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Chess Fundamentals
Play to Win! Jose Raul Capablanca was one of the greatest World Chess Champions of all time! While his playing style was straightforward he played with a blazing speed and strength that had never been seen before or since. In Chess Fundamentals Capablanca gives the reader a glimpse into his thinking patterns and strategy. Perfect for any playing level. The advice and exercises herein will make anyone and everyone a stronger player.
260 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1908
1093 people are currently reading
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About the author
José Raúl Capablanca
45 books30 followersWorld chess champion from 1921-1927.
One of the best players of all time.
His skill in the endgame and his speed of play garner special praise.
One of the best players of all time.
His skill in the endgame and his speed of play garner special praise.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
January 20, 2016
Based on the algebraic, but otherwise unmodified, edition of the book.
Many consider this to be the master text on beginner's chess. The book is simple, clear and easy to follow, though you'll need a chessboard to play out all the sequences yourself to fully appreciate what's being discussed.
If you're new to the game and want to get a course on the fundamentals of playing good chess, then here it is. A one on one lesson from maybe the greatest of all time. Capablanca even makes a gesture of modesty by graciously including examples from games he lost (which were very few). He teaches the logic and principles of good chess play, and provides good examples to illustrate concepts. Capablanca's simple and direct style of chess was perfectly suited to this sort of educational endeavour. You couldn't ask for a better teacher.
The book was published in 1921, the year he became world champion. At that point in time he had been undefeated for almost 6 years, and it would be another 3 years before he lost a single game. Capablanca was at the peak of his powers, and yet with this book you can follow any of his games and feel as though you would have made the very same moves he did. Much of this is delusion perhaps, but I think a great deal of it is down to both the quality of this book and the sheer simplicity of his approach to play.
If you can already play to a reasonable standard, then this book may not feel so useful. However, I think almost any chess lover would find value reading Capablanca's thoughts on the subject. Almost a century later, this is still the gold standard in chess literature.
Many consider this to be the master text on beginner's chess. The book is simple, clear and easy to follow, though you'll need a chessboard to play out all the sequences yourself to fully appreciate what's being discussed.
If you're new to the game and want to get a course on the fundamentals of playing good chess, then here it is. A one on one lesson from maybe the greatest of all time. Capablanca even makes a gesture of modesty by graciously including examples from games he lost (which were very few). He teaches the logic and principles of good chess play, and provides good examples to illustrate concepts. Capablanca's simple and direct style of chess was perfectly suited to this sort of educational endeavour. You couldn't ask for a better teacher.
The book was published in 1921, the year he became world champion. At that point in time he had been undefeated for almost 6 years, and it would be another 3 years before he lost a single game. Capablanca was at the peak of his powers, and yet with this book you can follow any of his games and feel as though you would have made the very same moves he did. Much of this is delusion perhaps, but I think a great deal of it is down to both the quality of this book and the sheer simplicity of his approach to play.
If you can already play to a reasonable standard, then this book may not feel so useful. However, I think almost any chess lover would find value reading Capablanca's thoughts on the subject. Almost a century later, this is still the gold standard in chess literature.
October 18, 2013
Too many whole sale changes in this edition for this to be considered Capablanca's book what was done to it was an abomination.
Anyone who wants to read his classic text from 1921 should get the Cadogan Chess edition ISBN 1857440730 or even the Mckay edition for $5 used.
August 10, 2022
An essential of the genre, for sure. The old English notation sucks and translating it to the stupid easy American notation that I know is slow going. I don’t think world champions write books like this in any other sport and that’s what makes chess special guys!!
November 14, 2021
Chess Fundamentals is an interesting and instructive read. Unfortunately, the Kindle edition is marred by inexplicable annotation errors throughout. For example, there are at least half a dozen such errors in the first dozen pages, which leaves a bad impression and does not bode well for the rest of the book. On page 11, the black king is on g8 with a rook on f8 and pawns on f7, g7, and h7. Then 2 Nf6+ Kh8, 3 Rg3+ gxf6, 4 Bxf6# (mate). This is plain wrong. There cannot be a rook check on g3 when there’s a pawn on g7 and the king is on h8. Obviously, the correct move order is 2 Nf6+ gxf6, 3 Rg3+ Kh8, 4 Bxf6#. On other pages, the king acquires the magical ability to move two squares in one go, a remarkable feat. I don’t know about you, but I would love to have such a king in my chess arsenal!!
