- a ; ' . GIFT OF A. F. Morrison lOWELL'S HANDY INFORMATION SERIES HOW TO PLAY CHESS COMPILED BY CHARLOTTE BOARDMAN ROGERS NEW YORK THOMAS Y. CKOWELL & CO. PUBLISHERS GVHi (1TT?T /\ F Copyright, 1907, BY THOMAS Y. CROWELL & Co. PREFACE In preparing the present work the com- piler wishes to give full credit to those books which she has had occasion to use as authorities for the general principles and laws of the game and for such of its history as the limited space of the INTRO- DUCTION permitted. The list is as follows: "The Chess-Player's Handbook," by Howard Staunton; "Chess," by E. F. Green ; " The Principles of Chess in The- ory and Practice," and " The Art of Chess," by James Mason ; " The Ameri- can Cyclopedia," and " The Life of Phili- dor," by George Allen. C. B. E. May 1, 1907. ivi99164 CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGE I. INTRODUCTION 1 II. THE BOARD AND THE MEN ... 6 The Game The Board The Men Setting Up the Board Names of the Pieces and Pawns Names of the Squares. III. OBJECT OF THE GAME AND ORDER OF PROCEDURE 13 IV. THE MOVES 16 King's Move Queen's Move Bishop's Move Knight's Move Rook's Move Pawn's Move. V. TECHNICAL TERMS EXPLAINED . . 27 VI. CHESS RULES 49 Rules when Odds are Given Rules for Play by Consultation Rules for Play by Correspondence. VII. SUGGESTIONS FOR BEGINNERS ... 63 Familiarity with Technical Terms Playing with Either Color Value of Practicing One Game Playing by Time Developing the Game The Value of the Pieces Studying the Board. vi CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE VIII. SYSTEMS OF NOTATION .... 76 English Notation German Nota- tion. IX. PRACTICE GAME 86 X. CHESS OPENINGS 103 The King's Knight's Opening The King's Bishop's Opening The Queen's Bishop's Opening The King's Gam- bit The Gambit Declined The Queen's Gambit Irregular Open- ings. XI. END GAMES 116 XII. MIDDLE GAMES 132 XIII. CONCLUSION US Chess Problems Key to Chess Problems Examples of Masterpla y BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . .161 HOW TO PLAY CHESS CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION The game of Chess originated in India about five thousand years ago and is the oldest and most scientific game of a seden- tary character. The name comes from the Persian shah, or King which is the name of the principal Piece and upon whose cap- ture the fate of the game depends. The history of Chess is extremely in- teresting as people of all nations, famous in all professions, have given it careful at- tention and study. From its origin in India, its popularity spread Eastward to China and Japan; and then Westward, through Persia and Bysantium to Europe where, during the Middle Ages, it became 1 2 HOW TO PLAY CHESS the favorite pastime of the cloister and ,th:<3 cour.t;. . In this connection it is worthy of note that Cliesc is the only game of the kind that has always been approved by the priesthood of all faiths; Catholic, Protestant, Buddhist, and Moslem. In Philidor's day, during the first half of the Eighteenth Century, it was the custom in Europe for the musicians at the royal chapels to amuse themselves with Chess when their services were not required dur- ing High Mass; and it was for this rea- son that the name of Philidor has lived in the history of Chess rather than in the history of music, for he was a great mu- sician as well as a remarkably skilled Chess player. Since the invention of the game, five thousand years ago, its development may be said to have undergone three distinct periods. The first lasted until about 600 A. D., and during that time it was played by four persons, the move of each Chess- man being about the same as it is now, but a dice w r as thrown to decide which INTRODUCTION 3 one was to be played. The second period lasted from the Seventh to the Sixteenth Century, during which time the game was reduced to a contest between two persons. The element of chance was also done away with, and the dice discarded. The third and last stage in the development of the game began at the close of the Sixteenth Century and continues until and during the present day. During the last century, Chess period- icals were introduced and public contests were established between famous players or between the different clubs. Chess as- semblies, tournaments, and contests for amateurs were also first held in the Nine- teenth Century which added greatly to the interest and general popularity of the game. To-day, even the daily newspapers give space to the subject, recording the moves in match tournament games so that a person may follow each play by reading his paper just as readily as if he were an eye-witness of the game. In connection with the study of the 4: HOW TO PLAY CHESS game, it is interesting to know that among its devotees have been such monarchs as Charles XII., Napoleon I., Frederick the Great, Charlemagne, and Haronn al- Rashid; and such philosophers as Vol- taire, Rosseau and Franklin. The literature of the game has been con- tributed to by writers of all nations and, while the student cannot be expected to become familiar with all that has been written on the subject, he should know, at least, the names which are most prom- inent in connection with the scientific de- velopment of Chess. Among them are : Hanstein, Von der Lasa, Lange, and Har- witz, of Germany ; Cunningham, Janssen, Sarratt, M'Donnell, and Staunton, of England ; Petroff and Kieseritzky, of Rus- sia; Szen and Lowenthal, of Hungary; Stein, of Holland; Stamma, of Syria; Philidor, Deschappelles, and La Bourdeu- nais, of France; Ruy Lopez and Xerone, of Spain; Dubois, Salvio, Paoli Boi and Del Rio, of Italy; and Morphy of the United States. The East, where the game INTRODUCTION 5 originated, has also contributed to its liter- ature and the Asiatic names associated with it are : Sokeiker, Ehazes, Suli, Dami- ri, Ibn Sherf Mohammed, Ghulam Kas- sim and All Shatranji. While Chess is a purely scientific form of amusement, and one that requires con- stant practice and study, if a player de- sires to become skilled, it affords such pleasure to those who are among its de- votees and offers such exceptional oppor- tunities for mental development that no person of culture can afford to neglect it. Of course, the scope of the present volume only permits a survey of the general prin- ciples and laws of the game but the com- piler has endeavored to give the student a thorough groundwork for ordinary pur- poses; but for the benefit of those who wish to go into the minutest details of the most scientific play, a Bibliography has been prepared to which the student is re- ferred after he has mastered the contents of the present work. CHAPTEE II THE BOARD AND THE MEN- THE GAME. The Game of Chess is played on a board by two persons or parties, each hav- ing sixteen men; eight on the first rank called Pieces, and eight on the second rank, called Pawns. THE BOARD. A Chess Board is a perfect square which is further divided into sixty-four smaller squares of alternate, contrasting colors; one light or white, and one dark or black. The light colored square is always referred to as White, and the dark colored square is always referred to as Black. The board is placed between the two players so that each has a white square at his right hand, 6 THE BOARD AXD THE MEN 7 and one half of the board is called the King's Side, and the other half the Queen's Side, but the beginner will under- stand the arrangement more clearly when he is familiar with the men. THE MEN. The Game of Chess is played with thir- ty-two men, sixteen of which are light in color and referred to as White ; and sixteen dark and spoken of as Black. The player or party on one side of the board has the Black men while the player or party on the other side has the White men. The Chessmen are divided into two classes: Pieces and Pawns. When the board is set up the Pieces stand on the first rank and include : One King of each color, indicated by K. One Queen of each color, indicated by Q. HOW TO PLAY CHESS Two Bishops of each color, indicated B. jj * .gp-^7^-^ 4^^0WNk Two Knights of each color, indicated Two Books of each color, indicated by Formerly the word Castle was used, but it is now almost obsolete, the word Book being given the preference. The Pawns, of which there are eight of each color, are all alike in design and stand on the second rank at the open- ing of the game. They are indicated by P. <, . ^r\ 4fc SETTING UP THE BOARD. DIAGEAM I shows the board arranged for the play. The student will note that the King and Queen occupy the two mid- dle squares, each Queen being on the square of her own color. ]^ext come the Bishops, one 'on each side of the King and THE BOARD AND THE MEX 9 Queen; then the Knights, and finally the Eooks which occupy the corner squares. The Pawns are arranged on the squares in front of the Pieces. BLACK Queen's Side. King's Side. Queen's Side. King's Side. WHITE. DIAGRAM I. Pieces and Pawns in Position. 10 HOW TO PLAY ClIEtiti NAMES or THE PIECES AND PAWNS. The chessmen of each player are fur- ther named according to their positions upon the board. Thus, the Bishop next to the Queen is called the Queen's Bishop, indicated by QB ; and the Bishop next to the King is called the King's Bishop, in- dicated by KB. The Knight on the Queen's side is called the Queen's Knight, indicated by QKt, and the Knight on the King's side is called the King's Knight, indicated by KKt. The Eook on the Queen's side is called the Queen's Eook, indicated by QE, and the Eook on the King's side is called the King's Eook, in- dicated by KE. The Pawns are named after the Pieces in front of which they stand. Thus, be- ginning at the left (as shown in DIAGRAM i) the Pawns are called the Queen's Book's Pawn (QEP); the Queen's Knight's Pawn (QKtP) ; the Queen's Bishop's Pawn (QBP) ; the Queen's Pawn, (QP) ; the King's Pawn (KP) ; the King's Bish- THE BOARD AND THE MEN 11 op's Pawn, (KBP) ; the King's Knight's Pawn, (KKtP); and the King's Kook's Pawn, (KEP). The student should fa- miliarize himself with the letters by which the different Pieces and Pawns are distin- guished so that he may readily identify them, as the names are seldom used in full. NAMES OF THE SQUARES. The squares are named after the Pieces which occupy them at the beginning of the game. The square occupied by the Queen is called the Queen's Square (QSq) and the squares in front of it are numbered in order across the board thus : Q2 ; Q3 ; Q4 ; Q5; Q6; Q7; Q8. It will be noted from DIAGRAM ii., that Q8 of the Black Queen is the Queen's Square of the White Queen, as each player counts from his own side of the board. The names of the squares are abbreviated thus: KSq; K2 ; K3 ; K4; K5; K6; K7; KS ; KBSq; KB2 ; KB3; KB4; KB5; KBO ; KB7; KB8; KKtSq; KK>2; KKt3 KKt4; KKt5 ; KKt6 KKt7; KKt8; KESq; KE2 ; KE3; 12 HOW TO PLAY CHESS KR4 ; KR5 ; KE6 ; KEY ; KRS ; and cor- respondingly on the Queen's side. If the student will study DIAGRAM n with care, BLACK. osiyjp QKT. 8 QR6 L QR5 rn QR4 ft- QRSQ. n QKT.6 n QKT.3 n QKTSQ 990 -&W5 n D fl a K5 D D K5Q. D 'AB4 99N 6:3 KKr.4 KKT.3 K KT. K KT.SQ D KRsa WHITE. DIAGRAM II. Showing the Names of the Squaivs. he will have no difficulty in recognizing the different squares when reference is made to them. CHAPTEK III OBJECT OF THE GAME AND ORDER OF PRO- CEDURE The game of Chess, as already stated, is played by two persons or parties, and the object of each is to capture his opponent's King or place him in such a position that he cannot move without being taken. If the King is attacked, or threatened with capture, the attacking party must give warning by calling out " Check " ; and if the King, in the next move cannot avoid the attack he is " checkmate " or " mate " and the game is at an end, the person hav- ing first captured his opponent's King be- ing the winner. The student will note that the game stops one move short of the final play which takes the King. If, for any reason, the Kings occupy 13 14 HOW TO fLAY CHESS such positions upon the board that neither can be captured the game is drawn. The players first arrange the board as shown in DIAGRAM i, and draw lots for the color with which each is to play. The game is generally opened by. the White Men. When the player who has drawn the White Men moves a Piece or a Pawn, it is his opponent's turn, and so the game continues, each moving alternately, one man at a time, of his own color and cap- turing only the men of the opposite color. Under only one condition, of which the student will learn later, is a player allowed to make two moves in succession. Until a student has had considerable experience, and learned to play a game of his own he will do well to move each Piece once be- fore he has moved any Piece twice, as this will enable him to keep his forces together and prevent needless exposure and weak- ness in his defence and attack. Both distance and direction must be taken into consideration with every move, as well as the advantages that are to be OBJECT OF THE GAME 15 gained by moving any one Piece in pref- erence to another, but the student must be- come familiar with the relative value of the Pieces and Pawns and with their re- spective moves, before this can be made perfectly clear to him. CHAPTER IV THE- MOVES In learning the moves of the various Pieces and Pawns, the beginner is advised to have a board before him and to secure the assistance of an experienced player if available; for while they are very simple to understand when demonstrated, their description in words may sound compli- cated. The diagrams, however, should be carefully studied. THE KING'S MOVE^ The King may move one square at a time in any direction. Thus, when the Black King, for example, stands on Q5 he " commands/' or may move, to any one of the eight adjacent squares as indicated in DIAGRAM in. Should one of these squares be occupied, however, by one of 16 THE MOVES 17 his own men, he could not move to it, or should his adversary, the White King, be near, his move would be further restricted. BLACK. DIAGRAM III. The King's Move. For example : Suppose the Black King stands on Q5, a Black Pawn stands on K6 and the White King stands on K2. Wow 'l8 HOW TO PLAY CHESS the Black King commands all of the ad- joining squares, but he can only move to one of six of them and not to any one of the eight, as he could in DIAGRAM in. He cannot move to K6 because his own Pawn occupies it and also because the White King could move into it were he alone on the board. Nor can the Black King move into Q6, because that also is a square within the range of movement of his adversary, or one of the eight squares commanded by the White King were he alone upon the board. Thus, the sphere of influence of the two Kings overlaps at K6 and Q6 with the result that those two squares are neutral territory, forbidden to both by the fundamental laws of Chess, for the Kings must always have an inter- val of at least one square between them. As the object of the game is to capture or checkmate the adversary's King, it is readily seen that he is of paramount im- portance, and that the moves of all the other Pieces and Pawns are made with reference to him. THE MOVES THE QUEEN'S MOVE. 19 The Queen moves in any direction, like the King, but she is not restricted to dis- BLACK. f WHITE. DIAGRAM IV. The Queen's Move. tance and may cover any number of unoc- cupied squares to the limits of the board in a horizontal, vertical and diagonal line. 20 HOW TO PLAY CHESS Thus, a Queen on Q4, as shown in DIA- GRAM iv, commands twenty-seven squares. Owing to the squares at her command, she is the most powerful of the Pieces, but her power would be disproportionally great were it not that she can be exchanged only for the opposing Queen without material loss. When the Queen occupies a side square, the sum of the diagonal moves pos- sible to her is always seven. THE BISHOP'S MOVE. The Bishop moves over any number of unoccupied squares in a diagonal line, from which it will be seen that he always occupies squares of the same color as the one on which he stands at the beginning of the game. As the King's Bishop is on a square of one color and the Queen's Bishop on a square of another color, at the opening of the game, it will be seen that the two Bishops are easily distin- guished and never interfere with each other. From a center square, Q4, for ex- ample as shown on DIAGRAM v, the Bishop THE MOVES 21 commands thirteen squares. When he occupies a side square, however, the sum BLACK. WHITE. DIAGRAM V. The Bishop's Move. of the' diagonals to which he can move is always seven, the same as the Queen. 