Karl Marx Plays Chess and Other Reports on the World's Oldest Game by Soltis, Andrew

Times Books, 1991-01-01. paperback. Good. 5x1x7.

Three Rivers Press, 1991-11-05. Paperback. Used: Good.

xii+305 pages with diagrams and index. Small octavo (7 3/4" x 5") bound in original publisher's pictorial wrappers. First edition. The material in this book is compiled from Soltis' "Chess to Enjoy" column in Chess Life. The chapters are a lively mixture of anecdote and analysis, and should entertain anyone with any level of interest in chess. Soltis knows his chess history, and tells some neat stories, such as the history of Capablanca's Composition. This is a problem composed by Capablanca in 1908, in which flaws were found after his death. The problem itself is fascinating, but Soltis makes a good story of the ups and downs of the subsequent analysis, and points out that chess fame still awaits anyone who can save the composition. Soltis is also good with anecdote and wit; my favourite section perhaps being the very tongue-in-cheek instructions on how to annotate a master game, e.g. suggesting safe adjectives: "positions are 'difficult,' 'winning,' 'critical,' 'hopeless,' or--the safest dodge of… Read More

Three Rivers Press, 1991-11-04. Paperback. Like New. 5x1x7. Softcover. Good binding and cover. Small crease on top of spine. Clean, unmarked pages. 305 pages : illustrations ; 20 cm.

Three Rivers Press, 1991-11-05. Paperback. New. New. In shrink wrap. Looks like an interesting title!