103 games from the tournaments played by the interned players in Baden Baden and Triberg, plus other games played in consultation, in matches and by correspondence. All the available games (about 143), many with notes.

Almost half the book, more than 250 pages, tells the full story of what happened when the tournament was broken off - a story never told before of the arrests, internments, the ones that got away. The author has attempted to follow all 40 Russians who were at Mannheim playing, reporting and spectating and to tell their stories. Magazine and newspaper articles are quoted from the USA, Britain, Germany, Russia, the Netherlands, Italy, Sweden, France, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Australia and more. Alekhine’s story has some surprises!

The book contains (approximately) 373 games and 1 problem, 232 diagrams and 130 illustrations (photographs, maps, documents).

In early August 1914 there were 12 Russians left in Mannheim facing internment and by mid-1918 just 4 were left in Germany and only 2 were ‘free’ and still playing chess. The book explains how and why.

This is one of the strangest stories in modern chess and it is has now been researched and recounted for the first time.

525 Seiten, englisch, 232 Diagramme, 130 Fotos, Leinen, 1. Auflage 2014