Focusing on the recovery of chess in Spain and Europe after World War II, this book traces the development of the International Chess Tournaments in Gijon from 1944 to 1965. The author covers the decline of world champion Alekhine and the rise of the child prodigy Arturo Pomar, along with the great chess of Euwe, Rossolimo, Prins, Medina, Larsen and others. Drawing on primary sources and testimonies of former players and organizers, chapters feature the tournament tables, winner's biographies, historical commentaries and 213 of the best games. Appendices with biographical notes and tables of participants for each year are included.

With videogames now one of the world's most popular diversions, the virtual world has increasing psychological influence on real-world players. This book examines the relationships between virtual and non-virtual identity in visual role-playing games. Utilizing James Gee's theoretical constructs of real-world identity, virtual-world identity, and projective identity, this research shows dynamic, varying and complex relationships between the virtual avatar and the players sense of self and makes recommendations of terminology for future identity researchers. Features 15 photographs of videogame screens, bibliography, and an appendix of sample videogame transcription data.

From the late Revolutionary Wars and Egyptian campaign, to the battles of Austerlitz, Borodino, Leipzig, and Waterloo, Absolute Emperor is a mass battle wargame that provides all the rules needed to play during this period of grand armies and sweeping campaigns. Players' armies are composed of multiple corps, with command and control being of the utmost importance, all influenced by the elan of your general. Do you follow in the footsteps of Napoleon and be crowned the Absolute Emperor or stand against tyranny as Wellington and Blucher?

The pen is mightier than the sword, but whose pen is the mightiest of them all? Who was more prolific, Charlotte Brontë or Fyodor Dostoyevsky? Who created more memorable characters, Jane Austen or William Shakespeare? Whose life was more eventful, Cervantes or Byron? Pit 32 of the greatest writers of all time against each other with these illustrated cards.

Journalist and poker fanatic Andy Bellin takes readers on a raucous journey into the shut-up-and-deal world of professional poker. From basement games to the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, you'll look over his shoulder as he learns to count cards, read a legendary player's body language, hang in there when the chips are down, and take his beatings like a man. Even if you don't know the difference between a flop and a river card, Bellin keeps you in the game with his portraits of the colorful players, dreamers, hustlers, and eccentrics who populate this strange subculture. Along with learning what goes on behind the scenes in illegal poker clubs, you'll get great advice on how to play Texas Hold'em, today's game of choice for big-money players.

Are you tired of playing the same old openings time and time again? Perhaps it's time for a change, but you cannot decide between the numerous options available? Here's the answer: choose "Dangerous Weapons" and amaze your opponents with new and exciting opening ideas!In this book," "four renowned opening experts get together to take a revolutionary look at the Benoni, the Benko and all their associated variations. Instead of travelling down well-trodden and analysed paths, they concentrate on fresh or little-explored variations, selecting a wealth of 'dangerous' options for both colours. Whether playing White or Black, a study of this book will leave you confident and fully-armed, and your opponents running for cover!"Dangerous Weapons" is a series of opening books which supply the reader with an abundance of hard-hitting ideas to revitalize his or her opening repertoire. Many of the carefully chosen weapons are innovative, visually shocking, incredibly tricky, or have been unfairly discarded; they are guaranteed to throw even your most experienced opponent off balance. *The Benoni and Benko in a whole new light*Packed with original ideas and analysis*Ideal lines to shock your opponents

Unlock the mysteries and magic within League of Legends, one of the world's most popular video games, in this encyclopedic and collectible companion book that explores the game's epic lore. Embark on a journey through the realms of Runeterra in this first-ever collectible companion book, published to celebrate the game's tenth anniversary. Spanning the farthest reaches of this universe and venturing into uncharted territory, this encyclopedic compendium connects players to the rich storytelling that inspires all the action. Inside, you'll find: - An expedition through eleven regions, chronicling conflicts, entrenched rivalries, and covert alliances - Hundreds of illustrations, including never-before-seen maps and artwork - Insights into the heroes, flora, fauna, architecture, politics, and technologies from all corners of this world - Original narratives that bring the cultures of Runeterra to life League of Legends is an online game played by millions of people around the world, offering endless engagement with an expanding roster of champions, frequent updates, and a thriving esports scene. This volume is an essential reference for fans everywhere.

