Exploring Bobby Fischer’s Adventures in Cuba: A New Book Unveiled in Miami

The life of world chess champion Bobby Fischer is being brought to light in a new book that delves into his trips to Cuba and his early victories. Journalists Miguel Ángel Sánchez and Jesús Suárez have compiled their personal memories of Fischer in Cuba, along with oral sources, to create “Bobby Fischer in Cuba: His travels, games and adventures in the land of Capablanca” (Bowker, 2020).

The book reveals little-known moments from Fischer’s three trips to Cuba, including his first trip abroad in 1956 where he defeated a chess master for the first time in a formal game. The opponent was Cuban José R. Florido, who faced the 12-year-old Fischer on the island.

Sánchez and Suárez, who founded the Bowker publishing house in Miami to focus on chess books, highlight Fischer’s games in Cuba and even uncover details about his life in Havana in 1956. The book also explores Fischer’s virtual participation in the 1965 Capablanca tournament via teletype due to travel restrictions.

Despite facing challenges with travel permissions and the US embargo on Cuba, Fischer eventually made it to the island for a world chess event in 1966. The book details Fischer’s interactions with Cuban officials, including presenting Fidel Castro with his book “Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess.”

Sánchez describes Fischer as a tormented genius, comparing him to a “Van Gogh of chess.” The book sheds light on a lesser-known aspect of Fischer’s life and his impact on the chess world.