22 HOW TO PLAT CHESS THE KNIGHT'S MOVE. The Knight's move is L shaped and more difficult to explain than any of the BLACK. DIAGRAM VI. The Knight's Move. others. He moves horizontally or verti- cally in any direction, two squares for- THE MOVES 23 ward, and one square to either the right or the left, leaping over the intervening squares whether they are occupied or not. Thus the Knight on Q4 commands eight squares as shown on DIAGRAM vi. By placing the Knight on any of the center squares the student will see that his move appears to be a leap from the square on which he stands to the next but one of a different color. ,From a mathematical point, the Knight's move is the diagonal of a rectangle of six squares and is as reg- ular as that of any of the other Pieces. Owing to the character of his move he is less liable to resistance than any of the other Pieces. , THE ROOK'S MOVE. The Rook moves in four directions parallel to the sides of the board, and over any number of unoccupied squares. Thus, a rook standing on Q4 commands fourteen squares as shown in DIAGRAM vn and is next in power to the. Queen. 24 HOW TO PLAY ClIEtiti BLACK. WHITE. DIAGRAM VII. The Rook's Move. THE PAWN'S MOVE. The Pawn moves forward only, one square at a time ; excepting in the first move when it may move one or two squares at the option of the player. In moving THE MOVES 25 two squares, however, if the Pawn passes an adverse Pawn, it may be taken in pass- ing by the adversary. When a Pawn has advanced eight squares in any file, it must immediately be exchanged for a Piece of its own color, at the choice of its owner, after which it acts as if it were an original Piece just moved into that square by the player. From this it will be seen that there may be three or more Queens, Bishops, Knights or Eooks on the board at the same time be- longing to the same player, though the number of Chessmen belonging to each player can never exceed sixteen. This power of the Pawn to become a Piece in- creases its importance, in spite of its slow progress across the board and makes it of more value than would at first be imag- ined. A fine player may always be iden- tified by his judicious handling of the Pawns. While the Pawn's move is forward in M vertical line, its power of capturing radi- ,ates forward diagonally. Thus if a White 26 HOW TO PLAY C II ESS Pawn occupies QB3 and a Black Pawn stands on Q5, the White Pawn moves di- agonally from its QB3 to Q4 and captures the Black Pawn. If there were no ad- verse Piece to capture, the White Pawn would move to QB4. CHAPTER V TECHNICAL TERMS EXPLAINED Adverse Piece. A Piece of the oppo- site color. Attack. This term may be explained, in several different ways : (1) Any force commanding a square occupied by an adverse force is said to at- tack the latter, though attack may exist without power to capture. (2) A combined movement of two or more Pieces tending to compel the adver- sary to abandon some particular force or position. (3) A combination against the King or his position. (4) The player opening the game (gen- erally the White), makes the attack. (5) A strategic move directed against a weak part of the enemy's force. 27 28 HOW TO PLAY CHESS Blindfold Chess, or Chess Sans Voir. Games played without seeing either the board or the men. The power of playing at least one game in this way is generally acquired by every player ; and persons who are skilled in the science of Chess have been known to conduct as many as a dozen such games simultaneously. Capturing. Moving a Piece or Pawn into a square occupied by an adverse Piece or Pawn and taking or " capturing " it. Any Piece or Pawn may be captured with the exception of the King, his capture is accomplished by " checkmate." The vari- ous Pieces capture according to the direc- tion and extent of their respective moves. The Pawns, however, vary from this rule and are allowed to move one square for- ward in a diagonal line from the one on which they stand, in order to capture an adverse Piece or Pawn. Castling. A combined move of King and Rook allowed to each player once in a game and consisting of moving the Rook to the square next to the King, and TECHNICAL TERMS EXPLAINED 29 the King to the square on the other side of the Rook. After castling with the King's Rook the King occupies KKtSq. and the Rook occupies KBSq., as shown in DIAGKAM vin. After castling with (1) Before Castling. (2) After Castling. DIAGRAM VIII. Castling With The King's Rook. the Queen's Rook the King occupies QBSq. and the Rook occupies QSq. The conditions under which castling are al- lowed are: (1) That neither King nor Rook has been moved. 30 HOW TO PLAY C (2) That no Pieces or Pawns inter- vene. (3) That the King is not in check. (4) That the King does not have to cross and does not move to a square com- manded by an opposing Piece or Pawn. Center. Pawns in the middle field, es- pecially if well supported. It is usually a great object to keep the center intact, or unbroken and to break the center of the adversary if it be stronger. Check. The warning which must be given when the adversary's King is at- tacked. In such a case, the King is said to be " in check " and the threatened cap- ture must be avoided by : (1) Taking the attacking Piece or Pawn. (2) Moving the King. (3) Interposing or moving another Piece or Pawn between the King and the attacking Piece or Pawn. For example, if the White King stands on QR4 and the Black Queen's Eook stands on QE8, then the White King is TECHNICAL TERMS EXPLAINED 31 in check by the Black Rook. White may avoid the check by moving his King to QKt3, QKt4 or QKt5; or he may take the attacking Piece with his Bishop sup- posing it to be on Q4, in a diagonal line with the square occupied by the attacking Eook. ^Checkmate, or Mate. A position in which the King cannot by any means avoid being captured by the opposing force. An example of simple checkmate is shown in DIAGRAM ix. The student will see that if the White King remains where he is he can be taken by the Black Knight; if he moves to KBSq. or KKt2, he can be taken by the Black Bishop as both of those squares are commanded by him ; and if he moves into KR2 again, he comes within the sphere of influence of the Black Knight whom he is trying to avoid. Thus, it will be seen that he has no means of es- cape. Close Game. A game in which the de- velopment of the Pieces is effected chiefly behind the Pawns. This method requires 32 HOW TO PLAT CHESS the greatest accuracy and judgment and is only adopted by the most experienced players. (See Open Game). BLACK. WHITE. DIAGRAM IX. Checkmate. Combination. The concerted action of two or more Pieces for a particular ob- ject; two or more moves for a common TECHNICAL TERMS EXPLAINED 33 purpose. Skill in making effective com- binations is accounted the surest test of a Chess player. Command. A square is commanded when any Piece or Pawn occupying it may be attacked. A Piece is said to command a square when it can move into it. Counter Attack. An indirect and ef- fective way of neutralizing an attack. For example, a combination against one King may be halted or destroyed by an equally strong combination against the other; or an attacked force may be successfully guarded by an attack upon an equal or greater adverse Piece or Pawn. Counter Gambit. The sacrifice of some part of the second player's force, usually a Pawn, in the opening of the game to obtain an advantage in position. (See Openings and Gambit). Debut. Opening. Defence. The correlative of attack. The second player, generally the Black, at the beginning of the game, is said to have the defence, as the first player is said to 34 HOW TO PLAY CHESS have the attack. Defensive measures are those taken to provide against or to repel attack. To defend a Piece or Pawn is to protect or support it from or against an adversary. Develop. To develop a Piece or Pawn is to bring it from the comparatively pow- erless and inactive position which it oc- cupies at the beginning of the game to a position which is more favorable for de- fence or attack. To develop a game is to bring all or nearly all of the Pieces and Pawns into positions of defence or attack. Development. The early positions of the forces for defence or attack. In a good or strong development, the forces co- operate without much obstruction. In a bad or weak development, there is need- less obstruction and lack of co-operation which frequently leads to a permanent dis- advantage. Discovered Check. An attack opened upon the King by the removal of an inter- vening Piece or Pawn. For example: If the Black King occupies KKtY, the White TECHNICAL TERMS EXPLAINED 35 Bisliop occupies KKt5, and the White Queen occupies KKt8, by removing the Bishop the file is opened to the Queen and the adverse King is attacked. Mov- ing the Bishop is said to " discover check." Double Check. The simultaneous at- tack, by two Pieces, upon the King. Double Pawn. Two Pawns on the same file. End Game. The stage at which the forces of both sides have become so re- duced that theoretical analysis is- again possible. A complete and perfect game of Chess is divided into three parts: (a) The Opening. (b) The Middle Game. (c) The End Game. Each of these will be discussed at length in later chapters. En Passant. Taken in passing. If a Pawn, in its first move, passes an adverse Pawn the latter, in its next move only, may capture it en passant as if it had moved only one square. Thus if there is 36 BOW TO PLAY CHESS a White Pawn on Q5 and Black Pawns on QB2 and K2, and either of the Black Pawns moves two squares, to QB4 or K4, it may be captured en passant by the White Pawn. En Prise. A Piece or Pawn is en prise when it is not fully defended and can be taken by the adversary. The term is used with reference to everything but the King and corresponds with check or checkmate. A Piece or Pawn is en prise, while the King is in check. Establish. A Piece or Pawn is estab- lished when it occupies a position from which it cannot be dislodged, and whence it exercises a direct influence upon the op- posing force. Exchange. To take force for force. In it there may be equality or relative gain or loss. * To win an exchange is to capture a Rook in return for the loss of a Knight or a Bishop. To lose an exchange is to capture a Bishop or Knight in exchange for a Eook. False Move. A move that is eontradic- TECHNICAL TERMS EXPLAINED 37 tory to the fundamental laws of Chess. For example, to move a Bishop like a King, or a Queen like a Knight, is a false move and subjects the player to certain penalties. Files. The rows of squares across the board, from one player to another and dis- tinguished from the Ranks which are the horizontal rows of squares. The files are named after the Pieces which occupy them at the beginning of the game. Thus, from White's side beginning at the right, we have the King's Rook's file, the King's Knight's file, the King's Bishop's file and the King's file, and so on across to the Queen's Rook's file. (See Ranks). Force. A term used to refer to a Piece or Pawn. Fork. The attack by a Knight upon two adverse Pieces or Pawns. It is also used to describe the double attack of a Queen, Bishop or Pawn. A common and fatal example of a fork is found when the White Knight occupies K3, and the Black King occupies KB8, and the Black Queen, 38 HOW TO PLAY CHESS KKt5. The King, being in check, must move, which leaves the Queen at the mercy of the adverse Knight. Gambit. A voluntary surrender, or proffer, of a Piece or Pawn by the first player at the early part of the game, with a view to subsequent advantage. Game. In addition to its ordinary meaning the term has a technical mean- ing which is explained under " Opening." Interpose. To move a Piece or Pawn between an attacked and attacking Piece or Pawn. The term is frequently used in connection with the King. When he is in check, and a Piece or Pawn is placed be- tween him and the attacking Piece or Pawn, that Piece or Pawn is said to be " interposed." Illegal Move. A move which, while not in opposition to the fundamental laws of movement, is still contradictory to the ordinary rules of play, under the particu- lar circumstances of the case, such as mov- ing out of turn ; moving an adverse Piece or Pawn ; castling to avoid check, or cast- TECHNICAL TERMS EXPLAINED 39 ling after the King or Rook has been moved. Isolated Pawn. A Pawn is said to be isolated when there are no Pawns of the same color on the adjoining files. J'adoube. The French for " I ad- just"; an expression that is used by a player when he wishes to touch a man that he does not intend to play or to take. Without this declaration, the Piece or Pawn touched must be moved or captured in the player's next turn if the conditions permit. Man. The generic name for any Chess figure or force, including the Pieces and Pawns. There are thirty-two Chessmen, sixteen Pieces and sixteen Pawns, as al- ready stated. Mate. See " Checkmate." Mating Force. Any force that is suffi- cient to mate the lone King; such as the Queen or Rook. Middle Game, or Mid-Game. That stage of a game when the Pieces and Pawns are all, or nearly all, ready for 40 HOW TO PLAY CLLEtiti action; and said to begin when