Grandmaster Adorjan is known as a wild and crazy guy. At one time a candidate for the World Championship (when it meant something), always a premiere opening theoretician, he eventually became a highly thought of trainer who helped such notables as Peter Leko and Kasparov. In 1988 he wrote BLACK IS OKAY! (also published by Batsford), a book dedicated to proving that Black has his full share of the chances, despite his opponent having the first move.

Though this new book, BLACK IS STILL OKAY!, continues his discourse about the viability of the Black pieces, it's a completely new piece of work and stands on its own in every way. The first thing we are treated to (under the title of EPPUR SI MUOVE) is a one page bat to the top of our head telling us, in not so subtle tones, that BLACK IS OKAY! A single sentence will suffice: “The tale of White's advantage is a delusion, belief in it is based on mass psychosis.” His message seems clear, don't you agree?

Next comes a one-page introduction titled: BLACK IS OKAY! The start: “Yes, I really mean it. BLACK is a nice colour, one of the best in chess.”

After this (which leaves us wondering if dear Andras has a great sense of humor or if he's simply insane) we're treated to a much longer colloquy (nine pages) titled “THE WAY IT ALL STARTED (The Story of ‘BLACK Is OKAY')”. This man is nothing if not consistent! Here are the first two sentences: “1985 was a very BLACK year, and not ‘OK' at all. My mother died.” He then goes on for more than a page about the personalization of death, mourning, and how (by some odd leap of logic) all this gave him the courage to admit that he enjoyed playing with the black pieces (he likened this to Martin Luther's theses nailed to a gate) and that, indeed, BLACK IS OKAY! The chapter ends with some games that show just how well he handled black in practice.

Can anyone guess what the title of the next chapter is? If you tossed out BLACK IS OK, I'll know you've been paying attention (the full title is: BLACK IS OK – or the Presumption of Innocence in the Game of Chess). Here he explains his views by saying, “It is White who has to prove that he can get an advantage.” He also adds: “Naturally, starting the game should not be mistaken for taking the initiative!” Here's a bit more: “BLACK IS OK means that everything is all right with BLACK, no more, no less and nothing else!”

I'll admit that here I began to lean to the “funny AND insane”theory, but none of that really mattered because all these chapters, which could easily be total crap in lesser hands, are eminently readable and full of interesting ideas. In fact, when Adorjan pointed out white's overwhelming plus score in the 1986 and 1990 Kasparov vs. Karpov matches (15-1, to which he said, “How should I interpret this? To say they played with White like geniuses? Or maybe [rather] they both played with BLACK like Patzers?”), and in top level tournaments, he concluded that, “White has a psychological advantage.” I suppose this makes some sense, and he goes on for several more pages inciting the readership into (my own words and vision) rubbing the black pieces of their chess set over their bodies in some sort of ecstatic state of sudden understanding.

Adorjan's desire to make players embrace Black's chances in the opening is something that every player can learn from. He makes his point by raving, by logic, by presenting various theories with us, by graphs, by sharing the opinions of others, by offering lots of opening analysis, and finally by treating us to many fine games where Black wipes White off the board. It's all quite compelling and, mixed with his out of control humor, makes this (depending on the reader) either a fun chess book, or an annoying one.

Unfortunately (I'm sure some of you saw this coming!), there is a darker side to the book. It seems to me (and this is just my opinion) that Grandmaster Adorjan is one of those very creative people who live “on the edge.” His understanding of chess is obvious, his ideas are fascinating, his humor is like a car without breaks (which will work for some people, though I hope he has airbags), but his highly disrespectful condemnation of Grandmaster Kevin Spraggett as “…the Canadian Bastard” seems way, WAY out of place.

All in all, BLACK IS STILL OKAY is very original, frenetic, instructive, crazy, fun, outrageous, and fascinating. Some serious editing might have saved him from himself, but what's done is done and we're left having to accept our “Black Pieces savior” in all his guises.

Recommended for players 1800 and above who have the stomach for something completely different.