Improve your memory, improve your game! The aim is to encourage players to improve their bridge by solving the puzzles This challenging book of puzzles will help you to improve your game by concentrating on defensive play. By the time you have solved the last puzzle, your astonished partners will be well advised to secure copies for themselves. Whatever the situation, this splendid selection of defensive play puzzles will test your skills - and you will learn from the detailed explanation that Ron Klinger gives on the page following each puzzle.

Learn the fascinating game of American Mahjong with this expert guide. This affordable best-selling book is one of the only available game strategy guides specifically geared toward American Mahjong (Mah Jongg) and follows the official National Mah Jongg League rules. Offering first-time players an easy-to-follow guide to this complex game, A Beginner's Guide to American Mah Jongg includes simple, easy-to-follow instructions and clear diagrams to walk the reader through each step of the game, including how to select a hand, how to play and how to develop winning strategies. A key feature is the color text which shows various hands and tiles. This Mahjong guide includes: Step-by-step instructions for gameplay. Hands-on "Do It" exercises Tips and quizzes for natural learning Mahjong background and history An explanation of tile symbolism Glossary of Mahjong terms A Beginner's Guide to American Mah Jongg is the perfect guide for all skill levels to learn Mahjong-from Mahjong beginners to pros.

A pocket guide to bridge, written by two internationally regarded writers and players For every bridge player who wants to be sure of the best bid, lead, or play, this book is designed as a quick reference. It includes what players need to know for opening bids, responses, and rebids. There is also guidance on hand evaluation, competitive bidding strategy, opening leads, declarer play, and defense so that the reader will have all the basic essentials of good play within easy reach.

Instant Guides are packed with essential information and useful facts covering a wide variety of subjects from survival skills to stargazing. Portable, easy to use and durable they contain all the basics whether you're studying the subject or just interested. For practical topics such as Bicycle maintenance they offer expert advice, to-the-point instructions and tips from insiders. Booklets on more educational topics such as The Human Body provide colourful diagrams and straightforward information.

Joe Navarro is a former counterintelligence officer specializing in nonverbal communications and behavioral analysis with nine-time World Series of Poker Champion. Phil Hellmuth presents the next evolution in poker strategy - becoming a human lie detector at the tables. Success in poker is part luck, part maths, and part subterfuge. While the maths of poker has been refined over the past twenty years, the ability to read other players and keep your own "tells" in check has until now been mostly learned by instinct and practice. However by using Navarro's techniques illustrated with Hellmuth's examples, you will be able to decode and interpret other players nonverbal communication while concealing your own. You will essentially become a human lie detector and a feared player.

Power Play The Literature and Politics of Chess in the Late Middle Ages Jenny Adams The game of chess reached western Europe by the year 1000, and within several generations it had become one of the most popular pastimes ever. Both men and women, and even priests played the game despite the Catholic Church's repeated prohibitions. Characters in countless romances, "chansons de geste," and moral tales of the eleventh through twelfth centuries also played chess, which often symbolized romantic attraction or sexual consummation. In "Power Play," Jenny Adams looks to medieval literary representations to ask what they can tell us both about the ways the game changed as it was naturalized in the West and about the society these changes reflected. In its Western form, chess featured a queen rather than a counselor, a judge or bishop rather than an elephant, a knight rather than a horse; in some manifestations, even the pawns were differentiated into artisans, farmers, and tradespeople with discrete identities. "Power Play" is the first book to ask why chess became so popular so quickly, why its pieces were altered, and what the consequences of these changes were. More than pleasure was at stake, Adams contends. As allegorists and political theorists connected the moves of the pieces to their real-life counterparts, chess took on important symbolic power. For these writers and others, the game provided a means to figure both human interactions and institutions, to envision a civic order not necessarily dominated by a king, and to imagine a society whose members acted in concert, bound together by contractual and economic ties. The pieces on the chessboard were more than subjects; they were individuals, playing by the rules. Jenny Adams teaches English at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. The Middle Ages Series 2006 264 pages 6 x 9 9 illus. ISBN 978-0-8122-3944-7 Cloth $59.95s 39.00 ISBN 978-0-8122-0104-8 Ebook $59.95s 39.00 World Rights Literature Short copy: Reading through influential texts of the later Middle Ages, Adams shows how specific representations of chess encoded concerns about political organization, civic community, and individual autonomy.

