Description:


xi+220+[2 index]+[2 ad] pages with frontispiece portrait and diagrams. Small Octavo (7 ¼” x 5”) issued in original brown cloth with gilt lettering and stamping to spine. (Betts: 29-30) 1st edition.






Emmanuel Lasker, chess champion of the world, once said in reference to Rudolf Charousek, "I shall have to play a championship match with this man some day."
But his career was all too brief.
Born in 1873 in Czechoslovakia, he began playing chess at age 16 (1889). Between 1896 and 1899, he was one of the most formidable names in chess. Everyone who faced him across the table conceded his genius.
In 1896, he defeated Emanuel Lasker at Nuremberg and in many minds was considered his successor. At The 11th Congress of the German Chess Association, 1897, Charousek shone like a fiery comet. He started with two losses - to Walbrodt and Burn; he gradually gained tempo with two draws - to Marco and Schlechter; from then on, he was undefeated, beating von Bardeleben, drawing against Blackburne, defeating Teichmann and Suchting, then drawing Englisch and Metger; now he proceeded winning nine straight games! Janowski, Albin, Cohn, Schiffers, Alapin, Winawer, Caro, Zinkl and finally Chigorin!! Unfortunately, Lasker, Tarrasch, Steinitz and Pillsbury were not in that tournament. Early the next year he contracted tuberculosis which adversely affected his chess for the next year and a half, until he died, April 19, 1900 at age 26. He played in tournaments during that time, but his debilitation was apparent....the comet was burning out fast. This contains all known games played by Charousek, 146, including consultation games, annotated from various sources.



Condition:


Page one gutter taped, name stamped at back paste down, spine ends rubbed, back hinge rubbed, extremities rubbed, gilt dulled. A better than good copy.