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The Immortal Game: A History of Chess, or How 32 Carved Pieces on a Board Illuminated Our Understanding of War, Art, Science and the Human Brain
Why has one game, alone among the thousands of games invented and played throughout human history, not only survived but thrived within every culture it has touched? What is it about its thirty-two figurative pieces, moving about its sixty-four black and white squares according to very simple rules, that has captivated people for nearly 1,500 years? Why has it driven some of its greatest players into paranoia and madness, and yet is hailed as a remarkably powerful intellectual tool?
Nearly everyone has played chess at some point in their lives. Its rules and pieces have served as a metaphor for society, influencing military strategy, mathematics, artificial intelligence, and literature and the arts. It has been condemned as the devil’s game by popes, rabbis, and imams, and lauded as a guide to proper living by other popes, rabbis, and imams. Marcel Duchamp was so absorbed in the game that he ignored his wife on their honeymoon. Caliph Muhammad al-Amin lost his throne (and his head) trying to checkmate a courtier. Ben Franklin used the game as a cover for secret diplomacy.
In his wide-ranging and ever-fascinating examination of chess, David Shenk gleefully unearths the hidden history of a game that seems so simple yet contains infinity. From its invention somewhere in India around 500 A.D., to its enthusiastic adoption by the Persians and its spread by Islamic warriors, to its remarkable use as a moral guide in the Middle Ages and its political utility in the Enlightenment, to its crucial importance in the birth of cognitive science and its key role in the aesthetic of modernism in twentieth-century art, to its twenty-first-century importance in the development of artificial intelligence and use as a teaching tool in inner-city America, chess has been a remarkably omnipresent factor in the development of civilization.
Nearly everyone has played chess at some point in their lives. Its rules and pieces have served as a metaphor for society, influencing military strategy, mathematics, artificial intelligence, and literature and the arts. It has been condemned as the devil’s game by popes, rabbis, and imams, and lauded as a guide to proper living by other popes, rabbis, and imams. Marcel Duchamp was so absorbed in the game that he ignored his wife on their honeymoon. Caliph Muhammad al-Amin lost his throne (and his head) trying to checkmate a courtier. Ben Franklin used the game as a cover for secret diplomacy.
In his wide-ranging and ever-fascinating examination of chess, David Shenk gleefully unearths the hidden history of a game that seems so simple yet contains infinity. From its invention somewhere in India around 500 A.D., to its enthusiastic adoption by the Persians and its spread by Islamic warriors, to its remarkable use as a moral guide in the Middle Ages and its political utility in the Enlightenment, to its crucial importance in the birth of cognitive science and its key role in the aesthetic of modernism in twentieth-century art, to its twenty-first-century importance in the development of artificial intelligence and use as a teaching tool in inner-city America, chess has been a remarkably omnipresent factor in the development of civilization.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published September 5, 2006
About the author
David Shenk
20 books87 followersDavid Shenk is the award-winning and national-bestselling author of six books, including
The Genius in All of Us: New Insights Into Genetics, Talent, and IQ
("deeply interesting and important" - New York Times),
The Forgetting: Alzheimer's, Portrait of an Epidemic
("remarkable" - Los Angeles Times),
Data Smog: Surviving the Information Glut
("indispensable" - New York Times), and
The Immortal Game: A History of Chess
("superb" - Wall Street Journal). He is a popular lecturer, a short-film director, and a correspondent for TheAtlantic.com. He has contributed to National Geographic, Slate, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Gourmet, Harper's, Spy, The New Yorker, NPR, and PBS. Shenk lives in Brooklyn, New York.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 321 reviews
August 24, 2010
This is the second book I've read about the history of chess this year (the first was Birth of the Chess Queen by Marilyn Yalom). While they are both excellent treatments of the subject, I think I like The Immortal Game better.
It's just more fun. The Immortal Game has a sort of whimsy about it which I find appropriate because chess is, after all, merely a game (despite the intellectual and historical heft it can throw around after 1400 years). Of course, they're very different works, so that comparison is not truly fair.
Birth of the Chess Queen was a study of the history of the game and the way society changed around it. The Immortal Game is more of a study of the way play styles evolved and how peoples of various times related themselves to the game of kings.
Unsurprisingly, the book is named after its most striking feature: a move-by-move analysis of a casual game between Adolf Anderssen and Lionel Kieseritzky from 1851. This particular match, of course, is dubbed "The Immortal Game". Move-by-move, the author examines how chess thought changed and how players of each generation would see the given board position. As a chess novice, I found this view eye-opening.
This is an excellent work for anyone who plays chess or even just has a passing interest in a game that practically marks modern civilization.
It's just more fun. The Immortal Game has a sort of whimsy about it which I find appropriate because chess is, after all, merely a game (despite the intellectual and historical heft it can throw around after 1400 years). Of course, they're very different works, so that comparison is not truly fair.
Birth of the Chess Queen was a study of the history of the game and the way society changed around it. The Immortal Game is more of a study of the way play styles evolved and how peoples of various times related themselves to the game of kings.
Unsurprisingly, the book is named after its most striking feature: a move-by-move analysis of a casual game between Adolf Anderssen and Lionel Kieseritzky from 1851. This particular match, of course, is dubbed "The Immortal Game". Move-by-move, the author examines how chess thought changed and how players of each generation would see the given board position. As a chess novice, I found this view eye-opening.
This is an excellent work for anyone who plays chess or even just has a passing interest in a game that practically marks modern civilization.
March 11, 2024
"La presa di coscienza tanto a livello individuale quanto a livello collettivo e istituzionale che i popoli potevano autodeterminare il proprio destino, è alla base della scienza moderna, della filosofia e dello sviluppo economico. Gli scacchi hanno probabilmente contribuito a diffondere questa rivoluzionaria nozione e certamente aiutato alcuni popoli a comprenderla."
«La conoscenza è l'arma essenziale. La vittoria si ottiene con l'intelligenza»
Dal Chatrang-namak, trattato persiano sugli scacchi del VII secolo
«Si va agli scacchi come alla guerra. L’obiettivo finale è l’annientamento dell’avversario»
Bobby Fischer
«Non si tratta d’altro che di un silenzioso duello tra macchine in carne e ossa che abusano delle loro facoltà mentali… è un’autentica guerra nella giungla più misteriosa dell'animo umano»
Alfred Kreymborg
«Dagli scacchi impariamo l’abitudine di non farci scoraggiare dal cattivo stato in cui a un dato momento sembrano versare i nostri affari, l’abitudine di sperare in un prossimo mutamento favorevole, e l'abitudine di perseverare nella ricerca di nuove risorse»
Benjamin Franklin
Per quanto mi riguarda, il meglio del qui presente saggio finisce qua.
