‘The Lüneburg Variation’, by Paolo Maurensig, is a very interesting novel about chess I really enjoyed reading.
It is a story of evil and revenge which is centered on the game of chess. This game permeated the whole story with an elevated and yet also sinister, cabalistic aura. It is an absorbing story. Its background is the biggest Middle European tragedy, Holocaust. A peculiarity is that it blends obsession with historical tragedy. It also gave some insights into the history of chess itself, which I particularly appreciated.
But what does the title stand for? The Lüneburg Variation is a very double-edged chess variation: on one hand one part has a very strong attack, on the other, if the player isn’t able to close the game quickly, he will have a severe material disadvantage, resulting in a certain loss. To see why it is so important, read the novel.
I really enjoyed reading this book: its mysterious turn of events was really able to catch my attention. I’m still not able to define the genre of this book: it’s a mix of thriller, gothic and historical. It features appearances of some famous old chess players I know, for example Akiba Rubinstein and the great Jose Raul Capablanca.
To sum up, I recommend this book to all chess enthusiasts, but even to people who enjoy thriller novels pervaded by a dark atmosphere.