"Who are Carlotta J. Thompkins, Lottie Deno, Miss Kitty, Laura Denbo, Faro Nell, and Charlotte Thurmond? For answers to these and other questions, read Cynthia Rose's account of the life of Lottie Deno.... Recommended for anyone that is interested in reading a complete history of a western gambler from cradle to grave". (Review of the West)

"Rose paints an intriguing picture of Western heroine Lottie Deno.... Readers will gain insight into the devastation caused by the Civil War and also into the wild but opportunity-filled West". (School Library Journal)

The true story of the woman who has been "immortalized" in frontier novels and more recently in television and film (as "Miss Kitty" in "Gunsmoke" and "Laura Denbo" in Gunfight at the O.K. Corral). Santa Fe writer Cynthia Rose presents verbatim accounts by people who knew Lottie Deno and rare period photographs documenting her life and times.

Boris Spassky is a true chess legend, a World Champion who, thanks to his monumental battles with Bobby Fischer, raised the popularity of the game to a level that had never been seen before. Although at the height of his powers many saw Spassky as a complete and universal player, adept at outplaying his opponents in any type of position, it is no secret that from an early age he thrived on sharp, attacking play. He was a superb practical player, and with the initiative at his hands he could conjure up wonderful combinations and deadly attacks.
In "Boris Spassky Master of Initiative," Alexander Raetsky and Maxim Chetverik look back over Spassky's long and distinguished career to examine how he defeated his long-time adversaries, carefully highlighting his most colourful and celebrated encounters over the chessboard. A deep study of his style and games will entertain and inspire any true chess fan.
*Includes Boris Spassky's most brilliant sacrificial games
*Ideal for the attack-minded chess player
*Perfect for sharpening your tactical ability
Alexander Raetsky is a Russian Grandmaster and an experienced competitor on the chess tournament circuit. He's also a skilled writer and has been a frequent contributor to the famous Russian magazine 64 and the internationally renowned publication New In Chess. His many books for Everyman Chess include "Meeting 1 e4," which was very well received by critics and chess players alike.
Maxim Chetverik, also from Russia, is an International Master and a renowned openings theoretician. Earlier works for Everyman Chess include "Mikhail Tal: Tactical Genius," which he also co-authored with Raetsky.

Hex: The Full Story is for anyone - hobbyist, professional, student, teacher - who enjoys board games, game theory, discrete math, computing, or history. hex was discovered twice, in 1942 by Piet Hein and again in 1949 by John F. nash. How did this happen? Who created the puzzle for Hein's Danish newspaper column? How are Martin Gardner, David Gale, Claude Shannon, and Claude Berge involved? What is the secret to playing Hex well? The answers are inside... Features New documents on Hein's creation of Hex, the complete set of Danish puzzles, and the identity of their composer Chapters on Gale's game Bridg-it, the game Rex, computer Hex, open Hex problems, and more Dozens of new puzzles and solutions Study guide for Hex players Supplemenetary text for a course in game theory, discrete math, computer science, or science history

All the Everyman Chess books are organized in a structured style and are also presented in a series of levels. The styles encompass Openings (O); Games Collections ((G); and Training (T). The levels are arranged as follows: Children [C]; Novice (N); Club (C); and Advanced (A).