Due sono gli atteggiamenti possibili di fronte alle sessantaquattro caselle e ai trentadue pezzi della scacchiera: o se ne rimane istintivamente affascinati fino alla perdizione, o si prova da subito una sorta di secca incomprensione che matura in una sdegnosa repulsione per il nobilissimo giuoco degli scacchi. Il mistero sta tutto qui: in meno di mezz'ora chiunque può impararne le semplici regole, ma molto spesso non è sufficiente una vita intera per iniziare a giocare bene.
Leggendo Il gioco immortale mi sono convinto che tutto il libro altro non sia che un'enorme seduta di psicanalisi dell'autore -pronipote di un celebre grande scacchista polacco- per autoconvincersi che a lui gli scacchi piacciono, ma proprio tantissimo!
Il testo scorre piacevole, fra storia, leggenda, aneddoti e studi scientifici che certificano le indubbie doti mentali che chi gioca a scacchi è naturalmente portato a sviluppare, interessantissimo vedere come il gioco sia cambiato passando dal medioevo islamico all'evo moderno cristiano; come re, regine, alfieri, cavalli, torri e pedoni siano stati utilizzati per più di un millennio per indagare la complessità umana e per spiegare l'inspiegabile, sempre da nuovi filosofici punti di vista.
Tuttavia emerge abbastanza chiaramente sin da subito che il nostro autore sia in realtà sempre stato una proverbiale schiappa a questo gioco, tanto da averlo per lungo tempo detestato per la sua incomprensibile complessità, come lui stesso si premura di dirci.
Il risultato è un libro di un profano pensato per profani, non per chi ha già in sé il sacro fuoco; l'autore non si propone nemmeno di trasmettere ad altri la passione per gli scacchi (che del resto non ha), ma tenta semmai di far capire a chi li rifugge che un gioco così longevo, praticato e amato da 15 secoli in tutto il globo dalle più brillanti menti di ogni tempo, qualche nascosta virtù dovrà pur avercela. O no?
Alla fine sembrerebbe che l'autoconvincimento abbia sortito i suoi effetti, la frase di chiusura dell'ultimo capitolo è alquanto consolante:
A chi consigliarlo, pertanto?
Innanzitutto a tutti quelli che gli scacchi li odiano, tiè!, lo giudicherei indicato pure per coloro che li hanno sempre trovati affascinanti, ma non si sono mai spinti oltre nello studio o nella pratica, e vorrebbero un punto da cui partire per iniziare un viaggio alla scoperta dello sport più violento che esista e della sua storia millenaria.
A chi invece conosce già le leggende indiane sulla sua origine, la differenza per sommi capi fra scacchi romantici, scientifici e ipermoderni, o utilizza regolarmente nelle sue partite la famigerata cattura en passant, la spiazzante mossa segreta dei pedoni, questo libro potrebbe risultare ugualmente gradevole, ma non così interessante, giacché ogni tema è trattato con estrema superficialità; si imparano più nozioni con una rapida ricerca su Google.
«La conoscenza è l'arma essenziale. La vittoria si ottiene con l'intelligenza»
Dal Chatrang-namak, trattato persiano sugli scacchi del VII secolo
«Si va agli scacchi come alla guerra. L’obiettivo finale è l’annientamento dell’avversario»
Bobby Fischer
«Non si tratta d’altro che di un silenzioso duello tra macchine in carne e ossa che abusano delle loro facoltà mentali… è un’autentica guerra nella giungla più misteriosa dell'animo umano»
Alfred Kreymborg
«Dagli scacchi impariamo l’abitudine di non farci scoraggiare dal cattivo stato in cui a un dato momento sembrano versare i nostri affari, l’abitudine di sperare in un prossimo mutamento favorevole, e l'abitudine di perseverare nella ricerca di nuove risorse»
Benjamin Franklin
Per quanto mi riguarda, il meglio del qui presente saggio finisce qua.
Due sono gli atteggiamenti possibili di fronte alle sessantaquattro caselle e ai trentadue pezzi della scacchiera: o se ne rimane istintivamente affascinati fino alla perdizione, o si prova da subito una sorta di secca incomprensione che matura in una sdegnosa repulsione per il nobilissimo giuoco degli scacchi. Il mistero sta tutto qui: in meno di mezz'ora chiunque può impararne le semplici regole, ma molto spesso non è sufficiente una vita intera per iniziare a giocare bene.
Leggendo Il gioco immortale mi sono convinto che tutto il libro altro non sia che un'enorme seduta di psicanalisi dell'autore -pronipote di un celebre grande scacchista polacco- per autoconvincersi che a lui gli scacchi piacciono, ma proprio tantissimo!
Il testo scorre piacevole, fra storia, leggenda, aneddoti e studi scientifici che certificano le indubbie doti mentali che chi gioca a scacchi è naturalmente portato a sviluppare, interessantissimo vedere come il gioco sia cambiato passando dal medioevo islamico all'evo moderno cristiano; come re, regine, alfieri, cavalli, torri e pedoni siano stati utilizzati per più di un millennio per indagare la complessità umana e per spiegare l'inspiegabile, sempre da nuovi filosofici punti di vista.
Tuttavia emerge abbastanza chiaramente sin da subito che il nostro autore sia in realtà sempre stato una proverbiale schiappa a questo gioco, tanto da averlo per lungo tempo detestato per la sua incomprensibile complessità, come lui stesso si premura di dirci.
Il risultato è un libro di un profano pensato per profani, non per chi ha già in sé il sacro fuoco; l'autore non si propone nemmeno di trasmettere ad altri la passione per gli scacchi (che del resto non ha), ma tenta semmai di far capire a chi li rifugge che un gioco così longevo, praticato e amato da 15 secoli in tutto il globo dalle più brillanti menti di ogni tempo, qualche nascosta virtù dovrà pur avercela. O no?
Alla fine sembrerebbe che l'autoconvincimento abbia sortito i suoi effetti, la frase di chiusura dell'ultimo capitolo è alquanto consolante:
«Finalmente mi è tutto chiaro» ho scritto allora sul mio taccuino. «Posso imparare ad amare gli scacchi.»E noi possiamo tirare un sospiro di sollievo.
A chi consigliarlo, pertanto?
Innanzitutto a tutti quelli che gli scacchi li odiano, tiè!, lo giudicherei indicato pure per coloro che li hanno sempre trovati affascinanti, ma non si sono mai spinti oltre nello studio o nella pratica, e vorrebbero un punto da cui partire per iniziare un viaggio alla scoperta dello sport più violento che esista e della sua storia millenaria.
A chi invece conosce già le leggende indiane sulla sua origine, la differenza per sommi capi fra scacchi romantici, scientifici e ipermoderni, o utilizza regolarmente nelle sue partite la famigerata cattura en passant, la spiazzante mossa segreta dei pedoni, questo libro potrebbe risultare ugualmente gradevole, ma non così interessante, giacché ogni tema è trattato con estrema superficialità; si imparano più nozioni con una rapida ricerca su Google.
