From the Siles Press web site:

“Silman’s Chess Odyssey is International Master Jeremy Silman’s homage – part instruction, part history, part memoir – to the game he loves. The book opens with with behind-the-scenes tales of tournament life. Then it profiles the lives and careers of eleven legendary players-Adolf Anderssen, Ignatz Kolisch, Johannes Zukertort, Siegbert Tarrasch, Wilhelm Steinitz, Emanuel Lasker, Frank Marshall, Rudolf Spielmann, Alexander Alekhine, Salo Flohr, and Efim Geller-with the help of diagrams and analysis of over 275 games. After that it delves into accounts of criminals who were talented chess players, discusses a memorably odd series of games in a historic interzonal tournament, and memorializes some of Silman’s friends in the chess world. It concludes with material on openings, imbalances, tactics, and psychology, and FAQs”

About the Author:

“Jeremy Silman is an International Master and a world-class teacher, writer, and player who has won the American Open, the National Open, and the U.S. Open. Considered by many to be the game’s preeminent instructive writer, he is the author of over thirty-seven books, including Silman’s Complete Endgame Course, The Amateur’s Mind, The Complete Book of Chess Strategy, and The Reassess Your Chess Workbook. His website (www.jeremysilman.com) offers fans of the game instruction, book reviews, theoretical articles, and details of his work in the creation of the chess scene in the movie Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.”

 

From the author’s preface:

As I sit down to write this preface I find myself at a loss for words. Why? I’ve been writing about chess for over fifty years (as well as teaching and playing), but every paragraph I start to write seems as f I’ve written or said it a thousand times before.

I ask myself what are my current thoughts on chess. For example, computer chess engines are monsters. Humans have no way to beat them, and they will get better and better. 

Chess continues to be a part of everyday as I must feed my habit? I very much enjoy the game when I play blitz against other masters. Sadly, several of my close friends (my chess posse) have died: Igor Ivanov, Walter Browne, Pal Benko, Steve Brandwein (I can still hear Steve chanting, “I came, I ate, and I left”), and John Grefe, and I miss there banter. I enjoy chess teaching (if the student is really engaged) and I have a handful of students. But mostly I love, love, love chess books. 

Fantastic: so do I. Wait a minute, though. ‘I miss THERE banter’? While I’m at it, I’m not sure what that question mark is doing at the end of the first sentence in that paragraph. Although I share Jeremy’s love of chess books, I hate, hate, hate spelling, grammatical and factual errors (especially those in my own books and reviews).

To be fair, it does get a lot better: perhaps the preface was written after the grammar checker had read the rest of the book.

Jumping forward a bit:

I love chess history. For example, Gioacchino Greco – he was the best chess player in the world circa 1620. You must look at his games (see part four)! Greco was a master of tactics, positional play, and openings – he did everything! I Greco knew “imbalances” (which I created) he would be a chess god. As for Philidor (in the 1700s), Greco would destroy him.

Interesting, and perhaps a controversial opinion, quite apart from the question as to whether Greco actually played the games in his book. If you’re a historian of early chess, what do you think?

Further again:

And I am constantly amused by the endless stories. One of my favorites is the account Steinitz wrote following his physical battle with the hard-drinking Joseph Henry Blackburne (who was also known as the Black Death).

“After a few words Blackburne pounced upon me and hammered at my face and eyes with fullest force about a dozen blows … but at last I had the good fortune to release myself from his drunken grip, and I broke the windowpane with his head, which sobered him down a little.”

I laugh every time I look at this, as I hope you do when you read some of the stories squeezed in between the history and instruction within these pages.

There are so many sides to chess: You can have fun with it. You can study for long hours every day and become a strong player (that was my path). You can be a bad player, but just love the game and feel joy when you sit down at the board. You can be a five-year-old kid (boy or girl), or a ninety year old that plays every day.

I hope that every chess player will find some part of this book that speaks to them.

Here we have, then, an author with a distinguished record of writing instructional books, but who also has a passionate love of chess. If you share that passion you’ll want to read this book.

The first part, taking you up to page 56, offers Cracked Grandmaster Tales,  amusing anecdotes which Jeremy himself either witnessed or was part of.

