Rereading Chess Fundamentals

Readers of Chess Skills will have noticed that lately I am writing (and posting on this site's Facebook page) quite a bit about Jose R. Capablanca. In particular, I have written about Chess Fundamentals in several ways. Nearly two years ago, I pointed out a small error (see "A Capablanca Error"). More recently, I noted a proliferation of Kindle editions that mostly were identical to free versions on Internet Archive and Project Gutenberg (see "Ebook Scam"). Following that was "Advice for Beginners", where Chess Fundamentals was featured as my recommendation for players new to the game.

I bought my clothbound copy of the 1934 edition of Chess Fundamentals sometime in the mid-1990s, and I have read and reread some portions of it several times. Nonetheless, as with most chess books, I have never systematically worked through the entire book, studying every position, game fragment, and game. I am doing that now.

In the process of rereading, or rather wholly reading this classic text, I am taking the time both to compare several versions, and also to read the book in context with other related texts. Recently, I purchased both World Chess Championships 1921 and 1927 (I have the 1977 Dover edition) and A Chess Primer (1935). I am working through these books in parallel with Chess Fundamentals.

For Chess Fundamentals itself, I am primarily working through the 1994 paperback edition and the ebook version of the same, which I view within ChessBase. This same edition is also viewable on my iPad through Everyman's Chess Viewer app. Also, when I downloaded the e+Chess Books app several years ago, Chess Fundamentals was part of the package. Its algebraic edition differs slightly from the Everyman edition. That is, it does not correct Capablanca's error in Example 8; Everyman does.

I offer screenshots of these ebook editions for comparison.

Chess Fundamentals in ChessBase

Chess Fundamentals in the Everyman Reader

Chess Fundamentals in the E+books Reader

Breadth and Depth

While I have long praised Capablanca's classic text for its treatment of all phases of the game in a sequence that seems particularly well-thought out,  perhaps starting with A Chess Primer, and then advancing to Chess Fundamentals would be better. A Chess Primer has some instruction that is a little more elementary for beginners. But, I prefer the sequencing in Chess Fundamentals. Capablanca himself described these two books as companions volumes. I concur.

Chess Fundamentals also offers some study material that is more advanced than I had noticed through my superficial reading of some sections. It does a better job than any other book to lay a solid foundation for beginning students, but also offers both a refresher and some challenging material for intermediate students.

In the section Queen against Rook, Example 40 is a position that I have included in several lessons for my students, but Example 42 proves more challenging. With Capablanca's guidance, I was able to subdue Stockfish while drinking my morning coffee one morning last week.

White to move

Stockfish on the iPad did not follow Capablanca's main line, but his analysis served as a guide for my play nonetheless.

Moving on to middlegame positions, Example 50 gave me enough of a challenge that I expect to return to it again for further work.

Stripes,James -- Fritz 13 SE

From Capablanca, 15.02.2021

White to move

 After 14...e5 Example 50, Chess Fundamentals

15.Ne6+ Kf6  6.f4 Nc6

Capablanca gives 16...e4 17.Qg5+ Kxe6 18.Qe5+ Kd7 19.Rfd1+ Nd3 20.Nxe4 Kc6 21.Rxd3 Qxd3 22.Rc1+ Kb6 23.Qc7+ and checkmate in five.

White to move

a) 17.Qg5+ was my first choice 17...Kxe6 18.f5+ Kd6

White to move

19.Nb5+

19.Rad1+ is better 19...Kc7 (19...Nd4 20.Qg3 was the move I overlooked) 20.Rxd8

19...Kd5 20.Rfd1+ Nd4 21.Rxd4+

21.Qxd8+?? did not go well for me; 

21.Qg3 is again useful

21...exd4 22.f6+ Kc6 23.Nxd4+ Kd6 24.Qf4+ Kd7

White to move

25.fxg7 took a long time for me to find 25...f6 26.gxf8N+ Qxf8 27.Rc1 and I could sense that my advantage was slipping away, so I started anew at move 17.

b) 17.fxe5+? throws away the advantage, but I tried it second 17...Ke7 18.Nxd8?? Bxg4 19.Nxc6+ bxc6 and Black is winning; 

c) 17.f5 was my third effort 17...Bxe6 18.fxe6+ Ke7 19.Rad1 (19.exf7 was better) 19...Nxe6 20.Rxd8 Raxd8 and I am satisfied that White has a clear advantage, but was tired of playing against the machine; 

d) 17.Rad1 is best, but I did not play this line.