Chapter V: Introduction (2)

Be cautious of playing your Queen in front of your King and in subjecting yourself to a _discovered check_. It is better when check is given to your King to interpose a man that attacks the checking Piece than with one that does not. Beware of giving useless checks to your adversary's King, but when, by checking, you can oblige him to move, and thus deprive him of the right to castle, it is generally good play to do so. It is sometimes useful to give a series of checks, and even sacrifice a Piece, to force the King into the middle of the board, where he may be subjected to the attacks of your other men.

Do not in all cases take an enemy's Pawn which stands before your King,--it may serve sometimes as a protection to him; and bear in mind that towards the termination of a game, especially when the superior Pieces have been taken off the field, the King should be made to compensate for his previous inactivity, by being busily engaged. The fate of the game is then dependent for the most part on the skill displayed in the management of the King.

_Concerning the Queen._--The Queen is so powerful and important a Piece at chess that she should rarely be employed to defend or attack any point if you can do it as well with a subordinate.

It is not good to play the Queen out in the game at the beginning, because she can be attacked by inferior Pieces, and is compelled to retire with the loss of many moves.

Be careful, too, when about to capture a distant Pawn or Piece, that you do not remove your Queen too far from the immediate point of action. A skilful player will often permit you to win a Pawn with the Queen, that he may prevent her returning in time to rescue your King from his attack. The power of the Queen is wonderfully greater when she is aided and protected by other Pieces than when she goes forth unsupported; it is generally injudicious, therefore, to make an attack with her unless in combination with some other of your forces.

_Concerning the Rook._--The Rook is a most important officer, yet few players even amongst the best avail themselves sufficiently of his power. He has seldom much scope for action in the early part of the engagement, but when the field is thinned no time should be lost in bringing him into action. You should then endeavor to _double_ your Rooks, that is, to place them one before the other on the same file: in this situation, mutually sustaining one another, their potency on a clear field is equal to the Queen's.

It is usually good play to get command of an open file, that is to say, a file which is occupied by no other man, by stationing a Rook at one end of it. When you have thus gained possession of the file, should your opponent try to dispossess you of it, by playing one of his Rooks on the same file, it is frequently better to defend with your other Rook than to take his or remove your own. You will often embarrass your adversary, too, if you can manage to post a Rook on his second rank, say at your King's 7th or Queen's 7th square. In this position he generally makes an attack on the Pawns unmoved, and compels the enemy to lose time in defending them, while you can bring more forces into action.

One of the strongest reasons for playing out your Pieces early in the battle, is, that while at home they are not only themselves inactive, but they utterly retard the movements of your Rooks. In an unskilfully developed game it is a common occurrence to see the victory won before the defeated player's Rooks have ever moved.

_Concerning the Bishop._--When the game is opened by each party with King's Pawn to King's 4th square, the _King's Bishop_ is somewhat superior to the _Queen's_, because it can be sooner brought into play, and may be made to bear immediately on the King's weak point, his Bishop's Pawn. It is desirable therefore generally to exchange your Queen's Bishop or Queen's Knight for the adversary's King's Bishop. The King's Bishop should rarely or never be played to the Queen's 3d square before the Queen's Pawn is moved. His best position, as we have remarked above, is to Queen's Bishop's 4th square, where he attacks the opponent's King's Bishop's Pawn. If your antagonist then challenges an exchange of Bishops by moving his Queen's Bishop to King's 3d square, it is not always prudent to accept it, because although you may double the Pawns on his King's file, you at the same time afford him an open range for his King's Rook when he has castled. The best play in such a case is, therefore, to retreat your King's Bishop to _Queen's Knight's 3d square_.

Be careful, as a general rule, in an open game, not to move your Queen's Pawn _one_ square _before_ you bring out the King's Bishop, as by so doing you leave him but the _King's 2d square_ on which to move, and there his position is defensive rather than attacking.

If strong in Pawns towards the conclusion of the game, endeavor to get rid of the enemy's Bishops, because they can impede the march of your Pawns more readily than either the Rooks or Knights.

