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The Greenbecker Gambit
‘I only feel truly alive when the chess clock is ticking and the patterns on the squares in front of me are dancing in my head. Very little else gives me the same feeling. Nothing else, that does not involve a flame.’ Tennessee Greenbecker is bravely optimistic as he sets out to claim what he sees as rightfully his – the title of world chess champion. But who is he really? Is he destined to be remembered as chess champion or fire-starter? Either way might this finally be his moment? ‘A chess-playing delusional pyromaniac – what could possibly go wrong? If chess is a metaphor for life, Graff has weaved his magic and brought the two together – with far-reaching consequences. Compellingly dark and disturbing, Graff’s insight into madness will have you on the edge of your seat. A tremendous read.’ Carl Portman – ‘Chess Behind Bars’ ‘A tragicomic tale of a fading chess player, set against the background of a vividly-realised London. Graff writes brilliantly about life and chess, and Tennessee Greenbecker is destined to become one of the characters of our time.’ Harper J. Cole – ‘Subcutis’ ‘Graff has created an unforgettable chess anti-hero; his novel is amusing, affecting, and as addictive as internet blitz.’ Mark Ozanne – ‘Chess Fever’ ‘Graff is a phenomenal writer. With Tennessee Greenbecker, we can see he is not just a great chess journalist but also has an amazing creative side.’ Evan Rabin – National Chess Master
253 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 16, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 31, 2020
🔥 BOOK REVIEW 🔥
Do you play chess? The Greenbecker Gambit by Ben Graff centers around chess in unexpected ways. Thanks to @rachelsrandomresources for my gifted copy! Check out my review beginning here, continuing to @goodreads (Link In Bio). I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
REVIEW ☆☆☆☆
I am not a chess player. At first glance, The Greenbecker Gambit appears to be the story of a chess player and best suited for those who know the game. This assumption is incorrect. While the game of chess is central to the book, the story is about much more and widely applicable to the layperson. Meet the main character.
"It is not always obvious to people when they are in the presence of greatness. I am wise enough not to expect too much. Not everyone can fully comprehend Tennessee Greenbecker, the foremost chess player never to be world champion."
Tennessee is a chess obsessed pyromaniac with grandiose delusions of self importance and major paranoia. In a stream of consciousness narrative, his alternate reality plays out in dangerous and darkly disturbing ways. His mental illness has caused untold damage to his family, a brother, Gabriel, not to mention the harm to himself. Tennessee is, however, disbelieving of the truth. He is convinced the "State" are monitoring, manipulating and even attempting to kill him-anything to stop his big chess comeback. Problems lie with others, and Tennessee believes himself superior.
"The talented are always destined to suffer at the hands of second-rate officials and the mediocre we have no choice but to mingle with."
Tennessee descends further into madness, becoming increasingly paranoid and wary, all leading to a climatic incident. This story is most unusual. Reading was akin to inhabiting a mind out of touch with reality. The concept is eerily fascinating, and the execution is just plain scary on point. How much daily existence is not at all what it seems? I thought about perception. I wondered how much we live in our heads in imaginary worlds that are starkly unique but no less real than reality? Aren't we all close, infinitesimally so, to the blurred line between Tennessee's reality of unreality and what we call normal? What is actually normal?
"Perhaps I will live longer than I think. It is feasible that I will endure forever...The case for the inevitably of my death has not yet been proven...I cannot really imagine a universe without me...It is more than possible that I am the universe. That everything I think and feel and see all around me is nothing other than the product of my imagination."
The Greenbecker Gambit is a surprisingly insightful story that dares to explores the dark recesses of the human mind in a paradoxical lighthearted manner. You will find yourself questioning your perception after reading this book. Pick up a copy today for something totally different!
Do you play chess? The Greenbecker Gambit by Ben Graff centers around chess in unexpected ways. Thanks to @rachelsrandomresources for my gifted copy! Check out my review beginning here, continuing to @goodreads (Link In Bio). I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
REVIEW ☆☆☆☆
I am not a chess player. At first glance, The Greenbecker Gambit appears to be the story of a chess player and best suited for those who know the game. This assumption is incorrect. While the game of chess is central to the book, the story is about much more and widely applicable to the layperson. Meet the main character.
