EP 250- FM Asa Hoffman

This week FM Asa Hoffman joins us for an interesting talk. Asa is an author, speed chess specialist, and New York City chess legend. Like Bobby Fischer, Asa was born in 1943, and both spent their formative years in NYC. With such shared history, Bobby Fischer is one of the many chess legends with whom Asa had personal encounters and blitz battles. In fact, Asa has met every chess World Champion who came after Max Euwe! He also has beaten Fischer in a famous blitz game, and once defeated Gata Kamsky in a rapid game. In our interview, Asa sheds light on the personality of Bobby Fischer and tells a few of his favorite stories from his encounters with countless chess legends who have passed through New York. Please read on for more details, timestamps and relevant links.  0:00- What are Asa’s memories of Bobby Fischer? How does the current chess moment compare to the Fischer boom? Mentioned: Hans Kmoch, Al Horowitz, Sylvia Miles, GM Yasser Seirawan, Bernard Zuckerman, Asa Hoffman vs. Bobby Fischer (blitz, 1963)  13:00- Who are the strongest blitz players Asa ever played? Mentioned: GM Valentin Arbakov, GM Roman Dzindzichashvili, GM Yasser Seirawan, Polgar sisters, Episode 185 with IM Stuart Rachels, IM Jorge Sammour-Hasbun, GM Nicolas Rossolimo  19:30-After Fischer won the World Championship in 1972, did Asa ever see him again?  22:45- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessmood.com. They have a huge library of opening, middlegame, and endgame instructional videos, as well as a free blog.  23:45- Asa tells some more stories from playing against Fischer, as well as describing many of the classic NYC chess venues.  29:00- Why did Asa decide to drop out of Columbia University to pursue chess?  31:00- What was Asa’s involvement with the movie Searching for Bobby Fischer?  Mentioned: GM Nona Gaprindishivili lawsuit against Netflix  33:00- What did Asa do to improve at chess? Mentioned: Mike Valvo, IM Greg Shahade, John Fernandez, GM Gata Kamsky, GM Julio Becerra, GM Michael Rohde, IM Jay Bonin  39:00-