
Endgame
Bobby Fischer’s Remarkable Rise and Fall—from America’s Brightest Prodigy to the Edge of Madness
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Narrated by:
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Ray Porter
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By:
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Frank Brady
About this listen
From Frank Brady, who wrote one of the best-selling books on Bobby Fischer of all time and who was himself a friend of Fischer’s, comes an impressively researched biography that for the first time completely captures the remarkable arc of Bobby Fischer’s life. When Bobby Fischer passed away in January 2008, he left behind a confounding legacy. Everyone knew the basics of his life—he began as a brilliant youngster, then became the pride of American chess, then took a sharp turn, struggling with paranoia and mental illness. But nobody truly understood him.
What motivated Fischer from such a young age, and what was the source of his remarkable intellect? How could a man so ambivalent about money and fame be so driven to succeed? What drew this man of Jewish descent to fulminate against Jews, and how was it that a mind so famously disciplined could unravel so completely? From Fischer’s meteoric rise, to an utterly dominant prime unequaled by any American chess player, to his eventual descent into madness, the book draws upon hundreds of newly discovered documents and recordings and numerous firsthand interviews conducted with those who knew Fischer best. It paints, for the very first time, a complete picture of one of America’s most enigmatic icons. This is the definitive account of a fascinating man and an extraordinary life, one that at last reconciles Fischer’s deeply contradictory legacy and answers the question, who was Bobby Fischer?
©2011 Frank Brady (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
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Critic reviews
“The Mozart of the chessboard is inseparable from the monster of paranoid egotism in this fascinating biography. Brady, founding publisher of Chess Life magazine and a friend of Fischer, gives a richly detailed account of the impoverished Brooklyn wunderkind’s sensational opening…Brady gives us a vivid, tragic narrative of a life that became a chess game.” (Publishers Weekly)
“I learned something new on nearly every page of this wonderful book. Frank Brady is the perfect biographer for Bobby Fischer, and Endgame tells the full and fair story of Fischer’s astonishing rise and heartbreaking fall." (Christopher Chabris, author of The Invisible Gorilla )
“Fischer is America’s greatest antihero. This fascinating biography is filled with hope, Cold War intrigue, the fulfillment of genius, and an explosive fall from grace that is both deeply moving and, ultimately, profoundly sad.” (Jeremy Silman, author of The Amateur’s Mind)
Featured Article: The Best Chess Audiobooks
If you've been following popular culture, you know that one of the most popular shows of the last year is The Queen's Gambit, which debuted on Netflix in October of 2020. Adapted from the 1983 novel by Walter Tevis, the stylish miniseries starring Anya Taylor-Joy is about the life of fictional chess prodigy Beth Harmon. Due to the popularity of the show, the gaming industry saw an unprecedented interest in chess; sales of books about chess and chess boards skyrocketed! Whether you are a theory nerd or hungry for a lesson in the game’s history, these chess-related listens are a great opener.
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Story
In this fascinating pop culture history of the game and its impact, acclaimed Chess.com journalist Peter Doggers (also their news and events director), reveals how computers and the Internet have further strengthened the timeless magic of chess in the digital era, leading to a new peak in popularity and cultural relevance. Doggers explores chess as a cultural phenomenon: from its earliest beginnings in ancient India to its biggest stars and most dramatic moments to the impact of the internet and AI.
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Great Modern History Of Chess Book
- By James on 01-14-25
By: Peter Doggers
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The Queen's Gambit
- By: Walter Tevis
- Narrated by: Amy Landon
- Length: 11 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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Eight-year-old orphan Beth Harmon is quiet, sullen, and by all appearances unremarkable. That is, until she plays her first game of chess. Her senses grow sharper, her thinking clearer, and for the first time in her life she feels herself fully in control. By the age of 16, she's competing for the US Open championship. But as Beth hones her skills on the professional circuit, the stakes get higher, her isolation grows more frightening, and the thought of escape becomes all the more tempting.
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I can't listen to it.
- By Kindle Customer on 10-26-20
By: Walter Tevis
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Searching for Bobby Fischer
- By: Fred Waitzkin
- Narrated by: Lloyd James
- Length: 8 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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Searching for Bobby Fischer is the story of Fred Waitzkin and his son, from the moment six-year-old Josh first sits down at a chessboard until he competes for the national championship. Drawn into the insular, international network of chess, they must also navigate the difficult waters of their own relationship. All the while, Waitzkin searches for the elusive Bobby Fischer, whose myth still dominates the chess world and profoundly affects Waitzkin’s dreams for his son.
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Good book, I just wish I could hear it all.
- By Phil on 06-29-11
By: Fred Waitzkin
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Chess for Beginners
- A Complete Overview of the Board, Pieces, Rules, and Strategies to Win
- By: Game Nest
- Narrated by: Grant Tharp
- Length: 2 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Chess is the ultimate turn-based strategy game. For centuries, it has honed the decision-making skills of kings and the strategic thinking of generals. Modern studies show that chess promotes brain development at any age, prevents Alzheimer's, and trains both sides of the brain to work in synergy. And today, learning chess is easier than you think!
