Episode
EP 180 | Inside the Mind of Bobby Fischer ft. IM John Donaldson
- Podcast
- Dojo Talks: A Chess Podcast
- Published
- Feb 20, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 3721
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://ChessDojoTalks.podbean.com/e/ep-180-donaldson/
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Summary
John Donaldson joins Dojo Talks to discuss his new book "Inside the Mind of Bobby Fischer", a collection of Fischer’s lesser-known writings and annotations. The conversation explores why Fischer’s games are still highly instructive for modern players, how his practical decision-making shows up in systems like the King’s Indian Attack, and what his approach reveals about classic chess ideas like overprotection and restraint. They also dive into Fischer’s obsession with analytical accuracy, the origins of “the Rat” opening, and the importance of regularly playing tournament games if you actually want your study to translate into better results over the board. Pick up a copy here: https://amzn.to/3Op81Aw Join the Dojo - https://chessdojo.clubWatch Live - https://twitch.tv/chessdojoPlay Chess - https://go.chess.com/chessdojo Merch - https://www.chessdojo.club/shop Want to support the channel?Patreon - https://patreon.com/chessdojoDonate - https://streamelements.com/chessdojo/tip Find all of our chess book & supplies recommendations (& more!) on our Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/chessdojo Shopping through our link is a great way to support the Dojo. We earn a small affiliate % but at no cost to you. Website: https://chessdojo.clubTwitch: https://twitch.tv/chessdojoDiscord: https://discord.gg/GhKsJtjpFwTwitter: https://twitter.com/chessdojoPatreon: https://patreon.com/chessdojoInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/chessdojoFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/chessdojoPodcast: https://chessdojotalks.podbean.comTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@/chessdojoclips 00:05 New Fischer book and why Donaldson studies him03:02 What’s inside the book06:51 Why Fischer games still teach well10:29 A key pawn move in the Kings Indian Attack15:32 Fischer using classic chess i…