The Bottom Line
Often, chess books tend to focus on the great achievements of chess players while glossing over (or ignoring completely) the less glamorous aspects of their lives. Zhivko Kaikamjozov's The Genius and the Misery of Chess avoids this, exploring both the triumphs and the tragedies that have defined chess history.
Pros
- Provides a look into the triumphs and tragedies of many great players
- Highlights several lesser known players with interesting stories
Cons
- Player profiles are short
- Several notable players not covered
Description
- Profiles of 47 chess players, from As-Suli to Magnus Carlsen.
- Annotated games from each player.
- Explores both the positive and negative aspects of many famous chess players.
Guide Review - The Genius and the Misery of Chess by Zhivko Kaikamjozov
Throughout chess history, there has often been a price to pay for chess genius. Many times, the lives of great players have been marred by tragedy. Often, this aspect of the lives of chess professionals is overlooked as we instead focus on their chess triumphs.
Zhivko Kaikamjozov's The Genius and the Misery of Chess attempts to give an evenhanded perspective on the lives of 47 famous chess players, presenting both their greatest moments and their personal struggles.
Rather than simply present the biographies of the most well-known players, Kaikamjozov delves into the lives of players who, by circumstance, have been forgotten. Players like As-Suli, Rudolf Carousek and Klaus Junge may not be household names, but each has a fascinating life story that's well worth reading.
I was a little disappointed to find many notable players -- including several world champions -- were not profiled. While this may be due to the fact that they didn't fit the author's theme, this might also be said of some of the contemporary players who were included.
These player profiles are not biographies, but they're not meant to be; rather, they are meant to get to the essence of each player quickly and provide a greater personal understanding of their triumphs or struggles. Still, some may be left looking for more. Others might dislike the negative tone of some of the profiles; in some cases (such as the profile of Alexander Alekhine), a player's best days are scarcely mentioned at all, with the focus instead on their harder times.
The true purpose of this book, though, is to get the reader to see the history of chess from a new perspective, and in that respect, The Genius and the Misery of Chess is a success. Anyone interested in the lesser-explored areas of chess history will find it to be a worthwhile read.
