Genius, fame and paranoia loom large in the thoughtful and entirely captivating documentary "Bobby Fischer Against the World" (9 p.m., HBO).
A brilliant and focused child of a single mother with a politically radical background, Brooklyn-born Bobby Fischer would seem an unlikely candidate for international fame. His single-minded dedication to the game of chess began early and by age 8, Fischer was beating much older players, sometimes challenging dozens of them at a time. The film offers a wealth of footage of the young Fischer, a curiosity for the media long before his defeat of Russian chess master Boris Spassky at the 1972 championship made him a worldwide hero.
"Fischer" does a great job of exploring the ancient game of chess and its insular society of world class champions. It also recalls the emphasis the Soviet Union put on the game as part of its propaganda efforts.
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