He came from the fields of colonial Punjab, spoke no English, and had never played chess with a clock—yet within months of arriving in Britain, he was defeating world champions. This episode uncovers the extraordinary and little-known story of Mir Sultan Khan, the humble servant who stunned the Western chess elite in the 1930s.

Why did he vanish at the peak of his powers?What does his story reveal about colonialism, lost genius, and the politics of recognition?And why do so few today know his name?

Join us as we peel back the layers of a man once described by Capablanca as a natural-born chess genius—an enigma who may have become world champion had history dealt him a different hand.

From prison cells to chess halls, John Healy's life defies belief. In this episode, we uncover how a man forged in violence found fleeting peace across 64 squares—and why his story still rattles the soul of the chess world.

Some stories demand to be heard. In this narrated edition of The Grandmaster Who Cheated Death, we bring the legend of Ossip Bernstein to life in voice and atmosphere—where every pause is a footstep into history, and every sentence a move in the final game.

🎙️ Listen now or read the full story here:👉 https://checkmatestories.substack.com/p/the-grandmaster-who-cheated-death