If you are a beginner, stay far away from this book. It will only confuse you. I can only recommend the Kindle edition to intermediate players and above, as the reader will have to connect the dots himself. Based on other reviews I’ve read, it appears that the paper version suffers from the same glaring lack of care.
If you are a beginner, stay far away from this book. It will only confuse you. I can only recommend the Kindle edition to intermediate players and above, as the reader will have to connect the dots himself. Based on other reviews I’ve read, it appears that the paper version suffers from the same glaring lack of care.
January 21, 2021
About Turkish translation:
I've read the Turkish translation of the book translated by Deniz Seyhanoglu and published by (I guess) SatrancLife. Book was full of errors. I came across them once every few pages. There is a link to the PGN files of positions discussed in the book. The moves denoted in the files and written in the book was different in many examples which makes it hard to follow. Since this is a book most beginners will stumble upon and study, making a book full of mistakes is very frustrating. Descriptions denoted in those PGN files for moves are translated partially. Long and detailed ones are skipped. It is not a concern for me however If you are gonna translate something, at least do not make it half-assed and translate everything.
About author:
Looks like Capablanca is an arrogant bastard :D. He roasts his less experienced opponents harshly however he also talked about his own mistakes in the same manner which is a very honest approach :).
I've read the Turkish translation of the book translated by Deniz Seyhanoglu and published by (I guess) SatrancLife. Book was full of errors. I came across them once every few pages. There is a link to the PGN files of positions discussed in the book. The moves denoted in the files and written in the book was different in many examples which makes it hard to follow. Since this is a book most beginners will stumble upon and study, making a book full of mistakes is very frustrating. Descriptions denoted in those PGN files for moves are translated partially. Long and detailed ones are skipped. It is not a concern for me however If you are gonna translate something, at least do not make it half-assed and translate everything.
About author:
Looks like Capablanca is an arrogant bastard :D. He roasts his less experienced opponents harshly however he also talked about his own mistakes in the same manner which is a very honest approach :).
February 13, 2021
Un libro muy bueno, principalmente habla sobre finales y su importancia, aunque a veces resulta un poco repetitivo pero, en sí enseña mucho y te pone a pensar en posiciones muy interesantes, también cuenta anécdotas muy interesantes de maestros.
February 24, 2021
I read about 20%. The beginning was wonderful -- fundamental ideas in chess. Things got slower as the book progressed to going over great chess games. Although interesting, these were not current openings, and the games were at a higher level than my play. Often Capablanca chose to explain the games he lost which is sort-of charming. Going through games this was is fairly slow, and there were typos, lots of typos. Perhaps this is as good as it gets for a chess book, but I imagine there mush be a better way; an AI tutor of some sort.
December 23, 2021
It was good learning for some principles but having to play out all games was a little tedious. I did most of them but others I just tried to follow on paper itself. It does help with some good perspective of the game.
April 23, 2022
Lots of depth. Beauty in converting a won endgame and putting up maximum resistance in a lost position. Truly excelling at the endgame and deeply understanding the positions with the fewest pieces on the board will give me a sizable increase in strength.
February 27, 2019
Any person that is remotely interested in the history of chess knows the name of José Raúl Capablanca. He was a great chess player and the world champion for 7 years in a row. I've just finished reading one of his books, entitled Chess Fundamentals, and I thought it was great. It featured clear chess principles, backed by real master games and, what I believe it is most important in the book, all the matches featured in Chess Fundamentals are annotated by Capablanca, who focuses on what moves he saw best, the ones he didn't like and, most fortuitous, what he thought when he played those moves, as many of the games are his.
Unfortunately, as with any chess book, one must spend time to focus on the details and to revisit it as many times as it takes to understand and learn what Capablanca wanted to express. I've read the book as part of an iPad application called "e+books". You get the free application, this Capablanca free book, then you have to pay for any other there. What I found really nice is that the positions and moves in the book are mirrored by a chess board that allows navigation between moves, variations, going back and forth, etc. It really helps reading the book and I recommend it, especially for beginners. Using a real chessboard to mirror the moves might be best, but it adds a layer of discomfort and complexity that might deter someone from finishing the book.
The book is structured into 6 chapters, the last being a series of 14 games in which Capablanca either lost or won. He begins with some principles of the endgame, the part of a game that he considers the most important. If you recall, Josh Waitzkin also highly recommended focusing chess training on the endgame, where there are few pieces and the principles become clearer. Also, since some chess games end with mates somewhere in the middle game, there is less opportunity to learn that part of chess. For openings Capablanca has only a few words, focusing on the healthy development of pieces, which he considers the most important. As stated previously, the games are the most important and their complexity is pretty high. Some say that the book is not fit for beginners for that reason alone, but I disagree. Even the most complex strategies are explained in the annotations and I believe they are a rare opportunity for anyone to glimpse in the mind of a chess master and realize where their aim as chess players lies.
