Description
In this “heart-breaking, hilarious, ultimately transcendent” (Jeannette Walls) memoir, International Master and co-founder Danny Rensch describes his upbringing in an abusive cult – and how chess ended up saving his lifeBorn into the Church of Immortal Consciousness, Danny Rensch spent his childhood navigating the isolated confines of a cult. Despite psychological manipulation, physical abuse, and neglect, he persevered. An international chess master and world-class commentator, Rensch’s remarkable journey led him to being the face of , one of the largest online gaming platforms in the unflinching honesty, Rensch recounts his life, starting from the moment he discovered chess in the summer of 1995, all the way up to being at the center of the most explosive cheating scandal in chess chronicles the traumas of being “special” in a cult that forced separation from his mother. Mentored by an alcoholic, Russian chess master, he found solace alongside suffering in his obsession for an ancient game, and chess became his only escape. Rensch rose through the chess ranks until a medical emergency nearly took him out of the game forever. And it almost did, until came heartfelt, keenly reflective, and haunting, Dark Squares is the never-before-told story of Danny Rensch’s resilience, survival, and his enduring love for the game that saved him.
Author: Danny Rensch
Publisher: PublicAffairs
Published: 9/16/2025
Pages: 368
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.32 lbs
Size: 9.44″ H x 6.38″ L x 1.26″ W
ISBN: 9781541703285
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