10 pages of biography & historical background including one game between the two players; 35 games by each player with highly detailed notes to every game; 83 diagrams; openings and player indexes for each player. Much of the material is taken from earlier books published in the former Soviet Union, such as Nikolai Riumin by Ilya Kan and the Master Sergey Belavenyets biography, but with additional material from other sources included. Both players were there at the very beginning of the "Soviet Chess School" but neither lived to see the end of World War II. Pub. 2001, softback, 96 pages.
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Belyavsky is a Ukranian GM who was World Junior Champion in 1973 and has been USSR Champion and a World Championship candidate. Here he annotates 71 of his best games played between 1973 and 1997 and includes brief biographical material and insights into the personalities of other top players he has known. Pub. 1998, softback, 192 pages
Joel Benjamin is one of the most prominent faces in the history of US chess. At thirteen years of age he broke Bobby Fischer's record as the youngest ever national master, and this was followed by countless tournament successes. Perhaps most famously, in 1997 he hit the headlines when he became the chess consultant for IBM's Deep Blue computer, which made history by beating World Champion Garry Kasparov in an epic encounter.
In American Grandmaster, Benjamin takes the reader on a journey through chess adventures spanning more than thirty years. Tracing through his own career, from being a prodigy in the 'Fischer boom' era thorough to an experienced Grandmaster with many titles, Benjamin is in a unique position to highlight the major changes that have occurred both in US and international chess throughout the last four decades.
This book includes:*Instructive annotations of his favourite games*Anecdotes and reflections from thirty years of US and worldwide chess events*New perspectives on the legendary Kasparov-Deep Blue match*Insights into how Grandmasters earn their living*A deep look into the current major issues of chesspub. 2007, softback, 268 pages.
A slim book collecting 64 of Benjamin's best games, each with light annotations and a diagram. Benjamin has twice won the U.S. Championship and competed in 16 consecutive years! Pub. 1998, softback, 42 pages.
This book, which has taken five years to complete, merges the story of Pal Benko's life with games played at the time, contemporary photographs and Benko's reminiscences of people, places and events. The four parts of the book are entitled My Life & Games, Interviews, Pal Benko's Creativity: An Opening Survey (by John Watson) and Chess Problems and Compositions. Pal Benko was born in France in 1928 but grew up in Hungary and only learned to play chess at the age of 10. In 1940 "my whole world turned to hell" as first the Germans and then the Russians invaded Hungary. Benko's Father and brother were sent to a Russian labour camp and his mother died at the age of only 41. After an unsuccessful attempt to defect which resulted in his also being interned in a labour camp, he eventually gained asylum in the U.S.A. in 1957. There he became a strong Grandmaster participating in World Championship qualifiers as well as many international events alongside the strongest players of the day (Fischer, Petrosian, Tal, Spassky, Larsen, Reshevsky etc.). He also created his most famous invention: the Benko Gambit which remains popular and unrefuted to this day. Here Benko tells his life story including his time in Hungary, illuminating insights into the chess masters he has met, his memories of famous tournaments and the chess scene in the USA and Europe. He includes 138 of his best games with extensive annotations, there are interviews with him and friends Larry Evans and Ronald Gross, a survey of Benko's contribution to opening theory and 300 of his problems, puzzles and compositions. This huge work does justice not only to Benko but also to the whole of chess history during the period. A beautifully produced book. Pub. 2004, hardback, 668 pages.
Parts one to four of this book contain games, mostly but not entirely played by Bird, most with annotations, which were selected by Bird "in choice of style and of character most calculated to amuse, interest and instruct." A 19th century English chess master, H E Bird possessed an original playing style and had both an opening (1.f4) and a defence to the Ruy Lopez named after him. This book features clashes with the other leading players of his day including Steinitz, Zukertort, Blackburne, Gunsberg, Paulsen and many others. The final part of the book is devoted to a study of the Evans Gambit with analysis and games played in the opening. In English descriptive notation. (1. P-K4 etc) Pub. 2003, hardback, 204 pages.
A facsimile reprint of a famous book containing over 400 of Blackburne's games, chosen and annotated by himself, together with a brief biography and history of blindfold chess. Manchester born Blackburne was England's strongest player for most of the latter half of the nineteenth century with victories over most of the leading players of the day to his credit. Pub. 2001, hardback, 331 pages.
This book takes up where "Mr. Blackburne's Games at Chess" leaves off in 1900 and includes a selection of Blackburne's best tournament and exhibition games from the latter part of his career. The games feature contemporary annotations. Also included are indexes of openings and opponents, tournament career details 1900-1919 and a brief biographical introduction. Pub. 1998, softback, stapled, 75 pages.
Biography plus 200 annotated wins by Efim Bogoljubow - one of the strongest players in the world during the inter war period. Ukranian born Bogoljubow twice played Alekhine in matches for the World Championship and was twice Soviet Champion as well as winning other major tournaments such as Bad Kissingen 1928 ahead of Capablanca. He was crowned FIDE World Champion after defeating Max Euwe in 1928. This book gives the story of his life and chess career with tournament cross-tables. The games are annotated in symbol notation and indexes of opponents and openings are included. Pub. 2004, softback, 280 pages.