theoretical analysis ends. Many of the most bril- liantly played games are brought to a fin- ish in the " Middle Game/' before " End Game " positions are reached. Minor Piece. The Bishop or Knight in contradistinction to the more valuable mating forces such as the Queen or Rook. Move. The person who begins the game has the move ; a slight but uncertain advantage. The term is also used with reference to the person whose turn it is to play, when a critical stage of the game is reached, and the issues have been fairly joined, or the contest is drawing to a close. In such a case the person who plays next has the move. Notation. The system or method of re- cording the moves of a game. Odds. An initiary advantage conceded to a weaker player by a stronger one. All important Chess clubs have a carefully graded scale of odds, marking the classes of players. A common gradation is given in the following: TECHNICAL TERMS EXPLAINED 41 (1) Pawn and move. (When a Pawn is conceded the KBP is understood unless another is specified.) The player giving the odds takes his KBP off the board and his adversary has the first move. (2) Pawn and two moves. The player giving the odds takes off his KBP as be- fore and his opponent has the first two successive moves. (3) Knight. (4) Kook. (5) Two minor Pieces. (6) Queen. Open File. A file having all of its squares unoccupied. Open Game. A game in which the de- velopment of the Pieces is accomplished in advance of the Pawns. Moving the KP to K4 as a first move on both sides generally leads to an open game, but open games depend upon the positions resulting from the openings, irrespective of the first moves. Openings. The first few moves in a game, or those by which the Pieces and 42 HOW TO PL A^ CUEtiti Pawns are liberated and arranged for ac- tion against the enemy. Openings have been a study of all skilled Chess players and are a subject of keen controversy. Those which are not given in standard works on the subject, or are not classics, are called " Irregular Openings." Open- ings are known as : (1) Games, when neither player makes any concession or offers his adversary any initial advantage. (2) Gambits, when the first player voluntarily gives up some part of his forces, generally a Pawn, for the sake of obtaining an advantage in position. (3) Counter-gambits, when the sacri- fice is made by the second player. (4) Defences, when the moves of the second player give the game its distinctive character. All recognized openings have some dis- tinguishing name, generally one that is associated with some notable chess player or one that is identical with that of the inventor of the particular opening. Dif- TECHNICAL TERMti EXPLAINED 43 f ercnt openings will be discussed at length, in a later chapter. Opposition. The possession, by the King, of a certain key square which forces the adverse King to take up a less favor- able position. If the White King stands on K3, and the Black King on K8, then the King who has the move loses the op- position. The value of the opposition de- pends upon the number, value and posi- tion of the other Pieces and Pawns upon the board, but the student can not be ex- pected to understand it until he has at- tained some skill in playing the game. r Passed Pawn. One that has no adverse Pawn in front of it, either on its own file or on one of the adjoining files. Pawns. The name given to the in- ferior Chessmen which stand on the sec- ond rank at the beginning of the game. Perpetual Check. A position in which the King finds, that by avoiding one check, he renders himself liable to another a series of checks from which he cannot escape. For example ; If the Black King 44: HOW TO PLAY CHESS occupies KRSq., and the White Queen oc- cupies K8, then the Black King is in per- petual check, for he can only move one square at a time. To avoid the check he must move to KR2 whereupon the White Queen moves to KE5, again giving check. The King then moves to KKtsq. and the Queen again checks him from K8. Thus the check continues to be perpetual wher- ever he moves. In all cases of perpetual check the game is drawn. Pieces. The name given to the Chess- men of superior value which stand on the first rank at the beginning of the game. The term is also used by some authorities to refer to all the chessmen, including the Pawns. Pin. A force is said to be pinned when it cannot move without exposing a more valuable Piece to attack from the enemy. The term is generally used with reference to a Piece or Pawn that is protecting a King or Queen. Pion Coiffe, or Narked Pawn. A de- scription of odds that is rarely given, and TECHNICAL TERMS EXPLAINED 45 only when one player is much more skilled than the other. The superior player puts a cap or ring on one of his Pawns, gener- ally the KKtP, and undertakes to check- mate the adverse King with that partic- ular Pawn. He is not allowed to Queen it, and if he loses it or checkmates with any other Piece or Pawn he loses the game. Position. The situation of the Pieces and Pawns in general at any given stage of the game. The relative situation of the forces on either side, as between them- selves, and as they are disposed with refer- ence to the enemy. A player has a good position when his forces have free scope for action, and can be combined for de- fence or attack. A player has a poor po- sition when his Pieces and Pawns are hampered and when they cannot support one another for defence or attack. Problem. An imaginary position in which the correct line of play is concealed and has to be discovered, under different 46 HOW TO PLAY CHESS conditions. Problems may be divided into two classes: (1) Direct mate, in which White mov- ing first has to force a checkmate in a given number of moves, generally two, three, or four. (2) Suimate, in which White, playing first, has to force Black to checkmate him in a given number of moves. Problems involving other conditions are known as puzzles. Protect. To guard or support a Piece by the interposition of another force be- tween the Piece attacked and the attacking Piece. A superior force is protected or covered from attack by an inferior one. Queening a Pawn or Advancing a Pawn to Queen. When a player has advanced a Pawn to the eighth, or last, square of a file, it assumes the rank and power of a Queen or any other Piece, excepting a King, that the player chooses, in which case he is said to have Queened a Pawn. Ranks. The horizontal rows of squjuvs across the board, from one side to the TECHNICAL TERMS EXPLAINED 47 other. They are numbered from one (1) to eight (8), each player counting from his own side of the board. (See File). Sacrifice. The voluntary loss of a Piece or Pawn in order to obtain a later and more decisive advantage. Sans Voir. See Blindfold Chess. Smothered Mate. A checkmate some- times given by the Knight when the ad- verse King is hemmed in, or smothered, by his own forces. Stalemate. A position in which a player cannot make any legal move, in con- sequence of which the game is considered drawn. For example: Suppose Black still has a King and a Rook on the board, and White has a King and a Queen. Black's King stands on QR and his Rook on QB2 ; while White's King is on QB3 and his Queen on QB4. It is White's move, but if he takes his Queen from in front of his King, he exposes it to check from the adversary's Rook. If he moves the King, then his Queen will be cap- tured and the game will have to be drawn, 48 now TO PLAY CHESS and if lie takes Black's Rook with the Queen, then the adverse King will be placed in a similar position, i. e., stale- mate. Support. A force is supported when it is within the range of another of the same color that would be in a position to cap- ture it were it an enemy. An attacking force is supported by another Piece or Pawn which commands the square or po- sition attacked. Take. To capture. Time. A condition of modern match and tournament play which requires that each player shall make a given number of moves within a specified time ; generally from fifteen to twenty moves per hour. To Play. To move. White's turn to play means that it is his turn to move. Wings. The extreme flanks to right and left in advance on the enemy's ground. From White's side of the board the ex- treme right is the King's Wing and the extreme left, the Queen's Wing. CHAPTER VI CHESS RULES I. The board must be so placed between the two players, that each has a white square at his right hand corner. II. If a board is incorrectly arranged it may be adjusted, provided the error is discovered before either of the players has made more than three moves. When more than three moves have been made on either side, the players must continue the game without correcting the position of the Board. III. The chessmen must be of a pat- tern in general use and any player may object to playing with men of a foreign design, provided the objection is made be- fore the first move. A game once begun must be completed with the same set of men. 49 50 HOW TO PLAY CHESS IV. If, at any stage of the game, either player discovers that a Piece or Pawn has been omitted or wrongly placed in setting up the board, the game must be annulled, no matter how far it may have progressed. V. The choice of color with which each person plays is decided by drawing lots; and the person who draws the White men is entitled to the first move unless other- wise agreed. In a match or series of games between the same players, each retains the color which he drew for the first game, but the first move of each successive game alternates between them. If a game is an- nulled, however, the person who opened that game has the privilege of making the first move in the next game. VII. When odds are given, the odds- giver has the choice of men and the first move in each game unless otherwise agreed. VIII. The players move alternately, one Piece or Pawn at a time, except in castling; and in no case does a player make two moves in succession, unless they are given as odds. CHESS RULES 51 IX. If a player touch one of his own Pieces or Pawns, he must move it, if he can do so legally. If he cannot legally move it, he must move his King. If a player touch more than one of his own Pieces or Pawns, he must move any one of them which his opponent may select; if none of them can be legally moved, he must move his King. If a player touch one of his opponents Pieces or Pawns, he must take it if it can be taken legally; but if he cannot take it legally, he must move his King. If a player touch more than one of his oppo- nent's Pieces or Pawns, he must take any one of them which his opponent may se- lect; or if none of them can be taken le- gally, he must move his King. The touch- ing of a force implies an intention to move or lake it, according as it is the player's own or his opponents; but if a player wishes to touch a Piece or Pawn for the purpose of adjusting it on the board, etc., lie must make his intention clear by say- ing " PADOUBE," or words to that effect, 52 HOW TO PLAY CHESS before touching it. It must also be under- stood, that in compelling a player to move a particular Piece, the opponent can only indicate the Piece to be moved, not the par- ticular move it shall make. X. A legal move is complete and irre- vocable when the player making it has ceased to touch the man moved, but as long as his hand remains in contact with it, he may move it to any square which it commands and which he has not touched with it during his deliberation. If a play- er after taking hold of a Piece or Pawn touches with it all the squares which it commands, he must move it to any one of them which his adversary may select. XI. A Pawn on reaching the eighth rank must be queened or exchanged for any other Piece, except a King, that the player may select; and the move is not complete until the player has made the exchange. XII. Each player may castle once dur- ing a game with either his King's Eook or CHESS RULES 53 his Queen's Rook under the following con- ditions : (a) If neither his King nor the Rook with which he intends to castle has been moved. (b) If the squares between the King and Rook are unoccupied. (c) If the King is not in check. (d) If the King in moving does not cross a square commanded by any opposing man. A player must make evident his inten- tion to castle by either : (a) Moving his King first, or (b) Moving King and Rook simulta- neously. XIII. The capture of a Pawn en pas- sant is a forced move if no other move is possible. XIV. If a player makes a false or il- legal move when it is his turn to play, he must retract it and make a legal move or move his King as his opponent may select. If he captures a Piece or Pawn belonging to his adversary in an illegal or false move, 54 HOW TO PLAY CHE 88 he must take that Piece or Pawn legally or move his King as his adversary may select, XV. Moving out of turn is an illegal move. XVI. If a player, in attacking his ad- versary, fails to call " Check/' he cannot exact any penalty if his opponent fails to notice the check. XVII. When check is given, any move made by the player, whose King is in check, is illegal if it does not stop the check. XVIII. If a false or illegal move is found to have been made, in a game, all subsequent moves must be retracted, and a proper move made, after which the game proceeds as if no error had been mad?. But if the source of the manifest illegal or false move cannot be traced, then the game must be annulled. XIX. In the case of a dispute between the players, if the question is one of fact, it must be referred to a bystander or um- pire ; and if it is a question of law it must CHE88 RULES 55 be referred to any acknowledged author- ity on the game. The decision, in either case, must be final and accepted by both players. XX. Bystanders or umpires are not al- lowed to interfere in a game of Chess or with the players, except under the follow- ing conditions : (a) When appealed to to settle a ques- tion of fact. (b) When a Piece or Pawn has been omitted or misplaced in setting up the Board. (c) When a false or illegal move has been made, but only after another move has been made to allow the players time to discover the error. XXI. If a bystander interferes in a game, or gives advice to either player as to his move, or cautions or encourages him in any way by voice or gesture, the game must be annulled. XXII. If a player waives his right to impose a penalty or agrees to depart from the rules of the game, he cannot demand a 56 UOW TO PLAY CHEtiS like concession from his adversary. A player cannot impose a penalty after he has made his own next move or touched a Piece or Pawn in reply to the illegal or false move of his adversary. XXIII. When a Piece or Pawn touched cannot be legally moved, and when the King cannot be legally moved, no penalty can be exacted. XXIV. When the King is moved as a penalty, he cannot be castled. 