Genna Sosonko Boeken

In his third full-length memoir about one of the world’s greatest ever chess players Genna Sosonko portrays a warm picture of the seventh world champion Vasily Smyslov, with whom he spent considerable time over the board, during tournaments and while meeting at each other’s homes. Smyslov the man was far more balanced and spiritual than most of his contemporaries, capable of a relaxed and yet principled approach to life. Unlike most top players he was able to reach a very high standard in his chosen hobby – in his case, classical singing – even while playing chess at the very top. His natural inclination to see the best in people was, however, challenged as the world around him underwent fundamental changes late in his life. The new freedoms of the post-Soviet era also engendered one of the most extraordinary polemics in chess history – David Bronstein’s article ‘Thrown’ Games in Zurich (2001) – bringing accusations against Smyslov that forced him to defend himself at the age of eighty, by which time many witnesses to the events in Zurich were already deceased. In this book, Genna focuses in particular on that polemic, places it in the wider context of the so-called Soviet Chess School, and asks whether Bronstein’s hurt and accusations were justified.

The book offers a unique insider's perspective on the intertwining of chess and ideology during the Cold War in the Soviet Union. Genna Sosonko reflects on his experiences with legendary players like Mikhail Tal and Viktor Korchnoi, capturing the nostalgia of his youth while providing critical insights into how chess became a symbol of socialist excellence. His narrative reveals the personal and political dimensions of the game, highlighting the significance of chess in Soviet culture and its role as an ideological weapon.

First published in Russian in 2014 and written by Genna Sosonko - widely recognized as the number one writer on the history of Soviet chess - this is a truly unique book about the life and destiny of the great chess player David Bronstein (1924-2006). Emerging from a challenging background - he narrowly escaped the holocaust in WWII, during which he starved, and his father spent seven years in a gulag - Bronstein faced Botvinnik in the world championship match in 1951 and nearly defeated him. But this 'nearly' inflicted a wound on David so deep that it would not heal for the rest of his life. Sosonko knew Bronstein well. Their conversations - many of which have made it into this book - not only portray the thoughts and character of one of history's most original grandmasters but also take us back to a time unlike any other in world history. This is not a biography in the traditional sense of the word. Rather, Sosonko's fascinating book asks eternal questions which don't have neat and simple answers. With a foreword to the English edition by Garry Kasparov.

Viktor Korchnoi was one of the leading grandmasters of the 20th century, coming within one game of winning the world championship in 1978. His battles with Karpov for the world crown were among the most important chess matches ever played. A man with a unique - and in many ways tragic - life and career, Korchnoi's defection to the West in 1976 was a major event in Cold War politics. Grandmaster Genna Sosonko was Korchnoi's coach and second during tournaments and candidates matches in 1970-71 and then a close friend of Korchnoi for decades. Indeed, Sosonko's emigration to the West in 1972, which is described in detail in this memoir, had a key impact on Korchnoi's decision to defect four years later. They would meet up at tournaments and at home and discuss chess, politics, and just about everything else. Their conversations constitute an important part of this book, in which Sosonko tackles difficult questions about Korchnoi's personality and places much of his often challenging behavior into its historical context. This book, like Sosonko's previous masterpiece The Rise and Fall of David Bronstein, contains no games but focuses on Korchnoi's life, from his early childhood to his final years. Further, it includes many previously unpublished photos from the private collections of Sosonko and the Korchnoi family.

Sosonkova kniha obsahuje výběr toho nejlepšího z jeho bohaté tvorby, převážně však eseje o nejlepších šachistech světa.

Vzpomínková kniha současného nizozemského velmistra Genny Sosonka líčí svět šachových hráčů, jakými byli Tal, Botvinnik, Smyslov, Geller, Lasker a další. Autor citlivě zaznamenává osobní přátelství a zážitky, atmosféru turnajů i okamžiky plné emocí. Jako pozdější emigrant popisuje neoddělitelnost sovětského šachu od politiky a ukazuje, jaký vliv měla uzavřenost společnosti na rozvoj sovětského šachu. Součástí knihy je kapitola, která vznikla na základě zaznamenaného setkání s vdovou po kubánském velmistru Capablankovi.... celý text

Kniha vypráví o šachových velikánech: Salo Flohrovi, Maxovi Euwem, Baturinském, Bagirovovi, Gufeldovi, Korčném, Lutikovi, Milesovi, Timmanovi a Vaganjanovi.