All in all a rather easy to read book, with the help of the iPad application, but very hard to completely understand and remember. I intend to return to it, several times perhaps, in order to internalize some of the cool patterns of thought I saw in there. I warmly recommend it.
Unfortunately, as with any chess book, one must spend time to focus on the details and to revisit it as many times as it takes to understand and learn what Capablanca wanted to express. I've read the book as part of an iPad application called "e+books". You get the free application, this Capablanca free book, then you have to pay for any other there. What I found really nice is that the positions and moves in the book are mirrored by a chess board that allows navigation between moves, variations, going back and forth, etc. It really helps reading the book and I recommend it, especially for beginners. Using a real chessboard to mirror the moves might be best, but it adds a layer of discomfort and complexity that might deter someone from finishing the book.
The book is structured into 6 chapters, the last being a series of 14 games in which Capablanca either lost or won. He begins with some principles of the endgame, the part of a game that he considers the most important. If you recall, Josh Waitzkin also highly recommended focusing chess training on the endgame, where there are few pieces and the principles become clearer. Also, since some chess games end with mates somewhere in the middle game, there is less opportunity to learn that part of chess. For openings Capablanca has only a few words, focusing on the healthy development of pieces, which he considers the most important. As stated previously, the games are the most important and their complexity is pretty high. Some say that the book is not fit for beginners for that reason alone, but I disagree. Even the most complex strategies are explained in the annotations and I believe they are a rare opportunity for anyone to glimpse in the mind of a chess master and realize where their aim as chess players lies.
All in all a rather easy to read book, with the help of the iPad application, but very hard to completely understand and remember. I intend to return to it, several times perhaps, in order to internalize some of the cool patterns of thought I saw in there. I warmly recommend it.
December 22, 2024
DNF.
I think this book, which is often recommended to beginners, would be far more suited to a strong intermediate player who’s on the verge of becoming a master. I consider myself an intermediate player and most of this was inscrutable to me. It’s increasingly clear to me that it’s very rare for someone who is VERY good at something to still understand what it might be like to be NOT very good at it.
Imagine a master chef teaching a beginner cooking class, and telling me, "Obviously the garlic has to be added before the thyme" — or something, I'm not a chef — and expect me to understand why that's important without explaining it to me. Or, on day one, saying "Today we'll grade you on your Confit de Canard, so get to cooking!" I don't even know what that is, I just looked it up for this review.
Maybe I'll come back to this book in a few years and try again.
August 27, 2018
"Chess Fundamentals" is an outstanding chess book not only for its historical value. Written by Jose Raul Capablanca, one of the greatest chess players in the history, almost 100 years ago, it remains a classic that every chess player should read. Of course, we can not judge a chess book written a century ago by the contemporary standards because chess progressed a lot meanwhile. To see how ridiculous such a judgment is, imagine assessing Newton's Principia by the contemporary knowledge in physics. Capablanca's book reflects the best understanding of chess 100 years ago. With the advent of computers, some of his statements have shown to be false. Moreover, some of the lines given in the analyzed games are not accurate when assessed by the last version of Stockfish. This said, the everlasting value of the book resides in the verbalization of the thinking process of the world chess champion. Capablanca's commentary is crystal clear and insightful. It notably differs from the verbosity of the commentaries found in today's chess magazines like "New in Chess" where the annotators flood the reader with a multitude of secondary lines. After going through such junk commentary, mostly obtained by running the last chess engine and falsely claimed to reflect the evaluation during the game, the amateur is confused. In contrast, Capablanca's commentary is fair, sincere and mostly reflects his thoughts during the games.
The book is well written: the simple concepts are first presented and then revisited in various phases of the game (endgame, middlegame, opening). According to Capablanca, the road to improvement in chess is studying the endgame. Unfortunately, the amateurs are not following his advice, and instead memorize tones of opening lines that will not help them become better players.
At the time of writing the book was revolutionary. Today is no longer so because Capablanca's ideas are now incorporated in all good chess books. This fact should not obscure but rather emphasize the tremendous value of this book.
Nota bene: this review refers to the free interactive book version included in the chess application http://eplusbooks.com/.