February 11, 2023
This book's title the "The Immortal Game" comes from one of the most famous games ever played dubbed, well... The Immortal Game, played between two chess champions Adolf Anderssen and Lionel Kieseritzky in 1851 in a cafe during a break of the first international chess tournament.
The author used this particular game to go through some of the history of chess, but mostly through the lens of various chess playing styles over the years, from the romantic era all the way to the modern computer and online era and festooned throughout with plenty of anecdotes about chess the game, chess as symbol (good and bad) and chess players and all of the insanity that only people can bring to the table.
In covering nearly 1500 years of history I am surprised he didn't go much into the mechanical evolution of the game from the original Indian Chaturanga to the relatively modern Mad Queen Chess we know today.
As someone who only knows the rules of the game and never bothered to commit myself to learning some tactics, which would put me straight in with the old romantics, I still found this book remarkably interesting and entertaining.
The author used this particular game to go through some of the history of chess, but mostly through the lens of various chess playing styles over the years, from the romantic era all the way to the modern computer and online era and festooned throughout with plenty of anecdotes about chess the game, chess as symbol (good and bad) and chess players and all of the insanity that only people can bring to the table.
In covering nearly 1500 years of history I am surprised he didn't go much into the mechanical evolution of the game from the original Indian Chaturanga to the relatively modern Mad Queen Chess we know today.
As someone who only knows the rules of the game and never bothered to commit myself to learning some tactics, which would put me straight in with the old romantics, I still found this book remarkably interesting and entertaining.
September 3, 2011
A well-researched charming introduction to the beautiful game of chess,a game that has captivated people for nearly 1,500 years. David Shenk takes us on a trip millennia back and light-years ahead to find out how 32 carved pieces on a board illuminated our understanding of almost everything,from religion,art,mathematics,literature,to artificial intelligence and beyond.Indeed,as Shenk shows,some neuroscientists believe that playing chess may actually alter the structure of the brain,that it may be for individuals what it has been for civilization:a virus that makes us smarter.Awesome indeed,...a wide-ranging and absorbing examination of chess. Being a chessplayer myself,I really enjoyed this book,fresh and smart.It was a revelation to see how chess took over the life of Marcel Duchamp,with him going so far as to give up his art,which had made him the most influential artist of the twentieth century,even his wife,in 1927 Duchamp married Lydia Sarazin-Lavassor,a young heiress.On their honeymoon he spent the entire week studying chess problems.Infuriated,his bride plotted her revenge.When Duchamp finally drifted off to sleep late one night,Lydia glued all of the pieces to the board.They were divorced three months later. Full of wonderful anecdotes,this book is a strong move,wonderful reading!
January 21, 2018
OH YEAH, tough competition on Chess the Immortal Game in the reviews arena. I’m really in the big leagues here with Chelsea and her three likes. Or Benjamin Zapata’s three likes and comment. Yeah I really got bring out my A material here. (This book as 159 reviews and 3 likes gets ya top billing. Tough crowd.)
And I if were to rebut Chelsea’s criticism that the author dawdles too much on his own experiences, that’s it’s self indulgent, I mean, that’s what these pop books are. It’s the convention. The writer places themselves at the center. I’d do the same thing if I were them. It’d be odder if they didn’t. < That/ > would really register a blip on the Gabedar.
ANYWAY, I think if you read anecdotal books you should share the spoils.
SPOILER: spoils
The origin of Chess
The widowed queens’ only son had died. The town elders went to the philosopher to ask how they should break the news to the queen. The philosopher thought for three days then asked the palace carpenter to whip together a checker board with some figurines. He called his new game “war without bloodshed.” The philosopher taught the game to everyone “in the know” and soon its popularity was famous throughout the kingdom. The queen upon hearing of the craze requested a demonstration and the philosopher and the philosopher’s friend played a game. When the king was mated she said “My son has died. Thank you for telling me in such a cool way. Tell the people I am ready for them to comfort me in my grief.”
That’s the best one anyway.
The two pieces that have remained the same from the earliest form of the game……drum roll please, this is my best anecdote……the knight and the rook! The Flying L & The Haymaker. The bishop use to be an elephant that could jump a space (a flying elephant). And the queen, back in her wayward years, used to be a jester. That is,
until the reign of Isabelle I of Castile. To onlookers of the period, Isabelle was doing such great work starting the Inquisition, driving out all the Muslims and Jews, and all that, they thought, “That’s the kind of queen our chess board needs, a fire breathing harpy. It’d really shake things up.”
Duchamp (gave up art to play chess professionally, but that’s old hat) wrote a book about an endgame. He said that even chess masters didn’t even read his book since the likelihood that they’d ever have that configuration was extremely rare. I wonder how < its/ > doing on goodreads. Duchamp and Beckett, chess BFFs. Aint that fit as a fiddle?
In the first Harry Potter movie, when they have the chess match, that sequence is so lame. They could’ve made it so much cooler.
Voltaire loved chess and played the unusual tactic of using his king as his primary offense. Some games, it was the only piece he played. He also made the habit of playing on the graves of his enemies.
Marx loved chess and often tried to queen every one of his pawns. An unusual strategy, he would respond saying he wasn’t trying to win but rather re-envision the hierarchy of the caste system. It was an idea that had a profound effect on his chess game and why no one wanted to play with him.
When I played competitive chess as a young lad I had the annoying habit of making a “cha-ching” sound whenever I took an opponent’s piece. But I did lose at lot of those matches, so the better kid won.
Anyhow, that’s about it.
Also, and more importantly, there’s a good chess app and if anyone wants to go toe-to-toe on the chessboard, just say the word.
That is, unless you’re chicken.
And I if were to rebut Chelsea’s criticism that the author dawdles too much on his own experiences, that’s it’s self indulgent, I mean, that’s what these pop books are. It’s the convention. The writer places themselves at the center. I’d do the same thing if I were them. It’d be odder if they didn’t. < That/ > would really register a blip on the Gabedar.
ANYWAY, I think if you read anecdotal books you should share the spoils.
SPOILER: spoils
The origin of Chess
The widowed queens’ only son had died. The town elders went to the philosopher to ask how they should break the news to the queen. The philosopher thought for three days then asked the palace carpenter to whip together a checker board with some figurines. He called his new game “war without bloodshed.” The philosopher taught the game to everyone “in the know” and soon its popularity was famous throughout the kingdom. The queen upon hearing of the craze requested a demonstration and the philosopher and the philosopher’s friend played a game. When the king was mated she said “My son has died. Thank you for telling me in such a cool way. Tell the people I am ready for them to comfort me in my grief.”
That’s the best one anyway.
