Harry Golombek, onetime British champion and the doyen of chess writers, has headed a formidable team of international experts (which includes the new British grandmaster Raymond Keene) to produce a magnificent work that covers every aspect of the game.
The entries, arranged alphabetically, provide biographical, historical and practical information: The biographies range from the early Arabian and medieval players, through such classic exponents of the game as Ray Lopez and Philidor, to the great nineteenth-century champions :-- Morphy, Staunton, Steinitz, Lasker - and the giants of the present day-- Alekhine and Capablanca, Fischer, Tal and Karpov.

The historical entries not only cover championships, tournaments and international titles, but deal with a whole range of general features from anent otes, computers and philately, to laws of the game and blindfold chess.
The practical part of the book-concerns itself with details of opening, middle-game and endgame theory.
There is also a separate section on problems, and an extensive bibliography.
The appearance of the book fully matches its content; it is exceptionally attractive and easy to read.
The 500 illustrations inctucle portraits, commemorative stamps, chess pieces and examples of chess art as well as numerous positional diagrams.
Whether as an unrivalled book of reference or as a book to be dipped into for pleasure, this is a work which will be cherished by all lovers of chess.