"It is not always obvious to people when they are in the presence of greatness. I am wise enough not to expect too much. Not everyone can fully comprehend Tennessee Greenbecker, the foremost chess player never to be world champion."
Tennessee is a chess obsessed pyromaniac with grandiose delusions of self importance and major paranoia. In a stream of consciousness narrative, his alternate reality plays out in dangerous and darkly disturbing ways. His mental illness has caused untold damage to his family, a brother, Gabriel, not to mention the harm to himself. Tennessee is, however, disbelieving of the truth. He is convinced the "State" are monitoring, manipulating and even attempting to kill him-anything to stop his big chess comeback. Problems lie with others, and Tennessee believes himself superior.
"The talented are always destined to suffer at the hands of second-rate officials and the mediocre we have no choice but to mingle with."
Tennessee descends further into madness, becoming increasingly paranoid and wary, all leading to a climatic incident. This story is most unusual. Reading was akin to inhabiting a mind out of touch with reality. The concept is eerily fascinating, and the execution is just plain scary on point. How much daily existence is not at all what it seems? I thought about perception. I wondered how much we live in our heads in imaginary worlds that are starkly unique but no less real than reality? Aren't we all close, infinitesimally so, to the blurred line between Tennessee's reality of unreality and what we call normal? What is actually normal?
"Perhaps I will live longer than I think. It is feasible that I will endure forever...The case for the inevitably of my death has not yet been proven...I cannot really imagine a universe without me...It is more than possible that I am the universe. That everything I think and feel and see all around me is nothing other than the product of my imagination."
The Greenbecker Gambit is a surprisingly insightful story that dares to explores the dark recesses of the human mind in a paradoxical lighthearted manner. You will find yourself questioning your perception after reading this book. Pick up a copy today for something totally different!
July 29, 2020
Good news. This book is fantastic. I love that I didn’t need to understand chess to enjoy this novel. The author explained enough so that I wasn’t confused at all.
This is a really intriguing look at mental illness and addiction. I was compelled to keep reading. I read this in one sitting.
I highly recommend this book. Absorbing and entertaining. I loved the mix of humor as well. I loved this. Great read.
Rating:
5/5☆
*I received a free copy of this book from Rachel’s Random Resources in exchange for an honest review on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.*
This is a really intriguing look at mental illness and addiction. I was compelled to keep reading. I read this in one sitting.
I highly recommend this book. Absorbing and entertaining. I loved the mix of humor as well. I loved this. Great read.
Rating:
5/5☆
*I received a free copy of this book from Rachel’s Random Resources in exchange for an honest review on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.*
August 26, 2020
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As a follow up to yesterday's rich, psychological novel, I have The Greenbecker Gambit on tour today! This is another book with plenty of detail and a fascinating plot to get lost in! This story follows Tennessee Greenbecker, a former chess child prodigy, who is plagued by the notion that there is a deep state conspiracy to prevent him from reaching his full potential in the genius department. Ultimately, Tennessee is experiencing mental health issues that eventually lead to an incredibly poor physical and mental state. The first couple of chapters are experienced in Tennessee's head, rather than in reality. Eventually the reader is brought into a wider view of the world and that "bubble" that we've been in becomes something entirely different. I felt it was an interesting way to not only set up this character, but to frame the narrative around him. I haven't seen this done before and I really enjoyed it!
This book does not have a ranging cast of characters. Those that do appear throughout the story are well written and have a depth of knowledge that is incredibly interesting! Though I don't know anything about chess, I didn't feel like I needed a lot of in depth knowledge to be able to read and digest the content of this book. The author gives Tennessee a unique voice and has an interesting writing style.
An intense book, but also a book that is particularly needed today! The present in which I am writing this review needs more books like this. Books that you can begin reading and not realize that it's been three hours and you should have had a meal by now. I found this book to be fascinating and would recommend to any reader looking for a psychological thriller in a modern setting!