The two pieces that have remained the same from the earliest form of the game……drum roll please, this is my best anecdote……the knight and the rook! The Flying L & The Haymaker. The bishop use to be an elephant that could jump a space (a flying elephant). And the queen, back in her wayward years, used to be a jester. That is,
until the reign of Isabelle I of Castile. To onlookers of the period, Isabelle was doing such great work starting the Inquisition, driving out all the Muslims and Jews, and all that, they thought, “That’s the kind of queen our chess board needs, a fire breathing harpy. It’d really shake things up.”
Duchamp (gave up art to play chess professionally, but that’s old hat) wrote a book about an endgame. He said that even chess masters didn’t even read his book since the likelihood that they’d ever have that configuration was extremely rare. I wonder how < its/ > doing on goodreads. Duchamp and Beckett, chess BFFs. Aint that fit as a fiddle?
In the first Harry Potter movie, when they have the chess match, that sequence is so lame. They could’ve made it so much cooler.
Voltaire loved chess and played the unusual tactic of using his king as his primary offense. Some games, it was the only piece he played. He also made the habit of playing on the graves of his enemies.
Marx loved chess and often tried to queen every one of his pawns. An unusual strategy, he would respond saying he wasn’t trying to win but rather re-envision the hierarchy of the caste system. It was an idea that had a profound effect on his chess game and why no one wanted to play with him.
When I played competitive chess as a young lad I had the annoying habit of making a “cha-ching” sound whenever I took an opponent’s piece. But I did lose at lot of those matches, so the better kid won.
Anyhow, that’s about it.
Also, and more importantly, there’s a good chess app and if anyone wants to go toe-to-toe on the chessboard, just say the word.
That is, unless you’re chicken.
October 27, 2007
I picked this up (from the library) based on a recommendation from Stephen Dubner's Freakonomics blog. I've always had a fascination with chess as a cultural phenomenon, although I've never been more than an occasional, mediocre player.
Anyhow, this is a really fascinating history of chess, told in that post-modern way of jumping back and forth in time, between the ""straight"" historical account, the author's own experience with the game, and a move-by-move account of a famous game -- the so-called ""Immortal Game"" between Anderssen and Kieseritzky in a London cafe in 1851. Along the way are dozens of neat anecdotes and analyses of chess in history. How did the game evolve over time? How did the Russians and Nazis both attach cultural significance to the game? Why did so many Jewish players make seminal contributions to the game?
In a way, this book becomes one of those fun kinds of history books; we meet figures from Marcel Duchamp to Benjamin Franklin, as well as several Middle Eastern kings. It's history told through a narrow lens, which we've seen before in books like ""Cod"" and ""Salt"" and a bunch of others, but because of Chess' more broad penetration (Chess is today known in every corner of the Globe, says Shenk) it comes across as a more useful perspective than some others.
Anyhow, this is a really fascinating history of chess, told in that post-modern way of jumping back and forth in time, between the ""straight"" historical account, the author's own experience with the game, and a move-by-move account of a famous game -- the so-called ""Immortal Game"" between Anderssen and Kieseritzky in a London cafe in 1851. Along the way are dozens of neat anecdotes and analyses of chess in history. How did the game evolve over time? How did the Russians and Nazis both attach cultural significance to the game? Why did so many Jewish players make seminal contributions to the game?
In a way, this book becomes one of those fun kinds of history books; we meet figures from Marcel Duchamp to Benjamin Franklin, as well as several Middle Eastern kings. It's history told through a narrow lens, which we've seen before in books like ""Cod"" and ""Salt"" and a bunch of others, but because of Chess' more broad penetration (Chess is today known in every corner of the Globe, says Shenk) it comes across as a more useful perspective than some others.
September 6, 2015
Yes this book gets into the History of Chess but really it is about a specific game played on June 21, 1851 between Adolf Anderssen and Lionel Kieseritzky, two world chess champion candidates playing a tune-up match in a pub in London. The author sets the stage and describes the game move-by-move. You don't have to be an expert to appreciate the beauty of this particular game, it was won with brilliant sacrifice and combination in a wide open style.
Halfway through this book I knew I was going to learn and start playing this game, my only regret is that I started playing so late in life. Starting so late, I know I will never become an expert at chess but I don't think I will mind that so much.
Halfway through this book I knew I was going to learn and start playing this game, my only regret is that I started playing so late in life. Starting so late, I know I will never become an expert at chess but I don't think I will mind that so much.
January 27, 2019
Chess is the simply the most important game in the history of the world. Bobby Fischer did nothing wrong.
November 26, 2008
The Immortal Game covers the long and meandering history of chess in an easy to read narrative that parallels a particular game played by two chess masters in the mid 1800s in London.
The book includes detailed discussions on the rules and strategies of chess as well as its significance in relation to human understanding at different points in history. The Immortal Game of the title seems to end anticlimactically, echoing a somewhat stilted conclusion to the otherwise graceful narrative. Additionally, there are sections where the parallel between the particular game moves and the accompanying history are more awkward than others, but overall the evidence is strong and the argument eloquent.
While the author's personal involvement in the story is established early in the book, his rhetorical struggle with his own feelings about the game seem a bit indulgent and interrupt the story. Thankfully, these interruptions are few and brief.
The average player is not likely to improve his or her game by reading this book, however, most readers (from non-player to advanced) will gain a greater understanding of how chess has shaped different facets or our global society from the time of it's invention and why people continue to play this complex game nearly two thousand years later.
The book includes detailed discussions on the rules and strategies of chess as well as its significance in relation to human understanding at different points in history. The Immortal Game of the title seems to end anticlimactically, echoing a somewhat stilted conclusion to the otherwise graceful narrative. Additionally, there are sections where the parallel between the particular game moves and the accompanying history are more awkward than others, but overall the evidence is strong and the argument eloquent.
While the author's personal involvement in the story is established early in the book, his rhetorical struggle with his own feelings about the game seem a bit indulgent and interrupt the story. Thankfully, these interruptions are few and brief.
The average player is not likely to improve his or her game by reading this book, however, most readers (from non-player to advanced) will gain a greater understanding of how chess has shaped different facets or our global society from the time of it's invention and why people continue to play this complex game nearly two thousand years later.
July 7, 2008
Yikes. If it hadn't been for the glowing reviews, I probably wouldn't taken the chance on this. Chess certainly can be overexposed, but this promised good writing with fresh incites that revitalized our perspective on the game.
Me? At best is was an ok magazine article.
Not that the subject isn't worthy. I just found the writing thin, without the author bringing much to the table then his own family history's link with chess and his recent attempts to retake up the game. All the relevant material was drawn from previous books, without any new conclusions based on this collected information. At times it felt more like a book report: this book talks about this, this author writes that, therefore, I think so too. Blah. It was the type of book that made you want to read the sources to get to the real meat.
Call it a chess beach read.
Me? At best is was an ok magazine article.
