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SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISCHER by Steven Zaillian

Narration about Bobby Fischer. Hide and seek game at birthday party. Dad is there. Josh finds a chess piece. Public park, men are playing games. He watches. Even in the rain, he watches. His mother comes to find him. Vinny offers him a baseball in exchange for the chess piece he found.

Dad is teaching him to oil his baseball glove. But dad forgot to buy a ball. Uses snow globe. Josh is 7. Josh kept the chess piece.

Josh wants to go watch the men in the park play chess. Vinny is playing a Grand Master who's come to hustle him. Josh studies the game.

Josh plays with his playmobil knights.

Mom walks him home from school, watches chess again. Josh plays a game of chess, which his mother paid for with Russian. Gets him in check. Then loses. asks his name, says he used pieces in combination to attack.

Baseball game. Dad is in press box. Mom tells Dad about chess in park.

Home. Dad brings out chess set. Josh doesn't want to play. Dad convinces him to play. Game starts slow... Dad wins. Josh wants to go to the ocean. Mom says that Josh didn't want to win, doesn't want to beat his daddy. Dad gets Josh to play again, and Mom says it's okay to beat him. Josh knocks the phone books out of the seat, gets level with the game. Josh plays with his sister, gets called to make his move, makes it, runs off. Josh calls moves from tub. Josh knows that the game is over, wants to go out. Josh knew he was going to win.

Chess club. Josh goes, eats candy, the wrapper irritates a man, Josh asks him to play. Man asks for M&M. Bruce says he doesn't know where Bobby Fischer is. Dad is looking for Bruce, for a teacher. Bruce says he doesn't teach any more. Josh is playing well vs. the man, beats him. Josh gives him the rest of the M&M's.

Park. Josh plays with Vinny. Bruce watches. Dad sees Bruce watching.

Night. Josh teaches his sister to play chess. Asks mom where Vinny sleeps. Wonders if he could stay at their house. Mom says that Josh has a good heart, which is the most important thing in the world.

Chess tournament. Bruce invited Dad. Names the top players who are there. It's a grim place. Dad figures that Bruce wants him to say no, but wants him to play chess. Bruce talks about Fischer. His successor wasn't here tonight, but is asleep at home. He says that Josh sees like Fischer. Bruce wants back what Bobby Fischer took with him when he disappeared. An old guy is still playing chess, late at night. Obsessed. Dad decides...

end of act one

30 minutes Dad brings Bruce to Josh's room. Josh plays, Bruce looks around.

Dad talks to Mom about who Bruce used to be. Mom says he's interesting.

Bruce and Josh play Clue. We thought they'd be playing chess. Parents wonder why they didn't talk about chess. Bruce is paid, says to Josh they'll play PacMan next week.

Bruce teaches Josh. Josh says he can't move without moving the pieces, he can't do it in his head. Bruce encourages him. Then knocks the pieces off the board. Josh figures it out, gets a sticker in Bruce's book. Bruce shows him a blank Master Class certificate. Josh had just earned 10 master class points. Certificate goes back in briefcase.

Baseball game. Josh bats. Bruce comes to the game. Talks to parents, saying that he brings his Queen out too early in the game, but the game is not played that way. Asks if they can keep him from playing there. He loves to play in the park, says his mom. Even if Bruce's job is harder.

They are going to a tournament, and Bruce doesn't want Josh to go, nor does he want to go with him. "Don't bring the Queen out too early..."

Hotel. Man asks Dad what Josh's rating is... Dad sees a sign with 15 on it, says this rating is 15. Man is terribly impressed.

Umpire gives the parents the rules, tells them to behave. 40 minutes Tournament. Parents get in fight. Umpire locks parents in basement. Man is nervous, Dad makes him laugh. Man #2 comes in, is really nervous. His son will play Josh... Moves are relayed to parents in basement. Kid says it's over, but doesn't say who won.

Train home. Josh sleeps. Dad inspects little trophy.

Another Bobby Fisher montage.

Chess club. Josh throws his ball. Tournament. This time, Josh wins. Vinny takes him to the park, shows off big trophy. Long montage of throwing ball with Bruce at club. Bruce breaks something... Josh wins big trophy.

School. Dad talks with teacher. She asks about his friendships. Mom says to listen to the teacher. 50 minutes Dad tells teacher that Josh has a gift, and for her to acknowledge that. Dad pastes the teacher, takes Josh out.

Bathroom. Dad talks to Josh about going out of school. They have a Chess class. Josh asks about the yard, which dad says is great. Josh trusts him implicitly.

Kitchen. Mom says it's a mistake. Dad hears.

