The dissolution of the Soviet Union marked the end of a unique chapter in the history of chess - only with hindsight can we truly see the unique place the 'Game of Kings' occupied in the biggest country in the world.Originally embraced by Lenin as 'Gymnastics of the Mind', chess developed into an ideological weapon during the Cold War and, supported by the Soviet leadership, its greatest players grew into symbols of socialist excellence.As a respected trainer who became a world-class grandmaster after leaving Leningrad and moving to Holland in 1972, Genna Sosonko has had a unique dual perspective of Soviet chess. Combining an insider's knowledge and a player's love for the game with the detachment of a critical observer, "Russian Silhouettes" paints an unforgettable portrait of the heroes of this vanished age.