Soviet Chess 1917-1991

by Andrew Soltis

This large and magnificent work of art is both an interpretive history of Soviet chess from the Bolshevik Revolution to the collapse of the U.S.S.R. in 1991 and a record of the most interesting games played. The text traces the phenomenal growth of chess from the days of the revolution to the devastation of World War II, and then from the Golden Age of Soviet-dominated chess in the 1950s to the challenge of Bobby Fischer and the quest to find his Soviet match. Included are 249 games, each with a diagram; most are annotated and many have never before been published outside the Soviet Union. The text is augmented by photographs and includes 63 tournament and match scoretables. Also included are a bibliography, an appendix of records achieved in Soviet national championships, two indexes of openings, and an index of players and opponents.

Genres: Chess, History, Reference

450 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 1999

Reviews

[Svetlana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Five things to know about this book:
1. This a comprehensive review of the Soviet chess complete with player profiles, accounts of games and rivalries, and a solid narrative.
2. The narrative, though solid, lacks analysis and arguments about the financial and ideological sides of the Soviet chess. One learns about prides and stipends and ideas, but only sporadically so.
3. Andrew Soltis likes to use Russian words and puts in a fair share of funny anecdotes.
4. A little bit more explanation for the people unfamiliar with chess would have been nice.
5. This is a book for chess players interested in history, not for historians, as it lacks proper footnotes and consistent argumentation.

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

An informative volume on the history of Soviet Chess, including the chess program itself and the players. Games are included, but this is a good "read" not a collection of games. Recommended for anyone interested in the Soviet masters or the Soviet chess program.