History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Modern Chess Series, Part 1: Revolution in the 70's (Modern Chess)

Average customer rating:

good book for the serious chess player
Good book, great subject, poor chess proofreading
Kasparov is best when writing and playing on chess!!!
Revolutions in the 70's

Modern Chess Series, Part 1: Revolution in the 70's (Modern Chess)
Garry Kasparov
Manufacturer: Everyman Chess
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1857444221

Book Description

Between 1972 and 1975 alone, progress in the field of opening theory was more significant than in the entire preceding decade! Under the influence of Fischer, who imparted a great impetus to the development of the game, chess was radically regenerated. This process, with increasing acceleration, also continued in later years. As a result, the overall picture in the openings changed almost beyond recognition.

By studying this fascinating book, the reader will certainly learn a great deal, discover things that are unexpected, and see how rapidly and inexorably chess development approached the computer era.

*By the most famous chessplayer of all time
*Part 1 of the Modern Chess Series, follow-up to My Great Predecessors

Customer Reviews:

good book for the serious chess player.......2007-06-22

This book will probably be of most value to serious or aspiring chess players. Kasparov provides an interesting account of advances in chess theory in the 1970s, with a section in which he asked for the opinions of other leading grandmasters whose comments are also enlightening. A book that probably anyone seriously interested in chess and its history will find of interest and value.

Good book, great subject, poor chess proofreading.......2007-06-21

While I enjoy the material covered in this book as much as I have Kasparovs "My Great Predecessor" series', and the GM interviews at the end are delightful, there's numerous errors in the games throughout the book. For instance the Caro-Kann section lists games as starting out as a French (1.e4 e6), and while it's technically possible to transpose into the CK from the French these don't. The errors occur just often enough to be frustrating.

However it's still a great look back through time at the players and theory that shaped the modern game.

Kasparov is best when writing and playing on chess!!!.......2007-04-30

As Igor Stohl aptly commented, Kasparov is doing best on chessboard. Kasparov is arrogrant, that is a fact and sometimes not very cautious in commenting other chess players. But on chessboard and on writing chess, he is in his elements. This reminds me of Bobby Fischer, the behaviour is even more bezairre than Kasparov, but take a look in his " My 60 memborable games ", it seems to be a different person where the comment is candid and impartial. Kasparov also seems now be more rational.
( may be he has retired now???)

Revolutions in the 70's.......2007-04-24

Very inciteful look into the openings played by many grandmasters in the 70's and through today. Gary Kasparov guides you as if personally telling you about systems with exciting games played in them. It reminds me of New In Chess Surveys, but covering the most popular and often played openings explored by the masters. Although sealed in plastic from the publisher I was pleased with the content.

The Immortal Game: A History of Chess, or How 32 Carved Pieces on a Board Illuminated Our Understanding of War, Art, Science and the Human Brain

Average customer rating:

A Wonderful Book About the World of Chess...
SImply Outstanding!
A personal and rather shallow book
A Fun, Not Technical, Chess History -- and MORE!!
We're living through a mini golden age for chess literature

The Immortal Game: A History of Chess, or How 32 Carved Pieces on a Board Illuminated Our Understanding of War, Art, Science and the Human Brain
David Shenk
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0385510101
Release Date: 2006-09-05

Book Description

Why has one game, alone among the thousands of games invented and played throughout human history, not only survived but thrived within every culture it has touched? What is it about its thirty-two figurative pieces, moving about its sixty-four black and white squares according to very simple rules, that has captivated people for nearly 1,500 years? Why has it driven some of its greatest players into paranoia and madness, and yet is hailed as a remarkably powerful intellectual tool?

Nearly everyone has played chess at some point in their lives. Its rules and pieces have served as a metaphor for society, influencing military strategy, mathematics, artificial intelligence, and literature and the arts. It has been condemned as the devil’s game by popes, rabbis, and imams, and lauded as a guide to proper living by other popes, rabbis, and imams. Marcel Duchamp was so absorbed in the game that he ignored his wife on their honeymoon. Caliph Muhammad al-Amin lost his throne (and his head) trying to checkmate a courtier. Ben Franklin used the game as a cover for secret diplomacy.

In his wide-ranging and ever-fascinating examination of chess, David Shenk gleefully unearths the hidden history of a game that seems so simple yet contains infinity. From its invention somewhere in India around 500 A.D., to its enthusiastic adoption by the Persians and its spread by Islamic warriors, to its remarkable use as a moral guide in the Middle Ages and its political utility in the Enlightenment, to its crucial importance in the birth of cognitive science and its key role in the aesthetic of modernism in twentieth-century art, to its twenty-first-century importance in the development of artificial intelligence and use as a teaching tool in inner-city America, chess has been a remarkably omnipresent factor in the development of civilization.

Customer Reviews:

A Wonderful Book About the World of Chess... .......2007-10-02

and what an interesting world it is. An insightful look at the history, pyschology, philosophy, and implications for the future of the world's oldest and greatest game.

This book should please chess lovers, as it is a rare thing in the crowded gamut of chess books... a broad survey of the game. Many of us play the game, and we study chess books and chess software, we play computer progams and human opponents, but perhaps we do not stop to look at the game from a distance. This book does that for us. And there is much we can learn, in my opinion.

Mr. Shenk is a talented and capable writer, and he has done his work well. He builds on his personal relationship with the game. While he is not an avid player, his great great great grandfather was a Grandmaster. The book is a fun to read and a page turner, and while it delights, it also instructs. Not so much as how to play the game, but perhaps why.

