Show of the week: Bobby Fischer Against the World
Liz Garbus's documentary draws a fascinating portrait of a brilliant but troubled figure.
In 1972, chess grandmasters Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky faced off in Iceland in an American-Soviet showdown that riveted a world roiled by Cold War tensions. This documentary by Liz Garbus (Ghosts of Abu Ghraib) traces how Fischer became the youngest grandmaster ever, achieved world domination of chess with his defeat of Spassky, then retreated into obsession and paranoia. Interviews with chess champion Gary Kasparov and author Malcolm Gladwell help draw a fascinating portrait of a brilliant but troubled figure. Monday, June 6, at 9 p.m., HBO
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Scientists want to fight malaria by poisoning mosquitoes with human blood
Under the radar Drugging the bugs
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Crossword: March 31, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sudoku medium: March 31, 2025
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published