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Free Downloadable Chess eBooks

The eBooks on this page are either in the public domain or are copywrited by Chessville and/or the author(s).  Most are in PDF format; get a free PDF reader (if you don't already have one) here:

eBooks

 

Canadian Chess Problems
by C.F. Stubbs

206 Chess Puzzles, taken from actual games as well as compositions.  Originally published in 1890, now reproduced in electronic form and converted to algebraic notation by Anders Thulin.  Solutions starting on page 59 of 63 pages.  This program is in the public domain.

102 kb Zipped file in PDF format

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Chess History and Reminiscences
by H. E. Bird

Free eBook: Chess History and Reminiscences, by H. E. Bird.   containing this electronic version produced by Stephen D. Leary.

153 kb zipped file

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English Chess Problems
Edited by James Pierce and W. Timbrell Pierce (1876)

Free eBook:  English Chess Problems, Edited by James Pierce and W. Timbrell Pierce, originally published in 1876, now reproduced in electronic form and converted to algebraic notation by Anders Thulin.  This program is in the public domain.

238 kb zipped file

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Smith-Morra Gambit
by Albert Hoogendoorn
Creator and Webmaster of MyChessSite.

Part 1 - Containing the first five articles in Albert's series on this fascinating response to the Sicilian Defense.  This 283 kb zipped pdf file is a special edition, created just for Chessville!

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Chess Strategy, 2nd Edition (1915)
by Edward Lasker

Free eBook: This classic of chess literature, now converted to eBook format by Project Gutenberg.  This work is in the public domain.  And now José Garcia has added diagrams!  Download the original file from Project Gutenberg, or download José's effort, your choice, and as always - 100% free!

Original 180 kb zipped file     with diagrams: 1.37 MB zipped file

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75 Chess Problems
by John Thursby

Free eBook: this electronic version of John Thursby's 1883 work, now in the public domain, has been converted to algebraic notation.  All problems have been computer checked.

71 kb pdf file

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700 Chess Problems
by Mrs. W.J. Baird

Free eBook: 700 Chess Problems Selected From the Compositions of Mrs. W.J. Baird.  Originally published in 1902, now reproduced in electronic form and converted to algebraic notation by Anders Thulin.  All problems have been computer checked.  This program is in the public domain.  In zipped pdf format.

609 kb zipped pdf file

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Problem Solving Tourney (1888)
by C.F. Stubbs

Free eBook: Problem Solving Tourney (1888)  78kb zipped pdf file.  100 mate-in-two problems, converted to algebraic notation and pdf format by Anders Thulin, following the original published in 1888 by C.F. Stubbs.

78 kb zipped pdf file

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Chess And Checkers :
The Way To Mastership

by Edward Lasker

The Chess section includes: The Rules of the Game, Elementary Tactics, General Principles of Chess Strategy, Illustrative Games, and Problems.  This classic work was first published in 1918.  This file is in the public domain.

95 kb zipped text file

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200 Chess Problems
by Frank Healey

Originally published in 1866, this public domain collection of 200 chess problems, has been computer checked and converted to algebraic by Anders Thulin.  Many of these problems were prize winners in various composition competitions.

104 kb zipped pdf file

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777 Chess Miniatures in Three
Collected and Arranged by E. Wallis

This public domain collection of chess problems, has been computer checked and converted to algebraic by Anders Thulin.

179 kb zipped pdf file

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Crumbs From the Chess-Board
A Selection From the Problems
Composed by Charles A. Gilberg

This public domain download, first published in 1890, has been converted to electronic format with algebraic notation by Anders Thulin.  Problems have been computer checked and errata noted.

170 kb zipped pdf file

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Globe Problem and Solution
Tourney No. 2

First Published by C.F. Stubbs

This public domain download, first published in 1888, has been converted to electronic format with algebraic notation by Anders Thulin.  Problems start on page 13.

80 kb zipped pdf file

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Maelzel's Chess-Player
by Edgar Allen Poe

Poe's account of The Turk, during it's exhibition by Johan Maelzel, and Poe's theories and beliefs about The Turk's inner workings.  This zipped text file is in the public domain.

25 kb zipped txt file

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The Balogh Counter Gambit
by Keith Hayward, ICCF-IM

Erik Jensen compiled Keith Hayward's 5-part article on the Balogh Counter Gambit in to a ChessBase file.

