My Best Games of Chess is a compilation of Alexander Alekhine’s 220 best games along with personal accounts about the games which made him a legend in the world of chess. It was initially published in two volumes, the first one covering the master’s best games from 1908 to 1923 and the second one covering games from 1924 to 1937.
The games cover 30 years of his career and features historic games he played against other chess greats like Jose Raul Capablanca, Max Euwe, and Efim Bogoljubov. It also features the fantastic story of his rise, fall and rise as the only world champion to have lost and won his crown back again after losing it in a shocking match in 1935.
What makes the book particularly special is that it is filled with Alekhine’s own commentary on his own techniques. A book that’s both educational and revealing, as it is also the chess master’s memoirs, this book would surely benefit other serious chess players who dream of making it big in the game someday.
While overall interesting, readers found the first volume of the book to be more well-written and laid out than the other. They also prefered analysing the games in the first volume commenting that the latter games were less exciting even noticing a decline in enthusiasm with Alekhine’s accompanying commentary.
But the book is still saved by Alekhine’s famous ability as an attack player who sees opportunities where most would see none giving birth to great games that would surely inspire any chess player to do better.
Thus, chess players and enthusiasts will find the book and its contents insightful in the techniques of the game and helpful for those who want to improve their own skills.
About The Author
Born in Moscow in 1892, Alexander Alekhine is generally considered to be one of the best chess players the world has ever seen. Placing only third during the 1914 St. Petersburg tournament, Alekhine began his quest to beat the current champion Jose Raul Capablanca.
Alekhine would later fulfill this when he beat Capablanca in 1927 when he became the fourth person to become World Chess Champion. His career reached its peak in the 1930’s a time when he dominated chess tournaments.
Alekhine was also a regarded chess theorist and writer specializing in innovations in chess openings and endgame studies.
His career was cut short by his unexpected death in the 1940’s. Alekhine is the only world champion to die while holding the title.
