Winner of the Chess Journalists of America 2020 Best Book Award! At the U.S. Championship in 1989, Stuart Rachels seemed bound for the cellar. Ranked last and holding no IM norms, the 20-year-old amateur from Alabama was expected to get waxed by the American top GMs of the day that included Seirawan, Gulko, Dzindzichashvili, Benjamin and Browne. Instead, Rachels pulled off a gigantic upset and became the youngest U.S. Champion since Bobby Fischer. In this highly personal memoir, Stuart Rachels includes his duels against legends such as Kasparov, Anand and Spassky, but the heart of the book is the explanation of chess ideas interwoven with his captivating stories. There are chapters on tactics, endings, blunders, middlegames and cheating incidents. Rachels offers a complete and entertaining course in chess strategy. Every chess player will find it difficult to put this sparkling book down. As a bonus, it will make you a better player.

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