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Promising but Flawed: A Beginner's Chess Audiobook
- By Allan on 04-11-25
By: Game Nest
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Einstein's Cosmos
- How Albert Einstein's Vision Transformed Our Understanding of Space and Time: Great Discoveries
- By: Michio Kaku
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 6 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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A dazzling tour of the universe as Einstein saw it. How did Albert Einstein come up with the theories that changed the way we look at the world? By thinking in pictures. Michio Kaku, leading theoretical physicist (a cofounder of string theory) and best-selling science storyteller, shows how Einstein used seemingly simple images to lead a revolution in science. With originality and expertise, Kaku uncovers the surprising beauty that lies at the heart of Einstein's cosmos
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Mix of science and the man
- By B. Ruple on 11-03-13
By: Michio Kaku
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Pale Horse Rider
- William Cooper, the Rise of Conspiracy, and the Fall of Trust in America
- By: Mark Jacobson
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 13 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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A former US naval intelligence worker, Milton William Cooper published his manifesto Behold a Pale Horse in 1991. Since then it has gone on to sell hundreds of thousands of copies, becoming the number-one best seller in the American prison system. According to Behold a Pale Horse, JFK was assassinated - because he was about to reveal that extraterrestrials were about to take over the earth - by his driver, an alien himself; AIDS is a government conspiracy; and much more.
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Disingenuous story of Bill Cooper
- By LuckyGregor on 07-16-19
By: Mark Jacobson
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The Sum of All Men
- The Runelords, Book 1
- By: David Farland
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 21 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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Young Prince Gaborn of Mystarria is traveling in disguise on a journey to ask for the hand of the lovely Princess Iome of Sylvarresta. Armed with his gifts of strength and perception, the prince and his bodyguard stop at a local tavern, where they spot a pair of assassins who have their sights set on Princess Iome's father. As they race to warn the king, they realize that more than the royal family is at risk—the very fate of the Earth is in jeopardy.
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A world of interesting magics and moral choices.
- By Lore on 04-02-12
By: David Farland
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Chess Queens
- The True Story of a Chess Champion and the Greatest Female Players of All Time
- By: Jennifer Shahade
- Narrated by: Jennifer Shahade
- Length: 9 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Jennifer Shahade, a two-time US Women's Chess Champion, spent her teens and twenties travelling the world playing chess. Tournaments have taken her from Istanbul to Moscow, and introduced her to players from Zambia to China. In this ultra male-dominated sport, Jennifer found shocking sexism, as well as an incredible history of the top female players that has often been ignored. But she also found friendships, feminism and hope. Through her own story, as well as in-depth profiles of pioneers of the game, Jennifer invites us into the extremely competitive world of chess.
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Wonderful!
- By Michael Butler on 03-06-22
By: Jennifer Shahade
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Requiem for Medusa
- Galaxy’s Edge: Contracts & Terminations
- By: Jason Anspach, Nick Cole
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 9 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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The scum hiding deep inside the Reach out along galaxy's edge thought they could kill her and not pay the price. For years these hardened killers have run roughshod over the lawless worlds where Republic justice is never as fast as the blaster in your hand and where double-crosses and death are a part of every deal. They thought this time would be no different. They were wrong. This time, the Guild sent the legendary bounty hunter Tyrus Rechs. As the infamous Rechs pursues the men who murdered his colleague, he's hell-bent on justice.
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10 stars
- By L.R. on 07-07-19
By: Jason Anspach, and others
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The Royal Game
- A Chess Story
- By: Stefan Zweig
- Narrated by: Dan Mellins-Cohen
- Length: 2 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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The fame of the The Royal Game is evident in the number of translations. The last work of the Austrian writer Stefan Zweig can be read today in over 60 languages. The first translation into English appeared in New York in 1944. In Germany, the book has become a constant bestseller. The first-person narrator learns of the presence of the world chess champion Mirko Czentovic on a boat trip from New York to Buenos Aires. Together with his acquaintance Mc Connor and other chess players, the first-person narrator manages to challenge the world champion to a game of chess.
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Brief but wonderful
- By Cat S. on 02-17-21
By: Stefan Zweig
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Dispatches
- By: Michael Herr
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 8 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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From its terrifying opening to its final eloquent words, Dispatches makes us see, in unforgettable and unflinching detail, the chaos and fervor of the war and the surreal insanity of life in that singular combat zone. Michael Herr’s unsparing, unorthodox retellings of the day-to-day events in Vietnam take on the force of poetry, rendering clarity from one of the most incomprehensible and nightmarish events of our time.
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A remarkable performance of a remarkable book.
