Legendary Players, Fascinating Problems | A Review of Chess Stories by Frederic Friedel and Christian Hesse

by Avathanshu Bhat - 27/11/2024

Chess Stories by Frederic Friedel and Christian Hesse is now available in English worldwide. Friedel is the co-founder of ChessBase and served as an advisor to numerous World Champions and Grandmasters. Hesse has a doctorate in Mathematical Statistics from Harvard and has previously published a bestseller titled The Joys of Chess. Together, they explore interesting encounters and combine chess and logic in this book. It is currently available for purchase worldwide in Hardcopy and Kindle editions. Read on for an in-depth review of its contents. Photos taken from the book.

The book was published as Schachgeschichten: Geniale Spieler - Clevere Probleme in 2022.

Some books aren’t just stories, they are experiences. Chess Stories by Frederic Friedel and Christian Hesse is one of those books that stays with you long after you’ve turned the last page. Simultaneously filled to the brim with fascinating anecdotes of the greatest chess players in our history and profound insight into the ‘Zen’ of mathematics, this book is packed with knowledge you didn’t know you needed! Friedel is an incredibly prolific individual in the chess world, described in its foreword alone as a ‘cult figure’ by none other than Garry Kasparov himself. Meanwhile, Hesse is internationally one of the most well-renowned German Mathematicians alive and is no stranger to bringing chess to a literary format. Together, their synergy is able to create a marvelous read that is seemingly endlessly readable.

Two mighty minds at work! Left: Viswanathan Anand, Right: Frederic Friedel

What really makes this book so special? For me, it is the unique structure of the book. On one hand, you are treated to Friedel’s masterful storytelling that hooks you instantly. There is an element of mischievousness and sparkling creativity that is evident in these stories, something that has no doubt exasperated his companions on occasion, yet in an affectionate manner. It makes for a very light-hearted, entertaining read that is punctuated by logical puzzles that will keep you on your toes. On the other hand, in stark contrast is Hesse’s ruminations of classic logical dilemmas, reinterpreted in the context of Chess. At its core, it is a fundamental breakdown of the possibilities that a grid of 64 squares can represent. How many games of chess are possible? Can you deduce what piece your opponent is thinking about in a given position using logic? How did the sages of old use the chess board to make advances in sequences and series, probability, permutations, and more?

These scientific pieces offer a rare insight into the game that so many chess players are familiar with in a manner that is alien to most of us. The experience of going from the playfulness of the former to the complex calculations of the latter may seem jarring at first, however, they oddly complement each other in a way that keeps things moving and fresh for the reader.

When philosophy and mathematics join hands, you can expect magic to happen!

I personally found the message of the book to be something that might feel difficult to take seriously but is in reality something pivotal to how we shape as human beings over the course of our lives. It is very easy in the modern age to be so incredibly caught up in the daily cycle of life that at some point, there is often a growing distaste towards things that appear to have ‘no value’. However, this sentiment could not be further from the truth, as Friedel demonstrates for example, being 79 years old with an astutely sharp mind that devours logic and philosophy for breakfast. The common factor across the chapters is both authors’ ability and willingness to ask ‘why?’. There are instances in anecdotes where even some of the smartest people in the world can feel threatened by the feeling of not knowing. Chess Stories tells you that the first step is admitting it, followed by pursuing endless trains of thought to see where they lead.

I met Frederic and got to experience firsthand some of his anecdotes. It was just as gripping as you would expect!

I feel as though it would be difficult – and borderline impolite – of me to dive further into the book’s contents without leaving them to you as a pleasant surprise. Do yourself a favour and pick up this book, and my advice would be to approach it as you would a math problem. Dissect it, analyse it, look for paths and follow them till the end. I believe this is the best way to engage with the book and the various problems it poses to you as a reader. “Keep your seat belts fastened!”

Purchase links

For a hardcopy of the book, please visit our online shop.

Alternatively, you can purchase a hardcopy from Amazon (exclusive to Indian buyers) by clicking here.

The Kindle edition of the book is available worldwide at the following link.

About the Author

Avathanshu Bhat is a 19-year-old living in New Zealand. He is the Technical Support expert and writer for ChessBase India. He is currently studying Software Engineering at Auckland University of Technology.