Customer Reviews

Delights of Chess (Hardinge Simpole Chess Classics)

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Delights of Chess is Assiac's enduring monument. Wit, erudition, grandmaster gossip and profiles of the greats are the staple fare, rather then gruelling analysis or reams of variations. This is the elegant fireside of chess to be savoured with blazing logs and a glass of fine cognac. Heinrich Fraenkel, who went under the pseudonym of Assiac, was a German chess expert who fled the Nazis to take up residence in the UK. Always at the epicentre of every major chess event in his chosen country, Fraenkel had a particular love for the endgame study and for the charming anecdote in chess. He became chess editor for the New Statesman, and authored several books including the English translation of Lasker's biography and best games.

I learned about the book through a friend who is an aspiring chess player. At first, I wasn't really interested but my friend gave me a little background info on the author so I decided to check it out. The author has written it in a very witty tone showing a lot of cleverness. It contains profiles of all the chess greats. The author doesn't bore you by going into a lot of detail so this book can be read in your spare time.
Heinrich Fraenkel, who went under the pseudonym of Assiac, was a German chess expert who fled the Nazis to take up residence in the UK. Heinrich was a regular at all the major chess events. Fraenkel had a particular love for the endgame study and for the charming anecdote in chess. He became chess editor for the New Statesman, and authored several books including the English translation of Lasker's biography and best games. This was a pleasant read and I recommend it to anyone even if you don't have the slightest interest in the game itself.