'XXV. When a game is played by time, and when a player is considering what pen- alty to inflict, the time shall be counted against him and not against his adversary. XXVI. Each player must make a given number of moves (generally eighteen) within an hour, which is arranged for at the beginning of the game, and if a player fails to make the given number of moves within the specified time he forfeits the game. XXVII. Each player must keep his ad- versary's time, but he is not obliged to CHEMti RULES 57 give his adversary any information con- cerning it. XXVIII. A player loses a game: (a) When a dispute arises and he re- fuses to accept the opinion of a bystander or umpire, or that of a recognized author- ity. (b) When he ceases to play and fails to resume within a reasonable time. (c) When he wilfully disarranges the men or upsets the board. XXIX. A player may claim a draw : (a) When the same move, or series of moves, has been repeated three times. (b) When the same position has oc- curred three times, it being the same play- er's turn to move each time. (c) When, after fifty moves, no Piece or Pawn has been captured by either side. RULES WHEN ODDS ARE GIVEN. XXX. The player giving odds is en- titled to the choice of color and to the first move unless otherwise agreed. 58 HOW TO PLAY CHESS XXXI. When a Pawn is given as odds it is to be the King's Bishop's Pawn. XXXII. The player receiving the odds of a move or moves must not play any Piece or Pawn beyond the fourth rank, or beyond the middle of the board, before his adversary has made a move. XXXIII. A player giving the odds of the exchange may remove whichever Hook he may select, and he may also call upon his opponent to remove either Knight or Bishop. XXXIV. A player receiving two or more moves as odds must make those moves at once and they are to be counted collec- tively as if they were his first move. XXXV. A player giving a Knight or Book, or two minor Pieces, as odds, may remove whichever Knight or Book or minor Pieces he may choose. XXXVI. A player giving a Book as odds cannot castle on the side from which the Book was taken. XXXVII. When a player undertakes CHEtiti RULES 59 to mate with a particular Pawn, he may not Queen it. XXXVIII. When a player undertakes to mate on a particular square, his adver- sary's King must be on the square in ques- tion when it is mated. XXXIX. If a player undertakes to win a game in a particular way, he is to be adjudged the loser if he wins it in any other way, or if the game is drawn. (The rules for ordinary play apply when odds are given unless they are obviously inapplicable). RULES FOB PLAY BY CONSULTATION. XL. Each player is bound by the move communicated to the adversary, whether such move be declared by word of mouth, in writing, or be made on the adversary's board. XLI. If the move communicated dif- fer from that made on the player's own board, the latter must be altered. XLII. If a move, as communicated, admit of more than one interpretation, the 60 HOW TO PLAY CHESS adversary may adopt whichever interpreta- tion he chooses. He must, however, before making his move, announce which inter- pretation he adopts, otherwise the move is to be interpreted according to the inten- tion of the player making it. XLIII. A player moving more than one man (except in castling) or moving a man when it is not his turn to play, shall for* f eit the game. XLIV. If either player permit a by- stander to take part in a consultation game, the adversary may claim a win. XLV. If any bystander interfere by sign, word, or gesture, in a consultation game, such game shall be null and void. (The rules of ordinary play also apply to consultation play unless obviously inap- plicable). RULES FOB PLAY BY CORRESPONDENCE, XLVI. An umpire or referee shall be appointed whose decision shall be final upon all questions submitted to him. XLVIL A move is final and cannot be CHESS RULES 61 recalled when dispatched by the medium agreed upon before the beginning of the game. If it is a false or illegal move, the person making it is subject to the same penalties that he would be subjected to were he playing over the board. XLVIII. If a move is sent in such a way that it admits of more than one in- terpretation, the adversary may interpret it to suit himself. When sending his own move in return, however, he must state which interpretation he used, otherwise the move must be made according to the intention of the sender. XLIX. A player is not obliged to send more than one move at a time, and if he does he must abide by those moves if they are legal, and if not he must pay the pen- alties for false or illegal moves. L. When no penalty for delay has been agreed upon, the person who fails to send his move on or before the appointed time forfeits the game. LI. If a player accepts assistance other than that which may have been agreed 62 HOW TO PLAY CHESS upon at the beginning of the game, he loses the game. LIT. If a player sends an unintelligible move, he is subject to the same penalty that he would have to pay if he did not send any move at all; but the opponent must announce to the umpire that the move in question is not intelligible. (The rules for ordinary play also apply to play by correspondence unless obviously inapplicable). CHAPTER VII SUGGESTIONS FOR BEGINNERS When the beginner is familiar with the rules of Chess, with the moves of the vari- ous Pieces and Pawns, and understands the meanings of the technical terms used in playing the game, he is ready to put into practice what he has learned. But before beginning the first game, there are a few general suggestions which he will find helpful until he has acquired suffi- cient skill to develop a system of play for himself. In Chess, as in everything else, there are exceptions where hard and fast rules cannot always be followed. FAMILIARITY WITH TECHNICAL TERMS. Experienced players of all games use technical terms with a facility that is awe- inspiring to the beginner; and his ignor- 63 64 HOW TO PLAT CHESS ance of their meanings often causes him much embarrassment, to say nothing of poor playing. For this reason the student should become thoroughly familiar with the language of Chess, studying the defini- tions of the technical terms and illustrat- ing the positions on the Chessboard. The use of the board in studying the terms cannot be too strongly urged, for only in this way can a player recognize the character of the moves when he puts his study into practice. Then when he is a spectator of a game played by persons of experience and much can be learned by observation he will be familiar with the technical terms which apply to the various positions resulting from the moves. PLAYING WITH EITHER COLOR. The student must learn to play with both the White and the Black men, thus being able to play a game of defence or at- tack. In most books on the subject of Chess, it is generally understood that the SUGGESTIONS FOR BEGINNERS 65 student plays with the White men, but this is a mistake, for when he comes to lay aside his textbook and play with someone else, he may draw the Black men which puts him at a disadvantage, and he is like- ly to make moves that are favorable to his opponent with the idea that the White men must win. He is, also, liable to move a White man by mistake and then he must pay the penalty of a false move. He will find it helpful to substitute Black men for White men in illustrative moves, and fig- ure out for himself to which square a Black Piece or Pawn should move figuring from Black's side. VALUE OF PRACTICING ONE GAME. Until a person has become a really sci- entific Chess player, he cannot be expected to know all the different games ; and as a little knowledge on many subjects is dan- gerous, the student will find it very help- ful to play one game over and over, pref- erably, of course, some match or tourna- ment game, until he is familiar with- every 66 HOW TO PLAY CHESS move and with the reasoning that prompt- ed it. In this connection, he will do well to try varying the moves and seeing the results, as it will help him to understand why the particular moves made by the orig- inal players were the only scientific ones to make under the circumstances. The student, when playing with others, should study a game of his own and play it over and over until he has corrected all of the weaknesses in his methods of attack and defence ; and he should study out for himself how to vary his system of play to meet and conquer his opponent. For only in this way will he be able to cope with unexpected positions upon the Chess- board. It is very well to follow the rules and systems of scientific players, but if the student's opponent does not follow the same system and make the correct moves in return, the student's knowledge will be of little avail and luck may win for the ignorant player an advantage that rightly belonged to the one who was familiar with the science of the game, but who failed to SUGGESTIONS FOR BEGINNERS 67 vary his general system of play to meet unexpected situations. The game of Chess, however, is like a battle and the general who changes his tactics too often suffers in consequence. The object of the game is, of course, to checkmate the King, and be- fore the first move, the player should de- termine in his own mind how he is going to do it and then develop the fighting qual- ities of his men accordingly. Only in this way can the beginner ever expect to play a really scientific game. It is fatal to move a man without having some object in view, and unless the other moves follow it up, any strength in position that was gained by that move is of no avail. PLAYING BY TIME. In the early days of Chess-playing, peo- ple used to take literally weeks in which to make a single move, as they wished to study every possible situation which might develop therefrom. The Chessboard would become grey with dust and all interest, as far as the spectators were concerned, would 68 HOW TO PLAY CHESS be gone. To-day, conditions have changed and now there is a rule that each player must make a given number of moves with- in a certain period, and if a player fails to do this he forfeits the game. For this rea- son, the student should learn, from the very beginning, to think quickly and be ready to make his move when his turn comes. Quick playing sustains the inter- est of the game and adds to the pleasure of the players, as well as to that of the spec- tators. In Chess Clubs and in match and tour- nament games, a system of clocks or watches is used so that the length of time it takes each player to make a move can be recorded, just as time is taken in races and other contests of skill and speed. When a beginner is hurried, however, he becomes nervous and makes unnecessary mistakes; and to avoid this, he should learn to play by time and then he will not be embar- rassed by keeping his opponent waiting for him to make his move. SUGGESTIONS FOR BEGINNERS 69 DEVELOPING THE GAME, In developing a game of Chess, the be- ginner should remember this maxim: Move no Piece or Pawn twice, until each has been moved once. By following this principle none of the forces will be need- lessly exposed to attack from the enemy, for it is true of Chessmen that divided they fall, and united they stand. The student should, also, develop his game on both wings that is on the King's side and on the Queen's side before begin- ning an attack. As the student progresses he will learn that there are many Chess openings and that each develops a certain line of play, which he must follow up; otherwise, his study of the subject is of no avail for the object of an opening is to lead up to a certain line of play, for de- fence or attack. THE. VALUE OF THE, PIECES. The King. As the King is of greatest importance, the student should consider 70 BOW TO PLAY CHESS him first, and before beginning to play de- termine how he is to be handled. For- merly, it was the custom for skilled players to keep this Eoyal Force in a corner out of harm's way, but the modern tendency is to develop him as a fighting Piece and bring him into the field. The beginner must remember that the King cannot be castled after he has been moved and that it is advantageous to retain the privilege of castling as long as possible, if it does not interfere with the development of the game. Whn attack is made on the Queen's wing, it is well to castle with the King's Rook and vice versa. Ordinarily, the King is safest in his own file or in the Queen's file, for then he cannot be driven into a corner from which he has no means of es- cape. The Queen. After the King, the Queen is next in importance; and as the student has already learned, she commands more squares than any of the other Pieces. By comparing her strength with that of the SUGGESTIONS FOR BEGINNERS 71 other Pieces, the student will see that she is about double the value of a Rook, ex- cept in end-game positions when two Rooks co-operating could accomplish more than a Queen. An adverse Rook on the same rank or file as the Queen is very dangerous, no matter how many Pieces and Pawns may come between, and the player should guard against it by capturing the adverse Rook, if it can be done without sacrifice, or by moving the Queen into a safer posi- tion. The Rook. The Rook is a mating force like the Queen, and two Rooks co-operat- ing are equal in value to three minor Pieces. Because of the number of squares which the Rooks command, they are of greatest value in end game positions, when the board is comparatively clear and the ranks and files are open. The beginner, however, must not leave the development of his Rooks until too late in the game, for if he does he will find himself with bad positions which it is too late to remedy. They must not be moved, though, until the 72 HOW TO PLAY CHESS player has determined whether it is to his advantage to castle ; and if his decision is in the affirmative, he must decide whether he will castle with the King's Rook or with the Queen's Rook, before either has been moved. The Bishop. The Bishop and the Knight are of about equal value, though in the middle game, the latter has the ad- vantage. In the end game, however, the Knight is at a disadvantage if there are no other Pieces to support him, because of the character of his move. In this case, two Bishops can accomplish more than two Knights or a Knight and a Bishop. Bish- ops are particularly strong when command- ing long diagonals and should be devel- oped early in the game. The Knight. This Piece is equal in value to three Pawns and is the best Piece with which to begin an attack, as his move is not hampered by intervening forces, or a crowded board. Two Knights co-oper- ate most successfully when not protecting each other. To avoid attack from a Knight, SUGGESTIONS FOR BEGINNERS 73 the player should move the Piece threat- ened to the square next but one in the same diagonal as that in which the Knight stands. He cannot then attack