- By JohnB on 10-14-21
By: Michael Herr
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The Devil's Chessboard
- Allen Dulles, the CIA, and the Rise of America's Secret Government
- By: David Talbot
- Narrated by: Peter Altschuler
- Length: 25 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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An explosive, headline-making portrait of Allen Dulles, the man who transformed the CIA into the most powerful - and secretive - colossus in Washington, from the founder of Salon.com and author of the New York Times best seller Brothers.
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Disturbing. Makes you question the company line.
- By KTS on 02-06-16
By: David Talbot
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The Art of Learning
- An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance
- By: Josh Waitzkin
- Narrated by: Josh Waitzkin
- Length: 7 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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The Art of Learning takes listeners through Waitzkin's unique journey to excellence. He explains in clear detail how a well-thought-out, principled approach to learning is what separates success from failure. Waitzkin believes that achievement, even at the championship level, is a function of a lifestyle that fuels a creative, resilient growth process.
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Good overview with interesting backdrop
- By James on 06-15-14
By: Josh Waitzkin
What listeners say about Endgame
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- Flying Girl
- 12-18-20
Must like Chess
You must really like chess in order to enjoy this book. I do not so it was impossible for me to stay interested. I love Ray Porter as a narrator so I gave this a chance hoping for a good story about Bobby Fischer. There was so much chess references that I found myself bored. I guess Bobby Fischer literally didn’t do anything but chess. Maybe I will give it another try later but as for now, I just can’t finish it.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Wade T. Brooks
- 06-25-12
A Great Life Portrait
The first book I ever read on Chess was Bobby Fisher teaches chess published in 1966 which inspired me to join the chess club in junior high school and follow Bobby's rise and eventual fall.
This book is an amazing life portrait of a chess genius who lived a life of both poverty and wealth but was always troubled and self-destructive. It is insightful and riveting and gives context to the chaotic series of events that was Bobby Fishers life.
If you have any interest in chess or how excessive genus has its own inherent problems, especially when coupled with poverty, this is a great read. If you have read Malcome Gladwellâs book Outlines and his discussion on genius and success (or lack thereof) especially in the life of Christopher Langan (IQ 195) there are some staggering similarities. Bobby's IQ was 180 and he had a number of the same problems Gladwell describes in the life of Langan, especially when it comes to authority figures and paranoia of the 'system'. As a reference point Einstein's IQ was 150.
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- Frank Daugherty
- 12-12-17
Sad story of a sad man
This is a story of an absolute control freak. A shallow empty chasm only interested in people and situations which he has complete control. The only people who remained in his life were financially motivation. All fault is placed on others and no understanding that negative behavior toward others have an impact show they treat him. Absolutely no gratitude, like the concept eluded him.
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- Nick
- 08-22-12
Great story with very good details
Would you listen to Endgame again? Why?
Yes. Very interesting story of a very odd character.
What did you like best about this story?
The description on Fisher throughout different times in his life.
Have you listened to any of Ray Porter’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
No
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Yes. It was very compelling.
Any additional comments?
This story is well researched and well narrated. I loved this book and recommend it to everyone.
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- carl williams
- 12-16-21
well done!
love the story, Bobby's life story is so compelling and so tragic, the narration was done very well, only downside was so many mispronounced names, but other than that it was great... I'm currently listening to it a second time.
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- Guy
- 07-06-11
Excellent book!!!
For somebody who only plays chess once in a blue moon I found this book very intriguing. Bobby really comes across as seriously tormented from a young age until his death. There is not too much technical language, but the author does jump time quite a bit which can make it difficult to follow.
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7 people found this helpful
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- Jose E. Alvarez
- 10-08-14
Fascinating story of a troubled genius!
What made the experience of listening to Endgame the most enjoyable?
Well weaved story and outstanding narration
Who was your favorite character and why?
Of Course Fisher himself
What does Ray Porter bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
Quality of narration is outstanding. I particularly liked how he played with different accents.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
Fisher's behaviors prior to matches.
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- John Coppolella
- 10-21-16
A sad ending to a remarkable legacy.
Fascinating. Thanks to the publisher and the author for allowing this book to be printed and for Amazon and Audible for a great presentation.
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- Scott Free
- 07-31-12
Bias mars the fasinating story of Bobby Fischer
What did you love best about Endgame?
Endgame revealed the more public timeline and details of Fischer's life and that by itself was interesting. But, holes in the narrative called into question the objectivity and research depth of the author.
Would you ever listen to anything by Frank Brady again?
I was not too impressed with Brady. Where was the interview with Fischer's wife? What about Fischer's sister and brother in-law. For that, you will have to go to the internet.
Have you listened to any of Ray Porter’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
Ray Porter did fine, that wasn't the problem.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
no, but I did finish it.
Any additional comments?
Fischer is a very public and controversial figure. His true story was not revealed in this biography, far from it. My brief additional research showed that Brady was carrying an agenda in this book.
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- Anonymous User
- 12-06-20
Revealing
Is full o new details not published in other sources. For me, completely unveils new perspectives on the life, thoughts and behavior of this great mind and poor lonely man.
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