Thank you to Rachel's Random Resources and the author for having me on tour! I was so happy to read and review this title! I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
As a follow up to yesterday's rich, psychological novel, I have The Greenbecker Gambit on tour today! This is another book with plenty of detail and a fascinating plot to get lost in! This story follows Tennessee Greenbecker, a former chess child prodigy, who is plagued by the notion that there is a deep state conspiracy to prevent him from reaching his full potential in the genius department. Ultimately, Tennessee is experiencing mental health issues that eventually lead to an incredibly poor physical and mental state. The first couple of chapters are experienced in Tennessee's head, rather than in reality. Eventually the reader is brought into a wider view of the world and that "bubble" that we've been in becomes something entirely different. I felt it was an interesting way to not only set up this character, but to frame the narrative around him. I haven't seen this done before and I really enjoyed it!
This book does not have a ranging cast of characters. Those that do appear throughout the story are well written and have a depth of knowledge that is incredibly interesting! Though I don't know anything about chess, I didn't feel like I needed a lot of in depth knowledge to be able to read and digest the content of this book. The author gives Tennessee a unique voice and has an interesting writing style.
An intense book, but also a book that is particularly needed today! The present in which I am writing this review needs more books like this. Books that you can begin reading and not realize that it's been three hours and you should have had a meal by now. I found this book to be fascinating and would recommend to any reader looking for a psychological thriller in a modern setting!
Thank you to Rachel's Random Resources and the author for having me on tour! I was so happy to read and review this title! I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 26, 2020
The Greenbecker Gambit
Witty, delightfully written, and disturbing, The Greenbecker Gambit is a one-off. But this must be the first time I have adjudged a novel a comic masterpiece without having a clue how to place it. Let’s try a few possibilities.
Is it an evaluation of a chess opening? Hardly. The title is a homage to Nabokov’s sensuous novel The Luzhin Defence, which traces a child prodigy for whom the abstract otherworldliness of chess eventually compromises his view of reality. The gambit itself, part of Tennessee Greenbecker’s preparation for his coming fantasy world championship match against ‘Magnus’, is a return to nineteenth century chess romanticism based around Spassky’s experimentation with the King’s Gambit. I had supposed that the suggested ‘improvement’ would re-jig the SMERSH Gambit (appropriately ‘Death to the spies’ in Russian) but as a KG player myself I found it impossible to construct a plausible continuation that matched the text. Maybe it’s all a part of the joke.
Is it a satire on the world of chess? That’s more like it. Real chess players appear alongside the fictitious ones and Graff is notably well-informed. There is much professional gossip and tales of poor behaviour around the chess board, both historical and recent. Greenbecker consistently reflects in an exaggerated form many of the human imperfections that plague the allegedly ‘noble game’.
Or is it a medical and psychiatric case study, despite being indelicately amusing? One reviewer suggested the novel as essential reading for health professionals dealing with psychiatric illnesses. I am not so sure. Tennesee’s own account of his mental state is wildly inconsistent, although clearly delusional. But is it delusional solipsism, psychotic depression or even schizophrenia? And how does expressive rather than instrumental arson fit in? Also, is it legitimate to conduct a psychiatric autopsy on fictional characters as if they were Donald Trump or Boris Johnson?
Or might The Greenbecker Gambit be allegory, a sort of chess version of the medieval play of Everyman? Some of Graff’s comments around the novel strongly suggest this and it strikes me as an attractive line of argument. Faced with Sir Gawain and the Green Knight we do not ask whether the hero is mentally ill or just the victim of bad choices; we perceive the pattern as universal, a matter of seasonal renewal, much as Greenbecker sees pyrotechnics and regeneration as a generic truth of which he is just an example. We all need a narrative to build our life around: a goal, a dream, an obsession. Writ large, the novel could be seen as an extension of Jesus’s Parables of the Kingdom. Choose the thing for which you are prepared to give everything, your treasure hidden in a field. But in order to be worthy you must keep the lamp of your ambition trimmed. The wheat will be gathered but the tares cast into the fire.
Yet surely what we are dealing with is a Rough Guide to London’s underclass? Although the novel is narrated by its hero (antihero?) as a vehicle for his delusionary insights, there is a rich array of secondary characters, and Tennessee’s interaction with them is wonderfully written and often laugh-out-loud amusing. Many are from London’s seedy underworld and appear as wickedly observed pen portraits that showcase Graff’s powers of observation and way with words. I particularly liked the drunks and piss-artists, the denizens of the doss houses and greasy cafes, the various officials and functionaries, the lesbian journalists, and the quarrelling spouses, all seen by Greenbecker as in the employ of the hostile deep state. The most substantial other character is his long-suffering exploited elder brother Gabriel, the main source of an alternative narrative to Tennessee’s. Their adversarial chess-like relationship, entirely based around money, is one of the joys of the book. Meanwhile his mother, a celebrated writer, oppresses him from beyond the grave.