for three moves. The player who castles with his King's Rook must look out for an adverse Knight on his KB5. The Pawn. The Pawn is of less value than any of the other Chessmen and can- not take a very prominent part in the game when isolated. His greatest value is real- ized, however, when he forms part of a diagonal ; and diagonals of pawns are most effective when inclining toward the center of the board, and not toward the wings. As Pawns move only one square at a time, excepting in the first move, their progress is slow, but if developed together it is pos- sible for one or more of them to reach the eighth rank and be Queened. For this reason, they should not be needlessly sacri- ficed. Only skillful players fully appre- ciate what can be done with them, and use them to the best advantage. In the open- ing or middle game, Pawns are more easily 74: HOW TO PLAY CHESS supported on K4 or Q4, than when fur- ther advanced. Pawns on these squares should be maintained abreast as long as possible; for if one is advanced, the posi- tion of the other is weakened. The stud- ent will find it beneficial to study end games in which Pawns take part in the checkmate, and also Pawn moves in gen- eral throughout the game. STUDYING THE BOARD. It is of great importance that the be- ginner acquires a clear idea of the appear- ance of the board so that he can see it in his " Mind's Eye," when it is not really before him. He should be able to tell at once what squares are commanded by a certain Piece in a given position, and he should also be able to play on boards with squares of other color combinations than the one with which he is familar, such as red and white, black and white, black and yellow, brown and yellow, etc. He must also accustom himself to play with squares of a different size, though when possible, SUOOESTION8 FOR BEGINNERS 7^ he should always use a board that has squares measuring 2 by 2, or 2% by 2^ inches in size. Chessmen of the Staun- ton pattern are preferable, and they should always be loaded so as not to upset easily. CHAPTER VIII SYSTEMS OF NOTATION Notation is the method or system by which the various moves or plays in a game of Chess are recorded. There are two sys- tems in general use ; and the student should become familiar with them both. The first and most important is the English, or Philidor's Notation, and the second is the German Notation. The former system is used in all of the Latin and English speak- ing countries, while the latter is used in Germany and in the countries of the North. ENGLISH NOTATION. In recording the moves of a game by the English system of notation it is neces- sary to indicate four things :- - (1) The color of the man moved. 76 SYSTEMS OF NOTATION 77 (2) The name of the man moved. (3) The square to which the move has been made. (4) The number of the move or turn. The student has already learned the names of the Pieces and Pawns and the names of the squares. He also knows that they are referred to by their initial let- ters, as for example KB for King's Bishop, and QKt5 for Queen's Knight's fifth square, so he has now only to learn the abbreviations and signs and the way that the moves are arranged to indicate the color of the man played, and the number of the turn when the move was made. For example: If the student wishes to record that in the first turn of each side White moved his King's Pawn to his King's fourth square, and Black moved his Queen's Knight to his Queen's Bishop's third square he could write it in the form of two columns, with the name of each color at the head thus : WHITE. BLACK. (1) KP to K4 QKt. to QB3 78 HOW TO PLAY CHESS The student will note that White is placed in the first column as it is generally understood to play first, and that the num- ber of the move is also placed before White's move, it being unnecessary to re- peat it before Black's move as Black's move, always following White's, would have the same number. For further abbre- viation the dash ( ) is used in place of the word " to." If the Piece or Pawn moved had captured an adverse Piece or Pawn, the name of the force moved and the name of the force captured would be given, but instead of using the word " take," or " capture " a multiplication sign ( X ) is used. Thus if a Queen takes a Bishop it would be recorded QXB. Frequently, in notation, it is not essen- tial to indicate whether it is a Piece be- longing to the King or to the Queen that has been moved, for it rarely happens that the player has the option of moving a Queen's Bishop or a King's Bishop, etc. The Pawns are also designated only by the initial P. The student will also observe SYSTEMS OF NOTATION 79 that it is not always essential to indicate in the case of a Queen's move to a Knight's square whether it is the QKt. or the KKt., as it is seldom that the player would have the choice of moves. Sometimes, for the sake of brevity, even the dash ( ) which indicates " to " is omitted and the move recorded PK4. In analytical works, even more concise arrangements of the moves are used, than that of arranging them in columns with White's moves on one side, and Black's on the other. The student will find them written in the form of fractions, with White's move as the numerator, above the line, and Black's move as the denominator, below the line. Thus: QKt QB3 QXB. The number of the move must always be placed before it, parallel with the line which divides the White move from the Black move. In notes or annotations to a game, the moves are written as a se- ries with a semi-colon to separate White's move from that of Black. White's move 80 HOW TO PLAT CHESS being placed first, thus: (1) P K4; P Q4, indicates that in the first move of the game White moved his Pawn to his King's fourth square, and Black moved his Pawn to his Queen's fourth square. Certain technical terms are also abbre- viated in the English system of notation. Those essential for the student to know are: Ch. for Check. When the Piece or Pawn moved gives check. Dis. ch. for Discovered Check. When the Piece or Pawn moved discovers check. E. P. for En Passant. When the Pawn captures en passant. Mate for Checkmate. When the Piece or Pawn checkmates. 0-0 for Castling. When the player castles with his King's Rook. 0-0-0 for Castling. When the player castles with his Queen's Eook. ? after a move indicates that it is a poor or inferior play. / after a move indicates that it is a good or scientific play. SYSTEMS OF NOTATION GERMAN NOTATION. 81 Before taking up the study of German notation, the student must make a careful BLACK. c d e 1 c d e f WHITE. DIAGRAM X. German Notation. examination of DIAGEAM x, which shows him how the squares on a German 82 HOW TO PLAY CHESS Chessboard are marked off. It will be noted that they are indicated in a different way from the English system. The ranks are numbered from 1 to 8, from White's side only and the files are lettered with the first eight letters of the alphabet, a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, beginning at White's left hand side. For example: White's KB3, by the English system of notation is f3 by the German method ; while KB 3, from Black's side is f 6. From this, it will be seen that each square has a letter and a number, and the letter is always given first. In recording a move by the German sys- tem of notation, the initial letter of the Chessman is given, then the square on which it stands, and finally the square to which it is moved. The omission of the ini- tial letter shows that the move is made by a Pawn. A capture is indicated by a colon ( :), placed after the move; a check is in- dicated by a dagger (f ), placed after the move, and a capture and check is indicated by a doubledagger (^), placed after the SYSTEMS OF NOTATION 83 move. Castling is always indicated by the signs, O-O, or O-O-O, as already explained in the English system of notation. For example, the moves used to illus- trate the English system would be recorded by the German system thus : WHITE. BLACK. (1) e2 e4. Ktb8 c6 The moves are also frequently written in a line or as fractions as shown in the English notation. The German System of Notation is sometimes abbreviated by: (1) The omission of the dash, the move being written e2e4. (2) By the omission of the initial let- ter of the Piece moved when it is evident that it could not be a Pawn. (3) By the omission of the square from which the Piece or Pawn was moved. EOREIGN NAMES OF THE CHESSMEN. In every country, where Chess is played, the Pieces are referred to by their initial 84 HOW TO PLAY CB ESS * English German. Danish and Norwegian. Dutch. Swedish. King Konig Konge Koning Kung ^ Queen Dame Dronning Koningin Drottning B Rook Thurm Taarn Kasteel Torn JL Bishop Laufer Lober Raadsheei Lopare & Knight Springer Springer Paard Hast I Pawn Bauer Bonde Pion Bonde French. Italian. Portuguese. Russian. Spanish. Roi Re Rai Tsar or Korol or Ferz Rey ^it Dame Donna Rainha Korolina Reina 1 Tour Torre Torre Ladia Torre 1, Fou Alflere Bispo or Delphim Slone Alfll ^ Cavalier Cavallo Cavallo Kogne Caballo Pion Pedone Peao Piechka Peon SYSTEMS OF NOTATION 85 letters, and as the student may have occa- sion to study the games played by persons of skill in foreign countries, a table is given on page 84, so that the student may familiarize himself with the names of the Chessmen in the languages of the princi- pal countries of Europe. CHAPTEE IX. PRACTICE GAME The student has now reached a point in the study of Chess, when he is ready to play his first game, as he is familiar with the rules of play, and with the moves of the Pieces and Pawns. It is well, how- ever, for him to follow in the footsteps of experienced players; and as a practice game, he should study the following game which was played by correspondence be- tween two well known American Chess Clubs. The beginner should have his board be- fore him with the men set up in position as shown in DIAGRAM i. He should then follow the moves of each play, so that he will understand them, and study the explanations so that he will know why each move was made. The game is called 86 PRACTICE GAME 87 the Steinitz Gambit because of the name of the man who invented the opening moves. The moves are notated as follows : STEINITZ GAMBIT. WHITE. 1. P K4. 2. Kt QB3. 3. P B4. 4. P Q4. 5. K K2. 6. PXP. 7. Kt B3. 8. PXKt. 9. PXP (ch.). 10. PXB.? 11. QXR (ch.). 12. B Q2. 13. K--Q sq. 14. K B sq. 15. PXB. 16. Resigns. BLACK. P K4. Kt Q B3. PXP. Q Ro (ch.). P Q4. B KKt5 (ch.). O O O. B Q B4. K Kt sq. Kt B3.! RXQ. R Ksq. (ch.). Q B7. BXKt. QXKKt.P. The student will note that the game was played in fifteen moves on each side and that at White's sixteenth move, he resigns 88 HOW TO PLAY CHESS the game to Black, giving up any further attempt to win it. In studying and following the moves, the student must be careful to reckon White's moves from his side of the board, and Black's moves from his side, other- wise he will make mistakes. P K4 'p K4 (1) White's first move is P K4, and the student sees, at once, that the move is made with the KP as no other Pawn could be moved into that file. As this is the first move of the Pawn it can move two squares at a time. The advantage of this move is to make an opening for White's King, Queen and King's Bishop if he de- sires to play them in future turns. In Black's first turn, he makes the same move, and, by following the two plays on the board, the student will see that the two Pawns occupy adjoining squares in the same file. Another advantage in this play, as an opening move, is the opportun- ity it offers a player for gaining the center PRACTICE GAME 89 of the board, but this will be clearer to the student as the game progresses. Kt QB3 ' Kt QB3 (2) In White's second turn, he moves a Kt. to QB3 and the student sees at once that it is the QKt. that he has moved, as the KKt. could not be moved to that square in his first move. Black follows with a similar move to that of White, and from the positions that the two Knights occupy upon the board, it will be seen that each protects his own Pawn or commands the square occupied by his Pawn. P B4 3, PXP (3) White's third move is to place his Bishop's Pawn on his Bishop's fourth square, and as his Queen's Knight occu- pies his QB^f it is evident that the move is made with the KBP. The student will see that this Pawn is now in a position to be captured by Black's KP, but this offer- ing of a Pawn on White's part will gain for him a later advantage. 90 HOW TO PLAY CHESS In Black's third move, he captures the Pawn that White has just played and re- moves it from the board. He has also moved his own Pawn from the middle of the board which better enables White to form a center which was the advantage he hoped to gain when he offered Black the Pawn. Black, however, has retained the advantage of force having one more Pawn than his adversary and if he can keep it he may eventually win the game. P Q4 Q R5 (ch.) (4) White, having enticed Black's Pawn from the center, proceeds to occupy it himself by moving his QP to Q4. This square, however, is commanded by the Black Knight, but if he captured the White Pawn he would place himself on a square commanded by the White Queen. This move constitutes the Steinmetz Gam- bit and all games of that name must fol- low the moves as recorded up to this point. In Black's fourth move, he brings out PRACTICE GAME 91 his Queen and moves her along the diag- onal that ends on K5. This, of course, can only be the KE5 as the Queen from her original position would have to follow the diagonal terminating in QR4 if she played into a square on her own side of the board. The student will see that when the Black Queen occupies E5, she gives check to the White King as there are no Pieces or Pawns interposed between them. 5 K K2 'P Q4 (5) As check has been given to White's King, the only move he can legitimately make is one to avoid the check. As the student has already learned there are three ways of accomplishing this: (1) By cap- turing the checking force; (2) By inter- posing another Piece or Pawn; (3) By moving the King. The student will see that there is only one play open to White and that is to move the King to K2 ; for if a Piece or Pawn were interposed it would be captured in the Black Queen's next move when she would again give 92 HOW TO 2 J LAY CHESS check, and, as the Rook's Pawn is in the way, the Queen cannot be captured by the Rook. By moving the King, however, White cannot castle. For Black's fifth move, he takes his QP which has not yet been moved and places it on Q4. This opens the diagonal for the Queen's Bishop and for the King's Bishop. Had Black only moved his Pawn to Q3, it would have freed his QB but it would have interfered with the long diagonal commanded by the KB. It is evi- dent from this that Black intends to move his QB to KKt5 and give check with it so White should look out for him. (See DIAGRAM XIII.) PXP 6,. B