"How good is the Balogh Counter Gambit?  Certainly high risk, but I do think it is sound in the hands of an adventurous and creative player.  I think BCG works great with speed chess, and good for an occasional over-the-board game.  From there the issue is how much risk is one willing to take on to win.  Regardless, the fun factor will always be high with the Balogh Counter Gambit!  - Good Chess!! Keith"

37 kb cbv file

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The Tactical Grob
by Claude Bloodgood

Erik Jensen has produced an eBook free for all to download, this time from the legendary Claude Bloodgood (1924-2001, see Neil Brennen's piece in the 2 September 2001 issue of Chess Correspondence News - page 21 for more about this chess legend).  "Grob's Attack is a basic gambit unlike anything else in modern chess theory.  Every basic concept of development and piece placement must be discarded once 1.g4 has been played..."

46 kb zipped ChessBase file

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The Chessmen of Mars
by Edgar Rice Burroughs

This famous story from the pen of one of early science-fiction's all-time great authors, is now available as a free downloadable eBook.  This Project Gutenberg Etext is in the Public Domain.

185 kb zipped text file

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The Blue Book of Chess
by Howard Staunton and "Modern Authorities"
 

Originally copyrighted in 1870, this is a new revised edition, apparently from 1910, except for the addition of pgn records of the games (!)  An opening survey, also including a section on endings, and another section with a dozen problems for solving.








White to move only his King
and mate in five moves

From the preface to this edition:

The following work is designed for those who are learning the noble game of Chess.  Many persons have been confused and discouraged at the very outset of the study by the great variety and the delicate distinctions of the openings: and this has constituted a fault in many otherwise excellent manuals for the learner...The reader will find the combined genius and skill of the old heroes like Philidor, Morphy, Staunton, Anderssen, Harrwitz, Evans, Montgomery and Cochrane, together with such recent masters as Lasker, Steinitz, Schlechter, Pillsbury, Marshall, Tarrasch, Janowsky, Tchigorin, and many other players of world−wide celebrity.

Download this 341 KB PDF file


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Chess In Iceland and Icelandic Literature
by Willard Fiske

Willard Fiske

Published in 1905 by the Florentine Typographical Society, this work by Willard Fiske, who passed away just prior to the book's publishing, has been concluded with the assistance of Mr. George W. Harris, librarian of Cornell University, and Mr. Halldor Hermannsson.  It is in the Public Domain, and has been digitally scanned as part of a Google project to make the world’s books discoverable online.  Marks, notations and other marginalia present in the original volume will appear in this file - a reminder of this book’s long journey from the publisher to a library and finally to you.

Bookplate, indicating it was originally part of the personal library of Mr. Howland.

Download this 17.4 MB zipped PDF file

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The Works of Damiano, Ruy-Lopez,
and Salvio, on the Game of Chess

translated and arranged by J.H. Sarratt

Translated and arranged by J.H. Sarratt, including "remarks, observations, and copious notes, on the games.  Containing also several original games and situations by the Editor.  To which are added, The Elements of the Art of Playing without seeing the Board."  The latter "Chiefly taken from Damiano's scarce and valuable treatise.."  First printed in London in April 1813, this work is now in the Public Domain.

Download this 5.1 MB zipped PDF file

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The Works of Gíanutío, and
Gustavus Selenus on the Game of Chess

translated and arranged by J.H. Sarratt

First published at London, 1817.  According to Wikipedia, Augustus the Younger, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg wrote his book on chess, Chess or the King's Game, under the pseudonym Gustavus Selenus.  Gianutio, meanwhile, is known for a pair of lines in the King's Gambit, the Gianutio Countergambit – C34 – 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 f5, and the Lopez-Gianutio Countergambit – C33 – 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Bc4 f5.  This work is now in the Public Domain, we make it available in zipped PDF format.

Download this 2.9 MB zipped PDF file

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The Modern Chess Instructor
by William Steinitz

Originally published by G.P. Putnam's Sons, New York & London, in 1889.  The World Champion included essays on the principles of the game, 'Chess as a Training of the Mind and How to Improve', and his annotations of a match between himself and Tschigorin played at Havana in early 1889, along with analysis of a half-dozen openings and beginner instruction.  This work is now in the Public Domain; we make it available in zipped PDF format.

Download this 9.3 MB zipped PDF file

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The Two-Move Chess Problem
by Benjamin Glover Laws

Originally published in London, 1890.  "Strictly, a Chess Problem may be defined as a proposition requiring the discovery of some concealed chess truth..."  This title is divided into the following sections: The Old Masters (and this back in 1890!), Classes of Problems, Definitions, Beauty or Merit of Solution, Construction, Difficulty of Solution, and Selected Problems.  This work is now in the Public Domain; we make it available in zipped PDF format.

