Tartakower My Best Games of Chess 1905-1954 - 2a mano

The author of two legendary collections of master games of chess, international grandmaster and theoretician Dr. Savielly Tartakower enjoyed a well-earned reputation as “the champion chess journalist.” Here, he turns his prodigious talents to an illuminating presentation of his own chess masterpieces — his 210 best games, extensively annotated, with fascinating personal accounts.

Spanning almost fifty years of tournament play, including brilliant matches against Réti, Spielmann, Capablanca, Tarrasch, Colle, Rubinstein and others, My Best Games is not only a biographical record; it is also a penetrating commentary on the theory of openings and the end game, strategy and tactics, blunders and master strokes of every variety. Interspersed throughout, Tartakower’s insightful and witty impressions of his great opponents shed light on the minds and methods of leading chess masters of the first half of this century.

Born in Russia in 1887, Tartakower learned the games of chess from his father at the age of ten and officially became master at the Hauptturnier (Major Tournament) of Nuremburg in 1906, ranking first above fifty competitors from all over the world. But his rapid progress slowed somewhat, and it was not until after the First World War that he was able to achieve the successes which placed him among the leading masters.

A cultured and witty conversationalist, Tartakower was equally original and varied over the board, with a particular reputation for the richness of his opening repertoire. Though he had all the requisities — great theoretical knowledge, virtuosity in the ending, and a capacity for producing a wealth of beautiful combinations — the world championship eluded him throughout his career. Perhaps, as H. Golombek, the translator of this volume, notes: “The trouble with Tartakower … was an embarrassment of riches — he was too fond of chess ever to become world champion. Given the choice between the simple, safe line and the complicated, rich line he almost invariably chose the latter …”

The advancing years did little to quench Tartakower’s spirit and readers will find the later games as richly imaginative and adventurous as the early ones. Chess enthusiasts at all levels will want to study and savor this superb collection of 210 masterpieces by one of the great masters of the game.

Unabridged and unaltered republication in one volume of the work original published in two volumes by G. Bell & Sons, London, 1953 and 1956. Indices of Openings and Opponents. 480pp. 5⅜ x 8½. Paperbound.

• Casa editrice Bell
• Code 1189us
• Anno 1953
• Pagine 255