Book Review: 2001 Chess Oddities by Alex Dunne

2001 Chess Oddities by Alex Dunne © 2003

“No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted by any means.” THANK GOD! This is the worst collection of trash I have ever seen! There are HUNDREDS of mistakes. “Paul Morphy died of a stroke while taking a hot bath.” On July 10, 1884 in New Orleans Paul took a long walk and became over-heated. “Pronounced dead at 2:30 P.M. from congestion of the brain caused by entering the cold water while very warm after his walk.” – PAUL MORPHY by David Lawson.

Dunne reprints those monstrosities: Morphy vs. Duke of Brunswick and the mis-named “Immortal Game” by Anderssen. Other than examples of atrocious play by the loser they are dull and worthless.

Dunne gives a King’s Gambit where Nigel Short beat Kasparov in fifteen moves and says it was the 23rd game of the 1993 World Championship Match. That is an unforgivable mistake. It was an exhibition game played after Kasparov had won the match, and the moves 1 PK4 PK4; 2 PKB4 PxP; 3 BB4 QR5ch; 4 KB1 PQN4 were selected by the audience. Kasparov, to his shame, made no attempt to play good moves. He is notorious for lack of ethics and integrity.

NOTHING is more insulting than to say “the shortest decisive game between two World Champions” and then give a skittles game: Alekhin – Euwe. Dunne says Euwe resigned on move twelve, but he is a piece ahead and winning. Thus, this “game” cannot be real. No intelligent person pays attention to skittles games, or simultaneous games, etc.

“William Lombardy turned down his induction into the U.S. Hall of Fame because of conflict with his priesthood duties.” WRONG! Lombardy refused to be inducted because the U.S. Chess Federation would not pay his travelling expenses to the induction ceremonies.

Dunne says: “Capablanca lost a piece on move nine and resigned on move sixty-nine, and almost had a draw.” NONSENSE! Saemisch took his time because it was a blocked position and the win was assured. Capablanca never came close to a draw.

“Alino Markowski won the 1956 Ohio State Championship.” NO! The best score she ever made was 4 – 3. She had the highest score among women players.

“The Game and Play of Chess by Jacobus is the second book published in English.” WRONG! It was the second book printed on the press invented by Gutenberg, the first being the BIBLE.

“It is not well-known that blindfold checkers is a more difficult game than blindfold chess.” NOT TRUE! Checkers is much easier.

Hundreds of inane comments such as: “… forces Martin to turn his King over.”

Most of Dunne’s attempts at “humor” are disgustingly infantile. “And Black throws a single rock after which the lights go out.”

“Two Knights is insufficient mating material.” WRONG!.

Dunne prints many silly anecdotes as if they are true, but they are NOT, they are fiction.

As usual with books printed by Bob Long there are many WRONG diagrams.

Don’t even begin to think of reading this junk. I burned my copy.