| Description |
416 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references and index. |
| Contents |
Human and Computer Assistance -- Losing Benonis to Kasparov -- Five Stories and Their Positions -- Two Rogue Sozins -- Tactical Snippets -- Beware the Sickly Pawns -- Assorted Endings -- Six Quirky Games -- Kyle's Brilliancy -- Blunders -- Perfect Sicilian Massacres -- Rook Endings -- Impressions of the Greats -- Rebutting the Rotten Réti -- Just Kings and Pawns -- Pressing an Edge -- Two Loud Pianos -- Underpromotion -- Rook & Bishop vs. Rook & Bishop Endings -- Doubleheader in Milwaukee -- More Tactical Snippets -- Norwood -- The Closest I Came to Cheating -- Foolish Drinker, Optimistic Patzer -- The Best I Played in Chess -- Adjournments -- Principles of Play -- Book Recommendations. |
| Summary |
"At the U.S. Championship in 1989, Stuart Rachels seemed bound for the cellar. Ranked last and holding no IM norms, the 20-year-old amateur from Alabama was expected to get waxed by the American top GMs of the day that included Seirawan, Gulko, Dzindzichashvili, deFirmian, Benjamin and Browne. Instead, Rachels pulled off a gigantic upset and became the youngest U.S. Champion since Bobby Fischer. Three years later he retired from competitive chess, but he never stopped following the game. In this wide-ranging, elegantly written, and highly personal memoir, Stuart Rachels passes on his knowledge of chess. Included are his duels against legends such as Kasparov, Anand, Spassky, Ivanchuk, Gelfand and Miles, but the heart of the book is the explanation of chess ideas interwoven with his captivating stories. There are chapters on tactics, endings, blunders, middlegames, cheating incidents, and even on how to combat that rotten opening, the Réti. Rachels offers a complete and entertaining course in chess strategy. At the back are listed 110 principles of play -- bits of wisdom that arise naturally in the book?s 24 chapters. Every chess player will find it difficult to put this sparkling book down. As a bonus, it will make you a better player." -- From publisher's description. |
| Subject |
Rachels, Stuart, 1969-
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Chess players -- Alabama -- Biography.
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Chess -- Collections of games.
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| ISBN |
9789056918811 (paperback) |
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9056918818 (paperback) |
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