Not that the subject isn't worthy. I just found the writing thin, without the author bringing much to the table then his own family history's link with chess and his recent attempts to retake up the game. All the relevant material was drawn from previous books, without any new conclusions based on this collected information. At times it felt more like a book report: this book talks about this, this author writes that, therefore, I think so too. Blah. It was the type of book that made you want to read the sources to get to the real meat.
Call it a chess beach read.
March 30, 2021
I love these niche history books that document events through a different lens. In this book, you start by learning the origins of chess that take you nearly 1500 years back to Persia, and watch it quickly migrate to the European continent during the Islamic Renaissance. From there it undergoes a few notable changes (swapped out the elephant for the bishop because no one knew what an elephant was in northern Europe; and swapped out the minister for a Queen thanks to the highly revered Queen Adelaide. The queen’s piece power was then expanded thanks to several extremely powerful queens at the same time – most notably Isabella of Spain and Mary Queen of Scots).
In between these slivers of historical context, the author methodically took you through each move of “The Immortal Game” – in what began as an unassuming game played in a London pub in 1851 quickly turned awe-inspiring when an absolute madlad sacrificed 2 rooks, a bishop, and a queen to win a game against one of the worlds greatest!!
The book also touched on how chess has been used as an instrument to teach things like geometric progression, abstract thinking, and game theory. It depicted studies that analyzed how the mind of a grandmaster thinks; and the author argues, in which I fully agree, that chess in its purest form isn’t brute memorization of openings and endgames but it is an art. All in all, this was probably the easiest 5 star review I’ve given this year.
In between these slivers of historical context, the author methodically took you through each move of “The Immortal Game” – in what began as an unassuming game played in a London pub in 1851 quickly turned awe-inspiring when an absolute madlad sacrificed 2 rooks, a bishop, and a queen to win a game against one of the worlds greatest!!
The book also touched on how chess has been used as an instrument to teach things like geometric progression, abstract thinking, and game theory. It depicted studies that analyzed how the mind of a grandmaster thinks; and the author argues, in which I fully agree, that chess in its purest form isn’t brute memorization of openings and endgames but it is an art. All in all, this was probably the easiest 5 star review I’ve given this year.
December 14, 2022
2.5 stars
I saw another review refer to this as a "chess beach read" and I'm inclined to agree. The bit that really kept my attention was the walkthrough of The Immortal Game. This "history of chess" is light on the history and jumps around too much for my liking. It doesn't even touch on Russia's history with the game until a later chapter, which devotes more time to Garry Kasparov and his matches with the Deep Blue computer systems. Not what I was expecting.
Popsugar 2022: Book with a board game in the title
I saw another review refer to this as a "chess beach read" and I'm inclined to agree. The bit that really kept my attention was the walkthrough of The Immortal Game. This "history of chess" is light on the history and jumps around too much for my liking. It doesn't even touch on Russia's history with the game until a later chapter, which devotes more time to Garry Kasparov and his matches with the Deep Blue computer systems. Not what I was expecting.
Popsugar 2022: Book with a board game in the title
March 20, 2023
This book was enjoyable to read. It's meant for the casual reader rather than the historian, but it does include plenty of notes and sources (as any good nonfiction book should). Author David Shenk frames the history of chess itself around a specific game from the 1800s, which has long been referred to as "the Immortal Game", and throughout the book he returns to this game, explaining each move. It's the *only* history of chess book I've ever read, so as far as I know it's accurate.
I only have one small quibble, and that's when Shenk implies (or maybe outright claims on at least one occasion) that chess was developed in order to be used as a metaphor for military strategies or other explanatory purposes. I don't see how he could be sure of this, since the game's origins aren't known *exactly*. It seems more reasonable to me that it developed organically as a game and eventually came to be used as a bunch of metaphors.
(I did make a video review of this on YouTube, but don't know whether GoodReads will allow me to post a link to that video...)
March 10, 2021
Cried at the end bc he talked about sitting in on a middle school chess club and it was so sweet I’m crying again Writing this. 5 stars
Read
December 20, 2021i’ve realized I love playing chess but even more than playing it I love learning about its history and players, which I think makes me just like the short chubby kid who got cut from JV basketball his sophomore year of high school and got really into NBA stats and analytics instead
August 11, 2023
it was good!
October 4, 2017
On my last trip to the library, I did something I almost never do: I chose a book simply because it sounded interesting. (Because I can only accept so much spontaneity, however, I did verify that it had a decent Goodreads rating before taking a chance on it.) I wanted to listen to some nonfiction, so why not a history of a chess.
Reader, I made the right choice.
David Shenk finds that he has a personal connection to the game of chess, as one of his ancestors was a chessmaster. And so he delves into the history of the game and we are all the more enlightened for his sharing of his findings. Shenk begins at the beginning, sifting through multiple origin stories, none of which can be the whole truth but all of which come together to evoke an appealing narrative of how the game was born, be it in India or Persia or both independently. We follow the game as it reaches Europe and evolves in the sort of cultural appropriation (I would say cultural exchange, but it's not like the Europeans gave anything back to the brown people who invented the game) that has peppered world history in the...best way? Shenk does not interrogate this aspect of the history of chess too deeply, though he does make an ironic observation about Christians playing chess during the Crusades to relax after slaughtering the Muslims who invented the game.
Tracking the game throughout world history was fascinating enough, but a large chunk of the book focuses on what the game means beyond those 32 carved pieces on a board. The obvious metaphorical implications and its connection to war. The strategies involved and how it helps us understand how the human brain works (did you know chess is responsible for cognitive science as a field). The basic philosophies of chess and its interpretation by artists in various media. It's just a simple game, but, as Shenk points out early on, what other game has endured for 1400 years?
To tie the book together with a narrative backbone, Shenk takes us through the titular Immortal Game, a famous chess game played by Adolf Anderssen and Lionel Kieseritzky in London in 1851. Move by move, he explains how and why each player does what he does, in addition to expounding upon the rules and strategies of chess and their evolution and study through the years (like entire books being written on opening moves [by which I mean a book on an opening move]). While John H. Mayer's audio recording is always engaging, finding the perfect balance of simple narration and personality, I did have some trouble following descriptions of chess moves; I assume the print book has accompanying visuals to guide the reader. Regardless, toward the end of game, I was literally cursing and shouting at the moves being made and screaming when a chapter ended on a cliffhanger. I've never been so fucking invested in a chess game, what the hell.
For anyone looking for a great nonfiction book that highlights both individuals and culture and touches on art and science while also giving a greater appreciation for a topic you've never thought too deeply about, I absolutely recommend The Immortal Game. It made me want to play some fucking chess for the first time in years, and I can't think of a better endorsement.
Reader, I made the right choice.
