Modern Ideas in Chess is a series of 45 essays dealing with the evolution of game, its leading players, their ideas and contributions to their respective periods. The chronology starts in the Romantic era of Anders-sen and Morphy, continues through the Classical School of Steinitz, Tarrasch, Lasker, and runs to the dawn of the Hypermodern Revolution; the 70 year stretch from 1852 to 1922. Working in small chunks Rti had to be selective in what he extracted from each player and period. Plus the individual elements all had to tie in with the larger canvass Rti was painting for his readers. You dont have to get too far into the book to realize that Rti was a creative artist using the tension of chess ideas to reflect the larger intellectual struggle of mankind. How does Rti do it? A solid chess foundation obviously helps, also keen observation of the human experience coupled with a powerful command of language. Together these serve up indelible images that stick in the mind of the reader and lift this work far above the ordinary. Modern Ideas in Chess is one of the rare books that transcends the time frame in which it was written. It stands on its own, timeless, one of the true classics in the literature of the game.

Richard Reti (1889-1929) was both a master player and a superb endgame composer. He was also a prominent member of the hyper-modern school and author of two of the greatest chess books ever written, Masters of the Chessboard and Modern Ideas in Chess. His games, which greatly influenced chess strat egy, are known for their many innovations, beautifully developed combinations, and important advances in opening play and strategy. There are 70 games in this book, selected from all stages of Reti's career. Early games show the budding of Reti's almost phenomenal positional skills and his rise to status of great master with first prize wins at Kaschau and the international tournament of Gothenburg, 1920. There are many games from the tournaments of 1922, during the development of the Reti and the English openings including Reti-Rubinstein 1923, Reti-Becker 1923, Reti - Bogolyubov 1924, and his stunning defeat of Capablanca in 1924. The games from 1925 to his premature death in 1929 show his further development and number among them many which made the chess world sit up and take notice. Fifteen of Reti's most interesting composed endgames are also included. There is a short memoir and expert annotation by Harry Golombek. For this edition Raymond Keene has written a new Introduction.

It is well known and researched, that deprivation of oxygen to the brain can quickly result in irreversible damage and death. What is less well known, is that some vertebrate species are exceptionally tolerant of brain hypoxia. This text discusses the mechanisms of brain hypoxia tolerance in these exceptional vertebrates, which include diving marine mammals, high altitude dwellers and the hibernating mammal. Special attention is given to the extraordinary adaptations that allow a few turtle and fish species to tolerate months of brain anoxia.