This excellent book provides a unique look into the history of chess by examining the lives and careers of its prominent players. Although the text essentially ends with Fischer, it is a worthwhile read. The author's style is engaging, and his choice to include only a representative game or two at the end of each master's chapter makes the book flow nicely as a story, rather than a manual on chess tactics or strategy. If you are interested in learning about the characters who played a role in defining this great game, Hartston's book is for you.

This is the first book on chess which I have read and it has spurred me to become an avid chess player. The lives of every famous chess player from Philidor to Kasparov is chronicled in this scholarly writing. Complete with their games and excellent photos , this book is a must-read for all who want to know about the greatest players in the history of chess. Brillant and painstaking research on their lives and their eccentricies.

Loved it! This isn't really a chess book but a humor but a humor book about chess. Although it does teach something on how to cheat at chess, the most important thing in the book are the jokes, which might sometimes be a bit stupid but are always very funny. Read the chapter on friendly games

Chapter 1 is entitled But You Can't Cheat at Chess. Yet tournament players will recognize some of the dirty tricks recommended here, and practiced by occasional opponents, in competitions. Chapter 4, entitled Friendly Games, consists entirely of the admonition "There is no such thing as a friendly game of chess." The full-length Chapter 5, "Friendly" Games, sets the record straight. The book suggests playing in the center or on the wings, depending on whether your opponent's eyes are far apart or close together, and deep in your opponent's territory or close to home, depending on whether he has long or short arms. At one point the author recommends the move Pawn to King's Rook Three-and-Three-Fourths, so that it can be j'adoubed back to the third rank if it turns out to be vulnerable on the fourth. The penultimate chapter describes how to be a chess journalist, by applying such hackneyed annotations as "Note how naturally White's moves flow from the characteristics of the position" to a ridiculous move played in the middle of a ridiculous game. This book is not for serious competitors, but for those with a sense of humor. It's hilarious.