David Shenk finds that he has a personal connection to the game of chess, as one of his ancestors was a chessmaster. And so he delves into the history of the game and we are all the more enlightened for his sharing of his findings. Shenk begins at the beginning, sifting through multiple origin stories, none of which can be the whole truth but all of which come together to evoke an appealing narrative of how the game was born, be it in India or Persia or both independently. We follow the game as it reaches Europe and evolves in the sort of cultural appropriation (I would say cultural exchange, but it's not like the Europeans gave anything back to the brown people who invented the game) that has peppered world history in the...best way? Shenk does not interrogate this aspect of the history of chess too deeply, though he does make an ironic observation about Christians playing chess during the Crusades to relax after slaughtering the Muslims who invented the game.
Tracking the game throughout world history was fascinating enough, but a large chunk of the book focuses on what the game means beyond those 32 carved pieces on a board. The obvious metaphorical implications and its connection to war. The strategies involved and how it helps us understand how the human brain works (did you know chess is responsible for cognitive science as a field). The basic philosophies of chess and its interpretation by artists in various media. It's just a simple game, but, as Shenk points out early on, what other game has endured for 1400 years?
To tie the book together with a narrative backbone, Shenk takes us through the titular Immortal Game, a famous chess game played by Adolf Anderssen and Lionel Kieseritzky in London in 1851. Move by move, he explains how and why each player does what he does, in addition to expounding upon the rules and strategies of chess and their evolution and study through the years (like entire books being written on opening moves [by which I mean a book on an opening move]). While John H. Mayer's audio recording is always engaging, finding the perfect balance of simple narration and personality, I did have some trouble following descriptions of chess moves; I assume the print book has accompanying visuals to guide the reader. Regardless, toward the end of game, I was literally cursing and shouting at the moves being made and screaming when a chapter ended on a cliffhanger. I've never been so fucking invested in a chess game, what the hell.
For anyone looking for a great nonfiction book that highlights both individuals and culture and touches on art and science while also giving a greater appreciation for a topic you've never thought too deeply about, I absolutely recommend The Immortal Game. It made me want to play some fucking chess for the first time in years, and I can't think of a better endorsement.
August 3, 2021
My favorite quote of this book: "The game of Chess is not merely as idle amusement ... Several very valuable qualities of the mind, useful in the course of human life, are to be acquired or strengthened by it ... For life is a kind of Chess, in which we have often points to gain, and competitors or adversaries to contend with" said Benjamin Franklin.
During the pandemic, I have started playing chess. As my birthday gift, I have received this book from my dear friends, and read it quickly. This book briefly goes over the history of this amazing game, and how it has been developed over time from different cultures. The book also talks about how recently computers are playing chess, and how folks believe that computers has passed Turning test.
At the same time, while browsing through history, the book also walks the reader through one of the historic chess games of nineteen century. Mr Shenk discuss each move precisely and the strategic thinking behind each of them. He also mentions why a chess enthusiast should read a chess book :-)
I have also learned that a lot of famous people used to play chess. Franklin obviously, Napoleon, Bill Gates, Turing, Madonna, Arnold Schwarzenegger and so many others. The book also discusses the benefits and at the same time drawbacks of playing chess, which I found useful.
I think it is a very easy read, and as somebody who have recently built up an interest in chess, I loved it.
During the pandemic, I have started playing chess. As my birthday gift, I have received this book from my dear friends, and read it quickly. This book briefly goes over the history of this amazing game, and how it has been developed over time from different cultures. The book also talks about how recently computers are playing chess, and how folks believe that computers has passed Turning test.
At the same time, while browsing through history, the book also walks the reader through one of the historic chess games of nineteen century. Mr Shenk discuss each move precisely and the strategic thinking behind each of them. He also mentions why a chess enthusiast should read a chess book :-)
I have also learned that a lot of famous people used to play chess. Franklin obviously, Napoleon, Bill Gates, Turing, Madonna, Arnold Schwarzenegger and so many others. The book also discusses the benefits and at the same time drawbacks of playing chess, which I found useful.
I think it is a very easy read, and as somebody who have recently built up an interest in chess, I loved it.
February 8, 2016
For the next six weeks, I'll be teaching chess to elementary students as part of an after-school program. Since I'm not much of a chess player, I decided to take a crash course in the game and familiarize myself with some of its broad concepts. This book is pretty much exactly what I needed.
Shenk tells the stories of chess from its origins (probably in Persia, maybe in India) to the present day (and beyond). His touch is light, which lets him cover a huge amount of information without bogging down at all. The role of chess in world history is maybe a teensy bit overstated, but, as the showdown in '72 between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky suggested, the immortal game continues to be a perfect metaphor for conflict, debate, intrigue, a battle of minds - you name it.
And, conveniently, Shenk spends a little time in a classroom at the end of the book, observing a chess teacher explain the game to a group of elementary students as part of an after-school program. So yes, pretty much exactly what I needed.
Shenk tells the stories of chess from its origins (probably in Persia, maybe in India) to the present day (and beyond). His touch is light, which lets him cover a huge amount of information without bogging down at all. The role of chess in world history is maybe a teensy bit overstated, but, as the showdown in '72 between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky suggested, the immortal game continues to be a perfect metaphor for conflict, debate, intrigue, a battle of minds - you name it.
And, conveniently, Shenk spends a little time in a classroom at the end of the book, observing a chess teacher explain the game to a group of elementary students as part of an after-school program. So yes, pretty much exactly what I needed.
July 21, 2020
This was a surprisingly fantastic book. I love the way it's written, something about the language just made my want to keep reading and the structure of using parts of the Immortal Game to introduce new topics and aspects of the game of chess was a really neat device, and the way he described the Immortal Game itself made me keep reading through the beginning of the next chapter before stopping for the night.
It also helps that the author seems to have the same outlook on chess as I do: He finds it fascinating, but daunting. He'd like to be good at it, but he wants to play without studying opening moves and established strategy.
It also helps that the author seems to have the same outlook on chess as I do: He finds it fascinating, but daunting. He'd like to be good at it, but he wants to play without studying opening moves and established strategy.
April 24, 2007
This is a great book that is accessible to all, not just chess nerds. The author structures it around the most famous game of chess maybe ever(the Immortal Game). This is a clever technique and I highly recommend this book.
August 21, 2007
I've recently become geeked out about chess. Most of the stuff I've read has felt as grueling as a textbook, but Shenk's book is engaging and enthusiastic.
May 11, 2023
Chess has eaten my brain, and the brains of my family, this month, and so it wasn't really a choice to read this. I simply had to.
And, generally, this was a fun, romantic cultural history of chess. It was - like many non-fiction "object memoirs" - a bit hagiographic. Like, I think the author overstated chess's influence over, you know, CIVILIZATION. But, at the same time, I think the author PERFECTLY captured the inner world of chess - what happens in our brains, how it's been used and abused in different cultural contexts. I do wonder how much a total non-chess person would enjoy this. Chess is already super romanticized in our culture (Queen's Gambit blah blah), and the author is definitely deeply in love with the game and that romance, but I mostly enjoyed this as someone who's just started playing obsessively. I felt SEEN by his descriptions of what happens to you when you play, and how some people play (oh god the blunders THE BLUNDERS), and so on.
