Chess through an Anthropological Lens: A Comparison of Counterplay and The King’s Gambit: A Son, a Father, and the World’s Most Dangerous Game

Chess is a popular game with a very unique culture that may not always be recognized or appreciated. There have been few thorough anthropological assessments of chess in the literature. Two books in the literature, Counterplay, by Robert Desjarlais, and The King’s Gambit: A Son, A Father, and the World’s Most Dangerous Game (The King’s Gambit), by Paul Hoffman, address chess from an anthropological viewpoint—specifically through an ethnographic lens as both authors fully immerse themselves in the chess culture. While Counterplay is written by Robert Desjarlais, who is an anthropology professor, The King’s Gambit is a biography written by Paul Hoffman, who is an author and chess player. Hoffman writes the book from a similar viewpoint as Desjarlais though he is not an anthropologist. These two works thoroughly address chess culture, exploring themes such as competition, psychology, obsession, rage, physical stress, and the aesthetics of chess. The two books share not only similarities but also a number of unique viewpoints. Both works significantly contribute to the anthropological study of modern-day chess and its issues.