Two great books from the Everyman Chess Library, The New Old Indian by Alexander Cherniaev and Eduard Prokuronov and The New Sicilian Dragon by Simon Williams, brought together in one volume. The Old Indian Defence is considered to be a sound way for Black to meet 1 d4. Some might argue that it is steady rather than spectacular, but is this reputation totally deserved? Grandmaster Alexander Cherniaev strongly disagrees, and in this book he introduces ambitious and aggressive ways for Black to play in the main lines. He constructs an improved version of a repertoire he has himself utilized with great success against grandmaster opposition. Using illustrative games, he studies the fundamental tactical and positional ideas for both sides, and also covers what to do if White avoids the Old Indian. This book tells you everything you need to know about playing the New Old Indian. Grandmaster and well-known Sicilian Dragon expert Simon Williams takes a totally fresh look at this famous opening. Concentrating on his favourite Dragadorf Variation, Williams constructs a cutting-edge repertoire for Black, one which is perfect for the modern Dragon player who wishes to cause his opponents maximum problems in the opening. Drawing upon his considerable experience and using illustrative games, Williams covers the key tactical and positional ideas for both players, and highlights crucial modern day themes such as the importance of move orders. The Sicilian Dragon is a highly popular opening, ideal for players of all levels. It enjoys such a great appeal because it leads to fascinating and fun-to-play positions in which both players regularly attack each other's kings with a complete lack of inhibition.

This book brings together the two greatest names in the history of chess. The author, Garry Kasparov, is the world number one and, by common consent, the greatest player ever. The subject of the book, Bobby Fischer, is the only American to have become world champion and is probably the greatest natural talent the world has ever seen.In the period between 1955 and 1972 Fischer, more or less single-handedly, took on the might of the Soviet Chess Empire, and won. During this time Fischer scored astonishing successes the like of which had not been seen before. These included 11/11 in the 1963/64 US Championship and match victories (en route to the World Championship) by the score of 6-0 against two of the strongest players in the world, Mark Taimanov and Bent Larsen. The climax of Fischer's campaign was his unforgettable match win in Reykjavik in 1972 against Boris Spassky. Fischer is almost equally well-known for his temperamental behaviour away from the board, as his play on it. He made extreme demands of all those around him including tournament organisers. When these demands were not met he often refused to play. The 1972 match against Spassky required the intervention of no less than Henry Kissinger to smooth things over. In 1975 when he was due to defend his title against Anatoly Karpov, Fischer was completely unable to agree terms with FIDE (the World Chess Federation) and was defaulted. After this he more or less gave up chess, playing only once, a 'return' match against Spassky in 1992. In this book, a must for all serious chessplayers, Kasparov analyses deeply Fischer's greatest games and assesses the legacy of this great American genius.

What separated Alexander Alekhine from the rest of his contemporaries? Why did he dominate the chess world for so long? The main reason was undoubtedly his brilliant attacking style of play. Alekhine had a combinative gift and thrilled the chess public and influenced every great chess player since. Garry Kasparov once said, 'I fell in love with the rich complexity of his ideas at the chessboard. Alekhine's attacks came suddenly, like destructive thunderstorms that erupted from a clear sky.'
In this book Alexander Raetsky and Maxim Chetverik take a look back at how Alekhine defeated his opponents in dazzling style. They carefully select and analyze some of Alekhine's most famous attacks and glorious combinations. A deep study of his games cannot fail to entertain and inspire any true chess fan.
*Includes Alekhine's most celebrated games
*Test yourself with his most difficult combinations
*Perfect for sharpening your attacking play

Market Garden was a bold plan, designed to capture the Rhine crossings along the Dutch-German border and establish a foothold for an advance into Germany. A massive combined arms operation involving airborne landings and an armoured thrust, it was one of the most dramatic and controversial operations of the war. This new Campaign Book for Bolt Action allows players to command the forces facing each other across the Rhine, fighting key battles and attempting to change the course of history. New, linked scenarios, rules, troop types and Theatre Selectors provide plenty of options for novice and veteran players alike.

Chess is an easy game to learn, but a difficult one to master. A study of tactical play and some practical experience can get a player to a standard where they are skilful enough to prevent both checkmate and material loss. However, to advance from here to a higher level it is necessary to tackle positional play. This can appear daunting. However, once the principal strategic ideas are recognized, then everything becomes clearer and the game becomes simpler. In this book Grandmaster and experienced chess writer John Emms provides the improving player with the fundamental knowledge required to enter very game with confidence.This book offers a complete introduction to chess strategy, important positional ideas and is ideal for club and tournament players. (6 x 9, 144 pages, diagrams)