Chess: An Illustrated History

by Raymond D. Keene

Traces the history of the game, describing its origins, its rapid development during the Renaissance, early and modern tournaments, and the use of computers

Genres: Chess

128 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 1990

Reviews

[Sharon Barrow Wilfong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keene is a Chess Master and what he says about the history of chess, starting back in India and the Middle East; and especially his timelines starting in the 19th century of International Chess tournaments is fascinating. But the real gem of this book is the large, glossy color photos of chess sets from all over the world. The photos are alone worth the price of the book (which I got dirt cheap, used on Amazon hee, hee).

For the entire review cut and paste the following link to my blog post:

http://sharonhenning.blogspot.com/201...

[S'hi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written by the International Grandmaster of London, this is a book which goes into the detailed history and speculation of the game of chess. There are comparisons to others games throughout the whole rim of the Mediterranean, as well as early connections with Indian games and influences into China and Japan. A few documented plays of earlier forms of chess and its Indian predecessor Shatranj are given, so that readers may try them out on their own boards to gain insight and a better feel for the deep roots of these games.
While it is very well illustrated, including many photos or reproductions of pieces and the settings in which games would have been played throughout the centuries, the text is interrupted by having to turn three pages at a time to finish a sentence on a number of occasions.
Giving an insight into the politics behind the development of the game, as well as the shifts in interest for it and the nature of participation throughout different countries, this is a valuable book for building a depth of experience and interest for readers 10 years up to adult.
May be appreciated as a coffee table book for browsing at times, and more intensely for studying strategies at others. A great stepping stone to other books in a variety of directions.