Chess is the world's 3rd biggest sport. It was supposed to be killed by the computer - and yet paradoxically the computer has greatly enhanced the game. It is one of the oldest games and yet it defies mastery. This book looks at this and more, from wacky Grandmasters to precocious school kids and dedicated patzers. It examines the history of chess in ancient Persia, to Bobby Fischer versus Spassky in Iceland to Big Blue versus Kasparof in New York.

Most chess books place the game of chess under a "microscope" - they analyze one specific aspect of the game, by breaking the game into pieces with diagrams and algebraic notion. This book is so welcome and necessary because it looks at the big picture of chess... from a distance, through the years, chess through a "telescope".

My only critique is that I wish the book had been even longer!
This book will be of interest to all, from chess expert to novice to the non-player who merely wants an entertaining education about the world's greatest game.

SImply Outstanding!.......2007-09-17

What an outstanding read - part documentary, history, biography and mystery novel. David Shenk has stimulated all of my mental faculities by writing was is arguably one of the most compelling chess history book ever written. From Novice to Grand Master, lots of good moves within this read. Thank you for a job well done!

A personal and rather shallow book.......2007-08-19

Readers looking for a decent history of chess won't find it in this book. They will find a highly personal account of the author's chess experiences and rather indulgent reflections on those experiences, and a grab-bag of topics with some historical connection to chess - but treated in a superficial and almost journalistic style.

The last chapter (Chess and the future of human intelligence) is particularly trivial. Shenk observes a group of kids in an American Chess in Schools program. It is pure mawkisness - perhaps I should say silliness. Dialog is recorded verbatim. Portentious claims are made.

What makes the book interesting is that Shenk intersperses a famous chess game (The Immortal Game between Anderssen and Kieseritzky in 1851) among the otherwise forgettable chapters. One rushes through the chapters just to get to the next phase of this gripping chess game. This was an excellent device to inject interest into what could easily have been a dry, technical account.

The book will interest readers with no knowledge of chess, but who are curious about it and just want an entertaining and interesting read with minimum intellectual demands upon them. Readers who want a more scholarly and coherent account of chess should look elsewhere.

A Fun, Not Technical, Chess History -- and MORE!!.......2007-07-08

When I got this book, my wife took one look at the title and laughed. "A history of chess? Have fun with that." A lot of people will think that about this book, and that's a shame. The Immortal Game is far more than a history of chess.

Shenk does cover a lot of the history of chess. He traces the roots of the game to the Middle East, and traces its spread throughout Europe. But he traces the history of chess through how it is used - chess is used as a metaphor throughout history, and what it serves as a metaphor for tells us a lot about each time period.

Muslims enjoyed chess because it was not a game of chance. It emphasized the idea of personal responsibility and free will over strict determinism and fatalism. Medieval Christians embraced this symbolism as well, even as they changed the pieces to suit their own society (the Elephant of the Muslim game became the Bishop in Christian Europe, for example). Shenk tells of a Dominican monk who wrote what many consider the most influential chess book of all time -- Liber de moribus hominum et officiis nobilium as popularium sive super ludo sacchorum -- which translates as The Book of Morals of Men and the Dutie of Nobles and Commoners, or On The Game of Chess.

Shenk sees chess as a metaphor for life, and the responsibilities of each member of society. He goes so far as to justify the movement of each piece by the role its namesake played in society. Even today, chess is used by psychologists studying human thought processes and how intelligence develops. Computer scientists teach their supercomputers chess in an effort to simulate human consciousness and develop truly artificial intelligence. Elementary school children are taught chess to develop creative thinking skills. Each era adopts chess as its own metaphor, and the game continues to flourish.

Interspersed with the history of the game, Shenk offers a play-by-play of "The Immortal Game," a practice game played by Adolf Anderssen and Lionel Kiesseritzky in 1851. The game began as something of little consequence, played between two acquaintances as they were waiting for the next game of their match, but quickly became something of note. The game has been studied by chess students ever since - Kiesseritzky even published a report in his own chess magazine immediately after it was over.

The Immortal Game is a history of the game of chess, but it's more than just a history. It's an attempt to answer the question, why chess? What has made this game so popular? Why has it lasted for over a thousand years? It's a study of the use of metaphor throughout history. It's a discussion of what intelligence really is. And it's an encouragement to novice chess players all over the world that there is a reason to study this game.

We're living through a mini golden age for chess literature.......2007-03-22

There have been a number of chess books published recently, most of them in expensive hardback format: Bobby Fischer vs. Russians, Kasparov's My Illustrious Predecessors, even Shahade's uneven Chess Bitch. Now add to those titles The Immortal Game, a great overview of chess by David Shenk. The author became interested in chess rather late, and he'll never be a great player, and he knows it. But that doesn't mean the game can't be fascinating. One of the things to take away from this book is you don't have to be a Grandmaster to get a lot of out chess.

The book follows the history of the game as it also tracks one famous encounter between two chess players in 1851. Dubbed "The Immortal Game," it sums up what is so magical about chess--its unpredictability, its sudden reversals, and the feeling that no matter how much you play it, you will never fathom its depths. That's also the point Shenk drives home in the part of the book not devoted to the game, as he looks at how chess has shaped thinking on everything from math to science to social class to warfare to art to computers to psychology. He talks about great achievements brought about by chess, and the game's darker side, which has led to more than one case of madness, more than one suicide, and a reclusive American genius' raving anti-semite comments. No other game, he argues, has impacted the world as much, and few have lasted as long.

This is a well-written book, and very engaging. It does not have to be read by a person deeply-immersed in, and it's not overly-technical. I have to quibble a little about his insistence that chess geniuses are made and not born. While I don't doubt that thousands of hours puts the Garry Kasparovs and Susan Polgars of the world ahead of the rest of us, he ignores the fact that many other a would-be champ devoted equal effort to the game and failed miserably. He also doesn't seem to get that much of the "research" that has "proven" effort over aptitude is effected and infused by social and PC bias of the time, just as research on the subject half a century ago was similarly biased in the other direction. We seem to hesitate to say there may be a "chess gene" because the game is predominantly male and almost completely excludes certain racial groups. Be honest and ask yourself if we'd approach the sport of basketball with the same convictions.

