During the Russian Revolution in 1918, Ossip Bernstein was sentenced to die by firing squad, but at the last minute was offered a chance to play a game of chess to save his life.

Who knew chess could save someone from execution? Incredibly, it saved chess champion Ossip Bernstein, who owed his life to the game after an encounter with the Bolshevik secret police in 1918.

Bernstein may have made his living as a financial lawyer, but he was also a well-practiced and masterful chess player. In the early 20th century, Bernstein made a name for himself as a successful player, commonly ranking within the top five at European tournaments.

But Ossip Bernstein’s most important chess match would happen under horrifying circumstances — shortly after Bernstein was arrested by the Bolsheviks and sent

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