Endgame for king of chess

When Bobby Fischer returned to New York after winning the world chess championship in Reykjavik in 1972, he was presented with the keys to the city. Now, after more than 10 years in exile, all the United States authorities are offering their wayward son is a prison cell. And they will hang on to the keys. The US government's 12-year pursuit of Fischer, considered by many to be the greatest player in chess history, ended this week when he was detained by immigration authorities in Tokyo for trying to leave Japan using an invalid passport. Fischer (61) was detained at Narita International airport on Tuesday as he prepared to board a flight to the Philippines, though his detention was made public on Friday. He faces deportation to the US. The US government has been trying to corner the chess legend since 1992, when he took part in a match -- a rerun of his 1972 clash with former Russian world champion Boris Spassky -- in Yugoslavia in violation of United Nations sanctions. But he had eluded capture by living a peripatetic existence in Hungary, the Philippines and Japan, staying in the homes of friends or in anonymous hotels. It is not known when -- or why -- Fischer moved to Japan. He is reportedly a fan of the country's food and revels in the anonymity of Tokyo. He was using the postal address of the Japan Chess Association late last year, but is thought to have continued to travel abroad regularly to avoid arrest. Fischer faces up to 10 years in jail if found guilty of sanctions-busting.