Whether out of my love for my birthplace (Brooklyn, NY) or my passion for competitive sports and games, I read a review of the book The Kings of New York: a year among the geeks, oddballs and geniuses who make up America's top high school chess team and decided that I must read this book.The author Michael Weinreb, a sportswriter who has contributed articles to The New York Times and Newsday, tells the story of a chess team from Brooklyn's Edward R. Murrow High School as it pursues a national championship.

Weinrub tells the story of how some "Brooklynese" unconventional underprivileged boys of various nationalities, races, personalities and aspirations form a team. He covers their adventures through public park tournaments to city and state tournaments to a national championship and a meeting with President Bush. Weinrub touches on adolescent life - its problems, thrills, frustrations and disappointments. And as is quoted from the London Chess Center, "Above all, it's the story of a handful of gifted misfits searching for the silence and order and strange beauty that can be found within those sixty-four squares on a chess board."

Weinrub also delves into the background of chess including interesting information about such famous players as Bobby Fisher, Boris Spassky.and Garry Kasparov. He relates how many Eastern European and Russian immigrants popularized the game. You can find some fascinating information about the history of chess at the About: Chess website.

Admittedly I do not play chess although I am fascinated as I watch other players. If you care to play (or watch) in Nashua, a Chess Club meets in our library's East Wing at 7 pm on Fridays (except that on April 20th they will be in MAM because of the book sale). Walk-ins are welcome; children must be accompanied by an adult. The MeetUp website has a Cambridge, Massachusetts site for chess, or perhaps you would like to start a site in Nashua.

You may wish to check out our library's many resources about chess. A recent arrival is Chess openings for white, explained : winning with 1. e4 by Lev Alburt, Roman Dzindzichashvili, and Eugene Perelshteyn; with Al Lawrence. Or perhaps take a look at:
Chess tactics for champions : a step-by step guide to using tactics and combinations by Susan Polgar and Paul Truong
or
Chess for zebras : making the most of white and black by Jonathan Rowson.

And, of course The kings of New York : a year among the geeks, oddballs, and geniuses who make up America's top high school chess team.