120,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock 🇳🇿

Enjoy overnight delivery from our 100% NZ-owned independent bookstore 🚀

Chess

A Novel
By Stefan Zweig
Penguin Classics
Series: Little Clothbound Classics
0.0 (0 reviews)
4.27 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating. ( 162,524 ratings, 13,263 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Chess by Stefan Zweig is a gripping novella focusing on a psychological duel aboard a ship. It explores the intense interactions between a world chess champion and a mysterious, enigmatic passenger, set against the backdrop of a journey across the Atlantic. This tale brilliantly delves into themes of obsession, the mind's resilience, and the haunting remnants of trauma.
Read More
Format: Hardback
$2400
Elsewhere:
$2600
OVERNIGHT NZ-WIDE DELIVERY

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you are drawn to tales of psychological tension and moral dilemmas. Set during a transatlantic voyage, it delves into the fascinating intricacies of the human mind, exploring themes of obsession and mental resilience. This gripping narrative offers a compelling exploration of character and intellect, perfect for fans of introspective and emotionally intense storytelling.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

"A group of passengers on a cruise ship challenge the world chess champion to a match. At first, they crumble, until they are helped by whispered advice from a stranger in the crowd--a man who will risk everything to win. Stefan Zweig's acclaimed novella Chess is a disturbing, intensely dramatic depiction of obsession and the price of the past"--

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Introducing Little Clothbound Classics: irresistible, mini editions of short stories, novellas and essays from the world's greatest writers, designed by the award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith.

A group of passengers on a cruise ship challenge the world chess champion to a match. At first, they crumble, until they are helped by whispered advice from a stranger in the crowd – a man who will risk everything to win.

Stefan Zweig's acclaimed novella, Chess, is a disturbing, intensely dramatic depiction of obsession and the price of the past.

Series: Little Clothbound Classics

View all
  • White Nights
    Introducing Little Clothbound Classics – irresistible, mini editions of short stories, novellas, and essays from the world's greatest writers, designed by the award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith. Regarded as one of world literature's foremost novelists, Fyodor Dostoyevsky's short stories are also some of the best ever written. White Nights tells of love and loss on the streets of St. Petersburg. A Nasty...
    By Fyodor Dostoyevsky
    Hardback
    $2300
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Metamorphosis
    Introducing Little Clothbound Classics—irresistible, mini editions of short works by the world's greatest writers, designed by the award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith. One morning, ordinary salesman Gregor Samsa wakes up to find himself transformed into a giant cockroach. Metamorphosis, Kafka's masterpiece of unease and black humour, is one of the twentieth century's most influential works of fiction, and is accompanied here by...
    By Franz Kafka and Michael Hoffman
    Hardback
    $2300
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Library of Babel
    Introducing Little Clothbound Classics—irresistible, mini editions of short stories, novellas, and essays from the world's greatest writers, designed by the award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith. Jorge Luis Borges remains one of the most influential short story writers of the twentieth century, whose spellbinding tales of magic, mystery, and murder are shot through with deep philosophical paradoxes. This collection brings together many of...
    By Jorge Luis Borges
    Hardback
    $2300
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Fall
    Introducing Little Clothbound Classics—irresistible, mini editions of short stories, novellas, and essays from the world's greatest writers, designed by the award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith. Jean-Baptiste Clamence—refined, handsome, forty, a former successful lawyer—is in turmoil. Over several drunken nights, he regales a chance acquaintance with his story. He talks of parties and his debauchery, of Parisian nights and the Aegean sea, and,...
    By Albert Camus
    Hardback
    $2800
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Of Ghosts and Goblins
    Introducing Little Clothbound Classics — irresistible, mini editions of short works by the world's greatest writers, designed by the award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith. In this haunting collection, the phantoms and ghouls of Japanese folklore stalk the page. Of Ghosts and Goblins by Lafcadio Hearn, a master storyteller, draws on traditional Japanese folklore, infused with memories of his own haunted childhood in...
    By Lafcadio Hearn
    Hardback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Letters to a Young Poet
    Introducing Little Clothbound Classics: irresistible, mini editions of short stories, novellas, and essays from the world's greatest writers, designed by the award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith. Over the course of six years, Rainer Maria Rilke wrote a series of letters to a young officer cadet, advising him on writing, love, suffering, and the nature of advice itself. These profound and lyrical letters...
    By Rainer Maria Rilke
    Hardback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Cosmicomics
    Introducing Little Clothbound Classics—irresistible, mini editions of short stories, novellas, and essays from the world's greatest writers, designed by the award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith. Cosmicomics by Italo Calvino presents twelve enchanting and fantastical stories about the evolution of the universe. This collection, penned by the giant of Italian literature, features characters—whether human, dinosaur, or mollusc—who disport themselves among galaxies, experience the...
    By Italo Calvino
    Hardback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Star-Child
    Introducing Little Clothbound Classics—irresistible, mini editions of short stories, novellas, and essays from the world's greatest writers, designed by the award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith. With warmth, tenderness, and quiet wit, Oscar Wilde's fables and fairy tales have moved and delighted for generations. In far-off kingdoms and ocean realms, in the company of giants and nightingales, Wilde speaks of heartbreak and redemption,...
    By Oscar Wilde
    Hardback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Chess
    Introducing Little Clothbound Classics: irresistible, mini editions of short stories, novellas and essays from the world's greatest writers, designed by the award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith. A group of passengers on a cruise ship challenge the world chess champion to a match. At first, they crumble, until they are helped by whispered advice from a stranger in the crowd – a man...
    By Stefan Zweig
    Hardback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • A Child's Christmas in Wales
    By Dylan Thomas
    Hardback
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • About Love
    Introducing Little Clothbound Classics — irresistible, mini editions of short stories, novellas, and essays from the world's greatest writers, designed by the award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith. Widely considered to be one of the greatest ever writers of the form, Anton Chekhov's short stories offer unforgettable character, crystalline expression, and a beautiful, quiet uncertainty. Collected here are five of his very best...
    By Anton Chekhov
    Hardback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Prophet
    Introducing Little Clothbound Classics: irresistible, mini editions of short stories, novellas, and essays from the world's greatest writers, designed by the award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith. In this inspirational, allegorical guide, Al Mustafa the prophet delivers spiritual yet practical homilies on the work of living—covering beauty, truth, possessions, sorrow, joy, death, and more. Translated into more than fifty languages and among the...
    By Kahlil Gibran
    Hardback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships today

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Chess by Stefan Zweig is praised for its masterful storytelling, often being compared to the works of literary giants like Chekhov and Poe. It is celebrated for showcasing Zweig's impressive skill in the short story and novella formats. Considered by some as possibly the best chess story ever written, it resonates as a great achievement of his. The recent English translations have been a delightful discovery for readers, adding to Zweig's recognition as an important literary figure from Vienna’s rich cultural past.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780241630822

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 25 May 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Contributors:

  • Translated by Anthea Bell
  • Translated by Anthea Bell

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 14.0mm

Width: 117.0mm

Height: 168.0mm

Weight: 159g

Pages: 128

Collections

Best Sellers at Book Hero Classic Fiction Classic General Fiction Fiction General Fiction In Stock Books In-Stock Fiction Books Literary Fiction New Release Fiction Penguin Books Penguin Classics Penguin Classics: General Fiction Series: Little Clothbound Classics Stefan Zweig

About the Author

Stefan Zweig was born in 1881 in Vienna to a wealthy Austrian-Jewish family. Recognition as a writer came early for Zweig; by the age of forty, he had already won literary fame. In 1934, with Nazism entrenched, Zweig left Austria for England, and became a British citizen in 1940. In 1941 he and his second wife went to Brazil, where they committed suicide. Zweig's best-known works of fiction are Beware of Pity (1939) and Chess (1942), but his most outstanding accomplishments were his many biographies, which were based on psychological interpretation.

Also by Stefan Zweig

View all
  • The Royal Game: A Chess Story
    Set aboard an ocean liner bound for Buenos Aires, Stefan Zweig's The Royal Game: A Chess Story delves into the eerie interplay of intellect and obsession. The novel introduces us to Mirko Czentovic, the reigning chess world champion, who compensates for his peculiar dullness in all but chess by effortlessly defeating any passenger daring enough to challenge him. His victories,...
    By Stefan Zweig
    Paperback
    $1499
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Beware of Pity
    Stefan Zweig's most famous novel, reissued with a new jacket and title. 'I can't take any more of your revolting merciful kindness!' Who would have thought that the great military hero Captain Hofmiller - that living monument to his own courage - would have anything burdening his soul? But when he reveals his story, it is not one of bravery...
    By Stefan Zweig
    Paperback
    $2800
    Backorder
    Ships mid October
  • Mary Queen of Scots
    From the moment of her birth to her death on the scaffold, Mary Stuart spent her life embroiled in power struggles that shook the foundations of Renaissance Europe. Revered by some as the rightful Queen of England, reviled by others as a murderous adulteress, her long and fascinating rivalry with her cousin Elizabeth I led ultimately to her downfall. Zweig,...
    By Stefan Zweig
    Paperback
    $3299
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Marie Antoinette
    Stefan Zweig based his biography of Marie Antoinette, who became the Queen of France at the age of fifteen, on the correspondence between her and her mother, and her great love, the Count Axel von Fersen. Zweig analyses the chemistry of a woman's soul from her intimate pleasures to her public suffering as a Queen under the weight of misfortune...
    By Stefan Zweig
    Paperback
    $3699
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Six Stories
    Six newly translated stories from the bestselling Austrian author. 'One of the masters of the short story' Guardian These six stories of obsession, secrets, delusions and desires from one of the greatest European writers show individuals caught up in forces beyond their control — whether an art dealer agreeing to a heartbreaking deception, a soldier destroyed by war, a servant...
    By Stefan Zweig
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Chess
    90 classic titles celebrating 90 years of Penguin Books My delight in playing turned to a lust for playing, my lust for playing into a compulsion to play, a mania, a frenetic fury that filled not only my waking hours but also came to invade my sleep. I could think of nothing but chess, I thought only in chess moves...
    By Stefan Zweig
    Paperback
    $1700
    Elsewhere:
    $1799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Tales from the DUAL MONARCHY
    The night does not belong to us. She harbours her own mysteries. Nocturnos delves into the ethereal world of the night, when the mundane vibes of the day cede to a mysterious atmosphere in which anything seems possible. In the twilight hours, the darkness feels vast and untameable, the dead can intrude upon the land of the living, and the...
    By Dezso Kosztolanyi and Joseph Roth and Arthur Schnitzler and Stefan Zweig
    Paperback
    $3199
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • The Last Miracle: Jewish Stories
    This collection from one of the great writers of Europe's Jewish diaspora shows the heat of individual passions blazing out against the levelling forces of history. In stories that move back through time from the First World War to Ancient Rome, we encounter heroes and bookworms, visionaries and gadabouts, patriarchs and rebel children—all tied together across the centuries by their...
    By Stefan Zweig
    Paperback
    $5000
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • Montaigne
    Stefan Zweig's Montaigne delves into the influential life of Michel de Montaigne, a French Renaissance philosopher known for his profound works, particularly Essais. Zweig traces Montaigne's quest for self-knowledge and understanding of human nature, weaving his narrative through the backdrop of a turbulent Europe. The book not only explores Montaigne's philosophical musings but also reflects on his daily life, friendships,...
    By Stefan Zweig
    Paperback
    $2999
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Society of the Crossed Keys
    "I had never heard of Zweig until six or seven years ago, as all the books began to come back into print, and I more or less by chance bought a copy of Beware of Pity. I immediately loved this book, his one, big, great novel—and suddenly there were dozens more in front of me waiting to read." - Wes...
    By Stefan Zweig and Wes Anderson
    Paperback
    $2600
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Beware of Pity
    The only novel written by one of the most popular writers of the twentieth century. Zweig's fictional masterpiece - The Guardian 'An intoxicating, morally shaking read... A real reminder of what fiction can do best' - Ali Smith 'It's just a masterpiece. When I read it I thought, how is it that I don't already know about this?' - Wes...
    By Stefan Zweig
    Paperback
    $2799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Collected Stories of Stefan Zweig
    'One hardly knows where to begin in praising Zweig's work' - Ali Smith 'The Updike of his day... Zweig is a lucid writer, and Bell renders his prose flawlessly' - New York Observer Perfectly paced and brimming with passion - twenty-two tales from a master storyteller of the twentieth century In this indispensable collection of short stories, Stefan Zweig captures...
    By Stefan Zweig
    Paperback
    $3799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks

More from General Fiction

View all
  • The Wedding People
    'BEST READ OF THE YEAR SO FAR' THE TIMES 'BOOKS AS FUN AS THIS ONE ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN' GUARDIAN Phoebe Stone arrives at a grand beachside hotel in Rhode Island wearing her best dress and least comfortable shoes. Immediately she is mistaken for one of the wedding people — but she's actually the only guest at the Cornwall...
    By Alison Espach
    Paperback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    (3)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • A Court of Thorns and Roses
    The first instalment of the GLOBAL PHENOMENON and TikTok sensation, from multi-million selling and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas. Maas has established herself as a fantasy fiction titan – Time Harry Potter magic, Taylor Swift sass, Fifty Shades-level athleticism – The Sunday Times With bits of Buffy, Game of Thrones and Outlander, this is a glorious series...
    By Sarah J. Maas
    Paperback
    $2100
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • A Court of Mist and Fury
    A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas continues Feyre Archeron's epic journey in the world of the High Fae. Having survived the brutal trials under the Mountain, Feyre returns to the Spring Court. Though she now possesses the immortal powers of the High Fae, the traumatic experiences have left scars on her human heart. Haunted by the...
    By Sarah J. Maas
    Paperback
    $2100
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • A Court of Wings and Ruin
    The third instalment of the GLOBAL PHENOMENON, romantic fantasy epic and TikTok sensation, ACOTAR. From multi-million and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas. In A Court of Wings and Ruin, the gripping third book of the ACOTAR series, Feyre Archeron faces the ultimate battle for her world. Having returned to the Spring Court, she is determined to gather...
    By Sarah J. Maas
    Paperback
    $2100
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • A Court of Frost and Starlight
    In A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas, readers are invited to revisit the enchanting world of Prythian in a heartwarming and introspective narrative. Set against the backdrop of the Winter Solstice, Feyre Archeron and her mate Rhysand return to centre stage as they strive to restore the Night Court after the devastating conflicts of A Court...
    By Sarah J. Maas
    Paperback
    $2100
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • A Court of Silver Flames
    The latest instalment of the GLOBAL PHENOMENON, romantic fantasy epic and TikTok sensation, ACOTAR. From multi-million and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas. Maas has established herself as a fantasy fiction titan - Time Think Game of Thrones meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer with a drizzle of E.L. James – Telegraph Spiced with slick plotting and atmospheric world-building...
    By Sarah J. Maas
    Paperback
    $2100
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Lizzy's Pick Lizzy's Pick
    Yesteryear
    A BOLD AND BITING SATIRE. WILL HAVE YOU GASPING TO THE FINAL PAGE — Nita Prose WICKEDLY FUNNY, BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN AND FRIGHTENINGLY PERCEPTIVE — Abigail Dean INVENTIVE, ADDICTIVE, A WILD RIDE — Ashley Audrain SHOT THROUGH WITH HUMOUR AND LACED WITH DARKNESS — Clare Mackintosh The Stepford Wives meets The Handmaid's Tale — Hannah Deitch My name was Natalie Heller...
    By Caro Claire Burke
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3699
    (3)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Dylan's Pick Dylan's Pick
    Theo of Golden
    THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING PHENOMENON'For anything to be truly good, there must be love in it. Nothing is what it's supposed to be if love is not at the core.' One morning, a stranger arrives in the town of Golden. No one knows who he is or where he came from…His name is Theo and he's arrived there by chance –...
    By Allen Levi
    Paperback
    $2899
    Elsewhere:
    $3499
    (6)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Dungeon Crawler Carl
    The apocalypse will be televised! Welcome to the first book in the wildly popular and addictive Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman-now with bonus material exclusive to the print edition! You know what's worse than breaking up with your girlfriend? Being stuck with her prize-winning show cat. And you know what's worse than that? An alien invasion, the destruction...
    By Matt Dinniman
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook
    Carl and Princess Donut have to team up with other contestants to not just survive, but to solve a deadly puzzle in this third, mind-twisting novel in the addictive Dungeon Crawler Carl series -now with bonus material exclusive to this print edition! Carl and Donut have survived so far, but this fourth level is unlike anything they could imagine. The...
    By Matt Dinniman
    Hardback
    $4700
    Elsewhere:
    $6000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Fourth Wing
    THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES AND NUMBER ONE GLOBAL BESTSELLING PHENOMENON! DON'T MISS OUT ON THE SERIES THAT EVERYONE CAN'T STOP TALKING ABOUT: 'This book contains an addictive, drug-like essence that will make you relinquish all responsibility until the very last word. Do not say I didn't warn you' Glamour 'I didn't sleep, I didn't eat, and when I finished, I...
    By Rebecca Yarros
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Shirl's Pick Shirl's Pick
    Taipei Story
    TAIPEI STORY is the electrifying new novel by bestselling literary phenomenon Rebecca F. Kuang, a profoundly moving coming-of-age story that explores first love, second language and final goodbyes – all set against the backdrop of one unforgettable summer in Taipei. Yale student Lily Chen arrives in Taipei hungry: for family, for culture, for connection. But her summer of discovery quickly...
    By R.F. Kuang
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3699
    (3)
    In Stock
    Ships today

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.

General Fiction lists from the team

Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!

The Latest at Book Hero

View all