Books in the Hardinge Simpole chess classics series

At the height of the British Empire, the chess loving Indian servant, Sultan Khan, arrived in the imperial capital as part of the feudal retinue of Sir Umar, his high caste master. While Sir Umar deliberated in the rarefied atmosphere of London conferences, with British panjandra, on the future of the Raj, his retainer started to take on the British elite at chess. Sweeping all before him, the Indian genius entered the international arena where, playing top board for the British Empire team, he defeated grandmasters, such as Rubinstein.

This book recounts the third of the five chapters in the half-decade long rivalry which erupted between Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov. In the eyes of many this conflict symbolised the clash between the Brezhnev-inspired forces of reaction in the old USSR and the new Gorbachev/Yeltsin-driven imperatives of perestroika and glasnost which ultimately led to the collapse of the creaking Soviet empire.

The history of the World Chess Championship continues in this volume with the epic struggles between Botvinnik, Bronstein, Smyslov, Tal and Petrosian, via the brief but spectacular advent of Bobby Fischer, and on to the modern superstars Karpov and Kasparov. All games from the matches are annotated and this book with its companion volume, World Chess Championship: Steinitz to Alekhine, forms a valuable addition to the library of any chess enthusiast who wishes to possess a complete collection of games played at the very highest level.

Tarrasch was the dominant force in European chess in the early 1890s and his ability to win top level tournaments continued via his huge triumph at Vienna 1898 on to the "World Tournament Championship" of Ostend 1907. Tarrasch was rightly regarded as the teacher of generations of European and world Masters, hence his title Praeceptor Germaniae - the Professor from Germany.

London 1932 is one of the lesser known books from the pen of the prolific Russian genius, Alekhine. In 1932 Alekhine was still revelling in the blinding nimbus of invincibility which had surrounded him ever since his match victory against Capablanca in 1927. The new champion duly won the London tournament and furnished some equally fine notes to explain his victory, which Hardinge Simpole are proud and privileged to revive here.

Smyslov launched his first bid for the supreme title in the 1948 match tournament - coming second to Botvinnik. Eventually, after two victories in Candidates contests and a drawn match with Botvinnik, Smyslov overcame his great and perennial rival to become World Champion in 1957 while still in his mid 30s. Originally published as My Best Games of Chess - 1935-1957. Now published with corrections.

A companion volume to Two Opening Repertoires for White: Volume 1, this book details some more aggressive strategies in the opening for White again based on the key move 1d4! Together the two volumes give ambitious White players a complete arsenal of choice against all Black defences.

A companion volume to the author's 'Winning with the Nimzo'

No book has exerted a greater impact on chess thought over the past 80 years. Variations may come and go, but Nimzowitsch was a seeker after eternal truths and the precepts outlined in this strategic manual have withstood the ravages of time. Breakthroughs in understanding often follow breakthroughs in verbal formulation - Nimzowitsch's skill at translating chess board operations into words was one of the secrets both of his personal success and of the longevity of his system.

The King's Indian is noted as a dynamic counter-attacking defence par excellence. This book describes the key strategies for both sides in the main lines such as the Fianchetto variation, the Petrosian system, the Sämisch/ Four Pawns attack and Averbakh. Analysis is backed up with verbal explanation making this book an ideal introduction for those wishing to take up or face the King's Indian in competitive situations.

The essential sequel to Peter Clarke's companion book on Tal, Mikhail Tal's Best Games of Chess. Cafferty takes us further on Tal's career path, covering his loss to Botvinnik in the revenge match, but also the triumphs of Bled 1961 and Tal's remarkable sequence of tournament victories in 1973. Tal is the chess public's favourite - a knight of the chessboard who knew no fear and joyously sacrificed to fight at close quarters with the enemy king. In the annals of chess, Tal ranks with Anderssen, Alekhine, Stein and Kasparov as the undisputed archetypes of aggression on the 64 squares

A companion to Reshevsky's Best Games: Volume 1, this book contains numerous rich masterpieces from Reshevsky's middle years with wins against Botvinnik, Keres and Fischer. Most games are furnished with Reshevsky's own lucid explanations, which aid the reader to gain and convert winning advantages in their own games. Originally published as How Chess Games Are Won. With a new Introduction by Raymond Keene.

Reshevsky shot to fame as a child prodigy able to take on and defeat hordes of adult players at one and the same time. This book covers his early career up to the mid 1940s when Reshevsky was established as one of the leading contenders for the world chess crown. His later games are published as Reshevsky's Best Games - Volume 2. Originally published as Reshevsky on Chess.

Originally published as From My Games, 1920-1937, the fifth World Champion comments on his rise to the top.Euwe was a hero in his native country of the Netherlands, and his book explains why - Euwe was one of the very few who could stand up to the mighty Alekhine. Not only could Euwe hold his own, he scored some magnificent wins, such as his sparkling sacrifice of a knight against Alekhine at Zurich 1934 or the so called 'Pearl of Zandvoort' victory from the 1935 clash which elevated Euwe to the position of World Champion.

This book recounts the fourth and penultimate chapter in the half-decade long rivalry which erupted between Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov. In the eyes of many this conflict symbolised the clash between the Brezhnev-inspired forces of reaction in the old USSR and the new Gorbachev/Yeltsin-driven imperatives which ultimately led to the collapse of the creaking Soviet empire.

In early 1985 Florencio Campomanes - the now disgraced former president of FIDE, the World Chess Federation - halted the World Title challenge from Garry Kasparov "without result", thus forcing a rematch in the autumn of that same year. This book recounts Kasparov's determined fresh assault on the world title which made him at age 22 the youngest champion in the history of the game.

During the 1930s, it appeared that the USA, not the USSR, would inevitably become the dominant force in the chess world. During that time the USA team won four consecutive gold medals in the Chess Olympiads. Moreover, the USA could boast two world beaters in the form of Sammy Reshevsky and Reuben Fine, whose best games appear in this book.

The seminal work of the Cuban genius who repeated the exploits of Morphy, suddenly bursting onto the European scene and annihilating the great masters who had hitherto dominated the international arena. This book captures the magic of Capablanca's early victory at San Sebastian 1911 and his second place - bowing only to Lasker - at St Petersburg 1914. All in all, 35 games are annotated by Capablanca in person with remarkable objectivity - bestowing praise and hurling criticism as and when required.

Bent Larsen is one of the outstanding figures of post-war chess, with top-level tournament victories spanning five decades. His outstanding fighting qualities have made him a great favourite with the chess public and even in the latter stages of his career he remained capable of sweeping victories over world-class opposition.While some other Grandmasters have settled for an easy retirement, Larsen still fires on all cylinders!

A companion volume to Larry Evans's selection from the 1960s, this book takes the story of the best games of the top players from the beginnning of the 20th century up to 1940. This volume is arranged chronologically and reaches the period of the Second World War. The games by such immortals as Capablanca, Alekhine, Lasker, Botvinnik, Nimzowitsch and Rubinstein are annotated with the customary lucidity, authority and elegance synonymous with Golombek.

In Chess Praxis Nimzowitsch elaborates on the strategies first adumbrated in My System with a series of deeply annotated games, demonstrating how his principles operated in practice. This was very much a manifesto for the Hypermodern School of Chess which also numbered Hardinge Simpole authors Richard Reti and S.G. Tartakower amongst its ranks.