by Joel Benjamin, 268pp. (2007 Everyman)
 
Joel Benjamin is one of the most prominent faces in the history of US chess. At thirteen years of age he broke Bobby Fischer's record as the youngest ever national master, and this was followed by countless tournament successes. Perhaps most famously, in 1997 he hit the headlines when he became the chess consultant for IBM's Deep Blue computer, which made history by beating World Champion Garry Kasparov in an epic encounter.

In American Grandmaster, Benjamin takes the reader on a journey through chess adventures spanning more than thirty years. Tracing through his own career, from being a prodigy in the 'Fischer boom' era thorough to an experienced Grandmaster with many titles, Benjamin is in a unique position to highlight the major changes that have occurred both in US and international chess throughout the last four decades.

This book includes:

• Instructive annotations of his favourite games
• Anecdotes and reflections from thirty years of US and worldwide chess events
• New perspectives on the legendary Kasparov-Deep Blue match
• Insights into how Grandmasters earn their living
• A deep look into the current major issues of chess