In 1973 legendary organizer Bill Goichberg created the model for what would become an iconic American chess tournament. The deal at the World Open was plain and simple: high entry fees, big prizes, and no frills.

From that moment onwards grandmasters and amateurs have been flocking to the World Open in an annual pilgrimage. Every year around the 4th of July, Philadelphia – the home of the World Open barring a few excursions to other cities – has been the scene of countless epic battles on the chess board.

Joel Benjamin and Harold Scott have delved into the tournament’s history, examined hundreds of games and conducted interviews with what they call the Heroes of the World Open, players that won the tournament on multiple occasions. The question that intrigued them was: why have some players been so consistent in their performances and always battled for the top prizes? Why did they excel among so many other strong grandmasters? They found that many different paths were taken on the road to victory, but that the Heroes definitely had one common factor: their fighting spirit!

Benjamin and Scott present the history of the World Open in an entertaining tale of successes and scandals. The fighting spirit is shown in a fantastic collection of the very best and most crucial games that were played over the years. They also include a selection of spectacular tactics. Winning the World Open is as entertaining as it is instructive. Not only the many thousands of players that participated in this great tradition will find it an irresistible read.