The Lighter Side of Chess: Games, Goofs and Funny Facts

The Lighter Side of Chess celebrates the game we love from a refreshingly humorous angle. Beyond deep calculations and serious tournament battles lies a world filled with blunders, bizarre positions, unexpected checkmates, and unforgettable moments of human comedy.

Georg and Adrian brought together a delightful collection of entertaining games, amusing goofs, and curious chess facts that reveal just how funny chess can be. From legendary masters caught in embarrassing mistakes to incredible oversights that defy belief, each chapter reminds us that even the greatest players are human—and that laughter is part of the game.

Perfect for casual reading, coffee-table browsing, or sharing with fellow chess enthusiasts, The Lighter Side of Chess is a joyful tribute to chess as a source of fun, surprise, and endless amusement. Whether you’re a seasoned competitor or a weekend player, this book proves that chess doesn’t always have to be serious to be brilliant. ♟️

Georg Mohr was born in Maribor, Slovenia in 1965 becoming a Grandmaster in 1997. He joined as a member of the FIDE Trainers Commission from 2002, becoming a FIDE Senior Trainer in 2004 and a FIDE International Organizer in 2011. Georg has been a professional chess trainer for many years. He was coach and captain of Slovenian national team from 2003 – 2010 and since 2011 he has been Turkish national youth trainer. He is a chess writer and was editor of Slovenian chess magazine Šahovska Misel from 1999 and editor of Fide Trainers Commission trainers’ surveys. He is also an organiser of chess events acting as tournament director of the European Club Cup (Rogaška Slatina 2011), the World Youth Championship (Maribor 2012) and the World Senior Championship (Bled 2018).

Adrian Bohdanovych Mikhalchishin was born in Lvov, Ukraine in 1954 and became a Grandmaster in 1978. In 1995 he took Slovenian citizenship and became a FIDE Senior Trainer from 2002 and was chairman of FIDE Trainers Commission from 2009. Adrian was a trainer of many famous chess players. Amongst others he was in Anatoly Karpov’s team during matches with Garry Kasparov. He has worked with Maja Chiburdanidze, Nana Aleksandria, the Polgar sisters, Alisa Maric and Nana Dzagnidze. He was coach and captain of the national teams of Slovenia and the Netherlands. In recent years he has been coach of the Turkish woman team. He has written many chess books and thousands of articles for many chess magazines.