And finally, coming up on the rails, is the possibility that in the final analysis The Greenbecker Gambit can be viewed as an undercover political essay. There is certainly a lot of politics in it, and not only the dirty chess politics within FIDE and the ECF, and what at first appears to be random asides quickly add up. Named politicians come and go, with Tennessee showing a misplaced enthusiasm for the right-wing politics of Thatcher and Trump (not his most attractive quality) together with an anti-immigrant pro-Brexit stance. There is an intriguing overlap between our hero’s paranoia about deep state surveyance and the more recent internet machinations of QAnon conspiracy theories. The Houses of Parliament ever hovers in the background as a backdrop. What does the world depicted need to put it right beyond a modern-day Guy Fawkes?
Chess players will absolutely love this book, particularly those with a literary bent. Graff
shares Philip Roth’s talent for combining coarse abusive language with a self-conscious literariness. But its thematic many-sidedness and wicked humour deserve a wider audience. The Greenbecker Gambit would make a perfect Christmas present.
David Jenkins
Witty, delightfully written, and disturbing, The Greenbecker Gambit is a one-off. But this must be the first time I have adjudged a novel a comic masterpiece without having a clue how to place it. Let’s try a few possibilities.
Is it an evaluation of a chess opening? Hardly. The title is a homage to Nabokov’s sensuous novel The Luzhin Defence, which traces a child prodigy for whom the abstract otherworldliness of chess eventually compromises his view of reality. The gambit itself, part of Tennessee Greenbecker’s preparation for his coming fantasy world championship match against ‘Magnus’, is a return to nineteenth century chess romanticism based around Spassky’s experimentation with the King’s Gambit. I had supposed that the suggested ‘improvement’ would re-jig the SMERSH Gambit (appropriately ‘Death to the spies’ in Russian) but as a KG player myself I found it impossible to construct a plausible continuation that matched the text. Maybe it’s all a part of the joke.
Is it a satire on the world of chess? That’s more like it. Real chess players appear alongside the fictitious ones and Graff is notably well-informed. There is much professional gossip and tales of poor behaviour around the chess board, both historical and recent. Greenbecker consistently reflects in an exaggerated form many of the human imperfections that plague the allegedly ‘noble game’.
Or is it a medical and psychiatric case study, despite being indelicately amusing? One reviewer suggested the novel as essential reading for health professionals dealing with psychiatric illnesses. I am not so sure. Tennesee’s own account of his mental state is wildly inconsistent, although clearly delusional. But is it delusional solipsism, psychotic depression or even schizophrenia? And how does expressive rather than instrumental arson fit in? Also, is it legitimate to conduct a psychiatric autopsy on fictional characters as if they were Donald Trump or Boris Johnson?
Or might The Greenbecker Gambit be allegory, a sort of chess version of the medieval play of Everyman? Some of Graff’s comments around the novel strongly suggest this and it strikes me as an attractive line of argument. Faced with Sir Gawain and the Green Knight we do not ask whether the hero is mentally ill or just the victim of bad choices; we perceive the pattern as universal, a matter of seasonal renewal, much as Greenbecker sees pyrotechnics and regeneration as a generic truth of which he is just an example. We all need a narrative to build our life around: a goal, a dream, an obsession. Writ large, the novel could be seen as an extension of Jesus’s Parables of the Kingdom. Choose the thing for which you are prepared to give everything, your treasure hidden in a field. But in order to be worthy you must keep the lamp of your ambition trimmed. The wheat will be gathered but the tares cast into the fire.