The book is well written: the simple concepts are first presented and then revisited in various phases of the game (endgame, middlegame, opening). According to Capablanca, the road to improvement in chess is studying the endgame. Unfortunately, the amateurs are not following his advice, and instead memorize tones of opening lines that will not help them become better players.
At the time of writing the book was revolutionary. Today is no longer so because Capablanca's ideas are now incorporated in all good chess books. This fact should not obscure but rather emphasize the tremendous value of this book.
Nota bene: this review refers to the free interactive book version included in the chess application http://eplusbooks.com/.
August 15, 2015
This is a classic, and justly so. It's the best book on how to study chess I've yet read.
There are basically 3 versions of this book in English.
The old one, which this appears to be, in descriptive notation. I don't care for descriptive notation, but I have a copy of the old version to double check text against the newer versions. (Chess Fundamentals)
The "Revised" version, where both the descriptive notation has been replaced with algebraic (thank you!) and some the text and some of Capablanca's game analysis has been removed or changed. (Chess Fundamentals, Revised)
The other algebraic edition, which simply replaces the descriptive notation but does not change any of the text. (Chess Fundamentals Algebraic)
I prefer the third version. I own all and use all three. '
8.14.15
I have since this review been through a flood and have only the second copy listed of Chess Fundamentals. I will probably replace Chess Fundamentals Algebraic eventually.
There are basically 3 versions of this book in English.
The old one, which this appears to be, in descriptive notation. I don't care for descriptive notation, but I have a copy of the old version to double check text against the newer versions. (Chess Fundamentals)
The "Revised" version, where both the descriptive notation has been replaced with algebraic (thank you!) and some the text and some of Capablanca's game analysis has been removed or changed. (Chess Fundamentals, Revised)
The other algebraic edition, which simply replaces the descriptive notation but does not change any of the text. (Chess Fundamentals Algebraic)
I prefer the third version. I own all and use all three. '
8.14.15
I have since this review been through a flood and have only the second copy listed of Chess Fundamentals. I will probably replace Chess Fundamentals Algebraic eventually.
August 7, 2016
The great guide to master the fundamentals of chess, simple to follow and a very wide variety of principles, from game openings to middle games to end games plus some illustrated games of the greatest players there ever was.
July 25, 2012
I feel 100 times smarter after doing each set of exercises. Then I forget to pick up the book for a few weeks and realize I forgot all those awesome lessons I just learned.
January 6, 2014
I recommend this book and its method of study more than any other chess book.
January 1, 2021
Foi meu primeiro livro de xadrez, é bem pequeno e tem boas estratégias, mas dou 3 estrelas por não ter tanto conteúdo e se aprofundar muito pouco nos conteúdos
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August 28, 2019Dünya Satranç Şampiyonu Capablanca'nın "Satrancın Esasları", yıllar sonra yeniden yayınlanmış. Capablanca, kitabında, satranç oyununun başlıca kurallarını okurlarına ayrıntıları ile anlatıyor. Satranç nasıl oynanır, Capablanca'dan okumalı! Satranç tahtası üzerinde, satranç taşlarının karşılıklı sıralanışı ile başlayan oyun, oyuncuların oyununa göre saatlerce sürüyor, hatta günlerce süren satranç maçları vardır, dünya turnuvalarında satranç maçlarında "süre"den çok "oyun kuralları" belirleyicidir, oyuncuların oyunu anlayışı ve "hamle"lerini düşünürken oyunla ilgili "taktik"leri oyunun ne kadar süreceğini de belli ediyor. Şah, Vezir, Atlar, Filler, Kaleler ve Piyonlardan oluşan satranç taşlarının "hareket kuralları", oyunun gelişmesi ile ilgili "olasılık"ları oyuncuların "insiyatif"leri ile ve "hamle"leri ile belirliyor. Satranç, dünyanın "en yaygın" zekâ sporlarından biridir, "Satrancın Esasları"nı okurken, aynı anda, dünyanın birçok kentlerinde "satranç turnuvaları"nda satranç oynandığını da fark etmeli!
September 24, 2021
The only reason I am not giving this book a 1 star is the fact it has been written 100 years ago. Why didn't I like it.
1. It is called chess Fundamentals but it has positions in it that even masters don't find easy like how to win Queen against a rook or bishop and knight mate.
2. The book is all over the place, starting with easy mates and then it goes to middlegames, traps, value of the pieces, Tactics and what not. It is not systematic and it is definitely not a book for beginners and I would say it is not the best book ever for anybody.
