Book Recap #8: The World Champions I Knew by GM Genna Sosonko

Welcome back to another monthly edition of Perpetual Chess, Chess Books Recaptured! This month, I am joined by electrical engineer, Chessable author, and chess blogger, Vjekoslav “Vjeko” Nemec. Like me, Vjekoslav is a big fan of GM Genna Sosonko’s writing, so we were eager to discuss one of his books. Vjeko and I agree that The World Champion’s I Knew may not be Sosonko’s best book, but due to its prominent subjects, it might be the most accessible. Like his other books, The World Champions I Knew is marked by vivid first hand accounts and beautiful prose, and its high points make the book well worth reading. In his book, GM Sosonko writes about 7 different world chess champions, so Vjeko and I spent time sharing quotes and reflections about each essay, and ranked our favorite chapters. Please read on for more details and timestamps.

If you are not seeing embedded hyperlinks in your podcast feed, you can find them here:

https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/new-blog/2020/6/23/bonus-pod-recapping-the-world-champions-i-knew-by-gm-genna-sosonko

1:00- We begin by discussing why Vjeko Nemec wanted to discuss a book by Grandmaster Genna Sosonko, why we settled on The World Champions I Knew , and we share a few details from GM Sosonko’s fascinating life story.

Mentioned: Perpetual Chess interview with GM Genna Sosonko (June 2018), Smart Chip from St. Petersburg, Russian Silhoettes, The Reliable Past, Evil-Doer: Half a Century with Viktor Korchnoi, GM Garry Kasparov

13:45- As always, Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable. Two of the many courses that you can check out right now are Vjekoslav Nemec’s The Modern Against Everything, and GM Sam Shankland’s new course, Lifetime Repertoires: Black Against the English, The Reti, and sidelines

14:30- We read a bit of the introduction to the book and give an overview of the book before discussing the book chapter by chapter.

Mentioned: The Rise and Fall of David Bronstein, John Hartmann,

19:00- The first chapter we discuss is the one about Jose Raoul Capablaca, which focuses on GM Sosonko’s interactions with Capablanca’s then wife, Olga Clark Capablanca.

The Genius and The Princess by Edward Winter

26:30- Next up is legendary world champion Alexander Alekhine

Mentioned: Chess Historian Edward Winter on Sourcing

32:45- Smyslov

Mentioned: Smyslov on the Couch, The Gulag Archipelago by Solzhenitsyn

45:00- Legendary Dutch Champion Max Euwe

Mentioned: Todd Bryant, Mike Zaloznyy

54:00- We discuss the chapter about Sixth World Champion Mikhail Botvinnik

Mentioned: Soviet Outcast: The Life and Games of Grigory Levenfish, GM Viktor Korchnoi

1:02- GM Tigran Petrosian

Mentioned: GM Boris Spassky, GM Efim Geller

1:13- Tal time! We discuss the best part of the book, the chapter GM Mikhail Tal. Tal-Lautier 1992, Timman’s Titans, The Longest Game, Chess Duels by Yasser Seirawan, Tal Keller Zurich 1959, Steve Doyle, GM Alexei Suetin, Lev Tolstoy, Bacchus, Mythos by Stephen Fry

1:35:00- Thanks to Vjeko for helping out and sharing his knowledge! In lieu of payment for his efforts, Vjeko is donating to Tunde Onakoya’sChess in Slums Program. You can donate to support them here:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-support-chess-in-the-slums-in-nigeria

1:39:00- Blindfold puzzles of the month courtesy of SayChess1

Puzzle #1- White to move

White

Pawn h4

King b1

Queen c2

Black

Pawns g7 and h5

King h7

Queen g6

https://lichess.org/study/2Jj2xWA5

Puzzle #2- White to move

White

Rook a1

King d2

Black

Pawns on b2 and c2

King b4

https://lichess.org/study/z7M9gUy5!

Follow Vjeko on twitter here: https://twitter.com/chessentials_

Read his Chessentials blog here: https://chessentials.com/

Buy his Chessable course here: https://www.chessable.com/the-modern-defense-against-everything/course/27749/

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