “Why did you do that?”
He grinned.
“Oh,” he said, “Fischer always played like this.”
To this day, I have no idea if that’s true. But what I do know? That was the coolest, strangest, and most unforgettable game I’ve ever played.
Found this story from Reddit
Who is Fischer?
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| Bobby Fischer |
Bobby Fischer was an American chess grandmaster and world champion, widely regarded as one of the greatest chess players of all time. He became the World Chess Champion in 1972 by defeating Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union during the Cold War, making headlines worldwide.
He was known for his deep strategy, intense focus, and unorthodox style that revolutionized modern chess. His mysterious personality and sudden withdrawal from competitive chess added to his legendary status.