Soviet Chess 1917-1991

Thank you, Grandmaster Soltis, for this history of Soviet chess. Their contribution to the game was enormous. it is a shame that only a brief 478 page treatment could be given. This is just the tip of the iceberg, but a good introduction to the 20th century colossus.We hear of the Soviet School, but the masters of the USSR were too varied stylistically and in terms of their personality to create a monolith. As Boris Spassky noted. "The Soviet school of chess means playing every game as if it is the last game of your life." That was not true when playing outsiders. The authorities would often dictate prearranged draws and even thrown games. But when playing each other in Soviet events, it was for blood. Many of the principals truly hated each other. Modern theory is their legacy.

I'm more of a chess/game historian than player. I play so poorly that the pieces spontaneously disintegrate rather than let me move them. But I'm fascinated by how games inhabit society and politics, and on that end this is a vital book, although I'd have liked more about--to use a good Marxist phrase--how the "base" approached chess, rather than the "superstructure" (the grandmasters and apparatchiks). This aspect I'd like to see more of is most apparent in the early chapters, about how chess became a craze.That said, I love it; I'm not sure how much better your game will be by reading this, but if you as a chess player are curious about the world of chess, not just the moves of chess, do read this.

An important reference to chess events in a country with a great chess tradition.

Very deep investigation. A lot of interesting historic details.

This book gives you a look inside Soviet Chess and shows you some good games.

Great Book

If you're interested in some of the best (lesser-known) chess games played during the 20th century, accompanied by lots of context and commentary, then Soltis' book is perfect for you. I hope to read it cover to cover.I do have a slight complaint about the shipping method - it came in a standard padded mailer, which allowed the postman to cram it into my small mailbox. As a result, one of the corners has a bit of warping to it. This is a bit disappointing since this is the second most expensive book I've ever bought.

The Andrew Soltis book Soviet Chess 1917-1941 is a worthwhile book for any chessplayer to read, as well as for any reader of history of the twentieth century. For those of us who learned chess in the Fischer era and remember the Soviet dominance reading of how this state of affairs came to be is fascinating. Never heard of Soviet players and their organizers come to life, and facts that were (sort of) understood by the West are brought to life with greater flair and impact. An example would be the ongoing rivaly between Leningrad and Moscow-well known in matter of politics and culture-also lived on in fierce annual chess matches between the cities.Names like Nicholas Riumin come to life, and Soltis takes us to that time where Riumin stood as good a chance as Botvinnik of becoming the leading light for Soviet Chess. The terrible losses of master class players who died in defense of the USSR against the onslaught of Nazi Germany, and how as many survived as did. Alexander Illyn-Genevsky, who I knew only as a player who scored a massive upset over Capablanaca in the Moscow 1925 tournament, is shown as being a dedicated revolutionary and Marxist who fought with the Red Army and later planted the seeds of the Soviet chess machine.The book also brings to light the various high level organizers-starting with Nikolali Krylenko-built up the Soviet chess hegemony...and how, like so many businesses, it fell apart as the mantle passed to the third and fourth generations. Also brought to light are the ways the system was gamed, and how players could be punished for not following established orthodoxy. The fate of players from the Baltic republics and their players-areas that passed from Soviet control to Nazi control and then back to Soviet control-shows the wide range of how a certain "flexibility" in such matters was exercised for the greater glory of Soviet chess. For every Keres who was allowed to continue to play there was a Petrov who died in a camp due to suspcious behavior.A lot of information, and a lot of games of high quality. Many of the games are apparently published in the west for the first time in this book, and none of the games published are readily well known in the West.I recommend this book highly, but there are enough little issues to only give it four stars. These include a tendency toward dryness based in its "looking in" perspective on Soviet Chess. Interesting stories that could have been melded easily into the book that would give greater detail and color are omitted by this "inclusive look. Example-Soltis includes an example of Fischer saying "I'm sorry" to Mark Taimonov in a 1971 match game for taking advantage of a horrible blunder Taimonov made. Six years later Boris Spassky is in a dead lost position against Vlastimil Hort in their quarterfinal Candidates game, and Hort freezes and loses on time. Spassky offers up the same "I'm sorry" comment. However, this story that would further underscore Spassky's sportmanship, is omitted...as is any mention of the match.There are factual matters that deserved more explanation. Soltis says Krylenko died in prison and gives the date of his death, making it sound like he died of natural causes. The full truth is that Krylenko was tried in a Great Purge trial, found guilty, and executed in a two hour span in the day he "died in prison". Somewhat early in the book Solits writes that the primary record says Illyin-Genevsky died on a supply ship outside Leningrad during a Nazi bombing raid, but that some say he really died in prison as a political prisoner. When Soltis reaches this point chronologically, there is no mention of the alternative story nor of why or why not it should be believed.A lot of information but often very dry and too often does not fully flesh out the facts.

Soltis has lived to his reputation as one of the foremost chess history writers of our day. Highly recommended.