For nearly fifty years grandmasters and amateurs alike have been making their annual pilgrimage
to the World Open. Legendary organizer Bill Goichberg created the model of this iconic event in
American chess: large entry fees large prizes and no-frills. Every year around the 4th of
July Philadelphia is the scene of countless epic battles at the board.Joel Benjamin and Harold
Scott examined hundreds of games and conducted a series of interviews with what they call the
Heroes of the World Open players who won the tournament on multiple occasions. What they
wanted to investigate was: why have some players been so consistent in their efforts always
battling for the top prizes? Benjamin and Scott discovered that many different paths were taken
on the road to victory but that the Heroes definitely had one common factor: their fighting
spirit!The authors present the history of the World Open from its humble beginnings to the
juggernaut it has become today. There are many entertaining stories and scandals that the
reader will enjoy. This rich book holds a fantastic collection of the very best games that were
crucial in deciding the outcome of the tournament as well as a selection of exciting tactics.
Winning the World Open is as entertaining as it is instructive. Not only the many thousands of
players that participated will find it an irresistible read.
