Hans Renette Libri

Focusing on Viktor Korchnoi's career from 1969 to 1980, this volume delves into his notable matches, including the intense 1978 world championship against Karpov and pivotal candidates finals. It highlights Korchnoi's defection to the West in 1976, enriching the narrative with biographical insights into his life and personality. The authors utilize original interviews and diverse sources in multiple languages to create a detailed and comprehensive portrait of this legendary chess figure, continuing the exploration begun in Volume I.

Focusing on Viktor Korchnoi's remarkable chess journey from his challenging childhood through 1968, this first volume analyzes 181 games and fragments, showcasing his early rivalries with chess greats like Taimanov and Spassky. Korchnoi's resilience is highlighted against a backdrop of personal hardships, including loss and mental health struggles within his family. The book also covers his significant achievements, including three Soviet championship titles and a brief stint as world number one. Enhanced with historical photos, it offers a deep dive into Korchnoi's formative years in chess.

Around 1860 a wave of talented youth intensified the Berlin chess scene. Within a short time Berthold Suhle, Philipp Hirschfeld and Gustav Neumann ranked among the best players in the world. After a few years, Suhle went on to become an authority in ancient Greek, and Hirschfeld proved a successful businessman (while remaining a sparring partner of Johannes Hermann Zukertort). Neumann retained a fascination for the game and grew into one of the world's strongest players. Despite their achievements little has been known about their lives and games. Drawing on a range of sources, the authors fill this gap, providing games with both old and new analyses. An introductory chapter on Berlin chess before 1860 and an appendix on Bernhard von Guretzky-Cornitz complete the book.