Books

Paul Hoffman's engaging memoir relates how chess rescued him from a troubled adolescence and then offered solace to him as an adult: "Chess offered a tidy black-and-white sanctuary from the turmoil in the rest of my life."

Such a tale is typical for serious adult chess players, those who are members of the U.S. Chess Federation. But Mr. Hoffman's writing skills and close access to the top echelons of chess make this book stand out.

And what a group these players be! As a teenager, Mr. Hoffman beats his first grandmaster, Nicholas Rossolimo, at the latter's small chess studio in Greenwich Village. During the course of the evening, Nick served a supper of steamed mussels with garlic, conversed with Paul's father about Nabokov and Sartre, played chess with Paul, and consumed five bottles of white wine before resigning a lost game by dipping his king in the mussel broth and scattering the rest of the pieces.

Mr. Hoffman's descriptions are letter-perfect, and he doesn't shy away from the game's negative effects on some: its addictive nature and its frequent association with insanity and obsession. Indeed, as he notes, the chess world readily accepts eccentric behavior. For some, regrettably, chess is the Sargasso Sea of intellect.

But for most, and increasingly for aging baby boomers, chess helps maintain brain health. Mr. Hoffman returned to tournament chess after a hiatus of 20 years during which he underwent a personal and professional crisis. He became close friends with Canadian grandmaster Pascal Charbonneau, one of the true gentlemen of chess.

Using his connections in the chess world and his professional skills as a journalist (he is an award-winning writer and editor), Mr. Hoffman has sought to comprehend "the inner life of chess players." Whether nonfiction can accomplish this goal as well as fiction (with Nabokov's The Luzhin Defense, Stefan Zweig's The Royal Game and Walter Tevis' The Queen's Gambit the three greatest fictional portrayals) remains to be seen. But Mr. Hoffman has come closer than anyone so far.

The book's great strength lies in its many interviews with key players. Mr. Hoffman's insistence on the Oedipal theme announced by the subtitle and his descriptions of his own games detract. His account of his encounter with the Keystone Kops of the Libyan security state, where he went to report on the World Chess Championship, is harrowing though comical in retrospect. The book is rich in such narrative treasures.

King's Gambit, in short, sets a new standard for serious nonfiction writing on chess.

Tim Redman founded the Chess Program at the University of Texas at Dallas. He has served twice as the president of the U.S. Chess Federation and most recently edited a book on chess and education.

A Son, a Father, and the World's Most Dangerous Game

Paul Hoffman

(Hyperion; $24.95)

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