The people, places and stories behind the chess openings and their names

When we play chess, the first few moves define the game . You probably know the names already: the Sicilian Defense, the Ruy Lopez, the French Defense, the Caro-Kann, the Benoni, the London System, the Scandinavian Defense and so on.

But most chess players don't know WHY the openings are called what they are.
In this entertaining book, bestselling author Nathan Rose lays out the origins of over 50 standard chess openings and their names. The tales are often deeply connected to the lives of the leading chess grandmasters, the historical events taking place at the time, and the critical chess world championship contests. All these stories are collected together in this, the first book dedicated to uncovering them.

The names of the chess openings tell the history of chess.
You will meet larger than life characters such as Bobby Fischer, Aron Nimzowitsch, Alexander Alekhine, Frank Marshall, Siegbert Tarrasch, Wilhelm Steinitz, and Paul Morphy. Some of these men won their fame in the chess world championship, while some gained wider renown for reasons other than their ability to play chess. You will be agog at Paul Morphy's stunning conquest of Europe and subsequent disappearance, the outrageous antics of Aron Nimzowitsch upon losing a game, and the eccentric names Alexander Alekhine gave his cats.

You will also travel through the places and events that defined chess in the early years. As David Shenk showed in "The Immortal Game", the history of chess has often mirrored the history of society. There's the 1972 world chess championship that pitted the Soviet Union's Boris Spassky against America's irascible Bobby Fischer in the "Match of the Century". The 1939 chess olympiad in Argentina which coincided with the outbreak of World War II. The unveiling of the "Mechanical Turk" chess-playing contraption in 18th-century Vienna. And let's not forget the triumph of Deep Blue over Garry Kasparov.

Over 50 standard chess openings and variations.

The People:
Ruy Lopez
Philidor Defense
Evans Gambit
Petrov's Defense
Schliemann-Jaenisch Gambit
Falkbeer Countergambit
Staunton Gambit
Anderssen's Opening
Morphy's Defense
Caro-Kann Defense
Bird's Opening
Winawer Variation
Albin Countergambit
Steinitz Variation
Chigorin Defense
Alapin's Opening
Maroczy Bind
Tarrasch Defense
Marshall Defense
Rubinstein Variation
Alekhine's Defense
Grunfeld Defense
Reti Opening
Nimzowitsch Defense
Najdorf Variation
Pirc Defense
Torre Attack
Grob's Attack
Larsen's Opening
Benko Gambit
Fischer Defense

The Places:
English Opening
Scotch Opening
French Defense
Dutch Defense
Danish Gambit
Indian Defense
Scandinavian Defense
Sicilian Defense
Catalan Opening
Baltic Opening
Slav Defense
London System
Paris Opening
Berlin Defense
Vienna Game
Budapest Gambit
Leningrad Variation
Scheveningen Variation

The Stories:
Dragon Variation
Giuoco Piano
Benoni Defense
Grand Prix Attack
Orangutan Opening
Fried Liver Attack

Impress your friends with superior opening knowledge - without the tedious study!
Knowing the history of chess will prove your cleverness even more effectively than winning over the board. Once you have read this book, you can speak of your temptation to play the Sicilian Defense, but instead play Alekhine's Defense. Then, you can explain the origins of the names to your opponent. Even if you lose the game, your opponent will still be impressed!

Enjoy this capitvating romp through the names of the first few moves.
This book is brisk, enjoyable addition to any chess player's library. Prepare to be surprised, amazed, amused and informed.