When the other men are exchanged off, and you remain with a Bishop and two or three Pawns, it is often proper to keep your Pawns on squares of a different color from those on which your Bishop travels, as he can then prevent the opposing King from approaching them. If, however, you have the worst of the game, it is mostly better then to keep them on the same color as the Bishop, that he may defend them.

Supposing you have _Pawns only_ at the end of a game, and the adversary has a Bishop, it is generally advisable to move the Pawns as soon as possible to squares of a different color from the diagonals on which he moves.

Do not indiscriminately exchange your Bishops for Knights, or _vice versâ_. Two Bishops at the finish of a game are stronger than two Knights, and one Knight generally more useful than a single Bishop.

_Concerning the Knight._--The Knight is at once the most striking and most beautiful of all the Pieces. The singularity of its evolutions, by which it is enabled to overleap the other men and wind its way into the penetralia of the adverse ranks, and if attacked leap back again within the boundary of its own, has rendered it the favorite Piece of leading players in every country.

The assault of the Knight is more subtle and dangerous than that of any other Piece, because he attacks without putting himself _en prise_, and his attack can never be resisted by the interposition of another man.

At the commencement of a game, the best place for the King's Knight is at _K. B's 3d sq._; it there attacks your adversary's K's Pawn, if it has been moved two squares, and offers no impediment to the playing out your King's Bishop, and prevents the adversary from placing his Queen on your King Rook's 4th sq., where she would often be a source of restraint and danger to your King. Many persons prefer playing the K. Kt. to _K's 2d_ at the second move, from the mistaken notion that the K. B's P. should be moved before the Knight is played to B's 3d; this is an error, and generally leads to a very bad game.

When you have brought out your _Q. Kt._ to _B's 3d_, it is frequently advisable, at a proper opportunity, to get him round by K's 2d sq. to the _K. Kt's 3d_, where he exercises a very important influence, by threatening, whenever the square is left unguarded, to post himself on _K. B's 5th_.

A Knight with three or four Pawns, at the end of a game, has an advantage over a Bishop with an equal number of Pawns, because he can leap from white to black, and thus attack the Pawns on either colored squares, whereas the Bishop can attack them only when they move on squares of the color of his diagonals. In similar circumstances, however, he is not so useful in defending as a Bishop or a Rook, since if forced to remove he ceases to defend, while the Rook or Bishop may retreat and still protect.

_Concerning the Pawns._--Struck by the scope and power of the higher Pieces, young players commonly overlook the homely Pawns, or deem them scarcely worthy of regard, and are amazed to learn that the combinations of these simple elements are among the most refined and arduous studies of the science. Yet such is the fact, and without a thorough comprehension of their quiet but remarkable predominance in almost every circumstance of the game, it is impossible for any one to attain a high degree of excellence.

It is generally advantageous for your Pawns to occupy the middle of the board, because when there they greatly retard the movements of the opposing forces. The King's Pawn and Queen's Pawn, at their fourth squares, are well posted, but it is not easy to maintain them in that position, and if you are driven to advance one of them, the power of both is much diminished. It is well, therefore, not to be too eager to establish two Pawns abreast in the centre until you are fully able to sustain them there.

When you have two Pawns abreast, the King and Queen's, for instance, at their fourth squares, should the adversary attack one of them with a Pawn, it is occasionally better to advance the Pawn that is attacked another step, than to take the Pawn.

The Pawns, however, should seldom be far advanced, unless they can be properly sustained by the Pieces. Pawns at their fourth squares are therefore mostly more powerful than at their sixth.

The King's Bishop's Pawn having no support but that of the King, is usually the point to which the first attack is directed, and more than ordinary care should be taken to preserve it. It is rarely good play to move the King's Bishop's Pawn to Bishop's 3d early in the game.

As a general rule, it is not advisable to move King's Knight's Pawn or Queen's Knight's Pawn early in the game. The former played to K. Kt's 3d square will often allow your adversary to play his Queen's Bishop to your King's Rook's 3d square, a dangerous move when you have castled on King's side.

After castling, it is generally proper not to move the Knight's Pawn that is before your King, until you are obliged.