Kt5 (ch.) (6) White, however, does not notice that Black can give check in the next move but captures his adversary's Pawn with his own Pawn that stands on K4. The forces of the two players are now equal and the advantage gained by White is to place his Pawn on Q5 where it commands PRACTICE GAME 93 the square occupied by the Black Knight. Black now takes the advantage gained by his last move and gives check with his BLACK. i WHITE. DIAGRAM XIII. Position After Black's Fifth Move. QB by moving it to Kt5, where it com- mands the square occupied by the White King. 94: HOW TO PLAY CHESS Kt B3 7,- 000 (7) Again, White's only legal move is to avoid the check, but of the three ways to do itj interposing another force between the King and the attacking man is the best play, so he moves his Knight to B3. The student sees at once that the KKt is the only one that can be moved into that square as the QKt. is out in the middle of the board. The Knight is now pinned as it protects the King from the Black Bish- op, otherwise it would be in a position to capture the Black Queen. Black, in his seventh move, castles with his Queen's Rook as the squares on that side of the board are vacant. In order to do this, he moves the Eook to Qsq. and then moves the King to the QBsq. on the other side of the Rook. Although Black has left his Knight en pris, castling is his correct play for it enables him to de- velop his Eook which is a more powerful Piece than the Knight, and as the White King stands on an open file, Black, in one PRACTICE GAME 95 more move, can give check which will force White to move his King. The Rook will then command the open file and with his Queen, Black will have a very strong posi- tion. B QB4 (8) White now captures the Black Knight with his Pawn. Although his Pawn is threatened, he is willing to face the danger in having won a Piece from his adversary. For Black's eighth move, he plays his KB to his QB4 : the student sees, at once, that it is only the KB that could make this move for the QB stands on KKt5. This move places the Bishop en pris, but if White takes him in the next move, he leaves his Queen's file open to the adverse Rook which is likely to capture the Queen in his next turn. PXP (ch.) ' K Ktsq. (9) White takes the Pawn that threat- ened him and also gives check which forces Black to protect his King. 96 HOW TO PLAY CHESS Black's only legal move is to avoid check by protecting his King and of the three ways, two are open to him, i.e., capturing the attacking Pawn, and moving the King. The latter play is preferable and his King commands two squares; Q2 and Ktsq. If the former move were made, White would take the KB with his Pawn, discovering check with the Queen and again Black would have to make a move to avoid the check. Thus, Black's correct move is K Ktsq. PXB? 10, Kt. B3! (10) White captures the adverse Bish- op with his Pawn, but he leaves the file open to the Black Eook who can capture the Queen. As White has now taken four adverse forces this play of his, ordinarily, would not have been a bad move, but as a matter of fact it loses the game for him. The student should note the question mark ( ?) after the notation of White's play. White can also take the Eook which cap- tures the Queen with his Knight if Black PRACTICE GAME 97 takes advantage of the open file. Stein- itzj in his notes to this game, indicates Kt. Kt5 as the correct move, for then the Knight can protect the Queen's Pawn. Black, instead of taking the adverse Queen with his Book, moves his Knight to B3, which is a very skilful move as the King's and Queen's files are both open and if he can succeed in posting his Eooks on the Qsq. and the Ksq. he will practically have control of the board. As one Rook already occupies the Qsq. he has only to move the KE to Qsq. in his next move to give check with it. He can also give check by moving his QE to Ksq. ? and as White cannot move his King into any square that is not commanded by an ad- verse force, and as he cannot capture the attacking force, he will have to interpose, but the only men he could interpose could be captured by Black, so in his eleventh move he has to guard against this check before it is given. n QXR (eh.) ' RXQ 98 BOW TO PLAY CHESS (11) White's Queen now takes advan- tage of the open file and captures the Queen's Rook, at the same time giving check. As White has given check, Black must avoid it and there are two things for him to do; move the King or take the attack* ing force. The latter, of course, is the better play, as the Queen, if left on the board, could again give check. At this point in the game, the student should study the positions of the White men and of the Black, and he will see that it is quality of position rather than quan- tity of men that gives Black the advan- tage. Black has lost a number of his men but the others are so well developed that they have far more strength than White's which are either pinned in or undeveloped. White's two Rooks and his King's Bishop are shut in by their Pawns and his King's Knight is pinned to protect the King from the adverse Bishop. R Ksq (ch.) PRACTICE GAME 99 (12) White might move his QB to KB4 and capture the Black Pawn but his posi- tion is too critical and it is wiser for him to bring his strength nearer the King so that if he is attacked, he can move into Qsq. and be protected. For this reason, the best move is QB Q2. Another reason for this move is to clear the first rank for the Queen's Book. Black now moves his remaining Eook to Ksq. and gives check. K-Qsq. 1J, Q B7 (13) White must do something to avoid the check and it has already been shown how difficult it is for him to interpose. Of the five squares which he commands, three are commanded by adverse forces; Ksq., KB2, K3, therefore, his only moves are to Q 3 or Qsq. The latter is the correct play, as it enables him to get his King into cover, opens the diagonal for the King's Bishop, and opens the way for the King's Eook after the KB has been moved. For Black's thirteenth move he puts his 100 HOW TO PLAY CHESS Queen on B7, which is preparatory to tak- ing the adverse KKt. with his Bishop. If White then take the Bishop with hjs KtP the Queen will take the Pawn, giving check and attacking the White King's Rook at the same time. White can see the object of Black's play so in his next move he must try to prevent it. (See DIAGRAM XIV). K Bsq. 14, - BXKt. (14) White moves his King to Bsq. which puts him more under cover though it blocks his QE. He gains an advantage, however, for by moving from the diagonal commanded by the adverse QB, his own Knight is unpinned and can be moved if necessary. Black takes the Knight with his Bishop, though he exposes his Bishop to capture in White's next move, but as the two pieces are of about equal value, the exchange is even. PXB 15, QXKKt.P PRACTICE 101 (15) White takes the Black QB w his KtP, making an even exchange for the loss of his Knight. BLACK. I JL WHITE. DIAGRAM XIV. Position After Black's Thirteenth Move, Black has so many moves that, to an in- experienced player, it is doubtful which one is best to make. Capturing the KtP., 102 * HOW' TO PLAY CHESS ^is:the w>Tect*"play, as it puts the Queen in a position to take three of White's forces : QKt., KB, and KR. Of the three, the KB is protected by the KR and the QKt. is protected by the QKt.P and the QB so they are both safe. The KR is not pro- tected, nor is the pawn on QKt7 so White must take steps to protect the more valua- ble, i.e., the KR. 16, Resigns. (16) White's Pieces and Pawns are now in such a poor position that even if he did try to protect his King's Rook, he would gain so little that he could not pos- sibly hope to win the game and, in conse- quence of this, he resigns and Black scores the game as won. The student should notice that in this game, in spite of the opening moves on White's part, he has been on the defensive side all the time. Black, on the contrary, has made the attack with such success that his adversary resigned without even wait- ing for the checkmate. CHAPTEK X CHESS OPENINGS The opening moves in a game of Chess are of particular importance for it is in them that the strategy of the game is most clearly distinguished from mere Chess tactics. Each opening is intended to de- velop a certain theory or course of play, and the skill of a Chess player is indicated by his first moves, as they are made of his own free will and not because his adver- sary forces him to take an aggressive or defensive position, as is often the case in the later development of the game. Eor this reason, Chess openings have been a study of profound interest to Chess play- ers all over the world wherever the game is played, and the principal or regular openings are named after the Piece or Pawn which determines their character, 103 104: HOW TO PLAY CHESS the persons who invented them, or the countries where they were originally adopted. It is evident to the student, therefore, how important it is for him to be familiar with the preliminary moves in a game of Chess, and he must give careful attention to the study of this chapter; following each play on his own board so that it will be perfectly clear to him and easy to re- member, for every successful Chess player should know the openings by name when he has occasion to refer to them. The student has already learned that some openings are regular and some irreg- ular, but it is only necessary for him to become familiar with the former until he has had much experience in practical play. The four most generally practiced open- ings are made on the King's side of the board, and the student should become thoroughly familiar with them. The first opening is called the KING'S KNIGHT'S OPENING. Each player, in turn, moves his KP to K4 and then the CHESS OPENINGS 105 first player moves his Kt. to his KB3. The second opening is called the KING'S BISHOP'S OPENING. Each player in turn, moves his KP to his K4 and then the first player moves his KB along the diagonal to QB4. The third opening is called the QUEEN'S BISHOP'S PAWN'S OPENING. Each player, in turn, moves his KP to K4 and then the first player moves his QBP to QB3. The fourth opening is called the KING'S GAMBIT. The student will re- member that a gambit means the sacrifice of a Piece or Pawn for the sake of an ad- vantage that is to be gained later by the first player. Each player, in turn, moves his KP to K4: and then the first player moves his KBP to KB4, where it is in a position to be captured by the adverse Pawn. The student will note that in each of these openings, the first move of each player is identical, i.e., the KP to K4. This opening move clears the way for the 106 HOW TO PLAY CHESS King, the Queen, and the King's Bishop, if the player cares to develop them. Each of these openings has a number of varia- tions in the plays which follow, and these variations are recognized and given spe- cific names, with which the student must become familiar. THE KING'S KNIGHT'S OPENING. The most important, and hence to be considered first, is the King's Knight's Opening which has ten recognized varia- tions. In notating them, it will be under- stood that White plays first and his moves will be recorded in the first column. Un- fortunately, lack of space prevents re- cording games that illustrate the develop- ment of these variations, but there are so many excellent works on the subject that the student who wishes to go into them more deeply will find ample material_for his purpose. The ten variations under the King's Knight's Opening are as follows :- CHESS OPENINGS 107 The Damiano Gambit. 1. P K4 P K4 2. Kt KB3 P KB3 PMlidor's Defense. 1. P K4 P K4 2. Kt. KB3 P Q3 Petroff's Defense. 1. P K4 P K4 2. Kt. KB3 Kt. KB3 (The student will note in this defense that each Pawn is protected by his Knight as each Knight commands the square occupied by his own Pawn. ) The Counter Gambit in the Knight's Opening. 1. P K4 P K4 2. Kt. KB3 P KB4 (The student will note that the two Black Pawns occupy squares commanded by White's forces. This constitutes the counter gambit the sacrifice of a force being made by the second player. ) The Giuoco Piano. 1. P K4 P K4 2. Kt. B3 Kt. QB3 3. KB QB4 Captain Evans 9 s Gambit. 1. P K4 P K4 2. Kt. KBf Kt. QB3 3. KB QB4 KB QB4 4. P QKt.4 108 HOW TO PLAY CHESS The Two Knights' Defense. 1. P K4 P K4 2. Kt. KB3 Kt. QB3 3. KB QB4 Kt. KB3 The Knight's Game or Ruy Lopez. 1. P K4 P K4 2. Kt. KB3 Kt. QB3 3. KB QKt.5 The Queen's Pawns' Game, or Scotch Gambit. 1. P K4 P K4 2. Kt. KB3 Kt. QB3 3. P Q4 The Queen's Bishop's Pawn's Game in ths Knight's Opening. 1. P K4 P K4 2. Kt. KB3 Kt. QB3 3. P QB3 THE KING'S BISHOP'S OPENING. The second opening, the King's Bishop's Opening, has seven recognized variations, all of which are important for the student to know and he will also find them of par- ticular interest. In the days of Philidor and his contemporaries, this was consid- ered the safest opening, as it demands no initiatory sacrifice from the first play- er and permits the Pawns to advance un- CHESS OPENINGS 109 obstructed, but modern players give it sec- ond place and consider the King's Knight's Opening the safest and most effective means of attack. The variations under the King's Bishop's Opening, with their specific names, are : The Game of the Two Kings 9 Bishops. 1. P K4 P K4 2. KB QB4 KB QB4 The Italians 9 Defense. 1. P K4 P K4 2. KB QB4 KB QB4 3. P QB3 Q KKt.4 ' Me Donnell's Double Gambit. 1. P K4 P K4 2. KB QB4 KB QB4 3. P QKt.4 BXKt.P 4. P KB4 The Lopez Gambit. 1. P K4 P K4 2. KB QB4 KB QB4 3. Q K2 P Q3 4. P KB4 The King's Knight's Defense. 1. P K4 P K4. 2. KB QB4 Kt KB3 The Counter Gambit. "l. P K4 P K4 2. KB QB4 P KB4 110 HOW TO PLAY C The Queen's Bishop's Pawn's Defense. 1. P K4 P K4 2. KBr-QB4 P QB3 THE QUEEN'S BISHOP'S OPENING. The Queen's Bishop's Pawn's Opening was a great favorite with European Chess players in the sixteenth century, and Kuy Lopez has devoted much space to it in his oft-quoted work on Chess. Philidor, how- ever, condemned it, but the Italian school has proved that it can safely be adopted, though it offers comparatively few oppor- tunities for striking or instructive combi- nations of play. The object of the open- ing, on the part of the first player, is to occupy the center of the board with his Pawns rather than to develop his Pieces. The variations have no specific names, but to illustrate this opening the student should study the following preliminary moves from games played by famous Chess players. Only the first four moves of each player are given. CHESS OPENINGS 111 CAPTAIN EVANS (WHITE) VERSUS AN AMATEUR ( BLACK ) . WHITE. BLACK. 1. P K4 P K4 2. P QB3 Kt KB3 3. P Q4 PXP 4. P K5 Kt. K5 STAUNTON (WHITE) VERSUS COCHRAN (BLACK). WHITE. 1. P K4 2. P QB3 3. Kt. KB3 4. KKt.XP BLACK. P K4 P Q4 Kt. KB3 KKt.XP WALKER (WHITE) VERSUS ST. AM ANT (BLACK). WHITE. BLACK. 1. P K4 P K4. 