I think my favorite parts of the book were the ancient chess history - especially the Islamic era stuff, its travel along the Silk Road to Europe, the way the pieces evolved in these cultural contexts (from elephants to knights, from ministers to queens), the way the queen piece was probably based on Holy Roman Empress Adelaide. I also loved learning about the history of chess theory: the romantic era, the strategic era, the hypermodern era, and the new dynamism?
The author also touched on some interesting cognitive aspects of chess as a perfect petri dish for studying cognition. I was very curious to learn more about chess's close relationship with mental illness - the author mentions that there's a theory that it literally drives you crazy, and I KINDA GET THAT. I also really resonated with the quote by one Medieval chess hater about how chess gives you no rest, but just torments your soul. So true, goodness. Look how miserable both the loser AND the winner of the recent World Chess Championships are!
What I did think was missing was: (1) there was zero mention of chess's very weird gender history - that is, it has long been an exclusively male "sport", and is still extremely skewed. I would have loved some probing of why this has been the case, some discussion of the Polgar sisters, for example. And, (2), there was also no deep investigation of modern scholastic chess - except for a very happy final chapter about NYC's push for chess in public schools. From what I understand, current scholastic chess world is a bit of a shark tank - hyper-competitive and unhappy? That's the vibe I've gotten, but I'd love to learn more. Maybe this book was published before the current scholastic chess boom, so fair enough.
Anyway, if you ever have the (mis)fortune of getting sucked into this game, this is a great overview of its cultural history.
And, generally, this was a fun, romantic cultural history of chess. It was - like many non-fiction "object memoirs" - a bit hagiographic. Like, I think the author overstated chess's influence over, you know, CIVILIZATION. But, at the same time, I think the author PERFECTLY captured the inner world of chess - what happens in our brains, how it's been used and abused in different cultural contexts. I do wonder how much a total non-chess person would enjoy this. Chess is already super romanticized in our culture (Queen's Gambit blah blah), and the author is definitely deeply in love with the game and that romance, but I mostly enjoyed this as someone who's just started playing obsessively. I felt SEEN by his descriptions of what happens to you when you play, and how some people play (oh god the blunders THE BLUNDERS), and so on.
I think my favorite parts of the book were the ancient chess history - especially the Islamic era stuff, its travel along the Silk Road to Europe, the way the pieces evolved in these cultural contexts (from elephants to knights, from ministers to queens), the way the queen piece was probably based on Holy Roman Empress Adelaide. I also loved learning about the history of chess theory: the romantic era, the strategic era, the hypermodern era, and the new dynamism?
The author also touched on some interesting cognitive aspects of chess as a perfect petri dish for studying cognition. I was very curious to learn more about chess's close relationship with mental illness - the author mentions that there's a theory that it literally drives you crazy, and I KINDA GET THAT. I also really resonated with the quote by one Medieval chess hater about how chess gives you no rest, but just torments your soul. So true, goodness. Look how miserable both the loser AND the winner of the recent World Chess Championships are!
What I did think was missing was: (1) there was zero mention of chess's very weird gender history - that is, it has long been an exclusively male "sport", and is still extremely skewed. I would have loved some probing of why this has been the case, some discussion of the Polgar sisters, for example. And, (2), there was also no deep investigation of modern scholastic chess - except for a very happy final chapter about NYC's push for chess in public schools. From what I understand, current scholastic chess world is a bit of a shark tank - hyper-competitive and unhappy? That's the vibe I've gotten, but I'd love to learn more. Maybe this book was published before the current scholastic chess boom, so fair enough.
Anyway, if you ever have the (mis)fortune of getting sucked into this game, this is a great overview of its cultural history.
March 1, 2019
I loved this book. Probably it is only 4 stars if you don't care much about chess and 3 stars if you don't know a bishop from pawn, but that is still saying something about how well done the book is.
The history of chess and how an ancient game is interwoven with the development of so many other aspects of the evolution of thought, innovation, societal and cultural evolution, the understanding of human memory, and it's huge significance in the development and measurement of computing power and artificial intelligence was sort of astonishing to me. I was playing chess as a child further back than I can remember reading. I have very early memories of discovering new tactics losing to my older brothers and my Grandmother, who played so fiercely with her knights that she would happily sacrifice her queen to preserve them. So I largely have taken Chess for granted. This book, which I picked up by chance at Half Price Books after playing more frequently with my son, has given me new appreciation.
The author's great great grandfather was a legendary player in France in the 19th Century. He was one of those astonishing masters who would play a roomful of people simultaneously while blindfolded. While not a focus of the book, that story is interesting too.
Shenk weaves into the narrative of each chapter one of the most famous chess matches ever played, Anderssen vs Kieseritzky (1851), and it is a truly delightful way to demonstrate the beauty of chess as the book progresses.
I hope to share this book with friends who have any interest in reading to see if they enjoy it even half as much as I did, which would still be a great amount.
The history of chess and how an ancient game is interwoven with the development of so many other aspects of the evolution of thought, innovation, societal and cultural evolution, the understanding of human memory, and it's huge significance in the development and measurement of computing power and artificial intelligence was sort of astonishing to me. I was playing chess as a child further back than I can remember reading. I have very early memories of discovering new tactics losing to my older brothers and my Grandmother, who played so fiercely with her knights that she would happily sacrifice her queen to preserve them. So I largely have taken Chess for granted. This book, which I picked up by chance at Half Price Books after playing more frequently with my son, has given me new appreciation.
The author's great great grandfather was a legendary player in France in the 19th Century. He was one of those astonishing masters who would play a roomful of people simultaneously while blindfolded. While not a focus of the book, that story is interesting too.
Shenk weaves into the narrative of each chapter one of the most famous chess matches ever played, Anderssen vs Kieseritzky (1851), and it is a truly delightful way to demonstrate the beauty of chess as the book progresses.
I hope to share this book with friends who have any interest in reading to see if they enjoy it even half as much as I did, which would still be a great amount.
July 21, 2020
This was a great read!
I learned how to play chess as a kid but never got that good. As soon as my little brother was regularly beating me (in chess) I stopped. Then several years ago, I think in the early-mid 2010s, a group of friends started playing app-based internet chess non-stop (including my little brother, who still consistently beat me). Like, sooo many concurrent and simultaneous games, sometimes multiple games against a single person at once.
... I think this book has re-ignited that interest.
This was a great little history of the game. The book is laid out as follows: chapter by chapter, Shenk walks you through the history of chess. At the end of each chapter, he walks you through a few moves of "The Immortal Game", which apparently was Adolf Anderssen v. Lionel Kieseritzky, played in London in 1851.
