Used Chess is My Life (+ CD-ROM)

(with autograph)

"Chess is my life' is an English translation from 'Mein Leben für das Schach', which we reviewed a good year ago.This latest work is perfectly translated and edited into the English language by no less than Ken Neat, even that there are some slight difference in pages. The Germans simple need more words than the English, the main tournament results in this book cover a lot of extra 2005 results. Victor Korchnoi, born 1931, has been one of the world"e;s leading players for nearly 50 years and can be counted as one of the greatest chess players of all time. Korchnoi is among the chess players in Switzerland unbelievable popular, nearly all players know exactly where Korschnoi lives but so far I did not meet many chess players who even could beat him in a simultaneous exhibition and the great hero of chess already passed the impressive age of 74! I have seen biography's from Korchnoi in the Dutch and German language but not one is so open as this autobiography from Olms. Korchnoi believes that every strong player has to do something for his offspring and that was the reason for the basis of this outstanding chess biography. The reader shall find in this book many personal things and photos about Korchnoi's personal life as for example his first wife Bella and son Igor who had both such a tough time in the former Soviet Union. This book covers the whole career from Kortschnoi, but now and then he opens the door of his personal life and that makes this book such an interesting read, for example his meeting with Stalin's daughter Swetlana Alllilujewa and his contacts with the Russian Mafia in New York. For Korchnoi chess is above all a fight where friendships are forgotten, problems are shelved, the struggle on the board takes all his passion and that makes this book so unique! Included in this book are only nine games, where seven of them are superb analysed by the great master himself, and an extra CD ROM with around 4280 latest Korchnoi games and that is 30 more than on the German CD! Conclusion: A unique autobiography!

With kind permission of the author John Elburg (www.chessbooks.nl)