This book investigates the 1987 World Chess Championship match as a microcosm of the geopolitical transformation occurring within the Soviet Union during the late 1980s. The authors, David S. G. Goodman and Raymond Keene, utilize their expertise in chess journalism and analysis to frame the match between Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov not merely as a sporting event, but as a symbolic struggle between the established Soviet status quo and the emerging reformist movements of the Gorbachev era. By documenting the strategic maneuvers on the board, the text argues that the rivalry mirrored the broader systemic collapse of the Soviet empire.

Chess historians and enthusiasts frequently cite this work as a valuable primary source for understanding the intersection of Cold War politics and competitive chess. Experts highlight the authors' ability to balance technical game analysis with the sociopolitical implications of the match, making it a foundational text for those studying the cultural history of the late Soviet period.