3. Capablanca was really and I mean really lazy when he was writing the book. His annotations of his own games is not deep enough and he often gives the student an example and says the student should figure it out. Imagine a beginner 50 years ago trying to figure out a 10 move sequence without being able to check the solution in the book or with the engine.
1. It is called chess Fundamentals but it has positions in it that even masters don't find easy like how to win Queen against a rook or bishop and knight mate.
2. The book is all over the place, starting with easy mates and then it goes to middlegames, traps, value of the pieces, Tactics and what not. It is not systematic and it is definitely not a book for beginners and I would say it is not the best book ever for anybody.
3. Capablanca was really and I mean really lazy when he was writing the book. His annotations of his own games is not deep enough and he often gives the student an example and says the student should figure it out. Imagine a beginner 50 years ago trying to figure out a 10 move sequence without being able to check the solution in the book or with the engine.
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October 11, 2024Chess Fundamentals delivers on what Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess promises- a small course from a master giving the beginner as much as a they can handle. Note Capablanca was neither a writer nor a teacher, so this is not the best place to start (this is my second chess book and I'm certain I'll find more useful ones). That being said, I found the terse master voice a part of the book's charm, and it has yielded permanent benefits for me (about 200 ELO points). All the basics are there at a reasonable price and I am certain I'll benefit from a return visit.
I do recommend two things before diving in:
1. Chess puzzles/tactical patterns
2. A basic understanding of piece movement and algebraic notation.
On that note, I found a couple sequences where the notation seemed wrong. I forgave, ignored, and a moved to the next sequence. You should too. It's worth soaking what you can from this book.
I do recommend two things before diving in:
1. Chess puzzles/tactical patterns
2. A basic understanding of piece movement and algebraic notation.
On that note, I found a couple sequences where the notation seemed wrong. I forgave, ignored, and a moved to the next sequence. You should too. It's worth soaking what you can from this book.
November 20, 2022
I am starting a lot of my chess studies with the classics and very grateful to do so as these early masters outline the basics clearly and without dramatic moves that can confuse the beginner. Capablanca's style of play is understandable for me, his explanation of how he goes about his thinking is clear, and you can clearly see his passion for the game. I appreciate the emotion, both the joy and the frustration expressed here. Chess is a wildly complicated battle, even if the obvious response is often apparent in retrospect. This is a great introduction to a lot of key principles in chess, and I strongly recommend it.
Read more at https://znovels.blogspot.com/2022/11/...
Read more at https://znovels.blogspot.com/2022/11/...
June 15, 2022
Stepping back in time, this was a great fundamentals book to slowly work through on my chess journey. It is difficult to imagine writing such a book well before chess engine technology!
His analysis of 14 very illustrative games was pretty much spot on without the aid of an engine.
A good introductory book for a beginner-intermediate level player.
His analysis of 14 very illustrative games was pretty much spot on without the aid of an engine.
A good introductory book for a beginner-intermediate level player.
February 15, 2018
This book is an important window into the mind of a World Chess Champion and one of few chess players in the conversation as greatest of all time. De Firmian includes many instructive modern games to show progression of chess beyond the life of Capablanca.
January 23, 2021
A great book to start learning chess. I used it in conjunction with Silman's Great Courses DVD series and it it an excellent complement. I can recommend. I also found many of the illustrative games on chess.com and using their engine was helpful in analysis. Recommended.
February 15, 2023
The annotation took some time to get used to but eventually got there. It has great exercises to practice and get a more intuitive understanding of the game, and very clear and intelligible explanations of the concepts in openings and endings.
October 29, 2023
Not suitable for the Kinde
It is a classic book but as the diagrams are replaced by the text “Chess Position” the extracts are unplayable and the analysis of the complete games too difficult to follow.
It is a classic book but as the diagrams are replaced by the text “Chess Position” the extracts are unplayable and the analysis of the complete games too difficult to follow.
April 14, 2024
Il bello di questo manuale, scritto da uno dei più grandi maestri esistiti, che mi ha accompagnato per diversi mesi, è che mi ha aiutato ad acquisire un nuovo livello di conoscenza “quasi inconsapevolmente”. Imprescindibile.
May 29, 2024
not the best book for a novice, as the language is very dry and quite frankly is difficult to motivate oneself through. with that being said, I learned quite a bit about having the opposition, pawn structure, as well as general middle- and end-game strategy.
April 3, 2018
In terms of distillation of fundamental principles, this is the best book on chess I've ever read.
December 21, 2019
The title is very apt. Absolutely a must-read!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews