Benjamin Franklin and Chess in Early America
eBook - PDF

Benjamin Franklin and Chess in Early America

A Review of the Literature

  1. 96 pages
  2. English
  3. PDF
  4. Available on iOS & Android
eBook - PDF

Benjamin Franklin and Chess in Early America

A Review of the Literature

About this book

"Playing at Chess is the most ancient and the most universal game among men, for its original is beyond the memory of history." Benjamin Franklin penned these words as an introduction to his famous essay "The Morals of Chess." Franklin's approach to the game was in distinct contrast to his predecessors, who seriously advocated all the subtle treacheries of the art of poor sportsmanship with the sole end of attaining victory. To Franklin, however, the game of chess was not mere idle amusement but a sport reflective of life itself—"for life is a kind of chess, in which we have often points to gain and competitors or adversaries to contend with"—which requires the utilization of all the finest mental and moral qualities of which man is capable.This volume reproduces Franklin's celebrated essay and includes an analysis of everything Franklin ever had to say about chess. The second part of the book contains an extensive bibliography of chess in America to the year 1859. The two sections of the volume combine to form an essential sourcebook for the historian of American chess.

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Yes, you can access Benjamin Franklin and Chess in Early America by Ralph K. Hagedorn in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in History & History Reference. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.

Table of contents

  1. Preface
  2. Contents
  3. Illustrations
  4. Benjamin Franklin’s ā€œThe Morals of Chessā€
  5. A Commentary on Franklin’s Essay
  6. Franklin on Chess
  7. Chess in America to 1859: A Bibliography
  8. Appendix