In a diagonal line of Pawns you should endeavor to preserve the Pawn at the head of them. Pawns, when united, have great strength; but when separated, their power is sensibly lessened.

A passed Pawn is mostly serviceable when supported by another Pawn.

A doubled Pawn is not in all cases a disadvantage, especially if it is united with other Pawns. The worst kind of doubled Pawn is one on a Rook's file; while the most advantageous is the King's Bishop's Pawn doubled on the King's file, because it strengthens your middle Pawns and opens a file for your King's Rook.

The Pawn being less important than a Piece, it is usually better to defend with it than with a Piece. For the same reason it is likewise better to protect a Pawn with a Pawn than with a Piece. No Piece can interpose between the attack of a Pawn, it can therefore frequently check the King with great advantage.

Be cautious generally of advancing the Pawns far on either side, till you see on which your opponent castles; and remember, when approaching the end of a game, where you have Pawns, or even a Pawn, against a minor Piece, that _you may win_, but that your opponent, except in very rare cases, cannot, and that two Pawns in any situation can _protect themselves_ against the adverse King.

MAXIMS AND ADVICE FOR AN INEXPERIENCED PLAYER.

There is nothing that will improve you so much as playing with good players; never refuse, therefore, when any one offers you odds, to accept them: you cannot expect a proficient to feel much interest in playing with you upon _even_ terms, and as you are sure to derive both amusement and instruction from him, it is but fair that he should name the conditions. It will soon happen that you yourself will be able to give odds to many amateurs whom you meet; when this is the case, avoid, if possible, playing them _even_, or you are likely to acquire an indolent, neglectful habit of play, which it will be very difficult to throw off.

Never permit your hand to hover over the board, or indeed to approach it, until you have completely made up your mind what Piece to move; a contrary habit begets a feeling of indecision that is fatal to success. Play invariably according to the laws of the game, neither taking back a move yourself, nor allowing your opponent to recall one. Do not exhibit impatience when your adversary is long in making his move. His slowness is a tacit compliment to your skill, and enables you to play with proportionate quickness, because while he is meditating on his next step you can take advantage of the time to consider what shall be your rejoinder; besides, it is absolutely necessary for every one desirous of excelling at chess to play slowly. A fine player examines occasionally from five to twenty or more moves on each side: can this be done in a moment? It is easy enough to play quick against inferior play; but against equal and very good play one cannot play quick without losing.

Learn to play indifferently either with the white or black men. Do not play too many games at a sitting--and never suffer the loss of a game to occasion you much disquietude. Think of how many thousand games a Philidor must have lost before he attained his highest excellence; besides, the loss of one well-fought game with a fine practitioner will do more towards your improvement than the gain of ten light skirmishes with weaker players than yourself. Endeavor to play all your Pieces equally well. Many young players have a predilection for a particular Piece, as the Knight or the Queen, and lose both time and position in trying to prevent exchanges of their favorite. In opening your game, endeavor to bring your superior officers into action speedily, but avoid all premature attacks. Take care not to play a Piece to a square where it impedes the action of another, and beware of venturing an unsupported Piece in the adversary's game.

If subjected to a violent attack, you may often disconcert your opponent by compelling the exchange of two or three Pieces. When, however, you are about to exchange officers, you must calculate not only their ordinary value, but their peculiar worth in the situation in question; for example, a Rook is generally more valuable than a Knight or a Bishop; but it will happen, that by exchanging a Rook for one of the latter you may greatly improve your game.

It is mostly good play to exchange the Pieces off when you are superior in power, so that when you have the odds of a Piece given to you by a finished player, you should endeavor to exchange as often as you can consistently with safety.

When an exchange of two or more Pieces appears inevitable, look closely to see whether it is better for you to take first or to compel your opponent to do so. When one of the enemy is _completely_ in your power, do not be too eager to make the capture--there may perhaps be a move of importance which you can make before you take him. Beware also of snatching hastily a proffered man, it may be only given as a bait to catch a more important advantage from you.

If at the end of a game you remain with Pawns against a Knight and find it difficult to evade his repeated checks, recollect that by placing your King on the same diagonal as the Knight, with but one intervening square between them, you cannot again be checked under three moves.

