A very good new chess history book: "The History of Chess in Fifty Moves"

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  • A very good new chess history book: "The History of Chess in Fifty Moves"

    I was consulted recently by the Kingston Library system about chess books they could add to their collection, and after examining what they had, I suggested they acquire this book: "The History of Chess in Fifty Moves", which I had heard praised, but had not seen. They followed through right away, and this is really a worthwhile book! :)

    Firefly Books, Richmond Hill, Ont. are the publishers, with ISBN: 978-177085-529-8 (hardcover).

    This book by Bill Price is very well written and beautifully illustrated. It is meant to attract the average person, but has enough material to interest most of the rest of us more experienced chess people, as well. No complete games, but it does present some famous positions. Coverage of personalities from Ruy Lopez in the 1500s to Magnus Carlsen in the present day, with pretty good Bobby Fischer material!

    Very good on early chess history, and intriguing coverage of Benjamin Franklin's diplomacy with chess connections just prior to the American Revolutionary War (of which I had been unaware).

    It's ideal for your local and school libraries, and would be a fantastic resource for school projects on chess history (I did one in Grade 8, accompanied by a 10-minute speech which got a high mark!).

    It would be a wonderful holiday gift for the chess person in your life!

  • #2
    The History of Chess in Fifty Moves

    The History of Chess in Fifty Moves

    December 6, 2015

    I’ve not read the book, nor do I own it either. I would proceed with caution in its purchase until some reviews come in. Read this one for example:

    "I'm unsure what qualifications Bill Price has to write about chess, but they have let him down with this book. The book is littered with mistakes, did Fischer really play 1.c3 in three games v Spassky in 1972? No he didn't, yet it states this on page 107 and even names game six as one of them. The index mentions a Jan Timmins as being mentioned on page 100, not a thing there. If you search you find Mr Timmins on page 200 where he apparently played a Candidates Final against Nigel Short. I'd always though that was Jan Timman.

    There is also a reference to a Harold Staunton on page 147 despite discussing Howard Staunton earlier on. The printing and layout of the book are excellent, but the diagrams are a shambles with Kings, Queens, Bishops and Pawns being far too hard to differentiate between. There are other mistakes and I wasn't really looking for them they just pop up. As well as this, there isn't a game to be played through anywhere in the book, so if an anecdote takes your fancy, you need another book as well. There are a number of fairly good books on chess history, get one of them. For Mr Price's sake I hope Edward Winter doesn't get hold of it, he'd shred it."

    https://www.librarything.com/topic/205701

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    • #3
      Re: The History of Chess in Fifty Moves

      Yes, there are a few typos and silly mistakes like this in the book. I spotted these myself as well.

      However, even books written by GMs have typos, and these can often be infuriating and confusing, since they affect game moves, diagrams, etc. The famous tournament book on Nottingham 1936, for example, written by the great Alexander Alekhine, has an incorrect diagram for the famous game Capablanca vs. Alekhine, no less! One of the author's own games. And that is in the revised edition!

      I agree that the diagrams are confusing, as the pieces on them look too much alike. This is a significant flaw.

      As far as author Bill Price goes, he likely isn't a chess person, but he does write well.

      Overall, the few errors like those pointed out don't spoil what is an enjoyable and useful book.

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