Yet surely what we are dealing with is a Rough Guide to London’s underclass? Although the novel is narrated by its hero (antihero?) as a vehicle for his delusionary insights, there is a rich array of secondary characters, and Tennessee’s interaction with them is wonderfully written and often laugh-out-loud amusing. Many are from London’s seedy underworld and appear as wickedly observed pen portraits that showcase Graff’s powers of observation and way with words. I particularly liked the drunks and piss-artists, the denizens of the doss houses and greasy cafes, the various officials and functionaries, the lesbian journalists, and the quarrelling spouses, all seen by Greenbecker as in the employ of the hostile deep state. The most substantial other character is his long-suffering exploited elder brother Gabriel, the main source of an alternative narrative to Tennessee’s. Their adversarial chess-like relationship, entirely based around money, is one of the joys of the book. Meanwhile his mother, a celebrated writer, oppresses him from beyond the grave.
And finally, coming up on the rails, is the possibility that in the final analysis The Greenbecker Gambit can be viewed as an undercover political essay. There is certainly a lot of politics in it, and not only the dirty chess politics within FIDE and the ECF, and what at first appears to be random asides quickly add up. Named politicians come and go, with Tennessee showing a misplaced enthusiasm for the right-wing politics of Thatcher and Trump (not his most attractive quality) together with an anti-immigrant pro-Brexit stance. There is an intriguing overlap between our hero’s paranoia about deep state surveyance and the more recent internet machinations of QAnon conspiracy theories. The Houses of Parliament ever hovers in the background as a backdrop. What does the world depicted need to put it right beyond a modern-day Guy Fawkes?
Chess players will absolutely love this book, particularly those with a literary bent. Graff
shares Philip Roth’s talent for combining coarse abusive language with a self-conscious literariness. But its thematic many-sidedness and wicked humour deserve a wider audience. The Greenbecker Gambit would make a perfect Christmas present.
David Jenkins
July 27, 2020
Chess is a way of life, a way of seeing things, a way to deal with life. That is how Tennessee Greenbecker thinks in this novel where he believes that he is the true, if unrecognised champion of the world. It is a novel which tries to answer a question; what would happen if someone tried to disturb a world championship chess match. I am not a chess player, but in this book everything is related to chess, specifically by Tennessee, whose relative success in the game is his superpower as far as he is concerned. He is very concerned, obsessed, by what he sees as his world beating skill at the game. It overrides every other consideration in his life, his physical frailty and his mental health, except his side interest in setting fires. This novel takes the form of a stream of conscious, a narration of Tennessee’s thoughts and actions, however unsavoury. It is always his views, his complicated thought processes that propel the story as he drifts round a London of cafes, hostels and pubs. This is an intense read in some respects, full of a difficult life, but with flashes of unintended humour on Tennessee’s part. It is a very personal book, written with great power from the mind of a fictional character. I was pleased to have the opportunity to read and review this unusual novel.
The first phrase we hear from Tennesse is “Waiting for the body to burn is making me impatient”. It follows a number of quotations, including TS Eliot “human kind Cannot bear very much reality”. As Tennesse debates the merits and techniques of getting a bonfire to light, it becomes clear that he has experience of setting illicit fires. He consoles himself when he is forcibly moved on with the thought that he will be world chess champion. His night in a cafe is full of his thoughts of meeting Gabriel his brother, Bobby Fischer the chess champion, and his folder of chess strategies and great ideas for regaining his supposed position in the world of chess. There are hints of poor physical health, and his reactions to other people show a mental instability, but it is not a simple matter. This is a man who is fixated on missed opportunities, unfair treatment and most crucially, his expectation of challenging his nemesis to a world champion level match. His family, of which Gabriel is the only survivor, obviously had a great effect on him, especially his writer mother. He writes of the kitchen where he grew up “Our kitchen smelt of paper and hope and words trying to connect and somehow failing”. Tennesse’s progress, or movement around London, is dominated by memories and ambition, and the squalor of his life is sad and somehow moving.
This is a powerful read of one man’s descent, or thwarted ambition, and more. It does not have a lot of technical detail regarding chess, but it captures something of the spirit of the game in terms of thoughts about strategy and dedication to the skill of playing. I recommend this book as an engaging read about one person’s thought process and view of the world, and as an extremely well written story of a life.