Overall this is a very good book, however, and I recommend it for both the devoted fan and the casual, as well as curious, person, as a fine entertainment. Hopefully we are seeing a chess-publishing revival in the book world, and renewed interest in the game in the U.S.

Average customer rating:

A very personal, enjoyable account of Tal's remarkable 1960 world championship
Fantastic recount of the match by Tal.
The best written WC book of all time
An absolute must buy
Highly Recommended

Tal-Botvinnik, 1960
Mikhail Tal
Manufacturer: Russell Enterprises
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1888690089

Book Description

One of the greatest books ever written about a world championship match. Take a trip with the Magician from Riga as he invites you to share his thoughts and feelings as he does battle for the world title.

International Grandmaster Andy Soltis: "Mikhail Tal's splendid account of his world championship match victory is one of the masterpieces of the golden age of annotation - before insights and feelings and flashes of genius were reduced to mere moves and Informant symbols. This is simply the best book written about a world championship match by a contestant. That shouldn't be a surprise because Tal was the finest writer to become world champion."

Misha is no longer with us, but his highly acclaimed, deeply annotated account of his ascent of Mount Olympus continues to impress and intrigue players of all generations and strengths.

Customer Reviews:

A very personal, enjoyable account of Tal's remarkable 1960 world championship.......2007-02-17

Though the annotations and variations are detailed and full of chess insights, in the end it is the chatty tone and charming frankness of Mikhail Tal that sets this book apart. Yes, you can read it and learn chess, or you can just enjoy the story.
Some of the games are themselves spectacular and suggest fun opening lines that are not always seen. For example, game 1 in the "solid" French features Black sacrificing his kingside pawns to a rampaging queen in return for an opposite side attack. These Qg4 lines you will at least commonly see in books on the French, but Tal's ideas against the equally solid Caro (Ne2, Nf4 and sacrifice on e6) are not as well remembered and lead to some wild, wide-open play that is easily emulated by amateurs.

Fantastic recount of the match by Tal........2006-07-04

Indeed this is a great book and Tal's comments allows a reader to get the feel for what was going on during 1960 Championship Match. You'll get 21 thoroughly annotated games.

I want to warn potential buyers who plan to get a new book directly from Amazon. The new 2003 edition does NOT have the last section "Additional Games" and contains only 212 pages. If you preview Amazon pages, the Table of Contents refers to the 2000 edition and contains that last section. So, buyers beware. I tried Amazon customer service but they have no control over what edition gets picked. In fact, it seems that 2000 edition is no longer available from Amazon.

The best written WC book of all time.......2003-12-27

This has to be the most approachable WC book i've ever read. The annotations are very approachable, even for a weaker player such as myself. Variations are kept within reason. The real nice thing about the book is it gives you this feeling of being there, with Tal setting the scene both in words and with some very nice photographs throughout the book. Highly recommended.

An absolute must buy.......2003-10-15

One of the great World championship matches. Just a great book for any chess player of average or above playing strength.

Highly Recommended.......2003-09-18

As most other reviewers state over and over this is a great chess book. Tal provides insight on why he chose almost every move in his championship games against Botvinik in 1960.

I am a strong expert player. After reading this book, I drew with two IMs in the next tournament I played in, and in both those games I had winning positions when the draw was agreed.

I am not saying that this book will have the same effect on any reader. However, weak squares, strong vs. weak bishops, pawn breaks and a lot of other tactical and positional concepts will implicitely become a part of your chess awareness if you read this book.

Chess enjoyment and implicit teaching are provided by this book. I highly recommend it.

Average customer rating:

Brilliant & Enjoyable

MY GRAT PREDECESSORS, PART 5

A review of the book *AFTER* it's been released!

Kasparov tackles Korchnoi and Karpov

Garry Kasparov on My Great Predecessors, Part 5 (My Great Predecessors)
Garry Kasparov
Manufacturer: Everyman Chess
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Garry Kasparov on Fischer: Garry Kasparov on My Great Predecessors, Part 4 (My Great Predecessors)

Garry Kasparov on My Great Predecessors, Part 3 (My Great Predecessors)

Garry Kasparov on My Great Predecessors, Part 2

Garry Kasparov on My Great Predecessors, Part 1

Garry Kasparov's Greatest Chess Games, Vol. 2

ASIN: 1857444043

Book Description

This book, the fifth in Garry Kasparov's magnificent history of the World Chess Championship, catalogues the "post-Fischer" period in the 1970s and early 1980s. This period was dominated by the Anatoly Karpov (world champion from 1975 to 1985) and his three-time challenger, Viktor Korchnoi.

Anatoly Karpov gained the right to challenge Bobby Fischer for the world title by winning through the Candidates series in 1974. As is well known, Fischer refused to defend the title and in 1975 Karpov became champion "by default." Although he did not have to contest a Championship match to gain the title, Karpov proved that he was a worthy champion by winning virtually every major tournament over the next decade.

In this book, a must for all serious chess players Kasparov analyzes deeply Karpov's greatest games and assesses the legacy of this great Russian genius. Also under the microscope are the games of Viktor Korchnoi who was at his peak during this period and twice challenged Karpov for his world title.

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant & Enjoyable.......2007-08-31

Reviewing Karpov's life and skills from Kasparov's point of view is the most attractive experience that I've had among all massive chess books that have been studied. It's been very enjoyable.