Here’s Filipino GM Balinas drinking a cup of honey mixed with tea – and losing horribly.  Here’s Tal visiting Disneyland (his favourite ride was Pirates of the Caribbean). Here’s Najdorf, well, being Najdorf. Here’s Larsen, well, being Larsen and telling his favourite stories. All great fun, although I’m not sure everything would pass a sensitivity reader.

The bulk of the book, up to page 376 is taken up by Part 2, where Silman introduces you to his 11 favourite players of all time, mostly from the 19th and early 20th centuries. A pretty eclectic bunch they are as well, but with tacticians predominating: Anderssen, Kolisch, Zukertort, Tarrasch, Steinitz, Lasker, Marshall, Spielmann, Alekhine, Flohr, Geller). There’s a lot of variance in the number of pages allotted to them. Poor Zukertort only gets six pages, compared to Lasker’s 50, Marshall’s 67 and Alekhine’s 72.

Marshall’s chapter is, as you would expect, hugely entertaining. Silman offers us a lot of games, a few with Marshall’s annotations, some lightly and often amusingly annotated by Silman, and others without annotations, as well as a run-through of his career record.

He describes this rather inaccurate game, against Janowski, as a thrilling battle. As always in my reviews, click on any move for a pop-up window.

[pgn]

[Event “Match Marshall-Janowski”]
[Site “Paris”]
[Date “1905.??.??”]
[Round “13”]
[White “Marshall, Frank James”]
[Black “Janowski, Dawid Markelowicz”]
[Result “1-0”]
[ECO “D32”]
[PlyCount “139”]
[EventDate “1905.01.??”]
[EventType “match”]
[EventRounds “17”]
[EventCountry “FRA”]
[SourceTitle “HCL”]
[Source “ChessBase”]
[SourceDate “1999.07.01”]
[SourceVersion “2”]
[SourceVersionDate “1999.07.01”]
[SourceQuality “1”]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Bg5 f6 7. Bf4 g5 8. Bg3 g4 9. Nd2 Nxd4 10. e3 Nc6 11. h3 h5 12. hxg4 Bxg4 13. Qb3 Nb4 14. Bb5+ Bd7 15. a3 c4 16. Nxc4 Nd3+ 17. Ke2 dxc4 18. Bxc4 Nc5 19. Qc2 Ne7 20. Rad1 Qb6 21. Rd6 Bc6 22. Rhd1 Bg7 23. b4 h4 24. bxc5 Qxc5 25. Ne4 Qh5+ 26. f3 hxg3 27. Qd3 Kf8 28. Rd8+ Rxd8 29. Qxd8+ Be8 30. Nd6 Nc6 31. Qc8 Qe5 32. Be6 Nd8 33. Nxe8 Qxe6 34. Rxd8 Qxc8 35. Rxc8 Rh2 36. Nd6+ Ke7 37. Nf5+ Kd7 38. Rg8 Ke6 39. e4 Bh6 40. Nxh6 Rxh6 41. Rxg3 Rh1 42. f4 Ra1 43. Rb3 b6 44. Kf3 Rf1+ 45. Kg4 Re1 46. Kf3 Rf1+ 47. Ke3 Re1+ 48. Kd4 Rd1+ 49. Rd3 Rg1 50. g3 Re1 51. Rc3 Kd6{[#]} 52. e5+ fxe5+ 53. fxe5+ Kd7 54. Kd5 Rd1+ 55. Ke4 Re1+ 56. Re3 Rg1 57. Kf5 Rf1+ 58. Kg6 Ke6 59. g4 b5 60. g5 Rb1 61. Kh7 Rh1+ 62. Kg7 Rb1 63. g6 a5 64. Kg8 b4 65. axb4 axb4 66. Rh3 Kxe5 67. Rd3 b3 68. g7 b2 69. Rd2 Kf5 70. Kf7 1-0

[/pgn]

The annotations aren’t entirely accurate, either, if you consult Stockfish, or, for the last few moves, tablebases. The rook ending is certainly worth your attention if you like that sort of thing.

The chapter on Alekhine is also fun, although some readers will have seen some of the games many times before.

This game has a British interest, although I have a slight quibble. Milner-Barry was usually known by his middle name: Silman only gives his first name here.

