Today’s episode of the New In Chess Podcast features a narration of a chapter from The Essential Sosonko, written by grandmaster Genna Sosonko. Sosonko is a prolific author of chess books. His works are non-technical, instead chronicling his personal experiences and the lives of famous players he competed with. The Essential Sosonko is a collection of these player portraits.

Today's reading centres around Tony Miles. Miles, the first Englishman to achieve the grandmaster title, came close to reaching the pinnacle of the chess world in the 1970's and 1980's, scoring victories over former world champions such as Smyslov, Spassky and Tal. He was also seen as a controversial figure; he clashed with chess authorities and his fellow players, and famously beat then-World Champion Karpov with the move 1...a6, a decision that drew allegations of unsportsmanlike behaviour despite its success. While these incidents may have made Miles a divisive figure in the chess world, his life story is all the more interesting for it. Narrated by Nick Murphy, this episode of the New In Chess Podcast features Sosonko's first-hand account of the life and career of Tony Miles.

The full version of The Essential Sosonko is available for purchase on the New In Chess website:

https://www.newinchess.com/the-essential-sosonko