by Zhivko Kaikamjozov, 224pp. (2008 Mongoose Press)
We are used to reading about glorious feats by chess masters from the past, but we often are unaware that chess drove some unfortunate ones to nervous breakdowns, asylums, and poorhouses. In contrast, the lives of child prodigies, the wunderkinds of chess, typically have overflowed with success. These prodigies have achieved unbelievable sports feats at a very young age. Yet, sometimes the promising trajectory of the wunderkind clashes with fate, leaving the youngster to take on the unfortunate plight of a martyr, too. This book recounts all of these stories - the woe of the aged master, the triumph of the prodigy, the sometime reversal of fortune in the other extreme. From as-Suli of the 9th century to Magnus Carlsen of the 21st - the triumphs and tragedies that shaped their lives.
About the Author: Zhivko Kaikamjozov is the author of 33 chess books and has dedicated more than half a century to chess. As a FIDE International Arbiter, he has been the arbiter at numerous chess competitions, including the Kasparov-Karpov 1990 world title match. He was the President of the Eastern European zone of FIDE and an editor of the Bulgarian chess magazine "Chess Thought."