Moldovan Grandmaster Victor Bologan is one of the world's strongest and most dynamic grandmasters. Join him in this book on a highly personal, autobiographical journey, as he annotates 52 of his games, in depth. Each game concludes with a list of lessons which the author thinks should be taken from that game. More importantly, the games are presented against the background of his life, growing up in the former USSR, resulting in one of the most impressive and worthwhile game collections available today. The text and games are well complemented by over thirty photographs, a list of tournament results and indexes of players, openings and even strategic, tactical and psychological techniques. Pub. 2007, softback, 236 pages.
This is Botvinnik's own selection of his best games played before becoming World Champion in 1948. All are fully annotated in Botvinnik's thorough way. The book also includes an article about the development of chess in Russia. A full tournament and match record are included. Botvinnik was one of the most important players of the 20th century. In English descriptive notation. pub. 1960, softback, descriptive notation, 272 pages.
The definitive work on Botvinnik is at last available in English! This is a translation, from Russian, of part one of Botvinnik’s 3 volume autobiography “Analyticheski & Kriticheski Raboti”. The translation is by Dr. Ken Neat and is to his usual high standard. Here we have 121 deeply annotated games, autobiography, tournament cross-tables and several pages of photographs. In this period Botvinnik became USSR Champion, met both Alekhine and Capablanca and took part in strong tournaments such as AVRO and Nottingham. Books don’t come much better than this!pub. 2000, hardback, 392 pages.
The second instalment of Botvinnik's three volume work contains a brief autobiography of the period, 130 annotated games, 16 pages of photographs, tournament and match results together with crosstables and some training games. During this time Botvinnik became World Champion and successfully defended the title twice. He was also Soviet Champion and played in two Olympiads. Botvinnik was a truly "modern" player in that he prepared opening systems extensively and in great depth, examining likely middlegame strategies and even possible endgame positions. This is reflected in his highly instructive annotations which should be read by every ambitious player. Books don't get much better than this! Pub. 2000, hardback, 476 pages.
The final part of the definitive Botvinnik autobiography contains 130 games, annotated by Botvinnik, 24 pages of photographs and all relevant tournament cross tables. During this period Botvinnik played in five World Championship matches, four Olympiads and many other tournaments and team events. A well produced work on one of the twentieth century's greatest players. Pub. 2001, hardback, 464 pages.
Mikhail Botvinnik was the ultimate boy scout of chess - always prepared! Indeed, his advance preparation for his key matches was feared by the greatest. It even involved the radio blaring while he was playing training games as well as having nicotine-puffing opponents blow smoke in his eyes during practice games, in order to acclimatise himself for the real thing. Botvinnik’s training games were a well guarded secret only shared by a few trusty colleagues, such as the Grandmasters Ragozin, Averbakh and Furman. The Soviet state was a monument to paranoia at the best of times, but suspicion multiplied when world titles were at stake and these games have lain hidden for decades after they were played. Botvinnik was World Champion three times, from 1948-1957, 1958 -1960 and 1961 -1963. This book presents 97 of Botvinnik's training games, played between 1936 and 1970, some with annotations but mostly unannotated. Also included are an introduction by Jan Timman, on the theoretical importance of the games and a description by Yuri Averbakh of what it was like to take part in a Botvinnik training match. Pub. 2006, softback, 194 pages.
A classic collection of Bronstein's games beginning 1.P-K4, P-K4; each with a brief introduction telling the story of the game and highlighting critical moments. Games are arranged in order of opening played. In descriptive notation. pub. 1992, softback, 254 pages.
David Bronstein was one of the most original thinkers in the history of chess. After his refusal to denounce Viktor Korchnoi for his defection in 1976, Bronstein was barred from travelling to the West for 13 years. However, after the end of communism, he was free to travel. In this book he describes the chess personalities he met on his travels, in various countries over the past decade, and annotates 29 of his best games from this period. He also recalls the most significant events from his earlier career, gives his impressions of contemporaries such as Larsen, Spassky and Korchnoi (including a secret training match against the latter played in 1971), and expresses his outspoken views on modern chess. Pub. 2007, softback, 232 pages.
This enormous and definitive work on the Englishman Amos Burn assembles and analyzes all extant games and provides a thorough biography of the famous chess master of the 19th and early 20th centuries. It chronicles in exceptional detail the broader picture of chess development throughout that era. Burn was active for a long time, winning victories over such masters as Blackburne, Marshall, Steinitz (his mentor), Alekhine, and Zukertort. He was a fighting player who relished tactical battles against his more romantic rivals but was also one of the world’s best defensive players. He made a number of valuable discoveries in such openings as the Queen’s Gambit Declined and the Ruy López, and even today his name remains associated with a variation of the French Defence.
Burn’s life is painstakingly traced from his birth on the last day of 1848 to his death of a stroke at age 76. The great international tournaments in which he took part are paid particular attention, with extensive quotation of notes by Burn himself and his contemporaries. Where necessary, old analysis is corrected and supplemented. Meticulous research has been undertaken in newspapers and periodicals from various countries where Burn played and traveled, including the United States, with the result that many forgotten games have been unearthed. Precise citations of primary sources are given in all cases.
The book features approximately 800 games played by Burn, almost all of them annotated, 859 chess diagrams, and 209 photographs, indices of openings, annotators, games, players, and general subjects. An appendix describes missing evidence, uncertain games, and further research possibilities. Another appendix lists corrections to game scores published elsewhere and a third gives Burn’s complete tournament and match record.
Author Richard Forster is a computer scientist at Zurich University. He holds the International Master chess title, is the chess correspondent of the Neue Zürcher Zeitung and contributes articles on chess history to various international periodicals. Pub. 2004, hardback, 983 pages.