When you have lost a game which has cost you great attention, it is a good practice to play it over afterwards in private, and endeavor to discover where the error occurred through which your opponent gained his first advantage. This custom will improve both your memory and your play.

ON THE SEVERAL OPENINGS OR BEGINNINGS OF GAMES.

Before proceeding to the consideration of the various methods of commencing the game, it is advisable for you to recur to the preceding sections, which treat of the arrangement of the men--the moves of the men--their relative powers--the technical terms in use among players--and the laws of the game. When you have familiarized yourself with these, it will be time for you to direct your attention to that most important feature in the game of chess--the art of opening the game.

There are several modes of beginning the game, but the following are the principal:--

1st. Each player begins by moving his _King's Pawn to King's 4th square_, and the first player then moves _King's Knight to King's Bishop's 3d square_. This is called the _King's Knight's opening_.

2d. Each player commences by moving his _King's Pawn to King's 4th square_, and then he who has the first move plays _King's Bishop to Queen's Bishop's 4th square_. This is known as the _King's Bishop's opening_.

3d. Each player opens with _King's Pawn to King's 4th square_, and the first plays _Queen's Bishop's Pawn to Bishop's 3d square_. This is termed the _Queen's Bishop's Pawn's opening_.

4th. Each player begins with _King's Pawn to King's 4th square_, and the first follows with _King's Bishop's Pawn to Bishop's 4th square_. This is called the _King's gambit_.

Of these four openings on _the King's side_ there are many modifications, of which each has its appropriate appellation; there are also several openings begun on the Queen's side, but the four above-named are those most generally practised, and with them you should be thoroughly conversant before advancing further.

PRELIMINARY GAME.

Preparatory to the investigation of the several openings treated of in the following chapters, it may not be uninstructive to give a short game which shall exhibit the application of some technical phrases in use at chess, and at the same time show a few of the most prominent errors into which an inexperienced player is likely to fall.

In this game, as in all the analyses which follow, the reader will be supposed to play the White Pieces and to have the first move, although, as it has been before remarked, it is advisable for you to accustom yourself to play with either Black or White, for which purpose it is well to practise the attack, first with the White and then with the Black Pieces.

WHITE. BLACK.
1. K's P. to K's 4th. 1. K's P. to K's 4th.

When the men are first arranged in battle order, it is seen that the only Pieces which have the power of moving are the Knights, and that to liberate the others it is indispensably necessary to move a Pawn. Now, as the King's Pawn, on being moved, gives freedom both to the Queen and to the King's Bishop, it is more frequently played at the beginning of the game than any other. You will remember, in speaking of the Pawns it was shown that on certain conditions they have the privilege of going either one or two steps when they are first moved.

2. K's B. to Q's B's 4th. 2. K's B. to Q's B's 4th.

Thus far the game illustrative of the _King's Bishop's_ opening is correctly begun. Each party plays his King's Bishop thus, because it attacks the most vulnerable point of the adverse position, viz., the _King's Bishop's Pawn_.

3. Q. B's Pawn to B's 3d. 3. Q's Knight to B's 3d.

In playing this Pawn your object is afterwards to play Queen's Pawn to Queen's 4th square, and thus establish your Pawns in the centre; but Black foresees the intention, and thinks to prevent its execution by bringing another Piece to bear upon the square.

4. Q's Pawn to Q's 4th. 4. Pawn takes Q's Pawn.
5. Q's B's Pawn takes Pawn. 5. K's B. takes Pawn.

Here you have played without due consideration. Black's third move of Queen's Knight to Bishop's 3d square was a bad one, and afforded you an opportunity of gaining a striking advantage, but omitting this, you have enabled him to gain a valuable Pawn for nothing. Observe, now, your reply to his third move was good enough, (4. Queen's Pawn to Queen's 4th square), but when he took your Pawn with his, instead of taking again, you ought to have taken his _King's Bishop's Pawn_ with your Bishop, giving check: the game would then most probably have gone on thus:--

5. K's B. takes K. B. Pawn (ch.) 5. K. takes Bishop.
6. Queen to K. R's 5th (check). 6. K. to his B's square.
7. Queen takes K's Bishop (check).

