"Endgame" by Frank Brady is an intricate exploration of the paradox that was Bobby Fischer, a child prodigy turned chess world champion, whose life story unfurls like a complex chess game itself. Brady, who has known Fischer since he was ten, delves deep into the life of a man whose intellectual brilliance on the chessboard was unmatched, capturing his meteoric rise from an impoverished Brooklyn childhood to becoming a global icon of the Cold War era. Through exclusive access to the Fischer family archives, FBI files, and Bobby's personal communications, Brady paints a comprehensive picture of a man who, despite his fame and unmatched talent, spiraled into a world of paranoia and reclusion, turning away from a society that revered him. The narrative not only chronicles Fischer's legendary victory over Boris Spassky in 1972—a match that transcended the chessboard to become a symbol of the ideological battle between the US and the Soviet Union—but also traces his alarming descent into obscurity. Refusing million-dollar endorsements and increasingly consumed by bizarre conspiracies, Fischer's life after chess became a tale of wasted potential and erratic behavior. Yet, Brady's portrayal is compassionate, suggesting that Fischer's ultimate legacy is not solely his downfall but the indelible mark he left on the world of chess and the complex questions about genius, fame, and humanity his life story raises. "Endgame" is not just a biography of a chess legend; it is a nuanced study of the fragile line between brilliance and madness, capturing the tragic endgame of a life that once held so much promise.