|
| Title: The
Steinitz Papers |
Author: Kurt
Landsberger |
Language:  |
Pages: 325 |
| Cover: Library
binding |
Published: 2002 |
| Publisher:
McFarland |
Homepage: http://mcfarlandpub.com |
| Price: $ 55,00 |
ISBN: 0-7864-1193-7 |
| Reviewed by: Soren
Sogaard |
Date: 11/11 2002 |
|
Quick-Review: The Steinitz Papers
- Letters and Documents of the First World Chess
Champion
In 1993, Kurt Landsberger wrote a biography about the first World
Champion William Steinitz in the book "William Steinitz,
Chess Champion - A Biography of the Bohemian Caesar". After
another nine years Landsberger wrote another book about Steinitz
that I wouldn't consider to be a "normal"(!) chessbook.
This time Landsberger collected, translated and commented on the
letters and documents that has something to do with Steinitz - many
of the letters in the book was written by Steinitz. The author was born in Prague with the
name Steinitz and is the great-grandnephew of William Steinitz, and with his
biography and now this book with the letters and documents he made a huge
contribution in understanding the life of William Steinitz. As you
can read in the introduction the author also took care of the
gravestone at Steinitz grave:
"When I visited the grave for the first time I found that
most of the gravestones in the area were inscribed in German. The
cemetery is well kept, but that the gravestone of Steinitz, standing
on well packed earth, was tilting and close to falling. I paid the
management to take care of the problem and the stone was reset in
cement on August 9, 1989."
If you look closely at the photo below you can see the inscription
"In memory of my ancestor, by Kurt Landsberger".
You can say that Kurt Landsberger dedicated a great part of his life
in the last 10-15 years in researching and writing about the life of
William Steinitz.
Kurt Landensberger at the Grave of Steinitz
A Book for Connoisseurs
To be honest, I don't think this book is going to be a bestseller
despite the book is well researched and well written. With its Library binding, quality paper and
photographs it is a book that follows the fine tradition of books
of high standard from the publisher "McFarland & Company
Inc., Publishers". Why then you may ask is this book not
going to be a bestseller? Quite simple: the readership for this kind
book is very limited, and I only think that real connoisseurs of
chess history will offer $ 55,00. If you are one of those connoisseurs, I can warmly recommend this book.
Even though it is not a biography you get
a lot of the Steinitz story in these letters and document, and
Landsbergers editing and commenting accompanying the letters and
documents very well. Especially the letters and documents about the
first match against Chigorin is an interesting read. Some of
the things they wrote public to each other is very similar with what
you could see nearly 100 years later before the match Spassky-Fischer,
1972. Also the letter from Steinitz to Dr. Karl Kohn written
in a Psychiatric Clinic in Moscow 1897 is very entertaining. Was
Steinitz insane, and what about the young girl he promised to marry
and according to Steinitz tricked him to go in to the Psychiatric
hospital? Very weird an very amusing, if it not was for the fact
that Steinitz had to spend some time in the clinic ;-)
If you are looking for a games collection, you will of course be
disappointed. There are not more than 15 games in the book where most of the games
are from the match Steinitz-Schiffers in 1896. Some of the games are
partly annotated by Grandmaster Andy Soltis. At the end of the book, the author
included a chapter called "Biographical Notes" with
information about the persons you can find in the book. A good idea
because many like me is not familiar with names like Dr. Otto
Frederick Jentz, Max Judd, Julius Adam Kaiser, Aristides Martinez to
name a few ;-)
Scoresheet from game 1 of the
Steinitz - Schiffers match 1896
Content
- To the reader, Introduction, about the letters (20
pages)
- Part I: Ascent (50 pages)
- Photos and images (16 pages)
- Part II: On top of the World (130 pages)
- Part III: Decline (75 pages)
- Facsimiles of Steinitz letters (8 pages)
- Part IV: Biographical Notes (23 pages)
- Acknowledgements, Index (13 pages)
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