The Ink War

The rivalry between William Steinitz and Johannes Zukertort, the strongest chess players in the world at the end of the 19th century, became so fierce that it was finally called The Ink War. What. They fought their battle on the chessboard and in various chess magazines and columns. It wasn't just about who was the strongest player, but also who had the best ideas about how to play the game. Their war of words culminated in the first match for the World Championship in 1886.

Zukertort is undoubtedly the tragic protagonist of this book, but is he also a romantic hero? He has often been depicted as a representative of romantic chess, focusing solely on attacking the king. Steinitz is said to have ended this unbalanced chess style with his modern scientific school. This compelling story shakes up the traditional version of chess history and answers the question of which of them can boast of being the captain of the modern school.

With his first book, Move first, think later, the international chess master Willy Hendriks sparked a small revolution in the general view on improving chess. His second book, On the Origin of the Good Moves, presented a fresh new perspective on the history of chess. In The Ink War, Hendriks once again offers his unique perspective on a well-researched story that continues to captivate until its tragic outcome. It gives a wonderful impression of the chess world of the 19th century and the birth of modern chess. Hendriks invites the reader to think actively along with the beautiful, instructive and entertaining chess excerpts and exercises.