Park. Vinny asks what was wrong with the old school. Wonders if the new one is better. Asks if Josh is okay. They see a pile of people watching chess, think it's Bobby Fischer. It's another kid, playing the Russian man. Beats him, says "Trick or treat."

Chess club. More lessons, 20 master class points. Kid's father comes with him. Bruce knows him. Jonathan's teacher wants him to join the club, Bruce says to come back in a couple of years. The two boys check each other out... Teacher says that Jonathan doesn't even go to school. Teacher says that J. doesn't give up, unlike Bruce used to.

Dad reads to Josh. Josh asks if Bruce and he are going to the state finals. 60 minutes. Josh says that if he wins, no one will be surprised...but if he loses... Josh is afraid he'll lose.

Fischer montage. Talking about his disappearance. Didn't show up to defend his title.

State Chess finals. Josh loses in seven moves. His father can't believe it. Josh thinks he doesn't really has it. Dad marches around, talks to Josh in the rain... Did you bring your Queen out early. "Maybe he's just better than me?" Dad says no way. Dad is angry. Josh asks why he's standing so far away... Dad says it's okay. Josh says he's sorry.

Bruce talks of Bobby Fischer, says that you have to want to win, you have to work. No more speed chess, no more games in Washington Square, that they are losers. Josh says they're not "potsers." Bruce lines up the pieces, says to Josh that he is the King.

Shot of tournament Jonathan in chair.

Josh didn't consider a move, argues with Bruce, loses master class points.

Josh and Mom walk past Washington Square, and it hurts Josh to pass by.

Bruce tells him that he has to have contempt for and hate his opponents, But Josh doesn't. "Bobby Fischer held the world in contempt." "I'm not him." "You're telling me." Bruce beats him.

Another tournament, Josh loses. More lessons from Bruce. 70 minutes. Josh won't play, wants to know how close he is to getting the certificate, but Bruce won't tell him, doesn't care about it. Gives him ten, twenty certificates, says they mean nothing. Mom walks up. Sends him out of the house. "To put a child in a position to care about winning, and not to prepare him is wrong." She hugs Josh.

Dad and Mom argue. Dad agrees with Bruce. Josh overhears. "He's not afraid of losing, he's afraid of losing your love." Mother says that if you try to beat the decency out of him, she'll take him away.

Bobby Fischer interview. He got serious when he was seven. Some people say he's crazy or dead. Josh thinks he's laying low or getting stronger. Josh plays with no pieces, just writing down the moves. He's totally cleaned up his terribly messy room. Dad comes in, says he wants him to give it up. Josh thinks he has to win, that Dad said he has to win. "It's just a game." "No it isn't."

Josh wakes up and his father is putting his trophies in his bedroom.

Park. Josh comes to play with Vinny. Vinny tells him to risk everything, not to play to lose, but to play to win. They have a great time playing. Dad watches. Josh wins.

Late night, dad's newsroom. Bruce comes. Asks if it's a good idea to go to the park, because he likes playing again. The other boy is not playing speed chess in the park... Bruce says that Josh is going to get killed on Friday. "You have no idea what a fall like that will do" "I think I do." Dad invites him to come, but Bruce says no.

Chicago. Josh tells his friend that they went fishing. It was his dad's idea. They never talked about chess. Vinny is there. Josh sits down to play with a girl. Jonathan plays, watches Josh. Josh has won several games.

Hotel room. Josh stares at his little chess piece. Bruce comes in. Josh says he can't beat him. Bruce gives him a fabulous looking Grand Master diploma. Framed. Made especially. He says he's never been s proud of anyone in his life. Honored to call himself Josh's teacher. Josh says he's scared. Bruce knows, they hug.

Tournament. Jonathan at head table, waiting. Outside, Jonathan's teacher wishes Bruce good luck. [they were nemeses] Vinny understands the head game that Jonathan is playing. The family watches on TV cameras. Vinny wants Josh to bring out the Queen. Bruce doesn't. Josh does. Loses the Queen. We feel certain that it's over, though Vinny says that he's taught Josh to set him up this way... they play, and Josh gets him in check. Josh gets his queen, and Vinny sees it, turning Bruce and Dad back to the game. "Trick or Treat" Josh says. They play. Bruce sees that Jonathan made a mistake. The game is there in 12 moves, if Josh can see it. Bruce talks non stop, and finally, after Josh remembers the blank board, they see on TV that Josh has gotten it. Josh offers him a draw. Jonathan refuses. Josh urges him to take the draw [proving that he is still decent] Josh wins. Says, "Good game."

Everyone floods in, Jonathan's teacher isn't so understanding to him. Josh tells his parents that he tried to give him a way out. Josh's friend watches Josh...

Friend and Josh talk and walk. Josh comforts him. Parents watch from a distance. Josh tells him, "You're a much stronger player than I was at your age."