What to Study

The purpose of chess960 is not to eliminate learning. Since chess960 preserves the fundamental principles of chess, there are a lot of good books out there for the player that wishes to study, even though these books were not written with 960 in mind. Good study topics include:

• Fundamental concepts
• Tactics
• Endings
• Strategy

Any books focusing exclusively on chess opening theory (Sicilian, Ruy Lopez etc) won't be relevant.

In my opinion, a good place to start for the beginner is the handbook Chess Fundamentals, by the third World Chess Champion, José Raúl Capablanca. Here is the preface that Capablanca wrote in 1934:
 

“Chess Fundamentals was first published thirteen years ago. Since then there have appeared at different times a number of articles dealing with the so-called Hypermodern Theory. Those who have read the articles may well have thought that something new, of vital importance, had been discovered. The fact is that the Hypermodern Theory is merely the application, during the opening stages generally, of the same old principles through the medium of somewhat new tactics. There has been no change in the fundamentals. The change has been only a change of form, and not always for the best at that.

In chess the tactics may change but the strategic fundamental principles are always the same, so that Chess Fundamentals is as good now as it was thirteen years ago. It will be as good a hundred years from now; as long in fact as the laws and rules of the game remain what they are at present. The reader may therefore go over the contents of the book with the assurance that there is in it everything he needs, and that there is nothing to be added and nothing to be changed. Chess Fundamentals was the one standard work of its kind thirteen years ago and the author firmly believes that it is the one standard work of its kind now.”

Obvioulsy the rules have changed, however Chess Fundamentals covers openings, endings, middle games, tactics and strategy by way of fundamental chess principles. For example, from Chapter 6 - General Strategy of the Opening: “The main thing is to develop the pieces quickly. Get them into play as fast as you can.” This often holds true in a game of chess960, where defensive resources must be found over the board, rather than by accumulated knowledge from centuries of play.

Personally, I find that the books by the old masters tend to focus less on the opening and more on the game itself (this is not to say there are no good modern books though). I hear that Fischer, Lasker, Nimzowitsch and Tarrasch all compiled excellent instructional manuals that have since been released in algebraic notation.

The first book that dealt specifically with chess960 was “Shall We Play Fischerandom Chess?” by Svetozar Gligoric. It's an interesting book that has annotated games of players such as Peter Leko, Michael Adams and Anatoly Karpov.

If you are just starting out, I hope these general study guidelines will set you on a good track for choosing titles. Good luck, and enjoy your chess.

Education in Chess has to be an education in independent thinking and judging. Chess must not be memorized, simply because it is not important enough. If you load your memory, you should know why. Memory is too valuable to be stocked with trifles. Of my fifty-seven years I have applied at least thirty to forgetting what I had learned or read, and since I succeeded in this I have acquired a certain ease and cheer which I should never again like to be without. If need be, I can increase my skill in Chess, if need be I can do that of which I have no idea at present. I have stored little in my memory, but I can apply that little, and it is of good use in many and varied emergencies. I keep it in order, but resist every attempt to increase its dead weight.

You should keep in mind no names, nor numbers, nor isolated incidents, but onlymethods. The method is plastic. It is applicable in every situation. The result, the isolated incident, is rigid, because bound [sic] to wholly individual conditions.

-- Emanuel Lasker, Lasker's Manual of Chess