The first phrase we hear from Tennesse is “Waiting for the body to burn is making me impatient”. It follows a number of quotations, including TS Eliot “human kind Cannot bear very much reality”. As Tennesse debates the merits and techniques of getting a bonfire to light, it becomes clear that he has experience of setting illicit fires. He consoles himself when he is forcibly moved on with the thought that he will be world chess champion. His night in a cafe is full of his thoughts of meeting Gabriel his brother, Bobby Fischer the chess champion, and his folder of chess strategies and great ideas for regaining his supposed position in the world of chess. There are hints of poor physical health, and his reactions to other people show a mental instability, but it is not a simple matter. This is a man who is fixated on missed opportunities, unfair treatment and most crucially, his expectation of challenging his nemesis to a world champion level match. His family, of which Gabriel is the only survivor, obviously had a great effect on him, especially his writer mother. He writes of the kitchen where he grew up “Our kitchen smelt of paper and hope and words trying to connect and somehow failing”. Tennesse’s progress, or movement around London, is dominated by memories and ambition, and the squalor of his life is sad and somehow moving.
This is a powerful read of one man’s descent, or thwarted ambition, and more. It does not have a lot of technical detail regarding chess, but it captures something of the spirit of the game in terms of thoughts about strategy and dedication to the skill of playing. I recommend this book as an engaging read about one person’s thought process and view of the world, and as an extremely well written story of a life.
September 13, 2021
Review of The Greenbecker Gambit by Ben Graff
Published by The Conrad Press (3 April 2020)
Ben Graff’s dark, comic masterpiece brings us up close and personal with the dystopian and paranoid personality of Tennessee Greenbecker, a delusional chess master well past his sell-by date and grappling with a rather large number of issues as his world (not to mention his physical health) collapses all about him.
Although totally crazy, the intrigue with Greenbecker is that he is just about sane enough (and intelligent enough) that his worldview still reflects much light on reality. Graff is thus able to present readers with a number of unsettling thoughts and insights from left-field which will challenge conventional thinking in a number of ways.
Although he is unpleasant in many ways Greenbecker is nonetheless a sympathetic character that readers will find themselves caring about as they are drawn into his world. I will not reveal the plot save to say that it is compelling enough that readers will want to know what happens next all the way to the end.
What makes the book a joy to read is the humour. Typically Greenbecker has a distorted way of looking at things that makes him perceive situations completely the wrong way round. The relish with which he grasps the wrong end of the stick on countless occasions as ‘confirmation’ of his warped perspective (while any ‘normal’ person would see it as the complete opposite) is both a little disturbing and simultaneously very amusing. It is a distinct kind of self-referential humour that is somewhat unusual outside of this book but prevalent throughout it.
The Greenbecker Gambit deserves a wide readership. It is a beautifully written novel and staying true to a character like Greenbecker for almost 350 pages is no mean literary accomplishment. As a chess grandmaster myself I find it interesting that some of the best writers in England, for example Julian Barnes and Martin Amis, have a well documented association with the game. If Ben Graff can continue writing as well as this he will soon be seen to belong in that company.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Greenbecker-...
Published by The Conrad Press (3 April 2020)
Ben Graff’s dark, comic masterpiece brings us up close and personal with the dystopian and paranoid personality of Tennessee Greenbecker, a delusional chess master well past his sell-by date and grappling with a rather large number of issues as his world (not to mention his physical health) collapses all about him.
Although totally crazy, the intrigue with Greenbecker is that he is just about sane enough (and intelligent enough) that his worldview still reflects much light on reality. Graff is thus able to present readers with a number of unsettling thoughts and insights from left-field which will challenge conventional thinking in a number of ways.
Although he is unpleasant in many ways Greenbecker is nonetheless a sympathetic character that readers will find themselves caring about as they are drawn into his world. I will not reveal the plot save to say that it is compelling enough that readers will want to know what happens next all the way to the end.
What makes the book a joy to read is the humour. Typically Greenbecker has a distorted way of looking at things that makes him perceive situations completely the wrong way round. The relish with which he grasps the wrong end of the stick on countless occasions as ‘confirmation’ of his warped perspective (while any ‘normal’ person would see it as the complete opposite) is both a little disturbing and simultaneously very amusing. It is a distinct kind of self-referential humour that is somewhat unusual outside of this book but prevalent throughout it.
The Greenbecker Gambit deserves a wide readership. It is a beautifully written novel and staying true to a character like Greenbecker for almost 350 pages is no mean literary accomplishment. As a chess grandmaster myself I find it interesting that some of the best writers in England, for example Julian Barnes and Martin Amis, have a well documented association with the game. If Ben Graff can continue writing as well as this he will soon be seen to belong in that company.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Greenbecker-...
July 25, 2020
Based on the world of chess I wasn’t quite sure what to expect with 'The Greenbecker Gambit'. I confess that my own chess skills are easily overshadowed by those of my nine year old son. Then again, whilst he is good at the game and not meaning to take anything away from him, I am only just about able to name and place the pieces on the board, never mind planning clever gambits to win games.
The Greenbecker Gambit is about so much more than the game though. In fact chess seems in part a hook on which to hang a much deeper, psychologically thoughtful novel. Following the character Tennessee Greenbecker, we as the audience are more poised for his next real life move than one on his chessboard.
Tennessee is not a particularly easy or relatable character. He is not someone who would be top of my list for a catch up with, in fact it is unlikely that he would make the list at all. Graff skillfully keeps him steady though. Consistent. Unpredictable yet somehow unsurprising. What Tennessee perhaps lacks in mastering a chess tournament, Graff succeeds in delivering through a thought provoking story that challenges your own perceptions and reactions. You are slowly drawn into feeling sympathy for Tennessee. Recognising that some of life’s mishaps have left a big impression and are difficult to shake off despite seemingly regular attempts from his brother.
I felt that the novel ended somewhat abruptly and found myself wanting to know what would happen next. There is plenty of scope for thought or discussion on this point, or perhaps even a follow up book. If one were forthcoming, I would certainly be keen to read it!
Graff’s writing is superb. His language draws you in and hangs on to you. In real time the novel is set over a relatively short period, but past events are skillfully woven through so that even if the pace feels slow in places, the characterisation is believable and retains intrigue.
I would certainly recommend The Greenbecker Gambit and will be looking out for more from Ben Graff.
The Greenbecker Gambit is about so much more than the game though. In fact chess seems in part a hook on which to hang a much deeper, psychologically thoughtful novel. Following the character Tennessee Greenbecker, we as the audience are more poised for his next real life move than one on his chessboard.
Tennessee is not a particularly easy or relatable character. He is not someone who would be top of my list for a catch up with, in fact it is unlikely that he would make the list at all. Graff skillfully keeps him steady though. Consistent. Unpredictable yet somehow unsurprising. What Tennessee perhaps lacks in mastering a chess tournament, Graff succeeds in delivering through a thought provoking story that challenges your own perceptions and reactions. You are slowly drawn into feeling sympathy for Tennessee. Recognising that some of life’s mishaps have left a big impression and are difficult to shake off despite seemingly regular attempts from his brother.
I felt that the novel ended somewhat abruptly and found myself wanting to know what would happen next. There is plenty of scope for thought or discussion on this point, or perhaps even a follow up book. If one were forthcoming, I would certainly be keen to read it!
Graff’s writing is superb. His language draws you in and hangs on to you. In real time the novel is set over a relatively short period, but past events are skillfully woven through so that even if the pace feels slow in places, the characterisation is believable and retains intrigue.
I would certainly recommend The Greenbecker Gambit and will be looking out for more from Ben Graff.
November 2, 2025
Enjoyed the unreliable narrator - trying to work out what was true, what was false, and what was the truth bent out of recognition. I thought Tennessee's descent into madness as the book progressed was done really well. The paranoia and delusions went into overdrive in the last quarter but I think that was the point! Good backstory too, looking at some of the reasons Tennessee is the way he is.
Also, lots of interesting info for people into their chess.
Definitely worth a read.
Looked back through my chess games after reading the book and was surprised to see I'd played the author - a loss - almost 10 years ago to the day!
Also, lots of interesting info for people into their chess.
Definitely worth a read.
Looked back through my chess games after reading the book and was surprised to see I'd played the author - a loss - almost 10 years ago to the day!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 15, 2020
A study of delusion, madness and depression set against the background of chess.
July 24, 2020
You can read my full review here: Mind of Luxe
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Rachel's Random Resources for reviewing purposes as part of a blog tour. This does not influence my opinions in any way.
Content/trigger warnings, which may contain spoilers, at the end of my review.
