My latest internet addiction is www.chessgames.com. Although I’ve never been a serious player I enjoy playing through the games of great players, past and present. Last night I was looking at the game where the late Tony Miles beat the then World Champion Anatoly Karpov using the unusual St George’s Defence (For the uninitiated, the St George’s Defence looks like the sort of opening played by someone who has only just learnt how the pieces move).
On a seemingly unrelated note I have been leading a session for our research postgraduates on writing book reviews. Whatever rules exist about book review writing, Tony Miles broke them.
Of Samurai Chess: Mastering the Martial Art of the Mind Samurai by Michael Gelb and Raymond Keene he wrote:
Frankly I wish I’d never agreed to review this book. Criticism of it will inevitably seem like gratuitous Mondo [Raymond Keane] knocking, and praise will be seriously misplaced. Actually I quite like the cover. If you want something to leave lying about on a coffee table it’s just the job. However, opening it is not recommended. Click here for the rest…
If that review wasn't bad enough he only used two word to review Eric Schiler’s. Unorthodox Chess Openings:
“Utter crap”.