[pgn]

[Event “Alekhine blindfold sim”]
[Site “Cheltenham “]
[Date “1923.??.??”]
[Round “?”]
[White “Alekhine, Alexander”]
[Black “Milner-Barry, Philip Stuart”]
[Result “1-0”]
[ECO “D66”]
[PlyCount “59”]
[EventDate “1923.??.??”]
[EventType “simul”]
[EventRounds “1”]
[EventCountry “ENG”]
[SourceTitle “EXT 2007”]
[Source “ChessBase”]
[SourceDate “2006.11.23”]
[SourceVersion “1”]
[SourceVersionDate “2006.11.23”]
[SourceQuality “1”]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Nbd7 5. e3 Be7 6. Nf3 O-O 7. Rc1 c6 8. Bd3 h6 9. Bf4 Nh5 10. O-O Nxf4 11. exf4 Nf6 12. Re1 dxc4 13. Bxc4 b6 14. Ne5 Bb7 15. Qf3 Qc7 16. Qh3 Rad8 17. f5 exf5 18. Qxf5 Bc8 19. Qf3 Bb7 20. Bb3 Rxd4{[#]} 21. Nxf7 Rxf7 22. Nb5 cxb5 23. Bxf7+ Kf8 24. Rxc7 Bxf3 25. Rcxe7 Rg4 26. Bb3 Rxg2+ 27. Kf1 Nd5 28. Re8+ Kf7 29. R8e5 Rxh2 30. Bxd5+ 1-0

[/pgn]

There’s a more serious problem when we reach 1938.

Silman presents this Famous Miniature, but mistakenly attributes the black pieces to Rowena rather than her future husband Ronald Bruce.

[pgn]

[Event “Plymouth Jubilee Congress Premier”]
[Site “Plymouth”]
[Date “1938.09.06”]
[Round “3”]
[White “Alekhine, Alexander”]
[Black “Bruce, Ronald Mackay”]
[Result “1-0”]
[ECO “B11”]
[PlyCount “23”]
[EventDate “1938.09.05”]
[EventType “tourn”]
[EventRounds “7”]
[EventCountry “ENG”]
[SourceTitle “EXT 2001”]
[Source “ChessBase”]
[SourceDate “2000.11.22”]
[SourceVersion “1”]
[SourceVersionDate “2000.11.22”]
[SourceQuality “1”]

1. e4 c6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Nf3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Ne5 Bh7 8. Qh5 g6 9. Bc4 e6 10. Qe2 Nf6{[#]} 11. Nxf7 Kxf7 12. Qxe6+ 1-0

[/pgn]

This mistake still appears in some online sources, and earlier versions of MegaBase had it wrong, but it’s correct in the current version. This article sets the record straight.

Silman also fails the Yates test: he was just Fred, not Frederick (and MegaBase, frustratingly, still hasn’t picked this up). Silman is a lover of chess history, but, like many others, not a historian. You might equally well argue, I suppose, that not all chess historians actually love chess history, being interested in facts at the expense of character.

Part 3 is entitled Portraits and Stories. Here we have some chess-playing criminals such as Norman Whitaker and Claude Bloodgood, who will be familiar to readers of The (Even More) Complete Chess Addict.

Silman also pays tribute to a few of his departed friends. Here, I was struck by his memories of Steve Brandwein, an exceptionally strong blitz player who played very little over the board.

Here’s one of his games.

[pgn]

[Event “US Open”]
[Site “Boston”]
[Date “1964.??.??”]
[Round “?”]
[White “McKelvie, Neil”]
[Black “Brandwein, Steve”]
[Result “0-1”]
[ECO “E78”]
[PlyCount “68”]
[EventDate “1964.??.??”]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Be2 O-O 6. f4 c5 7. Nf3 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Nbd7 9. Be3 a6 10. O-O e5 11. Nc2 exf4 12. Bxf4 Ne5 13. Qd2 Be6 14. b3 b5{[#]} 15. c5 b4 16. Nxb4 Qa5 17. Bxe5 dxe5 18. Nd3 Rfd8 19. Qb2 Rd4 20. b4 Qc7 21. a3 Rb8 22. Rad1 Nxe4 23. Nxe4 Rxe4 24. Nf2 Re3 25. Bxa6 e4 26. Qc1 Rc3 27. Qg5 h6 28. Qh4 Rxa3 29. b5 e3 30. Ne4 e2 31. b6 exf1=Q+ 32. Bxf1 Qc8 33. Bb5 Bf5 34. c6 Qe6 0-1

[/pgn]

Part 4 is a real miscellany: Musings, Theory, Instruction, and FAQs. You’ll find all sorts of things here, including this classic game. It taught me a lot in my early teens, and improved my positional understanding by leaps and bounds. Perhaps, with Silman’s annotations, it will improve your positional understanding as well.

