This book for the first time gives the history of the chess game in Russia from ancient times, from the moment of its penetration into ancient Russia, bringing it to the very latest time. The first fundamental work on the history of the penetration and development of chess in Russia, covering those aspects of the development of chess life that until that time had not been touched upon in chess literature. Valuable reference material, with a large number of recorded games (including with the reproduction of the very first recorded and famous game played by Russian chess players) and materials on chess tournaments, is very rare.