Before reading these two new game collections, I would have thought that any comparison between the books would be foolish. After all, Averbakh is from the old Soviet School while Belyavsky, though also a Soviet player before the wall came tumbling down, is a modern (and still active) figure in chess.

Other aspects of the players also seem to make light of any comparison. Averbakh was never noted for his opening play while Belyavsky usually stood at the cutting edge of modern theory. Averbakh, though he did attack (as every player needs to do, no matter what his personal inclination), appears to have gotten an almost ecstatic joy in trading the Queens and heading for an endgame as quickly as possible. Though some might find such games dull, I personally feel that the clarity of the resulting positions (even his combinative games somehow appear thematic and clear) should prove extremely instructive for non-masters.

Belyavsky always went in for a full-bodied battle, and the games are much more complex (and are therefore more accessible to stronger players). Lots of modern theory is discussed, and almost every contest illustrates tactics and complicated themes. Indeed, he makes his "to the death" philosophy clear right in the foreword by making use of a quote from Seneca: "In this life, stormy like a sea, there is one refuge: disdain future vicissitudes, stand dependably and openly, staunchly meet the blows of fortune, do not hide and do not flinch."

So far, there is still little in common between the two books. However, take a look at these two snippets from each: "1978 began dizzily. I was fortunate enough to win all 13 games at a tournament in Alicante (Spain). The sound of the surf helped me to sleep, and for a time I believed that this was the reason for such an outstanding result. Subsequently I discovered that the sound of sea helps me to sleep, but not to win."--Belyavsky.

A similar chord also appears from Averbakh's pen while discussing how he dealt with a particularly painful loss: "Going out into the fresh air, although there was a strong wind and a light Autumn rain was falling, I wandered around a forest, not following any paths, until I found myself on the banks of a small lake, edged with boulders. I sat down on a bend that opportunely appeared, and began gazing at the water. I sat there for at least half an hour...

"Strangely enough, this calmed my nerves that had been so angered by the vexing defeat. Incidentally, realizing that water had a pacifying effect on me, on more than one subsequent occasion I got myself back into a normal state after an especially nervy encounter, by observing the surface of water."

These two quotes, both similar and very different, give us a deep look into the personalities of the players and, of course, also sets the tone for both books. Averbakh is calmer than the often cynical Belyavsky, and this usually shows itself in the actual games. Where Averbakh often surprises us with a touch of innocence, Belyavsky exudes a certain world-weary pain.

Both books offer many interesting stories about players both alive and dead. Averbakh concentrates on players in the pre-Botvinnik age (though Botvinnik is prominently covered, and more modern players are also presented). Belyavsky, as is natural, concentrates on the post-Botvinnik age of professionals, though he too gives us a story or two about Botvinnik (other legends like Bronstein, Taimanov and Smyslov also appear).

Ultimately, Belyavsky is shown to be more introspective and philosophically deeper (though in many ways I preferred the more docile tones set by Averbakh's book). Take, for example, the subject of energy expenditure during a chess game. Averbakh uses a quote from Levenfish: "Major successes do not happen without a major expenditure of nervous energy!"

He shows more concern about the dangers of spending too much psychic and physical energy while taking a look at some of his games from a training match with Botvinnik in 1957 (who was preparing for his second title match with Smyslov): "This was an extremely tense match. I remember that we battled with a fierceness that was unusual for training games. In several games there was a severe time scramble, which often led to blunders.

"Now, playing though these games, and experiencing as if anew all the changes of fortune in those encounters, I suddenly realized that such training games use up too much strength and nervous energy. It is quite possible that, when a month and a half later Botvinnik sat down at the board with Smyslov, he had not managed to recover fully after our battles, and to some extent this may have affected the outcome of the match."

Compare this straightforward prose with the more "churning" (and thoughtful) efforts of Belyavsky: "Rome and sport, more than other factors, have formulated my attitude to the competitive process. I share the conviction of the Romans, that victory in battle is granted by the immortal gods and is therefore outside the will of the commander. It is the same in a chess battle. Without at all pretending to resolve the philosophical question regarding the relationship between free will and predetermination, I will risk proposing that the result of a chess game depends considerably less on the efforts of a player, than is customarily thought. Therefore the task of a chess commander reduces to trying to find the best of the possible moves, without worrying about the result.

"Fatigue and failure, more than other factors, influence the mood and competitiveness of a player after a game. A bottle of good wine may help to cope with fatigue, but, in order not to become dispirited by the result, you should seek inspiration from the thoughts of Seneca." And here we return to Seneca's words, presented earlier in the review.

Choosing one of these books over the other is, in my mind, impossible. Everyone will have a different opinion and individual taste will have to be the judge. My own view is that these books complement each other, though that clearly wasn't planned by the publisher. Owning both allows us to explore two different eras (with some interesting overlap), two very different minds, and games that attest to the fact that personality and chess style are completely intertwined.

YOU CAN FIND UNCOMPROMISING CHESS AT

YOU CAN FIND AVERBAKH'S SELECTED GAMES AT