Checkmate!

Ben Graff is a writer, journalist, and Corporate Affairs professional. He is a regular contributor to Chess magazine and The Chess Circuit, and is the author of the chess novel The Greenbecker Gambit and the autobiographical novel Find Another Place. He has a life-long love of the game and is a regular competitor in UK chess tournaments. He is not a grandmaster but did draw with one once.

• Introduction 4The World Chess Champions 10Wilhelm Steinitz 12Emanuel Lasker 20Jose Capablanca 28Alexander Alekhine 36Max Euwe 44Mikhail Botvinnik 52Vasily Smyslov 60Mikhail Tal 68Tigran Petrosian 76Boris Spassky 84Bobby Fischer 92Anatoly Karpov 102Garry Kasparov 110Vladimir Kramnik 118Viswanathan Anand 126Magnus Carlsen 134Queen’s Gambit 144Vera Menchik 146Nona Gaprindashvili 154Judit Polgar 160Great Matches 168Fischer vs Spassky“The Match of the Century”—1972 170Karpov vs Korchnoi“The Battle of Baguio”—1978 178Karpov vs Kasparov“The Moscow Winter”—1984/5 184Fire at the Chessboard! 190Epilogue 204Bibliography,Photo Credits 206

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