Chess the Easy Way

by Reuben Fine

More chess coaches in America recommend this book for their students than any other book. Written by one of the World's Strongest Grandmasters who was top contender for the World Chess Championship, “Chess the Easy Way” takes the player from the beginning moves of chess, rapidly advancing to the Expert Level. Long out of print, there have been more requests for this book than ALL OTHER CHESS BOOKS COMBINED. Be prepared for a quick ride to the top. Some say that a better title for this book would have been “Chess the Hard Way”, because Fine quickly takes the reader from the beginning level to advanced levels of play. Reuben Fine (1914-1993) was a top contender for the World Chess Championship. He tied for first in the Strongest Chess Tournament ever played, a tournament that was supposed to decide who would play a match for the World Chess Championship. The War intervened so Fine never got to play a match for the World Championship and he wrote this book instead.

Genres: Chess

Paperback

First published January 1, 1942

About the author

Reuben C. Fine (1914 – 1993) was an American chess player, psychologist, university professor, and author of many books on both chess and psychology. He was one of the strongest chess players in the world from the mid 1930s until his retirement from chess in 1951. He was granted the title of International Grandmaster by FIDE in 1950, when titles were introduced.

Reviews

[Steven Peterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of the books that I used in the mid 1960s and early 1970s when I was interested in improving my chess game. Looking at it from several decades later, I can see why I found this useful. It is a bit more advanced than some of the beginner books that I referred to, but it is still accessible to those who are not yet mastering the game.

The author's view is upbeat (Page vi): ". . .it is possible to improve at chess and the effort required is by no means exorbitant." At the outset, the reader learns of the moves, the pieces, the layour of the chess board, notation (to create records of a game). Chapter II addresses checkmating the lone king. Chapter III looks at three basic porinciples of chess (e.g., the principle of force). Chapters IV and V center on the opening, including basic rules and some problems. There is also an examination of traditional openings, for both White and Black. The book moves on with chapters on what happens after the opening and end games.

For the person with a basic knowledge of chess, this is a nice way to build on that base.

[Joseph Szabo · Rating 5 out of 5]

My father is a master at the game of Chess. So when he said this is the best Chess book, the book that got him on the road to being a master Chess player, I listened.

There are thirty rules in this book, for each section of the game (The Beginning, Middle and End) and if you memorize them, practice them (which means a lot of losing) and instinctively use them (better than the person you're playing against anyway) you WILL win.

Chess is a hard game, it is not for weak souls. It is violent, crushing, more painful to some than a war hammer to the head. The better you get the more deeply your pain will be felt when you lose. But hope exists in the game, where the suffering can be dulled.

Chess The Easy Way starts that hope.

[Gary Inbinder · Rating 4 out of 5]

First read in the 1970's in an attempt to improve my game and I go back to it from time to time. It's an excellent introduction to the most complex, challenging, frustrating and addictive of all board games, and a good resource for players at all levels.

[Bill Webber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent basic primer...