I didn’t know what to expect from this book going in as I don’t usually read a lot (or any, for that matter) in the genre, but I was pleasantly surprised that I liked this one.
The Greenbecker Gambit is about Tennessee Greenbecker, a former chess personality on his life journey of reclaiming the chess title he deems rightfully his. Set in London, this story contains a mix of humor and serious themes all in the view of the main protagonist.
Greenbecker, an alcoholic and pyromaniac, is an unreliable narrator and I have been interested in knowing more about his character right from the start. Most of his views on life definitely sparked a laugh out of me and as I got to know him better, and even though I hated him for some of his thoughts and actions, I eventually sympathized with the man.
Initially, I was very hesitant because it is centered around the sport of chess and I know virtually nothing about that, but I’m glad that I gave this book a try. It turns out, readers do not need an extensive knowledge regarding chess to enjoys this book.
I also can’t help think that this book is designed to provoke thought about mental health. What I must mention though, is that I find the writing too choppy and abrupt. I also found myself spacing out for some big chunks of the book.
But overall, The Greenbecker Gambit is a good book and I recommend it to chess novices and enthusiasts alike. If you enjoy dark humor and like knowing the psychology of anti-heroes, this book is for you!
Content/trigger warnings:
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Rachel's Random Resources for reviewing purposes as part of a blog tour. This does not influence my opinions in any way.
Content/trigger warnings, which may contain spoilers, at the end of my review.
I didn’t know what to expect from this book going in as I don’t usually read a lot (or any, for that matter) in the genre, but I was pleasantly surprised that I liked this one.
The Greenbecker Gambit is about Tennessee Greenbecker, a former chess personality on his life journey of reclaiming the chess title he deems rightfully his. Set in London, this story contains a mix of humor and serious themes all in the view of the main protagonist.
Greenbecker, an alcoholic and pyromaniac, is an unreliable narrator and I have been interested in knowing more about his character right from the start. Most of his views on life definitely sparked a laugh out of me and as I got to know him better, and even though I hated him for some of his thoughts and actions, I eventually sympathized with the man.
Initially, I was very hesitant because it is centered around the sport of chess and I know virtually nothing about that, but I’m glad that I gave this book a try. It turns out, readers do not need an extensive knowledge regarding chess to enjoys this book.
I also can’t help think that this book is designed to provoke thought about mental health. What I must mention though, is that I find the writing too choppy and abrupt. I also found myself spacing out for some big chunks of the book.
But overall, The Greenbecker Gambit is a good book and I recommend it to chess novices and enthusiasts alike. If you enjoy dark humor and like knowing the psychology of anti-heroes, this book is for you!
Content/trigger warnings:
July 31, 2020
Thank you to Ben Graff and Rachel's Random Resources for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
The only thing Tennesee loves as much as chess is fire. He is determined he will be remembered forever, possibly as a chess champion, possibly as an arsonist.
Tennessee Greenbecker is probably the most delusional character I have ever read about. Reading from his point of view made me continuously go back and forth from being extremely annoyed by him to being completely fascinated by his cluelessness. Graff did a great job in creating such a steady character.
The Greenbecker Gambit was certainly a creative piece of work. It was interesting to watch things unfold and finally see how things ended. The writing was good and the pace was good for the storyline. I think this story would be enjoyed by chess lovers everywhere.
This book is sure to keep you reading, even if it's only to see what delusion Tennessee will come up with next.
You can find this and all my other reviews at https://fourmoonreviews.blogspot.com
The only thing Tennesee loves as much as chess is fire. He is determined he will be remembered forever, possibly as a chess champion, possibly as an arsonist.
Tennessee Greenbecker is probably the most delusional character I have ever read about. Reading from his point of view made me continuously go back and forth from being extremely annoyed by him to being completely fascinated by his cluelessness. Graff did a great job in creating such a steady character.
The Greenbecker Gambit was certainly a creative piece of work. It was interesting to watch things unfold and finally see how things ended. The writing was good and the pace was good for the storyline. I think this story would be enjoyed by chess lovers everywhere.
This book is sure to keep you reading, even if it's only to see what delusion Tennessee will come up with next.
You can find this and all my other reviews at https://fourmoonreviews.blogspot.com
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