Book cover: The Chess Saga of Fridrik Ólafsson (Brekke and Ólafsson)
Release date 10. Feb 2021 ISBN 9788290779288 Hardcover 288 pages
Fridrik Ólafsson may be the strongest chess player of the 20th century about whom until now no book existed in any of the big languages. It feels great to present to the world this first book outside Iceland about the chess career of their first and most prominent grandmaster.
From the preface
At long last Fridrik Ólafsson's chess career, with commentaries to many of his best and instructive attacking games, is available in English. Jan Timman wrote: "With his unorthodox and enterprising style posed a threat to all top players, including the Soviet elite."
From the text on the back of the book
The book is much more than a collection of games; many writers contribute to describe his long life (87 years) and varied career, not all in chess. A Saga indeed. An affectionate and beautiful book in every way.
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The authors in short

Fridrik Ólafsson was born 1935 in Reykjavik where he still lives. Nordic Champion in 1953, at 18. Won his first grandmaster tournament at Hastings 1955/56, shared with Korchnoi and ahead of Taimanov. A World Championship candidate 1958-59. President of FIDE 1978-82. Besides his great chess career, he is a lawyer, and was for 21 years Secretary General of the Icelandic parliament, Althingi.

Øystein Brekke was born in 1956 and is a Norwegian chess player, organizer, arbiter, trainer, historian, author and publisher.

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