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Anthony Saidy
Anthony Saidy
Anthony Saidy
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Anthony Saidy (born May 16, 1937) is an International Master of chess,[1] a retired physician and author. He competed eight times in the U.S. Chess Championship, with his highest placement being 4th. He won the 1960 Canadian Open Chess Championship. The same year, he played on the U.S. Team in the World Student Team Championship in Leningrad, USSR. The U.S. team won the World Championship, the only time the U.S. has ever won that event.

Key Information

Saidy is the author of several chess books, including The Battle of Chess Ideas, and The World of Chess (with Norman Lessing). His most recent book, 1983, a Dialectical Novel, is a work of "what if" political fiction inspired by Saidy's four sojourns in the USSR, during which he was able to get to know Russians from all walks of life in both public and intimate settings. Harrison Salisbury, Pulitzer Prize-winning Moscow correspondent of the New York Times, said that it had the "ring of truth."

As an older mentor he befriended Robert James Fischer (Bobby Fischer). It was in Saidy's family home in Douglaston, Long Island that Fischer secluded himself prior to the World Chess Championship 1972. Saidy and others successfully encouraged the apparently reluctant Fischer to go to Iceland, where he won the world crown in a match against holder Boris Spassky.

Saidy is the son of playwright Fred Saidy.

Books

[edit]
  • 1967 U.S. Open Chess Championship : Atlanta, Georgia (with L. Dave Truesdel Jr), International Chess Imports, 1967
  • The World of Chess (with Norman Lessing), Random House, 1974
  • The Battle of Chess Ideas, RHM, 1975
  • The March of Chess Ideas, McKay, 1994
  • 1983: A Dialectical Novel, Seagull Press, 2013

References

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Anthony Saidy

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''Anthony Saidy'' is an American International Master of chess known for his tournament successes, authorship of influential chess books, and his role in supporting Bobby Fischer's participation in the 1972 World Chess Championship. He is also a retired physician and has maintained a long involvement in the chess community. Born on May 16, 1937, in Los Angeles, California, Saidy earned his International Master title from FIDE in 1969 after notable performances, including tying for second place at the strong Venice tournament that year. Early in his career, he won the 1960 Canadian Open Chess Championship and contributed significantly to the United States team's gold medal victory at the World Student Team Championship in Leningrad, where his draw in a critical match against the Soviet Union helped secure the historic win over the USSR. He competed in eight U.S. Chess Championships, achieving his best result with a clear fourth-place finish in 1974, and also won or tied for first in two American Opens, the most recent in 1992. As a medical doctor specializing in tuberculosis treatment, Saidy served with the U.S. Peace Corps in Jamaica from 1963 to 1965 and later practiced in Los Angeles County until his retirement in 2000. He has authored several respected books on chess, including ''The World of Chess'' (co-authored with Norman Lessing), ''The Battle of Chess Ideas'', and ''The March of Chess Ideas''. Saidy owns one of the largest private chess book collections in the United States and remained active in tournaments into his eighties, including a notable victory over a grandmaster at age 82. His close association with Bobby Fischer included providing lodging and encouragement that helped persuade Fischer to compete in the landmark 1972 Reykjavik match against Boris Spassky.

Early life

Birth and family background

Anthony Saidy was born on May 16, 1937, in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is the son of Fred Saidy, a playwright and screenwriter born on February 11, 1907, in Los Angeles. Fred Saidy is best known for co-writing the book and lyrics for the musical Finian's Rainbow.

Education and early influences

His early engagement with chess is indicated by recorded participation in tournaments beginning in 1954. By the early 1960s, he had completed medical training and was practicing as a physician, including service with the US Peace Corps in Jamaica from 1963 to 1965.

Medical career

Training and professional practice

Anthony Saidy completed his undergraduate education at Fordham University in New York City before attending Cornell University Medical College, where he earned his M.D. degree in 1962. He subsequently served in the Peace Corps. Following his Peace Corps service, Saidy pursued a career in public medicine, working as a tuberculosis specialist for the Los Angeles County Health Department. He specialized in tuberculosis treatment and control within public health programs. Saidy held an M.P.H. degree and was certified as a diplomate in public health by the American Board of Preventive Medicine in 1972. His professional practice remained dedicated to public medicine throughout his active career.

Retirement

Anthony Saidy retired from his medical practice in 2000, after serving as a physician specializing in tuberculosis for the Los Angeles County. Following his retirement from medicine, he continued to pursue his interests in chess and related activities.

Chess career

Early development and titles

Anthony Saidy emerged as a competitive chess player in his early twenties, achieving significant successes on the international scene by 1960. That year, he won the third Canadian Open Chess Championship held in Kitchener, scoring 8 points out of 10 possible. Also in 1960, Saidy played fourth board for the United States team at the 7th World Student Team Chess Championship in Leningrad, helping secure the gold medal—the only occasion the U.S. has ever won that competition. Saidy was awarded the FIDE International Master title in 1969 in recognition of his tournament performances. His peak FIDE rating reached 2445 in January 1975.

Major tournament achievements

Anthony Saidy participated in eight U.S. Chess Championships, demonstrating consistent presence among America's top players during the 1960s and 1970s. His strongest performance came in 1974, when he achieved a clear fourth-place finish. He also tied for fourth in the 1963/64 championship. Beyond the national championship, Saidy recorded notable results in several international and open events. He won the American Open in 1967 and tied for first in the same tournament in 1992 at age 55. Earlier highlights include second place at Reggio Emilia in 1967/68 and a tie for second at Venice in 1969. Saidy earned the International Master title in 1969 and reached a peak rating of 2445. His competitive longevity stood out, with activity extending into his eighties and occasional strong performances against grandmasters even in later years.

