Descripción
In the middle of the last century tournament compilations were extremely popular. After every major
chess event a compendium would appear in print. Naturally, the Candidates Tournament was no
exception. For instance, David Bronstein’s book “Zurich International Chess Tournament, 1953” was
carefully and thoroughly studied many times in my youth. To this day I can still recite some of its more
memorable passages. Gradually various textbooks and publications, but mainly theoretical manuals,
completely replaced that particular type of chess literature. Nowadays even the world title match is not
always worthy of its own publication. This is probably a direct result of the rapid increase in the number
of international tournaments currently contested on the world circuit. The close-knit circle of leading
grandmasters has turned into a sort of wandering circus troupe, globetrotting with practically the same
act. One competition seamlessly transitions into the next, making it hard for the average chess fan to
follow this infinite flow of events.
At first the same could have been said of the 2020 Candidates Tournament. However, the balanced flow
of the normal chess calendar was unexpectedly interrupted by a frightening occurrence. Seemingly
harmless at first, the coronavirus pandemic overtook more and newer countries by the day and gradually
became pretty much the main, and only determining factor in life. The Candidates Tournament was
threatened as well. Whether it would be held at all was pretty much in doubt until the very last few
minutes. Even the grandmasters, who had already gathered in Ekaterinburg, had reason to doubt that
they would have a chance to sit at the boards. In the end, having indeed commenced, the tournament
planted in me a vague notion of writing a book about it.
~ GM Vladimir Tukmakov
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