MY GRAT PREDECESSORS, PART 5.......2007-01-05

EXCELLANT BOOK. CLEARLY EXPRESSES THE VIEWS OF MR. KASPAROV. BOOK IN EXCELLANT CONDITION. A MUST READ FOR ALL CHESS ENTHUSIASTS.

A review of the book *AFTER* it's been released!.......2006-03-27

Let me start with the obvious question: Should I buy this book.

YES!

Here's why:

Kasparov has written a series that will keep any chess player busy for years. Yes, he made numerous errors, especially in the earlier volumes. However, he has been learning how to write as he has continued through the other volumes. He has listened to, and responded appropriately to criticisms (especially by including non-Russian predecessors in volume IV).

Volume V is factually much more accurate than any of its predecessors in part because Kasparov was alive and analysing these games as they occurred. The level of his analysis is mind-boggling, and yet he still manages to make the notations readable. Once again, he has used computers to double-check his work, and once again, he has freely used many other people's analysis (usually without crediting them). However, this is clearly Kasaparov's book, and perhaps the single best chess book ever published.

I am sure that players will find errors in this book, but that is the nature of chess and of chess books. Instead of berating the author for his oversights, I plan on having fun seeing if I can spot even one! It may take me a few years, because there is so much meat to it.

There was a review written on March 12, before the book was published, which is basically a re-hash of the old criticisms of previous volumes. I don't think the old criticisms are fair for this new volume. If the previous reviewer has specific examples of sloppiness or careless analysis, I'd like to see them. But let me repeat, I consider this the best chess book ever written.

Kasparov tackles Korchnoi and Karpov.......2006-03-13

The fifth in Kasparov's series on the world champions (and their greatest rivals) focuses on Anatoly Karpov, Kasparov's immediate predecessor and greatest rival, and Karpov's own bete noire, the great defector, Viktor Korchnoi.

Korchnoi and Karpov pose interesting challenges compared to Bobby Fischer, the main subject of Vol. 4 in the series. For starters, each has played well over 3,000 "official" games, compared to fewer than 800 for Fischer! Second, they are probably of less interest to Western readers than Fischer. But that is the readers' loss, for both are fascinating characters, as well as great chessplayers. Their world championship match in 1978 in Baguio, the Phillipines, was surely one of the bitterest, as well as most bizarre, encounters in the history of chess. Moreoever, in contrast to Fischer, who took long absences from competition and stopped playing altogether at the age of 29, both have maintained their strong play over decades.

Kasparov seems to have done a competent job showing the competitions and controversies of both men, including the manuverings that led FIDE to strip Fischer of the title and award it to Karpov, Korchnoi's 1976 defection and the subsequent "boycott" of him by the Soviet players, Karpov and Korchnoi's emergence as the leading players after Fischer's disappearance, and the eclipse of the former champion, Boris Spassky.

But the critical aspect of a book like this is the annotations. As with Vol. 4, I think the verdict is that they are excellent, with some reservations. Looking at the annotations for one of Karpov's famous wins, Karpov-Timman, Montreal 1979, I think some of the criticisms that have been made of earlier volumes still hold good -- he (or his assistant Plisetsky) relies heavily on earlier analysis by Dvoretsky and Karpov, adding what looks like a lot of Fritz-analysis to the opening. (That said, it's a great game, and Dvoretsky's and Karpov's comments are fascinating.) Turning to the analysis of some of the games from the Karpov-Spassky match in 1974, however, Kasparov's hand is much more apparent. The analysis of Game 3 -- Karpov's first victory after an opening-game defeat -- is tremendous, not just in terms of variations but in the first-rate explanation of both sides' strategic plans. I hope the rest of the analysis in the book is more like Karpov-Spassky than Karpov-Timman, but either way I am very glad to have the book.

The Turk: The Life and Times of the Famous Eighteenth-Century Chess-Playing Machine

Average customer rating:

By-the-numbers short history
I bought this book from here (AMAZON) and revealing secret
The man machine says yes
I confess I read the last two chapters first
Theory of a Magician. Of how the Turk Worked.

The Turk: The Life and Times of the Famous Eighteenth-Century Chess-Playing Machine
Tom Standage
Manufacturer: Berkley Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0425190390
Release Date: 2003-08-05

Book Description

This is the true account of the 18th-century mechanical man, powered by clockwork, dressed in a Turkish costume, and capable of playing chess. Created by a Hungarian nobleman, the machine-man known as The Turk traveled Europe and America, made the acquaintance of Benjamin Franklin, Catherine the Great, Napoleon Bonaparte, and Edgar Allan Poe.

Customer Reviews:

By-the-numbers short history.......2006-07-15

A short and easy read recounting the history of the chess-playing automaton. I'm surprised at how workmanlike this book is. It reads like a very good graduate student's work: readable, but unimaginative prose. Facts follow facts in a relentlessly straightforward way. Not that straightforward facts are bad, but it's tedious to read "first this happened, then this happened,then something else happened." It's clear that this book's little more than a distillation of an existing body of historical work on the Turk.

It's really dissapointing that the author doesn't bother to explore the Turk's role in the history of technology beyond some general mentions of how more sophisticated gears and cams were later adopted in other areas. Ho-hum.

Much more interesting would be a consideration of the Turk as the starting point for the relationship of technology and marketing, or how the sort of road-trip showcase Kempeln took to show off his invention is *exactly* how hopeful technology inventors still pitch ideas to investors. The final chapter discusses IBM's Deep Blue, a machine that really did play chess, and well, but it's perfunctory, mostly there to say, "...and finally Kempeln's vision came true. The End."

