Description
A rare and sought after book on the match for the World Chess Championship 2004.
It would confirm one of the two mental matadors Kramnik or Leko as the legitimate heir of Steinitz, Alekhine, Fischer and Kasparov. Peter Leko, the Hungarian Grandmaster, qualified from the Dortmund Candidates Tournament in 2002 to meet Vladimir Kramnik from Moscow, who had unseated Garry Kasparov in London 2000. It was held at Centro Dannemann in Switzerland .
Although both contenders were noted for their solidity, the clash turned out to be a sporting classic, as Kramnik poured every ounce of energy into the last games in an effort to maintain his title. The first 14 chapters of the book look at the previous 14 World Champions before concentrating on the big match. The first World Championship match was held in New York 1886 and the latest in2004 Brissago in Switzerland. That means 14 extraordinary personalities, heroes in the history of chess. Each of them has enriched the game in his own inimitable way and influenced the style of generations. They will all be portrayed in this book, starting with Wilhelm Steinitz, the first World Champion, and going all the way through to Vladimir Kramnik. We shall meet child prodigies and scientists, artists and eccentrics all men who devoted themselves to chess passionately and sometimes obsessively. We shall follow these exceptional thinkers step by step down the paths of their sometimes ill fated lives. Annotated games and brilliant combinations will remind us of some of the most important moments in their careers.
Softback, 170 pages. Dimensions: 23.8 x 16.4 x 1.2 cm, 440g.
