Chess Fundamentals

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Seventeenth Printing PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA PREFACE Chess Fundamentals was first published thirteen years ago. Since then there have appeared at different times a number of articles dealing with the so-called Hypermodern Theory. Those who have read the articles may well have thought that something new, of vital importance, had been discovered. The fact is that the Hypermodern Theory is merely the application, during the opening stages generally, of the same old principles through the medium of somewhat new tactics. There has been no change in the fundamentals. The change has been only a change of form, and not always for the best at that. In chess the tactics may change but the strategic fundamental principles are always the same, so that Chess Fundamentals is as good now as it was thirteen years ago. It will be as good a hundred years from now; as long in fact as the laws and rules of the game remain what they are at present. The reader may therefore go over the contents of the book with the assurance that there is in it everything he needs, and that there is nothing to be added and nothing to be changed. Chess Fundamentals was the one standard work of its kind thirteen years ago and the author firmly believes that it is the one standard work of its kind now. J. R. CAPABLANCA New York Sept. 1, 1934 LIST OF CONTENTS First Principles: Endings, Middle-game and Openings PAGE 1. Some Simple Mates 3 2. Pawn Promotion 9 3. Pawn Endings 13 4. Some Winning Positions in the Middle-game 19 5. Relative Value of the Pieces 24 6. General Strategy of the Opening 25 7. Control of the Centre 28 8. Traps 32 Further Principles in End-game Play 9. A Cardinal Principle 35 10. A Classical Ending 37 11. Obtaining a Passed Pawn 40 12. How to find out which Pawn will be the first to Queen 41 13. The Opposition 43 14. The Relative Value of Knight and Bishop 50 15. How to Mate with Knight and Bishop 59 16. Queen against Rook 62 Planning a Win in Middle-game Play 17.…