The history was light, interesting and engaging and "playing out" the Immortal Game was an incredible way to create some tension in a non-fiction book! Shenk hinted at the outcome but I was eager to finish each chapter to see what the next moves were.
For both the history and the game walkthrough, I think I was the right audience level, someone with an interest but no expertise. Shenk gives the beginner a primer on written chess notation, but there are pictures for every move, and he does a great job bringing the game to life and creating suspense around the outcome.
Thanks @Joel for the rec!
I learned how to play chess as a kid but never got that good. As soon as my little brother was regularly beating me (in chess) I stopped. Then several years ago, I think in the early-mid 2010s, a group of friends started playing app-based internet chess non-stop (including my little brother, who still consistently beat me). Like, sooo many concurrent and simultaneous games, sometimes multiple games against a single person at once.
... I think this book has re-ignited that interest.
This was a great little history of the game. The book is laid out as follows: chapter by chapter, Shenk walks you through the history of chess. At the end of each chapter, he walks you through a few moves of "The Immortal Game", which apparently was Adolf Anderssen v. Lionel Kieseritzky, played in London in 1851.
The history was light, interesting and engaging and "playing out" the Immortal Game was an incredible way to create some tension in a non-fiction book! Shenk hinted at the outcome but I was eager to finish each chapter to see what the next moves were.
For both the history and the game walkthrough, I think I was the right audience level, someone with an interest but no expertise. Shenk gives the beginner a primer on written chess notation, but there are pictures for every move, and he does a great job bringing the game to life and creating suspense around the outcome.
Thanks @Joel for the rec!
February 9, 2022
“All chess players are artists”
- Marcel Duchamp
From its inception in 7th century India, to its introduction to Persia, the Arab world, Russia and Western Europe, chess has endured many centuries of change, and evolved quite a bit through each culture it has passed through, to become the game we know today. This book is not necessarily a guide on how to improve chess play, more a general summary of the history and different ways this single game has transformed entire civilizations and influenced the outcome of wars, diplomatic disputes between nations, and the overall way we think as humans today. It is a lesson on the difficulty and rigor of chess, a game that does not rely on intelligence alone, but a plethora of knowledge accumulated through the study of past games and strategy that is integral to good chess play. Shenk outlines the origins of chess, it’s impact on societies of old, and moves on to the modern world of the game, as well as includes profiles of the great players. Among other things, to try and explain the reason chess has persisted for so long. I would give it a 5/5 for it’s easy-to-follow format, comprehensive research, and overall readability. Would recommend!!
- Marcel Duchamp
From its inception in 7th century India, to its introduction to Persia, the Arab world, Russia and Western Europe, chess has endured many centuries of change, and evolved quite a bit through each culture it has passed through, to become the game we know today. This book is not necessarily a guide on how to improve chess play, more a general summary of the history and different ways this single game has transformed entire civilizations and influenced the outcome of wars, diplomatic disputes between nations, and the overall way we think as humans today. It is a lesson on the difficulty and rigor of chess, a game that does not rely on intelligence alone, but a plethora of knowledge accumulated through the study of past games and strategy that is integral to good chess play. Shenk outlines the origins of chess, it’s impact on societies of old, and moves on to the modern world of the game, as well as includes profiles of the great players. Among other things, to try and explain the reason chess has persisted for so long. I would give it a 5/5 for it’s easy-to-follow format, comprehensive research, and overall readability. Would recommend!!
December 3, 2020
This book would be fascinating for anyone with an interest in human history. Of course, the book is ostensibly about the origins and impact of chess - but it is much, much more than that.
This book weaves between some wildly disparate epochs. With David Shenk as their guide, the reader travels through ancient Islam, meets medieval European queens, learns about the life and times of Benjamin Franklin, and the role chess played in early 20th century modernism, the Cold War, and the development of artificial intelligence.
The author's writing feels effortless. Of course, it is was not effortless at all - years of research went into the book's creation. In between chapters, the reader is treated to a chess game played in 1851, the eponymous "Immortal Game" played between Adolf Anderssen and Lionel Kieserktzky. It's a game which chess aficionados might already be familiar with, but even newcomers will be able to appreciate it, thanks to Shenk's patient and careful commentary.
A truly remarkable book.
This book weaves between some wildly disparate epochs. With David Shenk as their guide, the reader travels through ancient Islam, meets medieval European queens, learns about the life and times of Benjamin Franklin, and the role chess played in early 20th century modernism, the Cold War, and the development of artificial intelligence.
The author's writing feels effortless. Of course, it is was not effortless at all - years of research went into the book's creation. In between chapters, the reader is treated to a chess game played in 1851, the eponymous "Immortal Game" played between Adolf Anderssen and Lionel Kieserktzky. It's a game which chess aficionados might already be familiar with, but even newcomers will be able to appreciate it, thanks to Shenk's patient and careful commentary.
A truly remarkable book.
November 29, 2018
A brisk yet engaging tour through chess's long and storied history. Shenk gives ample attention to the intellectual, philosophical, and at times almost spiritual qualities of the game, accessibly illustrating how it has remained relevant for over 1,500 years. I was pleased that a fair amount of attention is given to the ancient Indian and Middle Eastern societies in which the game originated and flourished for the first third of its life. Shenk's inclusion of his personal journey with the game further humanized the narrative, at times giving the impression that he is learning right along side you. His account of the eponymous Immortal Game is at times blended into the themes of the surrounding chapters, but at others feels choppy and of place. The appendix also contains many useful resources including Benjamin Franklin's "The Moral of Chess" and a selection of famous games.
March 14, 2023
David Shenk's The Immortal Game: A History of Chess seems to be targeted toward a wide range of readers ranging from those who don't know a thing about chess to intermediate players such as myself. Needless to say, I didn't need to know how the pieces moved or how they were set up or the algebraic move notation currently in use. At the same time, I wonder how a beginning reader would react to Shenk's fairly sophisticated description of chess moves.
As a how-to book about chess, The Immortal Game misses, but his description of the history of the game is quite good. It turns out that the author is a distant relative of Samuel Rosenthal, a leading 19th century player who participated in several international tournaments of the time.
As a how-to book about chess, The Immortal Game misses, but his description of the history of the game is quite good. It turns out that the author is a distant relative of Samuel Rosenthal, a leading 19th century player who participated in several international tournaments of the time.
June 27, 2019
Quick easy read, lacking in real meat, but not without interest. Don't regret reading it, but at the same time there must be better books on the subject.
Has some good information. Despite being put off initially I came to enjoy the structure: immortal game vs. personal vs. historical – a little indulgent, but genuine. Flabby writing to the point I almost gave up, often overly adjectival and superlative.
Has some good information. Despite being put off initially I came to enjoy the structure: immortal game vs. personal vs. historical – a little indulgent, but genuine. Flabby writing to the point I almost gave up, often overly adjectival and superlative.
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