NOW A MAJOR GOLDEN GLOBE-WINNING NETFLIX SERIES STARRING ANYA TAYLOR-JOY When she is sent to an orphanage at the age of eight, Beth Harmon soon discovers two ways to escape her surroundings: playing chess with the janitor and taking the little green pills given to the children to keep them subdued. Before long, it becomes apparent that hers is an unusual talent, and as she progresses to the top of the US chess rankings she is able to forge a new life for herself. But as Beth hones her skills on the professional circuit, the stakes get higher, her isolation grows more frightening, and the thought of escape becomes all the more tempting . . . 'Superb' Time Out 'Mesmerizing' Newsweek 'Gripping' Financial Times 'Sheer entertainment. It is a book I reread every few years - for the pure pleasure and skill of it' Michael Ondaatje 'Don't pick this up if you want a night's sleep' Scotsman 'Few novelists have written about genius - and addiction - as acutely as Walter Tevis' The Telegraph

Introducing a new book, bound in two volumes, not only containing an astonishing new "pure gambit" named the Miami Variation, but a very delightful, interesting and insightful adventure through a unique perspective of historical chess.

Michael Mueller has waited twenty years. He is finally the right age. He is more prepared than any player in history. All he needs is an opponent. It is time to start the game. The "Kings" of New York City are dying and Michael, obsessed with Bobby Fischer and the game of chess, is killing them at specific sights on certain dates across the grid of New York City's "chess board". The killer wants the ultimate match, in front of the biggest crowd, in the world's most renowned city. New York City Homicide Detective Paul Worton has seen it all in his thirty years on the force, but when he and his squad are sent to Carnegie Hall to solve the murder of New York City Philharmonic Director Vincent Antonelli, he may have met his "match". This first brutal execution blossoms into a string of sensational deaths connected by one distinct clue which signals the presence of a diabolical serial killer. The stakes are enormous in the final game as New York City landmarks become killing grounds and pressure from the public, the media, and the top brass scream for the capture of the "Chess Board Killer". In this race against time, will Worton be able to sift through the "moves" and "counter moves" and piece together enough clues to stop this psychopath, or will Mueller fulfill his dream and become the most renowned chess player of all time?

As a young man, Paul Hoffman was a brilliant chess player . . . until the pressures of competition drove him to the brink of madness. In King's Gambit, he interweaves a gripping overview of the history of the game and an in-depth look at the state of modern chess into the story of his own attempt to get his game back up to master level -- without losing his mind. It's also a father and son story, as Hoffman grapples with the bizarre legacy of his own dad, who haunts Hoffman's game and life.

This book offers the first full-length study of the chess structures, motifs, and imagery in William Faulkner's Knight's Gambit . Wainwright looks at the importance of chess as a literary device and examines the structural analogy drawn between the game and linguistics by Ferdinand de Saussure.

This book is a state-of-the-art survey of all branches of the world's most popular gambit from the viewpoint of the player who wants to attack with the white pieces. Many of the world's top young players, such as Kramni, Anand and Shirov have invested enormous amounts of time and analysis into making lines of the Slav, Semi-Slav, and QGA into reliable, ambitious weapons for Black. This book concentrates concentrates on the lines which are at the cutting edge of White's counter-efforts, and provides a selection of aggressive repertoires against Black's older defences, including the Orthodox, Tarrasch and Semi-Tarrasch. No player who has read this book need be in any doubt how to meet Black's sharp approaches - be they modern, dynamic counter attacks or old, romantic gambits.

Seize the Initiative Right from the Start! Are you bored with slow maneuvering in systems such as the the Italian game with d2-d3 and the anti-Berlin? Do you enjoy confrontation in the center and sharp, tactical play? Alex Fishbein shows how the Scotch Gambit can give you exciting yet sound positions where you aim at the enemy king. In the Scotch Gambit, White immediately strikes in the center and attacks the f7-pawn, provoking concessions from Black. An imbalance typically results, where White has attacking chances on the kingside. The Scotch Gambit will help you develop a finer feeling for the initiative and improve your combinational vision. You will also better understand strategic concepts, such as weak squares of one color and pawn structure nuances. Fishbein, an experienced player and author, takes you into a modern grandmaster’s research lab. Here, all ideas are scrutinized and prepared for use against an opponent who is similarly armed with the latest theory and technology. The most critical responses for Black receive special emphasis. Alex Fishbein is an American grandmaster. His peak world ranking was #150. He was competitive in each of his four U.S. Championship appearances, including in 2004 when he won the Bent Larsen prize for the most uncompromising chess. A lifelong 1.e4 player, Fishbein is known for interesting and creative play.

The Budapest Gambit is popular with club and internet chess players all over the world, and it is easy to see why. It has surprise value, it’s not hard to learn, and it leads to sharp and dynamic play from the very start of the game. But what about its strategic value? When Grandmaster Viktor Moskalenko started playing the Budapest many years ago, its all-round appeal struck him, and since then he has won many games with it. This book contains quite a few of Moskalenko’s own games, as well as games by other star players from the past and the present. They illustrate perfectly the dynamic character of this gambit as well as its solid strategic foundations. Moskalenko does not shower you with long computer-generated variations but clearly explains the plans for both White and Black. Moskalenko’s lively style will infect you and encourage you to start playing this opening, which is a great weapon at any level, from club player to grandmaster. This new edition is completely reworked and fully updated from the original 2007 publication; It has been extended by 25% and contains new analysis, new games, new ideas and lots of novelties.

Alexey Bezgodov provides a complete chess opening repertoire for Black against 1.d4. After replying with 1…d5, the former Russian Chess Champion advises you to take up the Double Queen’s Gambit and play 2…c5! against both 2. c4 and 2. Nf3. In The Double Queen’s Gambit Black’s attitude is as active and ambitious as that of White in the Queen’s Gambit. This ambition may seem premature at first sight, but many strong grandmasters have already successfully played this system. After thoroughly investigating and analysing this opening, Bezgodov has gained a lot of experience in practical grandmaster play. The system not only turned out to be playable but also brought him success, and not just because of its surprise value. Bezgodov’s conclusion is that there is no clear and compelling way for White to reach an advantage. The fresh ideas and the clear explanations in The Double Queen’s Gambit may change your view on modern chess opening theory. Bezgodov provides dozens of exercises to test your understanding of his system.

Forging New Paths in an Ancient Opening – Second Edition The Queen’s Gambit Accepted is one of the oldest known openings in chess. It was first mentioned in chess literature in the late 15th century. Over 500 years later, American Grandmaster Max Dlugy demonstrates in this groundbreaking work that the QGA is still a fighting, uncompromising opening that allows Black to play for a win from the very first move. But his comprehensive coverage is something players who face the QGA with White will also want to study. Dlugy not only carefully maps out Black’s best strategy, but also gives ample consideration to how White should play. The positions analyzed are a blend of the tactical elements and the key positional considerations such as space, time and pawn structure to be assessed when choosing your lines. This book will teach you not just the QGA, but chess strategy in general. It will teach you how to play solid yet lively positions and allow you to take something away from Maxim Dlugy’s classical style and lucid explanations. If you want to improve your chess while learning a reliable opening with Black, you are now reading the book you need. – From the Foreword by GM Alex Fishbein Max Dlugy has great experience with the QGA, having played it successfully for over 40 years. In this book, he presents new analysis in established lines and rehabilitates many variations, turning existing theory on its head. Whether you play White or Black, this creative, cutting-edge treatment of the Queen’s Gambit Accepted will be indispensable. This revised, expanded second edition has an additional 40 pages of new material and analysis.