What caught my interest was the role that stage magic played in Kempeln's shows. "Magic" is one of the most enduring and compelling metaphors in technology--it continues to be evoked in product names, marketing materials, and product interfaces--and it seems clear that the Turk and other automata were the first peices of complex technology that used the promise of "magic" and the techniques of the stage-conjurer to find an audience.

I'd hoped those were the sorts of ideas Standage would explore here, as Simon Signh's jacket blurb suggests. Too bad.

I bought this book from here (AMAZON) and revealing secret.......2006-06-05

I read this book, and Yes there was a man in the Turk. In the later chapters it said that the man was French(the operator inside the Turk. He was a strong chess player), the assistant person who was with Maelzel and they toured America (the big cities, like the big Apple, and Philadelphia, and Boston). You can say that he was like the David Lee Roth of his time. He was able to draw crowds to his machine...his machine was very elaborate in dress and Maelzel had a way with words so the living legend lived until Maelzel's assistant died and that was when things went down hill for the operator Maezel. Maelzel died at sea and his body was casted into the ocean . The last owners were the Mitchell's but they did not bring fame and fortune when they got hold of the Turk. The man inside was simply in a crowded position but the size of the so called Turk machine was able to hide him, and the crowds who watched this machine never found out the secret. The Mitchells' exposed the secret but for some strange reason it never clicked with the people, they wanted more. In the end, the Turk was burned in an accident in the city of Philadephia, it was stored in a Chinese Museum.

Oh yes, this fantastic book states that the American's, inventor's by the name of Walker, the Walker Brother's created their own Turk, it was called the "American chess player." It was the rival to the Turk but in the end (rumor has it) that the American Chess player was bought by Maelzel and was destroyed by him. The first owner and creator was Wolfgang Kempelen but then with time it came to different hands, and then it ended in the hands of Maelzel. The Mitchell family got hold of it, but one can say that the secret was never exposed to them because Maelzel disintergrated the machine, and confused it with his other machines so the new owners who would get it would never know the true original secrets of the Original Turk. The Mitchell's guessed at the answer and rebuilt the Turk, but when they exposed their secret to their so called fans, fans really did not buy it. The secrets to this book are in the end chapters, but the whole beginning chapters are really interesting. The writer has alot of flash- in his writing. It keeps you glued. I recommend this to you. I am not being stingy but i want people to know this secret (from the book). Ten stars. Super excellent.

The man machine says yes.......2006-01-30

While we tend to get hung up on the notion of what exactly pure AI is, this book brings us back to square one. Reading the account of The Turk and his exploits it's fascinating to note how little artificial intelligence has changed in 200 years. Regardless of how many advancements have been made in research labs and universities around the world, much of the experience still comes down to trickery orchestrated by humans. The seemingly intelligent Honda robot Asimo is governed by a remote operator. Even less explicit systems such as pattern recognition and neural nets are governed by invisible human hands in the form of their design. Although we've come a long way in terms of technology and computation, anything as fanciful as The Turk is still a long way off.

Tracing the illustrious path of The Turk and his relcutant creator's own life proved to be a rewarding read. The fact that the material here runs a parallel course of science and magic speaks volumes. There's a lot of ground covered; it's well paced and told with a touch of enthusiasm. The sheer number of people The Turk engaged, inspired and challenged is monumental. Considering its subsequent influence on such visionaries as Charles Babbage and Alexander Graham Bell it's a shame that von Kempelen and his most famous creation are widely unknown.

I confess I read the last two chapters first.......2005-12-10

I bought this book because the review in Book Lust got me interested. It arrived and I read the last two chapters first I wanted to know the secret ( and no, I am NOT telling). If the rest of the book is a good as the last two chapters I'll be content.

Theory of a Magician. Of how the Turk Worked. .......2005-06-11

It turns out that the Turk was operated by A human person named "Worousky," he was a polish soldier who by accident got his legs cut off in a fight incident. He was treated by A Russian doctor named Osloff, and during this recovery he was taught to play chess by his medic and with time became a skilled player. Kempelen one day would visit Russia because he wanted to learn Russian and while he was there he came across Worousky, the polish soldier, and this was how he got inspired; when it came to building the Turk. The size of Worousky fit perfectly inside this automaton. The automaton was just a machine not a machine with life. It was human powered but it fooled people quite well, even the rich elite of the past(ignorance of the sciences from their part.) The Turk beat Napoleon Bonapart,but defeated by Worousky himself. One has to think that technology/engineering was a head of its time during that time but not that ahead, everything was still with levers, steam, and old fashion clocks......In todays time one can make a Turk 2, and place inside a person who is like 4 feet tall, as well as he or she being talented in chess. Just think about it. If Worousky had no legs in times past, what would he do according to theory? He most likely would play chess alot. Todays masses are not naive...they are a smart population who know about engines, and frauds, etc. (Maybe if the population were ignorant, a Turk 2 could become an instant hit.) This is like what happened in the wild west days about traveling vendors who went to towns selling their "magic" potions that could heal you, and make you healthy once again. The great thing about the machine (this automaton Turk) was that it inspired people to invent things, etc. Read the book.

Average customer rating:

Most Extensive History and Development of Early Chess
More than you ever wanted to know about Chess
Monumental book on the history of chess

History of Chess
Harold J. Murray
Manufacturer: Benjamin Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0936317019

Customer Reviews:

Most Extensive History and Development of Early Chess.......2006-06-21

"H. J. Murray's" "HISTORY OF CHESS" is considered by all serious chess historians to be the classic work covering the early development and progression of chess. It is a very extensive and scholarly written work. This book is not intended to entertain the reader with "odd, but true" stories or myths about chess. It is an informative guide and reference book for the serious chess historian. The most extensive work on a more modern history of chess (1800s onward) is "THE CHESS KINGS" by Calvin Olson. However, in addition to being scholarly and accurate, it contains annotated games of historical importance while making the history of the world championship level chess entertaining. Together these books form comprehensive coverage of chess history from its beginnings traced back to around 600 a.d. to the turn of the 21st century.

