Bobby Fischer

Bobby Fischer became the most explosive chess prodigy America ever produced, youngest US Champion at 14 and International Grandmaster at 15. His 1972 World Championship match against Boris Spassky — in Reykjavik at the Cold War’s peak — drew over 100 million viewers, with Fischer winning 12.5–8.5. His 1970–71 qualifying run is the most dominant short-term performance in chess history: 20 consecutive wins and 6–0 sweeps over Taimanov and Larsen, a feat unmatched by any player on this list in terms of perfect streak length at that level, and outperforms #3 Garry Kasparov’s 1990-93 peak streak by over 80% in consecutive wins against elite opposition.