[pgn]

[Event “DSV in der CSR-ch01 Meisterklasse”]
[Site “Teplitz Schoenau”]
[Date “1922.10.13”]
[Round “11”]
[White “Wolf, Heinrich”]
[Black “Rubinstein, Akiba”]
[Result “0-1”]
[ECO “C49”]
[PlyCount “120”]
[EventDate “1922.10.02”]
[EventType “tourn”]
[EventRounds “13”]
[EventCountry “CSR”]
[SourceTitle “HCL”]
[Source “ChessBase”]
[SourceDate “1999.07.01”]
[SourceVersion “2”]
[SourceVersionDate “1999.07.01”]
[SourceQuality “1”]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. O-O O-O 6. d3 d6 7. Bg5 Bxc3 8. bxc3 Qe7 9. Re1 Nd8 10. d4 Bg4 11. h3 Bh5 12. g4 Bg6 13. Nh4 h6 14. Nxg6 fxg6 15. Bc4+ Kh7 16. Bh4 g5 17. Bg3 Nf7 18. Qf3 Rae8 19. Qe3 b6 20. Bb5 Rd8 21. a4 Nh8{[#]} 22. a5 Ng6 23. f3 Nf4 24. Bf1 Kh8 25. Bxf4 gxf4 26. Qf2 g5 27. d5 h5 28. Bg2 Kg7 29. Qe2 Rh8 30. Kf2 Ra8 31. Reb1 Nd7 32. Qb5 hxg4 33. hxg4 Nc5 34. Rh1 Rh4 35. Rxh4 gxh4 36. Bh3 bxa5 37. Qxa5 Qd8 38. Rb1 Rb8 39. Rb4 a6 40. Ke2 Rb6 41. Qa1 Kg6 42. Kd2 Kg5 43. Rb1 Qb8 44. Rh1 a5 45. Bg2 a4 46. Qe1 Qh8 47. Qc1 Ra6 48. Bf1 Ra8 49. Bc4 a3 50. Ba2 Qh7 51. Rh3 Nd7 52. Qf1 Qh8 53. Rh1 Nc5 54. Qc1 Rb8 55. Qxa3 Ra8 56. Qb2 h3 57. Bc4 Qh4 58. Be2 Qf2 59. Rxh3 Qe3+ 60. Ke1 Na4 0-1

[/pgn]

There’s so much more here: the aforementioned Greco games, chess psychology, some opening theory, answers to questions such as ‘Can Anyone Become a Grandmaster?’ – and the Greatest Amateur Game of All Time.

You might think there are at least two books struggling to escape from this heavy, well produced, entertainingly written and beautifully illustrated (a wide range of great photographs throughout the book) volume. Part 2, Silman’s First Eleven, might be compared with Chernev’s Golden Dozen, while Parts 1, 3 and 4 would make a great collection of Wonders and Curiosities of Chess. And, yes, I think I can see the great Irving’s shade smiling down in approval.

You might see it as a bran tub, a lucky dip. Turn to any page at random and you’ll find something to amuse, inform or instruct.

Despite some avoidable errors, which will probably annoy you less than they annoy me, this book is highly recommended to all true chess enthusiasts, whatever their rating. It’s Jeremy’s love letter to the game that has meant so much to him throughout his life, a paean to the beauty and excitement of chess. If anyone out there thinks chess is a dull game, or chess players are dull people, this is the book to disabuse them.

In his chapter on Geller, Silman writes:

In my mind, if you don’t know all the greats from the past, then you’re missing the heart and soul of what chess is about. So many wonderful games. So many stories; some funny, some crazy, some very, very sad.

I’m in complete agreement: what sets chess apart from other games is its history, heritage and culture. If you agree as well, or if you’d just like to investigate further, then you should certainly read this book.

Richard James, Twickenham 7th February 2023

Book Details :

• Paperback: 550 pages
• Publisher: Siles Press (US) (31 May 2022)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10:1849947511
• ISBN-13:978-1890085247
• Product Dimensions: 17.78 x 3.81 x 25.4 cm

Official web site of Siles Press