More than you ever wanted to know about Chess.......1999-05-21

Murray has written a truly monumental description of the evolution of chess, filled with descriptions of ancient and oriental variations on the theme of chess. It can be a hard read in places, but it's well worth the effort. The section on Shogi (Japanese Chess) gives an introduction to a game every bit as deep and satisfying as Western Chess.

Monumental book on the history of chess.......1996-08-15

This book is a reprint of Murrays monumental work, first published in 1913. Murray is a scientist, and his writing shows this: we have discussions about legibility of manuscripts, theories of the spreading of chess, etc.

What we find in all this is a thorough and precise account of how chess came into existence, and has spread over the world. Where many books on the history of chess are best in describing the modern history, this book is best in telling about the roots. Also, we find hunderds of historic chess puzzles. If you really want to know how the origins of the best game there is are, then read this book.

Average customer rating:

A brilliant work of excellence!

If not for the Cold War, many Americans might have rooted for Spassky

Outstanding book.

Coffee, Chess and Politics

"Our story is in essence a tragedy"

Bobby Fischer Goes to War: How A Lone American Star Defeated the Soviet Chess Machine (P.S.)
David Edmonds , and John Eidinow
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Bobby Fischer: The Wandering King

Wittgenstein's Poker: The Story of a Ten-Minute Argument Between Two Great Philosophers

The Chess Artist: Genius, Obsession, and the World's Oldest Game

Bobby Fischer: Profile of a Prodigy (Revised Edition)

The Immortal Game: A History of Chess, or How 32 Carved Pieces on a Board Illuminated Our Understanding of War, Art, Science and the Human Brain

ASIN: 0060510250
Release Date: 2005-03-01

Book Description

In the summer of 1972, with a presidential crisis stirring in the United States and the cold war at a pivotal point, the Soviet world chess champion, Boris Spassky,and his American challenger, Bobby Fischer, met in Reykjavik, Iceland, for the most notorious chess match of all time. Their showdown, played against the backdrop of superpower politics, held the world spellbound for two months with reports of psychological warfare, ultimatums, political intrigue, cliffhangers, and farce to rival a Marx Brothers film. Thirty years later, David Edmonds and John Eidinow have set out to reexamine the story we recollect as the quintessential cold war clash between a lone American star and the Soviet chess machine. A mesmerizing narrative of brilliance and triumph, hubris and despair, Bobby Fischer Goes to War is a biting deconstruction of the Bobby Fischer myth, a nuanced study on the art of brinkmanship, and a revelatory cold war tragicomedy.

This P.S. edition features an extra 16 pages of insights into the book, including author interviews, recommended reading, and more.

Customer Reviews:

A brilliant work of excellence!.......2007-04-06

This is the 2nd book I read by these 2 prize-winning journalists and authors and I praise this work once again as a brilliant tour of famous chess match between Spassky and Fischer!
The book has multiple focuses. While the matches themselves are not described in stark detail, the atmosphere around is. Included in this are brief biographies of these 2 chess superstars, pre-match and post-match reactions as well as its influence and possible involvement in the Cold War.

In it, one discovers the passive, gentle and cordial personality of Spassky - a gentlemanly figure, in contrast to a demanding, bad-boy personality, yet a prodigy, of Bobby Fischer. The book recounts all the relevant events prior to this championship in Iceland in 1972, as well as reactions to it afterward. While there is some allusion to the matches themselves, as well as precise moves and brief analysis, the book in no way targets chess players as their primary readers. The book is targeted for anyone interested in history, particularly one having to do with chess and Cold War.

The book is a real page turner and hard to put down. The style has a fast pace to it, yet thorough enough to capture even minute details. Overall, a great read for anyone and I highly recommend it!

If not for the Cold War, many Americans might have rooted for Spassky.......2007-03-31

And some did, anyway!

Learn why, in this great combination biography of Fischer, biography of Spassky, and analysis of the 1972 showdown in Iceland.

To take an analogy from the same year, this was like the Soviet-US basketball showdown at the Munich Olympics.

And, while the chess championship wasn't rigged, due to his own and his camp's incessant hectoring, especially in getting Game 3 moved to a back room, Fischer was probably dissuaded from walking out from the match.

As it was, he lost Game 1, forfeited Game 2, then roared back to score over half the remaning points scored, losing only once, while winning 9 and drawing 7.

It's probably the most impressive display of chess ever, culminating from a start of Fischer "sweeping" the first two matches in the Candidates' series to earn the right to face Spassky.

Then you have Spassky, who considered himself a Russian first, a Soviet second, and wasn't on perfect terms with the Soviet sports hierarch. A Spassky who was pretty much a "normal" human compared to the average populace and definitely to Fischer.

And, that's the other good part. Briefly but precisely, the authors sketch Fischer's development from childhood, and even spring new evidence about who was actually his biological father.

If you want to learn more both about the contestants and the importance of this match, read this book.

Outstanding book........2007-02-03

Is it possible to make a book about chess that is a gripping read? Even for a reader not that familiar with, or interested in, the game itself? This book answers with an emphatic "Yes".
I was 16 in 1972, an avid (though very mediocre) chess player, and a very close observer of the events recounted in this book. The authors do not exaggerate the importance that this match took on the world stage. Fischer's victory was indeed viewed as a great triumph in the US, on a par with the 1980 Olympic hockey "miracle on ice". But it has taken the passage of time to put everything in perspective. Fischer was a brilliant player, maybe the best of all time; but his antics that were then viewed as idiosyncracies, as the spoiled behavior of the prima donna sportsman, can now -- in view of his behavior of the last 30 years -- be seen as the early signs of absolute craziness (pardon the layman's term, I'm not a psychologist). The guy was, in a word, nuts.
A story of triumph and tragedy, and very well told -- it makes for a completely absorbing read.

