Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
Product Description
Product Description
In 1962, the world renowned 'Candidates Chess Tournament' was held on the tropical island of Curacao. With a gruelling 28-game round-robin format, it was to be one of the fiercest competitions ever seen in the world of chess. "Curacao 1962" tells the astonishing story of this clash of giants in a competition that went on for an exhausting two months, and that was constantly surrounded by an air of drama and intrigue. One of the favourites, Mikhail Tal, was taken to hospital after 21 rounds and had to withdraw. Two of the American competitors came to blows. Another of the favourites, Bobby Fischer, openly accused the Soviets of collusion - and was later proven right! This fascinating volume takes a fresh look at all the games, and tries to get to the bottom of all the accusations and intrigue - which signalled the dramatic end of large round-robin tournaments in competitive chess.
About the Author
Jan Timman has been one of the top players in the world for over twenty years. He is also the author of several highly acclaimed chess books, and the editor-in-chief of New in Chess, the world's foremost chess magazine.
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organise and find favourite items. |
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Reviews
There are no customer reviews yet on Amazon.co.uk.
5 star
4 star
3 star
2 star
1 star
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
2 reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Scenes from Mt. Olympus
25 Jun 2006
I first read of Curacao in Fischer's My 60 Memorable Games, one of my first chess books, and quickly learned the names of these titans of Chess that Fischer clashed with at other times in his seminal book (one of the best chess books of all time--the old one, not the mistake-ridden revised one). But Timman at last supplies some real light on what was the great Paul Keres' last run for Challenger to the World Champion (2nd place--4 times!), and also about the politics and intrigue that went on that Fischer complained about and later was proven to be for the most part true. Some photographs of the event--a rarity indeed (a young Petrosian, and a young Kortchnoi who's intense glare hasn't changed in a half-century of play) with a human touch about the players, albeit a so short biography of them outside of chess (some complained about the conditions, mostly of the Caribbean heat, not the playing hall). I don't think Timman included all the games (there were many arranged draws) and only a few games are analyzed in great detail (he is spare in using analysis of other players' analyses such as Fischer & Tal & Kortchnoi who did publish selected games from Curacao), but he managed to find critical quotes and notes from the Patriarch and others observing the games and players, brief and insightful as they are. This is not a deep book, but it was entertaining and more revealing about some the greats. These were real people, though to me they are not mere heroes, but the real gods of Caissa's folklore as they fought amongst themselves for the privilege of playing for Zeus's (Botvinnik's) crown. But it left me wanting more: more on the intrigue, more about the players' thoughts, likes & dislikes about each others and their situations (Benko had been stateless as a refugee--a little known fact), and something more of a 'where are they now.' or since (Keres died in 1975, Petrosian in 1984, Geller I thought was one of great innovators in opening theory particularly the Sicilian and was a second for Karpov. Fischer descended into tragedy after becoming World Champion, Tal's health problems plagued him throughout his life--he died in 1994, and Kortchnoi had the career of Odysseus--and presently gives the new generation of Grandmasters 'lessons' on what candidate level play should be.) This is a good historical tract and game collection.
Now if Timman could take on Portoroz, 1958 ... some sequels (pre-quels?) can succeed the first attempt (Spider-Man & Spider-Man II, some argue Godfather II is better than Godfather). Go to it, Jan!
Now if Timman could take on Portoroz, 1958 ... some sequels (pre-quels?) can succeed the first attempt (Spider-Man & Spider-Man II, some argue Godfather II is better than Godfather). Go to it, Jan!
8 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Not Zurich 53, but worth the money paid
22 April 2006
Amazon Verified Purchase
First and formost I congratulate Jan Timman for his efforts to make a book about tournament which was played 44 years ago (wau!). It must have been a great tournament in that respect!?
Well, possibly or possibly not. We now know about a plot to draw games between themselves involving Petrosian, Geller and Keres. And we know about Tal health issues which forced him to finaly pull out from the tournament, and he was out of form anyway, with just a few very good games. So we can almost exclude half of the games played from serious analysis.
Benko and Filip were slightly below the strenght of the others at the tourney, with occasional brilliances, which are very worth of study. So I must say that, basically, we are left with Fisher and Korchnoi here.
I would personally have a very hard time writing a book in that circumstances.
Since Curacao was played so long time ago, I doubt if not for Timman now and here, that anyone could or would write this kind of book in the future.
I like Timmans commentary on analyzed games, he is at least on paar in this book with his usual analitical skills. I like many fotos in the book too, most of them I didnt saw untill now.
It is a pitty that Timman didnt anotate a single drawn game. I doubt there were no some good fights in there.
To conclude: To be honest, Timman pulled a great job covering the tournament which was not so great by itself. Nevertheless its a worth of looking into some stories and many good games which today constitute a skeleton of modern chess opening theory. Lot of Sicilians, Spanish, English and Reti for fans.
Well, possibly or possibly not. We now know about a plot to draw games between themselves involving Petrosian, Geller and Keres. And we know about Tal health issues which forced him to finaly pull out from the tournament, and he was out of form anyway, with just a few very good games. So we can almost exclude half of the games played from serious analysis.
Benko and Filip were slightly below the strenght of the others at the tourney, with occasional brilliances, which are very worth of study. So I must say that, basically, we are left with Fisher and Korchnoi here.
I would personally have a very hard time writing a book in that circumstances.
Since Curacao was played so long time ago, I doubt if not for Timman now and here, that anyone could or would write this kind of book in the future.
I like Timmans commentary on analyzed games, he is at least on paar in this book with his usual analitical skills. I like many fotos in the book too, most of them I didnt saw untill now.
It is a pitty that Timman didnt anotate a single drawn game. I doubt there were no some good fights in there.
To conclude: To be honest, Timman pulled a great job covering the tournament which was not so great by itself. Nevertheless its a worth of looking into some stories and many good games which today constitute a skeleton of modern chess opening theory. Lot of Sicilians, Spanish, English and Reti for fans.
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
