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Garry Kasparov on Fischer
My Great Predecessors
Part IV: Fischer by Garry Kasparov with Dmitry Plisetsky
2004 Everyman Chess, Figurine Algebraic Notation, Hardcover, 496pp.
Price: US $35.00 |
A Pair of Kings
Hanon W. Russell
Ever since the appearance of the first volume of Garry Kasparov’s My
Great Predecessors series, historians, analysts, theoreticians – not
to mention the average chessplayer – have subjected the books to tremendous
scrutiny. Regardless of anyone’s opinion or reaction to the first three
volumes, most readers have one common question: ‘What will Garry have
to say about Bobby?’ The wait is now over. The volume about Fischer,
Volume 4, is now out. And it has been worth the wait.
Much like the previous three volumes, this is a handsomely produced hardbound
edition of almost 500 pages. The first 200 pages or so focus on the lives and
careers of Sam Reshevsky, Miguel Najdorf and Bent Larsen. The rest of the book
is all about Bobby.
Kasparov traces Fischer’s life from early childhood through the second
match with Spassky and beyond. There is even a discussion of Fischer’s
parents, particularly his father, whose true identity has very recently been
discovered. It is not uncommon for Garry to explore several different sources
to present differing views of the same events. And he is occasionally abruptly
candid, leaving no doubt about his personal opinion. The controversy surrounding
Garry’s assertion that Karpov would have defeated Fischer in 1975 will
rage for a long time.
Garry Kasparov with Predecessors IV in his New York hotel room
And what about the games themselves? They are annotated in extraordinary depth;
Garry’s analytical microscope is as sharp as ever. It is also interesting
to see Kasparov occasionally take a step back and make a more personal observation.
So, on page 14, it is as if he is almost making a plea for understanding as
he says, “Well, world champions are only human, which means that the
can also be mistaken…” Later (p. 46) he opines, “The player
who becomes champion is truly the one who, all things being equal, is eager
for this more than the others!”
The book includes indexes of players and openings, and, for the first time
in this series, a bibliography, a sign that Garry is taking the historical
and literary value of his work more seriously. In a conversation we had with
Garry immediately after the conclusion of the interview, he thought that the
fifth volume of the series (six volumes are planned) would be out in the fall
of 2005. That gives you almost a full year to examine and savor what is sure
to be regarded as Garry’s best work yet.
On
December 9 Hannon Russel had the opportunity to interview Garry Kasparov in
New York City. Kasparov was animated and focused, discussing his new book with
vigor and intensity, pouring his energy into the discussion as if he were doing
battle – and winning – against a rival over the board. An audio
file of this interview is also at the link given below.