2. P QB3 P Q4 3. PXP QXP 4. Kt. KB3. KB QB4 In the game between Captain Evans and the amateur, Captain Evans was the victor; in the game between Staunton and Cochran, Staunton won; and in the game between Walker and St. Amant, St. Amant won. 112 HOW TO PLAY CHESS THE KING'S GAMBIT. The King's Gambit, the fourth of the principal openings, is the delight of the Chess player's heart as it affords oppor- tunities for the most intricate and scien- tific combinations to which Chessmen are subject, and their study gives the student an almost unlimited fund of instruction and entertainment. The variations of the King's Gambit, with their specific names, are : The King's Gambit (Proper). 1. P K4 P K4 2. P KB4 PXP The King's Knight's Gambit. 1. P K4 P K4 2. P KB4 PXP 3. Kt. KB3 The Cunningham Gambit. 1. P K4 P K4 2. P KB4 PXP 3. Kt. KB3 B K3 The Salvio and Cochrane Gambit. 1. P K4 P K4 2. P KB4 PXP 3. Kt. KB3 P KKt.4 CHESS OPENINGS 113 4. KB QB4 P KKt.5 5. KKt. K5 Q R5 (ch.) 6. (According to Coch- rane) K Esq. P KB6 6. (According to Salvio) K Bsq. Kt. KBsq. or KR3 The Muzio Gambit. 1. P K4 P K4 2. P KB4 PXP 3. KT. KB3 P KKt.4 4. KB QB4 P KKt.5 5. O, or P Q4 PXKt. The Allgaier Gambit. 1. P K4 P K4 2 P KB4 PXP 3. Kt. KB3 P KKt.4 4. P KR4 The King's Rook's Pawn's Gambit. 1. P K4 P K4 2. P KB4 PXP 3. P KR4 The King's Bishop's Gambit. 1. P K4 P K4 2. P KB4 PXP 3. KB QB4 THE GAMBIT DECLINED. When the Gambit is declined Black's second move is generally one of the fol- lowing : 114 HOW TO PLAY CHESS KB QB4, P Q3, or P Q4. The second move is objectionable, as it confines the King's Bishop, a Piece that the student will learn to use with advan- tage. THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT. Another Chess opening, with which the student should be familiar, is the QUEEN'S GAMBIT. While it requires less skill and brilliancy of play than the King's Gambit, it is improving for the student to study, as it offers him practice in accuracy of play. It is notated thus : 1. P Q4 P-Q4 2. P QB4 PXP When the Queen's Gambit is declined, Black's second move is generally one of the following: P K3, P QB3, or P KB3. IRREGULAR OPENINGS. Before leaving the subject of openings, a word may be said of IRREGULAR, OPEN- CHESS OPENINGS 115 INGS. They are generally recognized as those in which the first move of each player is some other than P K4, or P Q4. Staunton, however, classifies them as those of attack, in which the first player's first move is either P KB4 or P QB4 and those of defence in which the second player, in answering the first player's first move, P K4 or P Q4, moves his P K3, P QB4, P KB4, or P Qkt3. CHAPTER XI EJTO GAMES The student cannot give too much time to the study of End Games, for it is here that he can put to the test the information that he has acquired in studying the ele- mentary principles of play. The End Game, he will remember, is the third di- vision of a game of Chess when there are so few Pieces and Pawns upon the board that theoretical analysis of the moves has again become possible. All games, how- ever, do not reach this stage, as it fre- quently happens that checkmate is given by a strong combination of forces after the opening moves, when the Pieces and Pawns are so far developed that the analy- sis of the moves which characterized the opening are no longer possible; but the student need not devote his time to this 116 END GAMES 117 part of the game, as it is treated in a later chapter. To illustrate the science of manipulat- ing the Chessmen, when there are only a few left. on the board, the following ex- amples have been selected from standard works on the subject. If the student has made a careful study of the contents of the preceding chapters, he will have no difficulty in following the moves and in understanding the reasons for making them. The student should have his board set up for each example as indicated so that he can follow each move. EXAMPLE- I. WHITE KING AND QUEEN AGAINST BLACK KING. The Black King occupies K4, the White King Q3, and the White Queen Qsq, as indicated on DIAGRAM xv. White has the first move and the stu- dent will see that his best plan of attack is to drive the adverse King into a corner 118 HOW TO PLAT CHESS or to the side of the board, bring his own King as close as possible, and give check BLACK. WHITE. DIAGRAM XV. END GAME, EXAMPLE I. King and Queen Against King. with his Queen. As Black holds the cen- ter of- the board, his position is as good as END GAMES 119 possible, considering the odds. White must be careful not to give stalemate. The game is won by White in nine moves and is notated thus : WHITE. BLACK. 1. Q^-Kt.4 K Q4 2. Q K4(ch.) K B4 3. Q Q4 (ch.) K B3 4. K B4 K Kt.2 5. Q Q6 K R2 6. K Kt.5 K Kt.2 7. Q Q7 (ch.) K Kt. 8. K Kt.6 K Rsq. 9. Q Q8, (mate). The student will note that, for White's ninth play, there were four other moves which he might have made, all of which would have enabled him to win the game ; they are Q Kt. 7, Q B8, Q Q8 or Q K8. This example of an End Game illus- trates the importance of the Queen as a mating force, and also illustrates, to the student, how important it is for him to protect her so that he can use her in just 120 HOW TO PLAY CllEtiti such methods of attack as were seen in the moves just notated. Black, having neither a Piece nor a Pawn on the board, could only hope to win by a drawn game if White had given a stalemate. EXAMPLE. II. WHITE KING AND ROOK AGAINST BLACK KING. The Black King occupies QKt.4, the White King QKt. sq., and the White Rook QRsq., as indicated on DIAGRAM xvi. This example illustrates the strength of the Rook as a mating force and, as in the former example, White's method of attack is to corner the adverse King. The posi- tion is in White's favor, as Black is al- ready near the side of the board. The moves of the Rook, however, are more re- stricted than those of the Queen, so it takes eleven moves before White can give checkmate. The game is notated thus : WHITE. BLACK. 1. K Kt.2 K B5 2. R Qsq.! K B4 3. K B3 K Kt.4 END GAMES 121 WHITE. BLACK. 4. R Q5 (ch.) K B3 5. K B4 K Kt.3 6. R Q6 (ch.) K B2. 7. K B5 K Kt.2 BLACK. WHITE. DIAGRAM XVI. END GAME, EXAMPLE II. King and Rook against King. 8. 9. 10. 11. R Q7 (ch.) K B6. R Q4 R R4, (mate). K R3 K R4 K R3. 122 HOW TO PLAY CHESS If the student will go over these moves again, he will see that White, in his sec- ond turn, could have given check by play- ing R QBsq., but that would have forced the King to play to Q5, which would have enabled him to get into the center of the board, which is just where White did not want him ; hence the move K Qsq. was an excellent play. The stu- dent also sees that Black's ninth and tenth moves were forced moves, as White had left him no choice. While illustrating the use of the Hook in the End Game, this example also shows the student that it is sometimes better to let what appears to be a good move go by, for if White had taken advantage of his opportunity to give check it would have taken him a long time to force his adversary to the side of the board again. When the player has a choice of moves he should always consider the consequences and deliberate carefully before he plays. END GAMES 123 EXAMPLE III. WHITE KING, BISHOP AND KNIGHT AGAINST BLACK KING AND PAWN. The White King occupies QB6, the White Bishop Q6, the White Knight Q7, the Black King QR3 and the Black Pawn QKt.4, as indicated on DIAGRAM xvn. The Knight is generally used to best advantage in the Middle Game, as his progress is not hampered by intervening forces, but in this illustration of an End Game, he is used most successfully in con- junction with the Bishop. The student will see that Black's only hope lies in queening his Pawn, for then he will be as well off as if he had not already lost his Queen. His efforts are in vain, however, for White wins in six moves. The game is notated thus : WHITE. BLACK. 1. B Kt.4 K R2 2. B B5 (ch.) K R.! 3. K Kt.6 P Kt.5 4. K R6 P Kt.6 5. B Q6 P Kt.7 6 Kt. Kt. 6, (mate). 124 HOW TO PLAT CHESS This example also illustrates White's attacking method of forcing his Opponent BLACK. WHITE. DIAGRAM XVII. END GAME, EXAMPLE III. King, Bishop, and Knight against King and Pawn. into the corner in order to checkmate him. END GAMES 125 EXAMPLE IV. WHITE KING AND PAWN AGAINST BLACK KING. The White King occupies Ksq., the White Pawn K2, and the Black King Ksq., as indicated on DIAGRAM xvm. The student will note that both Kings occupy their original positions at the be- ginning of the game. White has the ad- vantage, having a Pawn, but his success depends upon his ability to queen it. This illustration is interesting, as it takes White twelve moves in order to win, when he plays first ; while if Black has the first move, White gives stalemate in the fifteenth move and the game is a draw. If White moves first the game is notated thus : WHITE. BLACK. 1. K B2 K Esq. 2. K K3 K K2 3. K K4 K K3 4. P K3 K Q3 5. K B5 K K2 6. K K5 K B2 7. K Q6 K B3 8. P K4 K B2 126 HOW TO PLAY CHESS WHITE. BLACK. 9. P K5 K Ksq. 10. K K6 K Esq. 11. K Q7 K B2 12. P K6 (ch.) Resigns BLACK. WHITE. DIAGRAM XVIII. END GAME, EXAMPLE IV. King and Pawn against King. Black has to move to avoid the check and as White can Queen his Pawn in two END GAMES 127 moves and as the White King is so situ- ated that he protects the Pawn until it is Queened, there is nothing of advantage to Black that he can do. If Black had had the first move, the game would have resulted in a stalemate after White's fifteenth move. It is no- tated thus : WHITE. BLACK. 1 K K2 2. K B2 K B3 3. K K3 K K4 4. K Q3 K Q4 5. P K4 (ch.) K K4 6. K K3 K K3 7. K B4 K B3 8. P K5 (ch.) K K3 9. K K4 K K2 10. K Q5 K Q2 11. P K6 (ch.) K K2 12. K K5 K Ksq. 13. K B6 K Bsq. 14. P K7(ch.) K Ksq. 15. K K6 (stalemate). EXAMPLE. V. WHITE KING AND Two BISHOPS AGAINST BLACK KING. The White King occupies Ksq., the White King's Bishop KBsq., the White 128 HOW TO PLAY CHESS Queen's Bishop QBsq. and the Black King Ksq. ? as indicated on DIAGRAM xix. BLACK. WHITE. DIAGRAM XIX. END GAME, EXAMPLE V. King and Two Bishops against King. The student will note that each Piece occupies its original position at the begin- END GAMES 129 ning of the game. White's method of at- tack is to force his adversary into a cor- ner square or into one that adjoins a cor- ner and then checkmate with the Bishop that is on the square in the same diag- onal. White can accomplish this in four- teen moves. The game is notated thus : WHITE. BLACK. 1. B KR3 K Qsq. 2. B KB4 K K2 3. K K2 KKB3 4. K KB3 K K2 5. B KB5 K KB3 6. K KKt.4 K -K2 7. K KKt.5 K Qsq. 8. K KB6 K Ksq. 9. B QB7 K Bsq. 10. B Q7 K Kt.sq. 11. K KKt.6 KBsq. 12. B Q6(ch.) K Kt.sq. 13. B K6(ch.) K Esq. 14. B K5 (mate). The possibilities for Black to win in this game are so small that the only thing for him to do is to move back and forth, postponing White's victory as long as pos- sible. There are many instances, how- 130 HOW TO PLAY CHESS ever, where the odds are in favor of one player, which result in a drawn game be- cause the lone King cannot be forced from some advantageous position that he has gained. EXAMPLE. VI. WHITE KING, BISHOP AND PAWN AGAINST BLACK KING. The White King occupies KB4, the White Bishop K2, the White Pawn KK5 and the Black King Qsq., as indicated on DIAGRAM XX. This Example illustrates a drawn game, White having the advantage in numbers and Black the advantage in position. Un- like most of the other illustrative End Game positions, White's hope of winning lies in his ability to keep the adverse King from getting in a corner and this is just what, he succeeds in doing. The game is drawn after Black's fifth "move. Black plays first. The game is notated thus: WHITE. BLACK. 1 K K2 2. B B4 K B3 END GAMES 131 WHITE. 3. B Q5 4. K Kt.5 5. P R6 BLACK. K Kt.2 K Rsq. K R2 BLACK. WHITE. DIAGRAM XX. END GAME, EXAMPLE VI. King, Bishop and Pawn against King. As White cannot force Black to leave his corner, the game is drawn. CHAPTER XII MIDDLE GAMES The Middle Game, as the student has already learned, is that stage of a game of Chess when the Pieces and Pawns are so far developed that theoretical analysis is no longer possible, as it was in the opening moves. At this point, all of the player's skill in the art and science of combina- tion is put to the test and many of the most brilliant Chess players are able to give mate without letting the game reach what the student has already learned to be End Game positions. It is of particu- lar importance, therefore, for the student to give the contents of this chapter care- ful attention, following the moves on his own board and studying out variations for himself. Only in this way can he mas- 132 MIDDLE GAMES 133 ter the difficulties which confront the ama- teur in Middle Game positions. The student should arrange his board for each example as indicated in the DIA- GRAMS and follow each move. EXAMPLE. I. Position developed from a Euy Lopez Gambit. White's forces should be arranged thus: K on KKt.sq., B on QKt.3, Kt. on K5, Es on QKsq., and Qsq., Ps on KR2, KKt.2, KB3, QB4 and QKt.5. Black's forces should be arranged thus : K on KBsq., Kts. on KB3, and K2, Rs on Ksq. and QR2 and Ps on KR3, KKt.2, KB4, QKt.3, and QR4. (See DIAGRAM XXI.) White has the first move and wins after his ninth move as Black resigns. The game is notated thus: WHITE. BLACK. 1. P B5! PXP 2. R Q6! R Kt.sq 3. QR Qsq. R(R2) Rsq 4. P Kt.6 P R5 5. BXP K Kt.sq. 6. Kt B6 KtXKt. 134 HOTF TO PLAY CHESS WHITE. BLACK. 7. BXKt. (dis. ch.). Kt Ksq. 8. P Kt.7! R R2 9. R Q8. Resigns. BLACK. WHITE. DIAGRAM XXI MIDDLE GAME, EXAMPLE I. White has to make the most of the posi- tion of the adverse King, which he does most successfully in his first four moves, MIDDLE GAMES 135 though in his fifth move he might have played B B4, still holding the King, which would have been even stronger than the move he made. His eighth move, however, is good and he wins easily after his ninth play as Black cannot escape. EXAMPLE II. From a match between Morphy and Harrwitz. It is considered a model of its kind and unsurpassed in the history of the game. White's forces should be arranged thus : K on KKt.sq., R on QKt.8, Kt. on Q8, and Ps on QR3, Q5, K3, KB4, KKt,2 and KR2. Black's forces should be arranged thus : K on K2, B on Q2, R on QR3 and Ps on QB4, Q3, K5, KB4, KKt.2 and KR5. (See DIAGRAM xxn.) Black (Morphy) has the first move and wins. The Game is notated thus : WHITE. BLACK. 1 P B5! 2. K B2 P B6 3. K K2 RXP 4. Kt. B6(ch.) BXKt. 136 HOW TO PLAY CHESS "WHITE. 5. PXB 6. K Q2 7. K Esq. BLACK. P B7! RXBP WHITE. BLACK. DIAGRAM XXII. MIDDLE GAME, EXAMPLE II. 8. R Kt.3 9. R R3 10. P Kt.3 K B3 P Kt.4 RPXP MIDDLE GAMES 137 WHITE. BLACK. 