Checkmate...or the Hunt for Bobby Fischer

I have a deep dark confession....before my hippy high school days began (and some would say continued), back in 1972 I was a chess geek. I was the first girl on the chess team, my dream? To beat Bobby Fischer......

For those not into the "Chess World" or some of the younger ones out there, Bobby Fischer became a national hero to some of us in 1972. In what is called the Chess Match of the Century he beat Boris Spassky, the Russian Champion. The first American to ever do so.

Then a few years later he faded into the background, to appear again in 1992 to once again take on Boris Spassky, the rematch of the Century. Only one problem existed, it was against US law for him to go because we were supporting UN economic sanctions against Yugoslavia. The Department of the Treasury issued a cease-and-desist letter to Fischer.

Bobby ignored this and went on to play, a warrant was issued for his arrest and his passport was supposed to be revoked. For years he went from place to place, spending some time in Tokyo. You'd think someone by now would have done something to enable him to return home. Part of the problem is while Bobby may be a genius when it comes to his history in the Chess World, he has been very outspoken about his feelings towards the US government. Reportedly in addition to stating our current President is "borderline retarded" (which shouldn't be a crime if it were lots of us would be in jail), he also has made alot of comments against Israel and after 9/11 made Ward Churchill type statements.

After years of flying in and out of different countries and some report even coming to the US once for a funeral, in July of 2004 he was arrested while trying to leave Tokyo. On March 15, 2005 the Japanese announced they were going to deport him to the United States to face the 1992 charges. He had been held in a Japanese jail since his arrest at the airport. MPs in Iceland voted last month against granting Mr Fischer citizenship, offering him instead a special foreigners' passport and rights to residence.

Japan, however, refused to release the chess champion on such grounds.

Iceland's parliament voted 40 to nothing in favour of granting citizenship, with two abstentions, and the US made it very clear they wanted Bobby back.

However just two days ago the Japanese government changed their minds and allowed Bobby to finally leave jail and to go to Iceland. The US said it was disappointed at the move. "Mr Fischer is a fugitive from justice," said a US state department spokesman.

The US hasn't given up hope of hunting down Bobby though, they are now looking at trying to have him extradited not paying US Income Tax. Our Tax dollars at work, as I know many out there are living in fear until this man is caught. After all it's one thing for the US government to disregard the UN........