Coffee, Chess and Politics .......2007-01-24

I was in a coffee shop last weekend when I noticed two men playing Chess near the cream and sugar counter. A small but intent group had huddled around their table quite captivated by the game. Memories of Bobby Fischer came to mind. I also watched the game for a while and then decided to visit my local bookstore and just by happenstance I saw "Bobby Fischer Goes to War" and picked up a copy. It is very interesting reading. Bobby Fischer's 1972 match with the Soviet Boris Spassky held in Reykjavik, Iceland is legendary. Spassky, the world chess champion, certainly seemed the gentleman and Fisher was billed as the young Chess prodigy. To me Chess was always a game played by elitists or other higher order members of the social ladder. In reality that is truly not the case. If there is anything elite about the game or those who play it, it is the social refinement that one takes away from the chess board. There is a certain amount of respect that one experiences and earns that should be used in a higher order of one's conduct as a person. From this book Spassky seems to fit that picture, but Bobby Fischer is anything but. Fischer had a deep intuitive intellect for the game but his social upbringing and behavior seemed rather crude and almost not worthy of the game. His behavior during the match seems embarrassing and nothing honorable as demonstrated by Spassky. Fischer seems to have learned none of finer aspects of being a participant and journeyman of the game. This is a good book and brings many avenues of thought ion this history making Chess match.

"Our story is in essence a tragedy".......2006-12-23

Fischer/Spassky was a seminal event of my childhood. I was 10 going on 11 at the time. It's tough to explain to people today how the whole event held everyone in its spell. This retrospective look at the event and its implications is a great piece of journalism by writers David Edmonds and John Eidinow. Of course, they had no cooperation from the famously vituperative Fischer. Spassky - the perfect gentleman as always - was obviously inordinately helpful in piecing together the story.

I think the best line summing up the tenor of the book is by lyricist Tim Rice, who based his muscial 'Chess' partly on Fischer/Spassky. Rice says "The good guy was the Russian who was meant to be the bad guy, and the bad guy was the American, who was meant to be the good guy. It was all very confusing and a perfect illustration of how politics creeps into everything."

Edmonds and Eidinow summarize things perfectly: "Boris Spassky went to Reykjavik to celebrate chess. Bobby Fischer went to fight. His version of the match triumphed." For this reason, the authors declare that "our story is in essence a tragedy." Read their fine work, and you'll surely agree with this assessment.

Behind Deep Blue: Building the Computer that Defeated the World Chess Champion

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The soul of a new chess player
A really good read...
Very good book.
The soul of a new chess player
A thoroughly engaging and candid account

Behind Deep Blue: Building the Computer that Defeated the World Chess Champion
Feng-Hsiung Hsu
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0691090653

Book Description

On May 11, 1997, as millions worldwide watched a stunning victory unfold on television, a machine shocked the chess world by defeating the defending world champion, Garry Kasparov. Written by the man who started the adventure, Behind Deep Blue reveals the inside story of what happened behind the scenes at the two historic Deep Blue vs. Kasparov matches. This is also the story behind the quest to create the mother of all chess machines. The book unveils how a modest student project eventually produced a multimillion dollar supercomputer, from the development of the scientific ideas through technical setbacks, rivalry in the race to develop the ultimate chess machine, and wild controversies to the final triumph over the world's greatest human player.

In nontechnical, conversational prose, Feng-hsiung Hsu, the system architect of Deep Blue, tells us how he and a small team of fellow researchers forged ahead at IBM with a project they'd begun as students at Carnegie Mellon in the mid-1980s: the search for one of the oldest holy grails in artificial intelligence--a machine that could beat any human chess player in a bona fide match. Back in 1949 science had conceived the foundations of modern chess computers but not until almost fifty years later--until Deep Blue--would the quest be realized.

Hsu refutes Kasparov's controversial claim that only human intervention could have allowed Deep Blue to make its decisive, "uncomputerlike" moves. In riveting detail he describes the heightening tension in this war of brains and nerves, the "smoldering fire" in Kasparov's eyes. Behind Deep Blue is not just another tale of man versus machine. This fascinating book tells us how man as genius was given an ultimate, unforgettable run for his mind, no, not by the genius of a computer, but of man as toolmaker.

Customer Reviews:

The soul of a new chess player.......2007-03-25

Feng-Hsiung Hsu's story will appeal to anyone who enjoyed Tracy Kidder's Soul of a New Machine or Steven Levy's Hackers. The book captures the thrills and spills of an intellectual steeplechase. Along the way, it reveals the inner workings of the computer science department at Carnegie Mellon University. It's a great read. Feng-Hsiung Hsu, if you're reading this and you ever find yourself in Hortonville, Wisconsin, the first cup of coffee is on me.

A really good read..........2006-04-19

Behind Deep Blue was written by the man who lead the research and development team which created the chess computer that beat the World Chess Champion, Gary Kasparov. Hsu tells a lot of fascinating stories about his involvement with IBM, academia and the world of computer-vs-computer chess tournaments. It never got too bogged down in computer or chess jargon.