11. RPXP PXP 12. Kt.PXP K KT.3 13. R R5 R B4 14. R R6 R B6 15. RXP(ch.) K R4 16. R Q2 K Kt.5 17. R Kt.2(ch.) K B6 18. R Kt.5 R B4 19. R R5 KXP 20. R R4 K B6, etc. win- ning easily. The student will note that Black has made such brilliant combinations with his forces that there is almost nothing for White to do but move his Rook back and forth from one square to another. EXAMPLE. III. Position developed from a Ruy Lopez Gambit. White's forces should be arranged thus: K on KRsq., Q on QB4, R on Qsq., Kt. on Q5 and Ps on KR2, KKt.2 KB3, K4, QKt.3 and QR2. Black's forces should be arranged thus: K on KKt.sq., Q on Qsq., R on QBsq., Kt, on Q5 and Ps on Kr2, KKt.2, 138 HOW TO PLAY CHESS KB2, Q3, QB4 and QE4. (See DIAGRAM XXIII.) BLACK. WHITE. DIAGRAM XXIII. MIDDLE GAME, EXAMPLE III. White has the first move and wins for Black's position is hopeless after White's ninth move. The game is notated thus : MIDDLE GAMES 139 WHITE. BLACK. 1. RXKt.! PXR 2. Kt.~ K7(ch.)! QXKt. 3. QXR(ch.) Qh-Bsq. 4. QXQ(ch.) KXQ 5..K Kt.sq. K K2 6. K B2 P Q4 7. P K5 K K3 8. K K2 KXP 9. K Q3 and wins. The student will note that, for White's second play, he might have moved Q X K> but if he had made that play, although he would have captured an adverse Piece, it would have lost him the game. EXAMPLE. IV. Position developed from a Giuoco Piano. White's forces should be arranged thus: K on KBsq., Q on K5, Es on K8 and KB5, B on Qkt.3, and Ps on KE4, KKt.3, K4, QB3, QKt.4, and QE2. Black's forces should be arranged thus: K on KE3, Q on KKt. 3, Es on KKt.5 and Q7, Kt. on KE2, and Ps on KE4, KB2, QB2, QKt.2 and QKt.3. (See DIAGRAM xxiv.) 140 HOW TO PLAY CHESS White plays first and wins. The game is notated thus: - BLACK. i WHITE. DIAGRAM XXIV. MIDDLE GAME, EXAMPLE IV. WHITE. 1. R KKt.8! 2. RxP(ch.) 3. Q KB5(ch.) BLACK. QXR K KKt3 K KKt.2 MIDDLE GAMES WHITE. BLACK. 4. QXR(ch.) K Esq. 5. Q KB4 Q Qsq. 6. B Q5 R QKt.7 7. QxKBP and wins. The student will see that White made splendid combinations with his forces so that Black was quite powerless to resist them. Under the circumstances, Black did the best he could. EXAMPLE V. Game developed from a Lopez Gambit and played between Mac- kenzie and Steinitz. White's forces should be arranged thus: K on KRsq., Q on KB2, E on KBsq., Bs on KKt.5 and QB2 and Ps on KR2, KKt2, QB3, QKt.2 and QR2. Black's forces should be arranged thus: K on KKtsq., Q on QB3, R on Ksq., Bs on KKt.2, and QKt.2, and Ps on KE2, KKt.3, KB2, Q4, QB5, QKt.4 and QR3. (See DIAGRAM xxv.) Black plays first and the game results in perpetual check after White's sixth move. The game is notated thus: 142 HOW TO PLAY CHES8 WHITE. 1 2. PXP 3. QXP(ch.) BLACK. P Q5? BXP K KRs BLACK. WHITE. DIAGRAM XXV. MIDDLE GAME, EXAMPLE V. 4. B K4! 5. B B6(ch.) 6. QXB(ch.) QXB BXB MIDDLE GAMES 143 This example of a Middle Game posi- tion resulting in a perpetual check is most ingenious and must have been wholly un- expected to the players. While Black had the original advantage, he lost it by his first move. His object, evidently, was to queen his Pawn, but his first move was weak and caused him to lose what he had gained by his opening moves. EXAMPLE VI. Illustrates the advan- tages and disadvantages of open files. White's forces should be arranged thus: K on QBsq., Q on QB4, Kt. on KR4, Rs on KRsq. and Qsq., and Ps on KKt.2, KKt.4, K5, QB3 and QR2. Black's forces should be arranged thus : K on KRsq., Q on KB2, Kt. on QR3, Rs on QRsq. and KBsq., and Ps on KR2, KKt.2, QB3, QKt.2 and QR2. (See DIAGRAM xxvi.) The student will note from the position of White's King that the player has evi- dently castled with his QR. White plays 144 HOW TO PLAT CHESS first and mates in five moves. The game is notated thus : BIACK. WHITE. DIAGRAM XXVI. MIDDLE GAME, EXAMPLE VI. WHITE. 1. QR Esq. 2. Kt. Kt.6(ch.) BLACK. QXQ K Kt.sq. MIDDLE GAMES 145 WHITE. BLACK.. 3. Kt. K7(ch.) K Rsq. 4. RXP(ch.) KXR 5. R Rsq. (mate). The error in Black's play was to take the adverse Queen, as it made an opening in the guard of his King that he could not repair. The open files were an advantage to White, but they were fatal to Black. EXAMPLE: VII. Position developed from a Petroff's (Russian) Defense. White's forces should be arranged thus: K on KKt.sq., Q on QKt.7, QKt. on QKt.sq., KKt, on KB3, QB on QBsq., KB on Q3 and Ps on KE2, KKt.2, KB2, Q4, QKt. 2 and QE,2. Black's forces should be arranged thus: 'K on KKt.sq., Q on Qsq., Es on QEsq. and KBsq., Kts. on K5 and Q2, Bs on Q3 and K3, and Ps on KE2, KKt.2, KB4, QB5, QB2 and QE2. (See DIA- GRAM XXVII.) White plays first, but Black wins. The game is notated thus : 146 HOW TO PLAY CHESS WHITE. 1. BXKt. 2. QxRP 3. Kt Kt.5 BLACK. QR Kt.sq. PXB B Q4 BLACK. WHITE. DIAGRAM XXVII. MIDDLE GAME, EXAMPLE VII. 4. Q R5 5. Q B3 6. Kt. KR3 Kt. B3 P R3 Kt, Kt.5 MIDDLE GAMES 147 WHITE. BLACK. 7. P KKt.3 Q Ksq. 8. Kt. B4 BXKt. 9. BXB Q R4 10. P KR4 RXB! 11. PXR P K6 12. P B3 QXRP and wins. White made a poor play in his second move by taking the Pawn. He should have moved to QK6, after which the Queen could have been played to QR4 and with the Knight on QKt.sq., a good attack could have been developed. The capture, however, only lost time and enabled Black to gather his forces for an attack on the White King. As it is, White has to try to save his Queen and cannot develop his QKt. The student will note, in going over the moves in this game, that White does not give check once, and that Black also gathers his forces for the attack in such a way that he does not give check un- til there is no escape for his adversary. Black's moves are carefully made and should be studied. CHAPTER XIII CONCLUSION When the student has reached this con- cluding chapter, he should have a thor- ough knowledge of the general principles of the moves, and understand the laws of the game. He should also be sufficiently familiar with the Openings and with End and Middle Game positions to meet, and compete favorably, with the average Chess player. In fact, there is no elementary point that can be discussed in a hand book on the game, that has not been explained and illustrated. But for that skill and scientific knowledge that distinguishes the professional from the amateur, he must play frequently with experienced players and also study the books that are devoted to some one particular feature of the game. A number of titles are given 148 CONCLUSION 149 in the Bibliography which will prove help- ful to the student who wishes to go more deeply into the subject. Before closing, however, the student may be interested in working out some Chess problems for himself, and for this reason several have been selected from Curious Chess Problems in one of Staun- ton's books. If the student cannot solve these prob- lems, after he has given them a fair trial, he will find a Key following them. CHESS PROBLEMS. PROBLEM I. White, playing first, mates in seven moves. White's forces should be arranged thus: K on Qsq., Kts. on QKt.3, and KB7, B on QKt.7, and Ps on QR2, QKt.2, K4, KB2, and KKt.7. Black's forces should be arranged thus: K on QB5, R on KKt.sq., Kt, on QB2, B on QKtsq., and Ps on QKt,5, QB4, K4, and KR2. 150 HOW TO PLAT CHESS PROBLEM II. White, playing first, compels Black to mate him in fourteen moves. White's forces should be arranged thus: K on KBsq., Q on QKt.3, Es on QKt.sq. and QBsq., Kts on QKt.8 and QB5, Bs on QB3 and KE5, and Ps on Q2, KB4, KKt.2 and KE2. Black's forces should be arranged thus : K on Ksq., Q on K8, Kts. on QBsq. and KKt.8, Bs on QE4 and KEG, Es on K5 and KB6, and Ps on Q6 and KB2. PROBLEM III. White, playing first, mates in six moves. Black's forces should be arranged thus: K on QEsq., Bs on QBsq. and KE5, Kt. on K2, and Ps on QE2 and KKt.6. White's forces should be arranged thus: K on KEsq., B on KKt.2, E on Q5, Kt. on QB6, and Ps on QE6, QKt.6, KKt.4 and KE3. PROBLEM IV. White, playing first, compels Black to mate him in eight moves. CONCLUSION 151 White's forces should be arranged thus: K on Ksq., Q on K8, Kts. on KKt.3 and Q4, Es on QEsq. and K7, Bs on QE2 and KB8, and Ps on KB2, K5, QB2 and QKt.2. Black's forces should be arranged thus: K on QE3, Q on QB5., Kts. on QKt. 2 and Q4, Es on Q3 and QE5, and Ps on KKt.5 and KB6. PROBLEM V. White, playing first, mates in four moves. White's forces should be arranged thus: K on Ksq., E on QBsq., B on QKt.4, Kts. on QKt.7 and Q7 and Ps on QB6 and QKt.3. Black's forces should be arranged thus: K on K3, E on KB4, Kt. on iKE5, Bs on KE6 and KKt.8, and Ps on KB6 and K5. In trying to solve these Problems, the student will find it helpful to notate his moves each time he tries, as it will save him, from repetition and will also help him to find where his judgment has been at fault if he fails. 152 HOW TO PLAY CHE 88 KEY TO CHESS PROBLEMS. PROBLEM I. WHITE. BLACK. 1. Kt. Q6(ch.) 2. P QR3 3. P KKt.8 (Becomes a Queen) 4. Kt. QBsq.(ch.) 5. K Q2. 6. QRPXP 7. Mates. PROBLEM II. K Q6 R^Qsq. RXQ K removes. P QB5 Where he will. 1. QXP(ch.) KQsq. 2. BXB(ch.) Kt. QKt.3 3. BXKt.(ch.) K QBsq. 4. Q KB8(ch.) R Ksq. 5. QXR(ch.) QXQ 6. Kt.onBS Q7 (dis. K Kt.2 ch.) 7. BxKt. (dis.ch.) K Rsq. 8. BXR(ch.) Q interposes. 9. PXB Q Q4 10. B K4 Q QB3 11. B Q4 Q QKt2 12. R Qsq. Q QB3 13. Ki^-QR6 Q Kt.2 14. B QR6 Q X B ( Forced move, (mate) PROBLEM III 1. P QKt.7(ch.) BXP 2. R Q7 Kt.XKt.! CONCLUSION 153 WHITE. BLACK. 3. RXB Kt. Qsq. 4. R QKtsq.(dis.ch.) Kt. QKt.2 5. RXKt. Where he will. 6. R QKt.sq(dis.ch.) Mate. PROBLEM IV. 1. Q QR8(ch.) K Kt.3 2. RXKt.(ch.) K removes. 3. BXR(ch.) KXKt. 4. 0(ch.) Q Q6 5. QXR(ch.) Kt. QKt.5 a. K Kt.sq. Q Q7! 7. P QB3(ch.) K Q6 8. QXKt. QXR (Mate) (Forced move) PROBLEM V. 1. Kt Q8(ch.) K Q4 2. O(ch.) B interposes 3. B QB5 Any move. 4. RXB (mate). EXAMPLES OF MASTER-PLAY. The importance of going over examples of master-play has already been impressed upon the student and, for this reason, sev- eral games have been selected that the stu- dent should play over on his own board. He should have no difficulty in seeing why 154 HOW TO PLAY CHESS each move is made and in understanding the methods of attack and defense that are used. EXAMPLE; I. Opened with a Fianchet- to Defense, and played between Paulsen (White) and "Alter" (Black), in Lon- don in 1862. White plays first and gives mate with his twenty-fourth move. The game is no- tated thus : WHITE. 1. P K4. 2. P KKt3. 3. B Kt2. 4. Kt QB3. 5. KKt K2. 6. P Q3. 7. 00. 8. KtXB. 9. KtXP. 10. Q R5(ch.) 11. Q K5. 12. PXKt. 13. Q B3. 14. B R6. 15. P B4. 16. PXP. BLACK. P QKt3. P K3. B Kt2. P KB4. Kt KB3. B Kt5. BXKt. PXP. KtXKt. P Kt3. 00. Kt QB3. P K4. R B2. B R3. BXR. CONCLUSION 155 WHITE. BLACK. 17. RXB. x Q K2. 18. RXR. QXR. 19. P K6. Q K2. 20. PXP. Kt K4. 21. B R3. P KKt4. 22. QXP, P Kt5. 23. P queens (ch.) QXQ. 24. Q Kt7(mate). EXAMPLE II. Opened with a King's Bishop's Gambit, and played between Kie- seritzky (White) and Anderssen (Black). White plays first and mates in his twenty-third move. The game is notated thus : WHITE. BLACK. 1. P K4. P K4 2. P KB4. PXP. 3. B B4. Q R5(ch.). 4. K Bsq. P QKt4. 5. BXKtP. Kt KB3. 6. Kt KB3. Q R3. 7. P Q3. Kt R4. 8. Kt R4. Q Kt4. 9. Kt B5. P QB3. 10. P KKt4. Kt B3. 11. R Ktsq. PXB. 12. P KR4. Q Kt3. 13. P R5. Q Kt4, 156 HOW TO PLAY CHESS WHITE. BLACK. 14. Q B3. Kt Ktsq. 15. BXP. Q B3. 16. Kt B3. B B4. 17. Kt Q5. QXP. 18. B Q6. BXR. 19. P K5. QXR(ch.). 20. K K2. Kt QR3. 21. KtXP(ch.). K Qsq. 22. Q B6(ch.) Mates in next move. This game is considered one of the most brilliant on record and is known among Chess players as the " Immortal Game." EXAMPLE III. Opened from a Guioco Piano and played between Neuman (White) and Von Guretzky-Cornitz (Black), in Berlin in 1863. White plays first, and after seventeen moves, Black resigns. The game is no- tated thus : WHITE. BLACK. 1. P K4. P K4. 2. Kt KB3. Kt QB3. 3. B B4. B B4. 4. P B3. Kt B3. 5. P Q4. PXP. 6. 00. KtXP. CONCLUSION 157 WHITE. BLACK. 7. PXP. B K2. 8. P Q5. Kt QKtsq. 9. R Ksq. Kt Q3. 10. B Kt3. O 0. 11. Kt B3. Kt Ksq. 12. P Q6. PXP. 13. RXB. QXR. 14. B Kt5. Kt KB3. 15. Kt Q5. Q Q sq. 16. Q Q4. Kt B3. 17. Q QR4. Resigns. EXAMPLE IV. Opened with a French Defense and played between Blackburne (White) and Schwarz (Black) at the Berlin Congree in 1881. White plays first and Black resigns after the twenty-eighth move. The game is notated thus: WHITE. BLACK. 1. p_K4. P K3. 2. P Q4. P Q4. 3. Kt QB3. Kt KB3. 4. PXP. PXP. 5. Kt B3. B Q3. 6. B Q3. P B3. 7. 00. O O. 8. Kt K2. B KKt5. 9. Kt Kt3. Q B2. 158 HOW TO PLAY CHESS WHITE. 10. B K3. 11. Q Q2. 12. QR Ksq. 13. Q Esq. 14. PXB. 15. RPXKt. 16. K Kt2. 17. R Rsq. 18. R R3. 19. QR Rsq. 20. B KKt5. 21. P QB4. 22. BXBP. 23. R R4. 24. B Kt3. 25. B B6. 26. QXKt. 27. RXP. 28. RXP. BLACK. QKt Q2. KR K sq. Kt K5. BXKKt. KtXKt. BXP. B Q3. Kt>-B sq. P KKt3. QR Q sq. R Q2. PXP. P KR4. P Kt4. Kt K3. Kt B5(ch.) BXQ. PXR. Resigns. The final combination of forces in this game is said to be one of the most brilliant on record, and rarely surpassed in actual play. EXAMPLE V. Opened with a Phili- dor's Defense, and played between Morphy (White) and Allies (Black) in 1858. White plays first and mates in seventeen moves. The game is notated thus: CONCLUSION 159 WHITE. 1. P-4K. 2. Kt KB3. 3. P Q4. 4. PXP. 5. QXB. 6. B QB4. 7. Q QKt3. 8. Kt B3. 9. B KKt5. 10. KtXP. 11. BXQKtP (ch.). 12. O O^-O 13. RXKt. 14. R Qsq. 15. BXR(ch.) 16. Q Kt8(ch.). 17. R Q8(mate). BLACK. P K4. P Q3. B Kt5. BXKt. PXP. Kt KB3. Q K2. P B3. P QKt4. PXKt. QKt Q2. R Q sq. RXR. Q K3. KtXB. KtXQ. From White's tenth move on, he plays a brilliant game and the student should study it carefully, as it shows accuracy and judgment. These five examples of masterplay all illustrate a scientific knowledge of the game, and the student should play them over several times on his own board, as they will give him many points on the de- velopment of his forces after the positions 160 HOW TO PLAY CHESS attained by the opening moves, and they will, also, help him in gathering his men together for purposes of attack and de- fense. BIBLIOGRAPHY. Chess Openings. I. Gunsberg. (Lon- don: George Bell & Son.) Chess Player's Companion. Howard Staunton. (New York: Macmillan Co.) Chess Pocket Manual. G. H. D. Gos- sip. (New York: Chas. Scribner's Sons.) Chess Sparks. J. H. Ellis. (New York: Longmans, Green & Co.) Chess Strategetics. Franklin K. Young. (Boston: Little, Brown & Co.) Game of Chess. P. C. Morphy. New York: Macmillan Co.) Grand Tactics of Chess. Franklin K. Young. (Boston: Little, Brown & Co.) Minor Tactics of Chess. Franklin K. Young. (Boston: Little, Brown & Co.) Model Chess Instructor. William Steinmitz. (New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons.) 161 162 HOW TO PLAY CHESS Principles of Chess in Theory and Prac- tice. James Mason. (London: Horace Cox.) Theory of Chess Openings. G. H. D. Gossip. (Xew York: Frederick Warne & Co.) Two Move Chess Problems. B. G. Laws. (London: George Bell & Sons.) 14 DAY USE RETURN TO DESK FROM WHICH BORROWED LOAN DEPT. This book is due on the last date stamped below, or on the date to which renewed. Renewed books are subject to immediate recall. RETC'D LD DEC 2 01974 24 JUL 3 1961 :n .JAN'8 196^ Kt^C'D LD JAN 1 7 1963 DEC 8 '?* 7A .: V ', '-- M99164 I THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY