My 60 Memorable Games [Paperback]

Bobby Fischer (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Faber & Faber; New ed. edition (October 1972)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0571099874
• ISBN-13: 978-0571099870
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,500,154 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Greatest Chess Book Ever Written, December 10, 1999

By 

Michael Story "math professor, consumer of media" (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: My 60 Memorable Games (Paperback)

Robert James Fischer is probably the greatest player of all time, his only rival being Kasparov (or perhaps Capablanca or Alekhine depending upon one's criteria). It is, therefore, only reasonable that a selection of his best games should rank as one of the greatest chess books. However, this work is more than a mere game collection: In it we have a chance to see a true genuis (IQ 187) at work. I am, hence, willing to say that it is the greatest chess book. The annotations are simply flawless, but this flawlessness is not their most impressive quality. One begins to feel, as perhaps one does only in two other works (The Life and Games of Mikhail Tal and Paul Keres' The Quest for Perfection) that he is actually in the mind of a great player. I specifically remember being struck by his annotations to his game against Robert Byrne, quite possibly the greatest game ever played. I actually began to feel my understanding of chess expand as I studied Fishcer's ideas at the board; going over this game for the first time, I found that his commentary made this almost incomprehensible game seem simple. This book offers the rare opportunity to enter a great player's mind (in my view, the greatest) and make your own ever so slightly more like his. I would also suggest My Best Games of Chess by Alexander Alekhine.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Awesome Book !!, April 12, 2001

By 

M. H. Smith "chessmansmith" (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: My 60 Memorable Games (Paperback)

If you can find this out of print book anywhere - grab it immediately!

It is a collection of heavily annotated games that Fischer felt contained something special, memorable, or instructive. He even included several losses.

Each game starts out with a commentary by Grandmaster Larry Evans, who describes the setting, the players, their moods, standings, etc. prior to the game.

This is followed by the complete game scores with detailed notes penned by the Great Bobby himself. There is enough material in this book, coupled with enough variety of openings, that one could nearly create an opening repertoire from reading this book alone. (preferable with some reference to modern sources for potential improvements.).

I know for a fact that countless talented players have been inspired by this classic for years. I have heard that an algebraic version was printed a few years back and then discontinued abruptly. (I have only seen the descriptive notation).

In any case, this book truly belongs in the library of any serious player.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have for anyone's chess library, August 20, 2002

By 

JasonChrisJones (Atlanta, GA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: My 60 Memorable Games (Paperback)

My edition is Faber paperbacks 1972 and covers the period 1957-1967. I always tell people that it is the best (money) that I've ever spent! IM Larry Evans introduces all of the 60 games with titles like "Slaying the dragon", "Peekaboo strategy" and "Meat and potatoes". Although, of course, it is the annotations given by Fischer that make the book - highly recommended.