Chess Rivals of the 19th Century

En stor, men overkommelig bok om 50 store spillere på 1800-tallet særlig fra 1834 og utover. Forfatteren gjengir ikke minst omtaler av hver spiller, blant annet fra nekrologer. 300 kommenterte partier også med dels samtidige kommentarer.

De 50 flotte spillerne er i rekkefølge de La Bourdonnais, McDonnell. Bledow, von Bilguer, Horwitz, der Lasa, Cochrane, Staunton, Kieseritzky, Dubois, Löwenthal, Anderssen, Lange, Falkbeer, Harrwitz, Mackenzie, Morphy, Louis Paulsen, Kolisch, Steinitz, Neumann, Blackburne, Schallopp, Bird, De Vere, Rosenthal, Zukertort, Burn, Mason, Winawer, Englisch, Chigorin, Alapin, Berger, Pollock, Gunsberg, Tarrasch, Weiss, Schiffers, Mieses, Pillsbury, Lasker, Showalter, Albin, Charousek, Walbrodt, Marco, Janowski og Maroczy.

Forlagets egen omtale:

Many historical chess books focus on individual 19th century masters and tournaments yet little is written covering the full scope of competitive chess through the era. This volume provides a comprehensive overview, with more than a third of the 300 annotated games analyzed by past masters and checked by powerful engines.

Players such as Max Lange and Cochrane, known to the chess public only by the name given to a fierce attack or gambit, are brought to life. Fifty masters are each given their own chapter, with brief biographies, results and anecdotes and an endgame section for most chapters.

Tony Cullen played chess for the strong London Central YMCA Chess Club and organized tours playing team matches against strong opposition in various European cities. He lives in London.