Download this 3.8 MB zipped PDF file

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The Hastings Chess Tournament 1895
Edited by Horace F Cheshire

With annotations by Pillsbury, Lasker, Tarrasch, Steinitz, Schiffers, Teichmann, Bardeleban, Blackburne, Gunsberg, Tinsley, Mason, and Albin.  Also includes biographical sketches of the masters.  Originally published in 1896 by G.P. Putnam's Sons.  This book is now in the Public Domain.

Download this 6.8 MB zipped PDF file

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The Manual of Chess
by Charles Kenny

"Contains the Elementary Principles of the Game; Illustrated with Numerous Diagrams, Recent Games, and Original Problems."  Originally published in New York, 1864, this book is now in the public domain.

Download this 2.2 MB Zipped PDF file

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Chess Openings
by Frank J. Marshall

185 pages, includes biographical sketch of the author - Frank J. Marshall.  Plus: Benjamin Franklin's The Morals of Chess, 42 openings examined, 32 fully annotated games of Marshall's against the greatest players of his time, including Lasker, Pillsbury, Schlechter, Teichmann, Janowski, etc. Published by British Chess Magazine, 1904.  This book is now in the public domain.

Download this 2.7 MB zipped PFD file

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The Major Tactics of Chess
by Franklin Knowles Young

© 1898 Franklin K. Young. Published by Little, Brown, and Company, Boston 1919.  "This, the second volume of the Chess Strategetics series, may not improperly be termed a book of chess tricks.  Its purpose is to elucidate those processes upon which every ruse, trick, artifice, and stratagem known in chess-play, is founded..."  This work is now in the Public Domain.

Download this 7.4 MB zipped PDF file

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The History of Chess
by Duncan Forbes

380 pages, first published in London, 1860.  "If we calmly inquire into such plain facts as come within our reach, setting aside all foolish prejudices and partialities, we shall find that the history of chess naturally falls into three distinct periods.  The first is that of the ancient Hindu game, called Chaturanga..."    This work is now in the Public Domain.

Download this 10.3 MB zipped PDF file

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The Fifth American Chess Congress
by Charles A. Gilberg

"Containing a full report of the proceedings of the convention of chess players, held in New York, in the year 1880; together with an account of the preceding chess congresses, held in the United States, and biographical sketches of noted early chess players."  This book is now in the public domain.

Download this 11.9 MB zipped PFD file

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The Exploits and Triumphs in Europe
of Paul Morphy the Chess Champion

by Frederick Milnes Edge

Originally published in 1859 by D. Appleton and Company, New York.  Written by  the first universally acclaimed World Champion's personal secretary, this book is a well-known classic, recounting Morphy's famous year-in-Europe, wherein he dispatched with great ease all the best the Old World had to offer, save only Howard Staunton, who famously dodged playing a match with Morphy.  This book is now in the public domain.  For some unknown reason, the portrait of Morphy which appears in the book was not included in this PDF file, so we make it available to you via the image to the right.

Download this 5.6 MB zipped PDF file

 

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The Chess Tournament
by Howard Staunton

Anderssen, Kieseritzky, Staunton, Bird, Löwenthal, Horwitz, Jaenisch, etc., what more needs to be said about the famous 1851 London tournament, the first international chess tournament in the history of the modern game?  Originally published in London, 1873, this book is now in the public domain.

Download this 12.0 MB zipped PDF file

 

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Grand Tactics of Chess
by Franklin Knowles Young

Originally published in Boston in 1898, this book is now in the Public Domain.  Young is known for his ego and hyperbole, which are on display in this short snippet from the introduction: "In this volume is presented a complete system of chess-play.  This system is deduced from the play of the greater Masters; and those processes by which they gained their renown are herein formulated and put into language for the first time.  The principles which govern these processes are simple and clearly stated.  These comprehend every situation possible on the chess-board..."

Download this 12.6 MB zipped PDF file

 

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The Chess-Player's Handbook
by Howard Staunton

This edition, originally published on London in 1890 and featuring an alphabetical list of all the principal openings by R.F. Green, is now in the Public Domain.  Harry Golombek wrote about Staunton, "He achieved fame by winning a celebrated match against the French champion St Amant, gave his name to a set of chessmen that has become standard, edited the first English chess magazine and by his originality and enthusiasm brought about the first International Chess Tournament. This remarkable man was Howard Staunton, the only British chess master of whom it could be said that at one time he was the world's leading player."  Wikipedia says "His chess articles and books were widely read and encouraged the development of chess in the United Kingdom, and his Chess-Player's Handbook (1847) was a reference for decades."

Download this 13.8 MB zipped PDF file

 

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