It is postulated that the standard framework for psychotherapy, a cooperative transference neurosis, does not validly carry over to the successful psychotherapy of a two-generation family group. In many disturbed families, the necessary and sufficient dynamics for change must be initiated, controlled, and augmented by a group dynamic power-play, precipitated by the psychotherapist. Indeed the therapist, or the therapeutic team, would be wise to regard the beginning of psychotherapy as a political process quite similar to that in the opening phase of a chess game. There is evidence that dominating the center of action, protecting the king at all costs, saving the all-powerful queen until mid-game, and positioning the group members to protect each other, are part of a valuable metaphor for understanding the success and failure of family psychotherapy. (Author/PC)