

The in-depth analysis of all the major chess openings currently in use-and several minor ones-is based on their use and performance in every major tournament game for several years prior to publication. One important and welcome update over earlier editions is the incorporation of algebraic notation, making the book useful to a wider range of readers. The result is MCO-13, a grander, fully revised and greatly expanded version of this classic work. With this 13th incarnation, Korn took the role of editor and put the update in the capable hands of International Grandmaster Nick De Firmian.

Korn fled his homeland for London in 1939. In later years, Korn enlisted the help of top players, such as Grandmaster Larry Evans and Grandmaster Nick de Firmian, while continuing as a co-author. A new edition of MCO would come out every five years or so, and it was essential reading for tournament chess players. Korn was the author of Modern Chess Openings ( MCO) (revised editions 7 through 12, 13th revised by Nick de Firmian), which was considered an authoritative work on the openings of chess.

Korn was a FIDE International Judge for chess compositions and contributed the entire topic of chess for the Encyclopædia Britannica (1972). One of his few known games is a draw against a 13-year-old Gordon Crown, published in the April 1943 issue of Chess. Despite his status as a writer, there is no known record of him playing tournament chess, and few chess players ever met him. Walter Korn (in Prague, Bohemia, then Austria-Hungary now Czech Republic – Jin San Mateo, California, United States) was a Czech-born, naturalised American author of books and magazine articles about chess. JSTOR ( August 2021) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message).Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. This article needs additional citations for verification.
