Zugzwang by Ronan Bennett

“Zugzwang, Ronan Bennett informs us in the beginning, is a German term that in chess is used to describe a position in which a player “is obliged to move, but every move only makes his position even worse.” Something similar can be said of the state Otto Spethmann finds himself in. A psychoanalyst, Spethmann is asked to treat Rozental, a gifted chess player who is to compete in the international tournament to be held in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1914, one which really did take place.’ Read the review at the St. Petersburg Times.