Table Of Content

$1.95 Irving Chernev & Kenneth Harkness An Invitation to Cliess L MEYER DAVID AFiresideBook Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 http://www.archive.org/details/invitationtochesOOcher INVITATION TO AJV CHESS A Picture Guide to THE ROYAL GAME By Irving Chernev and Kenneth Harkness AFiresideBook Publishedby Simon and Schuster - New York ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INCLUDING THE RIGHT OFREPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART IN ANY FORM COPYRIGHT 1945 BYSIMON & SCHUSTER, INC. A FIRESIDE BOOK PUBLISHED BY SIMON AND SCHUSTER ROCKEFELLER CENTER, 63O FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK, N. Y. 10020 EIGHTH PAPERBACK PRINTING SBN 671-21270-2 MANUFACTURED INTHE UNITEDSTATES OF AMERICA CONTENTS FOREWORD 7 PartOne: THE RULES OF CHESS 11 The Chessmen and Chessboard 11 The Starting Line-Up 13 The Moves of the Chessmen 15 How the King Moves and Captures 16 How the Rook Moves and Captures 17 How the Bishop MovesandCaptures 18 Howthe QueenMovesandCaptures 19 Howthe KnightLeapsandCaptures 20 How the Pawn Moves 22 ThePawnsInitial Move 23 How the Pawn Captures 24 HowPawns Move iii ChessDiagrams 26 Obstructionsand Captures 27 TheWhite Queen Capturesa Black Pawn 29 The Object ofthe Game 30 Checkingthe King 34 GettingOutofCheck 36 Checkmatingthe King 38 Movie of a Chess Game 41 Howthe ChessmenAre Named 42 The Moves 4A Safeguarding the King 67 How to Castle withKingandRook 69 RulesonCastling 71 Castle EarlyinGame 73 Illustrative Game 74 Illegal Exposure to Check 77 The Power of the Pawn 78 PawnPromotion 79 How the Pawn Captures ''en passant" 83 HowGames Are Drawn 86 Drawn PositionsWithout Pawns 87 TechnicaUy Drawn Games 89 Draw by Stalemate 90 Draw by Perpetual Check 93 Draw by Repetition 94 Part Two: BASIC PRINCIPLES 95 Relative Values of the Chessmen 95 Examples ofExchanges 98 Superior Force Should Win 101 RulesforLearners 104 How to MeetCapturing Threats 104 ThreatsandCounter-Threats 108 WhatDoesHe Threaten? Ill Illustrative Game 112 The Principle of Mobility 123 How Mobility Wins 126 IllustrativeGame 129 Part Three: OPENING PRINCIPLES 139 Outline of Opening Principles 139 Mistakes in the Opening 143 PrematureAttacks 145 Pawn-Grabbing with the Queen 153 Exposingthe QueentoAttack 157 UnnecessaryPawn Moves 159 Moving the Same Piece Twice 168 Correct Opening Strategy 174 Controlofthe Center 175 ExamplesofCenterControl 181 Summaryof OpeningProcedure 189 How DevelopmentWins 194 PartFour: CHESS COMBINATIONS 207 The Artistry of Chess 207 A Chess Combination 209 a FOREWORD This little book is an invitation to the royal game of chess. There is a widely held popular belief that chess is "too deep" for the average person. The idea that one has to be "brainy" to play the game is pure nonsense. No more brains are required to play this fascinating game than are needed to master contract bridge or gin rummy. There are millions of chess players in the world and most of them are just ordinary people of average — intelligence. In Russia where chess is as popular as baseball in — the United States children play chess almostbefore they learn to speak. In this country, chess is growing rapidly in popularity and is played by men and women of all ages. Thousands of children are playing the game in their homes and in school clubs. — — It is true that the chess expert or master, as he is called can perform remarkable mental feats on the chessboard, but the same thing could be said of other games and sports. The contract bridge master, for instance, is able to make intricate plays — which are far beyond the capacity of the average person but this does not deter a great host of bridge players from enjoying their favorite indoor sport. Similarly, most chess players are incapable of executing the deep combinations and strategic maneuvers of the chessmaster, but they play their own brand of chess and enjoy it. The ordinary player is able to admire the beauty and art of master play, the amazing tactics and perfect timing displayed by these experts, but he plays with opponents of his own strength and enjoys his own games best of all. We invite you to learn chess because it is by far the best two- — handed game in OKistence. It is an exciting, thrilling game lifelong source of interest and amusement. An absorbing hobby, chess will provide you with relaxation and recreation in greater measure than any other home game. And chess is not a slow game. Most friendly contests last about — an hour and every minute is packed full of interest for both 7 players. If you like, you can play Lightning Chess, in which each player is allowed only ten seconds to make his move and the entire game is over in a few minutes. Chess is easy to learn. The rules are explained in Part One of this book and are presented in a new way, originated by the authors. Photographs, diagrams and examples clarify each defini- tion. With the aid of this visual method of instruction, you can learn how the chessmen move in a few minutes and master all the rules in one or two evenings. At the same time, the illustra- tions and examples will give you a working knowledge of the game so that you will be able to start playing just as soon as you have completed the first section of the book. Naturally, you will not be able to defeat somebody who has been playing chess for years, but you will be able to play with other beginners and thor- oughly enjoy your battles, even though an expert might shudder at some of your moves. As you gain experience you will become more skillful and will be able to appreciate the finer points of the game. When you finish Part One you will also understand "chess — notation" the simple code used by chess players to record the moves of games. In the past, this notation has been a stumbling block to those who have attempted to learn chess from books. At first sight, these mysterious symbols are incomprehensible. How- ever, they are just abbreviations based on a simple method of naming the chessmen and the squares of the chessboard. The gradual and painless way in which chess notation is introduced and illustrated in this book will enable you to master it without conscious effort on your part. A knowledge of chess notation is by no means essential. There are thousands of chess players who have never even heard of it. However, when you are able to read notation the entire field of chess literature is opened up. You can play over and enjoy games from master tournaments, as published in newspapers, chess magazines and books. Moreover, a knowledge of notation in- creases your skill. It gives you a familiarity with the squares of the board and helps you to think in the proper terms. The second and third sections of this book are devoted to a thorough explanation of the basic principles of chess. Particular 8