Fedir Bohatirchuk

by Ludek Pachman

1944 chess book about his visit to Prague

(version with 83 pages, not in LN)

Signed by Bohatirchuk in pen

Pachman, Ludek: 8 partii velmistra Bohatyrcuka.

Praha, publisher not stated, 1944. Later half-cloth, spine lettered. Mimeographed on cheap paper with text on rectos only. 2 blank leaves, title, pages 9-83 with irregular pagination, 1 blank page, 1 blank leaf. Both original covers bound in. Size 14 x 21 cm. 240 grams. In Czech. Not in LN (LN 3314 is the 35-leaf version), not in Soukup, Mokry 97.

Very good: light signs of use, no flaws. Text is clean with no writings. Signed by Bohatirchuk in pen on the blank leaf before the title page.

The title means in English: 8 Games of Grandmaster Bohatirchuk. The book contains eight games annotated by Pachman, played by master Bohatirchuk against strong Prague chess players (Pachman, Prucha, Kottnauer and others) during his visit of Prague in May 1944. It is the only contemporary publication devoted to Bohatirchuk. 

Fedir Bohatirchuk (*1892 Kiev - 1984 Canada) was one of the world's best players between wars. Arespected scientist, USSR champion in 1927, participant in all 3 Moscow tournaments 1925, 1935, 1936.

The book has confused pagination, including blank versos and also leaves that were apparently prepared for printing but ultimately not used. These intended leaves were replaced by plain colored ones. The blank pages are not paginated but are included in the total pagination.

Exact collation of the book, including blank leaves (even pages blank): 1 blank leaf, title, 9, blank leaf 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, blank leaf, 25, 27, 29, blank leaf, 33, 35, 37, blank leaf, 41, 43, 45, 47, blank leaf, 51, 53, 55, blank leaf, 59, 61, 63, blank leaf, 67, 69, 71, 73, blank leaf, 77, 79, 81, 83. 

The book is quite complete - the pagination shown above is the way, how it was issued.

The book was issued in 2 versions, one with 35 leaves and another with 83 pages but the content is the same - the 83-page version was issued with incorrect pagination and different text formatting.

I read somewhere that edition of the book was 20 copies only - this is not true, the circulation of the book is not known. However, it is a hard-to-find item.

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