The Morals of Chess

The Morals of Chess is an essay by Benjamin Franklin, first published in the Columbian Magazine in December 1786. Franklin, a Founding Father of the United States, compares chess to life, arguing that the game teaches foresight, circumspection, and caution. The essay also prescribes moral rules for players, such as not cheating and not disturbing the opponent. It is among the earliest chess texts published in the United States and appeared in the first chess-related book published in Russia in 1791.