Overview

Full Product Details

9785950043321

Table of Contents

Reviews

"""The book is itself a pleasant read, because Sosonko clearly liked and respected Smyslov....you will spend a few pleasant hours with one of the nicer, more humane figures of the Soviet era. Warmly recommended for those who are interested in the history of the game"" - FIDE Master Dennis Monokroussos, The Chess Mind blog, 21 January 2019 ""In recent years, Sosonko has published three beautiful books about great chess players from the Soviet Union whom he knew very well. First David Bronstein, then Viktor Kortchnoi and now Vasily Smyslov."" - Grandmaster Hans Ree, Dutch Treat blog, 2 January 2019 ""I mentioned Genna Sosonko before in this review, so you won't be too surprised to learn that I also enjoyed his Smyslov on the Couch (Elk and Ruby) greatly. It's a book that once again captures the personality of a great player, the era in which he lived and - just as poignantly as with Bronstein - the struggle of growing old, to which the whole of the third section ('The Final Years') is dedicated...a short but really interesting book about Sosonko's interaction with a great of chess history. Recommended!"" - Grandmaster Matthew Sadler, New in Chess magazine, March 2019 ""...a gold mine of information on the real Vasily Smyslov, shining a bright light on one of the lesser-chronicled kings of chess."" - Sean Marsh, CHESS Magazine, April 2019"

The book is itself a pleasant read, because Sosonko clearly liked and respected Smyslov....you will spend a few pleasant hours with one of the nicer, more humane figures of the Soviet era. Warmly recommended for those who are interested in the history of the game - FIDE Master Dennis Monokroussos, The Chess Mind blog, 21 January 2019 In recent years, Sosonko has published three beautiful books about great chess players from the Soviet Union whom he knew very well. First David Bronstein, then Viktor Kortchnoi and now Vasily Smyslov. - Grandmaster Hans Ree, Dutch Treat blog, 2 January 2019 I mentioned Genna Sosonko before in this review, so you won't be too surprised to learn that I also enjoyed his Smyslov on the Couch (Elk and Ruby) greatly. It's a book that once again captures the personality of a great player, the era in which he lived and - just as poignantly as with Bronstein - the struggle of growing old, to which the whole of the third section ('The Final Years') is dedicated...a short but really interesting book about Sosonko's interaction with a great of chess history. Recommended! - Grandmaster Matthew Sadler, New in Chess magazine, March 2019

The book is itself a pleasant read, because Sosonko clearly liked and respected Smyslov....you will spend a few pleasant hours with one of the nicer, more humane figures of the Soviet era. Warmly recommended for those who are interested in the history of the game - FIDE Master Dennis Monokroussos, The Chess Mind blog, 21 January 2019 In recent years, Sosonko has published three beautiful books about great chess players from the Soviet Union whom he knew very well. First David Bronstein, then Viktor Kortchnoi and now Vasily Smyslov. - Hans Ree, Dutch Treat blog, 2 January 2019

Author Information

Genna Sosonko (born 1943, Troitsk, Russia) is a Soviet-born Dutch Grandmaster who is widely recognized as the number one writer on the history of Soviet chess. Playing career Once ranked among the world's top twenty chess players, Genna acted as second to ex-World Champion Mikhail Tal and to ex-World Championship Challenger Viktor Korchnoi during world championship candidates matches. He emigrated from the Soviet Union to the Netherlands in 1972, where he continues to live. He won the Dutch Championship in 1973 and 1978 (jointly). His tournament record includes 1st at the Barcelona Zonal Tournament 1975, 1st at Lugano 1976, 1st at Wijk aan Zee 1977, 1st at Nijmegen 1978, 3rd at Amsterdam 1980, 1st at Wijk aan Zee 1981, 3rd at Tilburg 1982 and 4th at Haninge 1988. He also drew a match with Jan Timman (+1 =0 -1) in 1984. Genna played for the Dutch team at the Chess Olympiads eleven times, in 1974-84, and 1988-96. He won two individual medals: gold at Haifa 1976 and bronze at Nice 1974, and two team medals: silver at Haifa 1976 and bronze at Thessaloniki 1988. FIDE, the World Chess Federation, awarded Sosonko the International Master (IM) title in 1974, the GM title in 1976 and the FIDE Senior Trainer title in 2004. Literary career Sosonko has authored seven non-technical chess books in English centering heavily on his chess life in the Soviet Union and his relationships with and memories of both leading Soviet players and lesser-known characters in chess history.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available