Some interesting things concerning the identity of Deep Blue (or computers in general) emerge from Hsu's story. Hsu speaks of his computers' identities in ways which facilitate his sportsmanship. So for instance, almost every time one of Hsu's computers loses a game it is retrospectively explained by reminding the reader that the computer had been regrettably forced to play when it still needed a few more weeks of software or hardware tweaking. It never lost because it was an inferior machine - it lost because its superiority could not manifest because its update/debugging had been interrupted by the tournament schedule. As the book makes clear, Hsu's computers were continuously undergoing relentless tweaking, providing Hsu with this excuse every single time one lost. This may be par for the course when diagnosing machines - since any sub-desired performance which can be corrected can, therefore, be "explained" as the unfortunate consequence of the machine's present uncorrected state. For humans it's different. When I lose a foot-race I can't say, "Well the only reason I lost is because this race was scheduled a few years before my training made me fast enough to win it."

Another fascinating element of the book is Hsu's recounting of Deep Blue's now-famous rejection of 36. Qb6 in game two against Kasparov in the 1997 match. Kasparov broadly hinted that the computer's decision not to move that way was a human decision - implying that the IBM team had cheated. Hsu's defense of Deep Blue is convincing. But there is raised an interesting point regarding computer intelligence. If Deep Blue did in fact choose to avoid 36. Qb6 without human intervention then Kasparov's heartfelt identification of the move as cheating has Deep Blue passing a simple version of a Turing Test.

Very good book........2005-12-07

I have prurchased this book to improve my english language.
Yhe same talks about two subjects that I know: computers and chess.
It was a good surprise read this enjoyable work which offers information, stories and knowledge.
The author explains very clear the roots of Deep Blue and reflects the environment of Top chess.

Read it!

The soul of a new chess player.......2005-06-02

A thoroughly engaging and candid account.......2004-11-09

Taiwanese-born Feng-Hsiung Hsu has written a most engaging and readable account of how Deep Blue came to be, and how it defeated world chess champion Garry Kasparov in perhaps the greatest chess match of all time. I say "perhaps" because there are many who still consider the 1972 encounter at Reykjavik, Iceland between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky to be the greatest match ever. One thing both matches had in common, in addition to a worldwide audience, is two deeply suspicious and idiosyncratic geniuses, Kasparov and Fischer.

However, while Fischer's triumph rejuvenated interest in chess, especially in the US, Kasparov's defeat, many fear, may have rung the death knell for the ancient game. Before Deep Blue's victory, it was easy to imagine that the human mind was light-years ahead of any artificial intelligence. After Kasparov slunk off mumbling vague charges of human intervention ("cheating"), it became necessary to face the possibility that machine intelligence was on its way to exceeding that of humans.

But what did the match really prove? According to Hsu himself, the triumph of Deep Blue "might be the more important human achievement when all was said and done." (p. 256) By a "more important human achievement," he means, more important than the one that would have been Kasparov's had he won.

This I think is the crux of the matter. Deep Blue, an IBM computer of enormous power, is the product of human minds and human engineering. Look at it this way: as computers become more and more powerful and their algorithms become more and more sophisticated, there will be no thought at all that a human might compete with them at chess. It would be like expecting the world's fastest human to beat a motor car in a race. Or for the world's best human calculator to add numbers faster than a personal computer.

In a deeper sense what was destroyed by this match was not human intellectual superiority but the delusion that somehow a board game--even the greatest board game ever invented--is a true measure of human intelligence. Quite simply, the ability to play chess at the highest level is only one talent, similar to (but different from) the ability to play the violin or to run fast. More significant is the greater human ability to conceive and build a machine that does something better than humans can do themselves.

Hsu's account includes a lot of information about his personal adventures in academia and the corporate structure, including rivalries with others in the race to build the ultimate chess-playing computer. He is candid, and self-revelatory to a surprising degree, and it is this candor that helps to make this a fascinating read, not only for computer specialists and chess players, but for anyone interested in how the human competitive spirit works. His portrait of Garry Kasparov--perhaps the strongest chess player of all time--captures the arrogant, suspicious genius at his most human and makes it clear how he came to lose a match he fully expected to win.

Ah, the match itself! The book includes the moves of the games in an appendix, but one can readily see that the match turned on two very strange decisions by the hitherto nearly invincible Kasparov. Strange to say, it appears that Kasparov lost the match mainly because of poor psychological decisions. In game two, believing that he was lost, mainly because he believed that the computer would not have made the move it had made had there been a perpetual check available to the human player that would have drawn the game, Kasparov resigned. However, the machine had erred, and there was a way to draw the game. Against a human opponent, I believe that Kasparov would have closely investigated that line and found the drawing resource.

In the final game again Kasparov made a decision based on what he thought was the nature of the way computers play chess. He allowed a sacrificial line as Black in the Caro-Kahn Defense, a line that he believed Deep Blue would never play since computers are notoriously bad at figuring out how to conduct a complicated attack. Indeed, commercial chess software for PCs typically exclude this line from their opening repertoire so as not to burden the program! So Kasparov thought in playing 7... h6 that Deep Blue would retreat its knight giving Kasparov easy equality. Instead Deep Blue plunged in with 8. Nxe6! Eleven moves later Kasparov resigned--easily one of the quickest defeats of his career.

So, with better decisions, based on sound chess and NOT on mistaken preconceptions about Deep Blue's prowess, Kasparov might have won the match. However, the irony is that it is unlikely that there ever will be another match between the world chess champion and a machine simply because Kasparov and the whole chess world know that the ultimate victory of machine over man, in the arcane test of will and calculation that is chess, is inevitable. But what we also know is that it doesn't matter. We still hold races between humans even though our machines can easily out distant them. And humans will continue to play chess even though they would have no chance against a computer because chess is first and foremost a human sporting event, a test of mental strength and skill much as a boxing match is a test of physical strength and skill.

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Picture History of Chess
Fred Wilson
Manufacturer: Dover Pubns
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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