The main content of the book of the famous journalist, master and international arbitrator Jacob Damsky is reflected in the subtitle. This is in many ways a special view of the development of the Game, expressed by the author and his heroes - outstanding chess players of the USSR, Russia, and the world. The book reveals little-known or generally unknown turns of chess history, which had a serious impact on the formation of an amazing, peculiar world of chess. For the widest range of readers.