Relationship with Bobby Fischer

Anthony Saidy developed a close personal friendship with Bobby Fischer, serving as an older mentor and confidant to the prodigious grandmaster during the 1960s and early 1970s. Their relationship was built on shared passion for chess and mutual respect, with Saidy providing guidance and emotional support to Fischer amid his intense career pressures. In the critical period leading up to the 1972 World Chess Championship match against Boris Spassky in Reykjavik, Iceland, Fischer resided at Saidy's family home in Douglaston, Long Island. This stay allowed Saidy to offer direct encouragement and assistance during a time when Fischer was experiencing significant doubts and considering withdrawal from the match due to various concerns. Saidy played a pivotal role in persuading Fischer to proceed with the journey to Iceland, helping to resolve last-minute hesitations through personal counsel and reassurance. His efforts contributed to Fischer's eventual participation in the landmark event, which culminated in Fischer's victory and capture of the World Chess Championship title. This episode highlighted the depth of their friendship and Saidy's influence as a trusted figure in Fischer's life.

Writing career

Chess books and contributions

Anthony Saidy has made notable contributions to chess literature as an author and historian, producing works that examine tournament records, historical developments, and philosophical dimensions of the game. His earliest publication in this area is the official book on the 1967 U.S. Open Chess Championship held in Atlanta, Georgia, co-authored with L. Dave Truesdel Jr. and released in 1967. In 1974, Saidy co-authored The World of Chess with Norman Lessing, a volume that combines wit and analytical insight to explore diverse aspects of the game, including notable games and the broader cultural appeal of chess. Saidy followed this with The Battle of Chess Ideas in 1975, an examination of evolving strategic concepts in chess. He later revised and expanded that work into The March of Chess Ideas: How the Century's Greatest Players Have Waged the War Over Chess Strategy, published in 1994. This book offers a lucid overview of chess strategy's development across eras, profiling influential players from the Romantic period through the late 20th century, including Botvinnik, Fischer, Karpov, and Kasparov, with lightly annotated games and characterizations of their styles. Saidy frames chess as a blend of science and art, favoring the creative and intuitive elements over purely technical logic, and presents the material in an accessible, romantic style suitable for amateur players seeking historical context. The updated edition also incorporates commentary on Bobby Fischer's 1992 rematch with Boris Spassky.

Other literary works

Anthony Saidy explored political fiction in his 2013 novel 1983, a Dialectical Novel, published by Seagull Press as a work of "what if" speculation on alternative developments during the final decades of the Soviet Union. The book draws inspiration from Saidy's four sojourns in the USSR.

Film and television work

Appearances in documentaries and series

Anthony Saidy has appeared as himself in chess-focused documentaries and television series, leveraging his credentials as an international master and his firsthand knowledge of notable players. He featured prominently as an interviewee in the 2011 HBO documentary Bobby Fischer Against the World, directed by Liz Garbus, where he shared insights drawn from his personal relationship with Bobby Fischer and observations of Fischer's career and personality. In 2021, Saidy appeared in the "Chess" episode (Season 3, Episode 6) of the Netflix series Explained, credited as "Self - International Master, Author, The March of Chess Ideas," contributing expert commentary on the game's history, strategy, and cultural impact. These on-screen contributions highlight his role as a knowledgeable commentator within chess media.

Production credits

Anthony Saidy received an associate producer credit on the 2022 independent film The Rideshare Killer. He is listed alongside several other associate producers on this low-profile thriller directed by Ashley Scott Meyers. This represents his only documented production role in film, as confirmed by his IMDb profile and the project's official crew listing.

References

  1. https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessplayer?pid=16158
  2. https://www.uschess.org/index.php/November/Victory-at-Leningrad-The-50th-Anniversary.html
  3. https://ratings.fide.com/profile/2000903
  4. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0756467/trivia/
  5. https://www.mtishows.com/people/fred-saidy
  6. https://www.chessgames.com/player/anthony_saidy.html
  7. https://www.wrmea.org/2009-may-june/outside-the-beltway-dr.-tony-saidy.html
  8. https://impact.weill.cornell.edu/sites/default/files/Fall%202023/PDFs/wcm_summer_2019_final_draft_1r2_final_crop.pdf
  9. https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/pdf/10.2105/AJPH.62.9.1172-b
  10. https://www.nytimes.com/1960/09/06/archives/saidy-triumphs-in-canada.html
  11. https://www.bcchesshistory.com/canopen.html
  12. https://www.chess.com/article/view/old-age-great-chess
  13. https://gambiter.com/chess/players/Anthony_saidy.html
  14. https://www.chess.com/news/view/anthony-saidy-1937-2024
  15. https://en.chessbase.com/post/anthony-saidy-1937-2024
  16. https://www.amazon.co.uk/World-Chess-Anthony-Saidy/dp/039448777X
  17. https://www.abebooks.co.uk/book-search/title/the-battle-of-chess-ideas/author/saidy-anthony/
  18. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1867374.The_March_of_Chess_Ideas
  19. https://www.chess.com/article/view/quotthe-march-of-chess-ideasquot-by-anthony-saidy
  20. https://catalog.freelibrary.org/Author/Home?author=Saidy%2C+Anthony%2C+1937-
  21. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4789470/
  22. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1777551/
  23. https://en.chessbase.com/post/bobby-fischer-against-the-world-premiering-in-july/2
  24. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15264018/
  25. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15264018/characters/nm4789470/
  26. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11432992/fullcredits/
  27. http://www.theridesharekiller.com/content/1364/crew
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