In this variation, you see Black has lost his King's Bishop's Pawn, and what is worse, _has lost his privilege of castling_, by being forced to move his King; and although for a moment he had gained a Bishop for a Pawn, it was quite clear that he must lose a Bishop in return by the check of the adverse Queen at King's Rook's 5th square. It is true that he need not have taken the Bishop, but still his King must have moved, and White could then have taken the King's Knight with his Bishop, having always the better position.

But now to proceed with the actual game:--

6. K's Knight to K's B's 3d. 6. Queen to K's B's 3d.

Bringing out the Knight is good play; you not only threaten to win his Bishop, but you afford yourself an opportunity of castling whenever it may be needful. Black would have played better in retiring the Bishop from the attack to Queen's Knight 3d square than in supporting it with the Queen.

7. Knight takes Bishop. 7. Queen takes Knight.

Both parties played well in their last moves. You rightly took off the Bishop, because supported by the Queen he menaced your Queen's Kt's Pawn, and Black properly retook with his Queen instead of the Knight, because having a Pawn ahead, it was his interest to exchange off the Queens.

8. Q's Knight to Q's 2d. 8. K's Knight to B's 3d.

You played correctly here in not exchanging Queens, and also in protecting your Bishop and your King's Pawn, both of which were attacked by the adverse Queen; but all this might have been done without impeding the movements of any of your Pieces, by simply playing Queen to King's 2d sq.; as it is, the Knight entirely shuts your Queen's Bishop from the field. Black properly brings another Piece to the attack of your King's Pawn:--

9. K. B's Pawn to B's 3d. 9. Q's Knight to King's 4th.

In protecting the King's Pawn with your K. Bishop's Pawn, you are guilty of a very common error among young players; as you improve, you will find that it is rarely good play to move the K. Bishop's Pawn to the third square--in the present instance, for example, you have deprived yourself of the power of castling, at least for some time, since the adverse Queen now commands the very square upon which your King, in castling on his own side, has to move. Black's last move is much more sensible. He again attacks your Bishop, and by the same move brings his Q's Knight into co-operation with the King's, on the weak point of your position:--

10. Pawn to Q. Kt's 3d. 10. Q. takes Queen's Rook.

This is a serious blunder indeed. In your anxiety to save the threatened Bishop, which you feared to withdraw to Q. Kt's 3d sq., on account of the adverse Knight's giving check at your Queen's 3d square, you have actually left your Q's Rook _en prise_! Black takes it, of course, and having gained such an important advantage, ought to win easily.

11. Castles, (_i.e._, plays 11. Q's Kt. takes Bishop.
K to his Kt's sq., and
Rook to K. B's sq.)
12. Kt. takes Kt. 12. Castles.
13. Queen to her 2d. 13. Q. B's Pawn to B's 4th.

Your last move is very subtle; finding the mistake that Black had committed in not retreating his Queen directly after winning the Rook, you determine, if possible, to prevent her escape by gaining command of all the squares she can move to. Seeing the danger, Black throws forward this Pawn to enable him, if possible, to bring the Queen off, by playing her to her 5th sq., giving check.

14. Bishop to Q. Kt's 2d. 14. Q. takes Q. R's Pawn.

This move of the Bishop is well timed; it does not, to be sure, prevent the Queen from escaping for a move or two, but it gives you an attack, and very great command of the field.

15. Q. to K. Kt's 5th. 15. Knight to K's sq.

Very well played on both sides. By playing the Queen to K. Kt's 5th, you threatened to win his Knight by at once taking it with your Bishop, which he could not retake without opening check on his King. Instead of so moving, you might have played the Knight to Q. Rook's 5th sq., in which case, by afterwards moving the Rook to Q. Rook's square, it would have been impossible for his Queen to get away.

16. Q. to King's 3d. 16. K. R's Pawn to R's 3d.

You prudently retreated your Queen to guard her Knight's Pawn, which it was important to save, on account of its protection to the Knight. Black played the King's R's Pawn to prevent your Queen returning to the same post of attack.

17. K. R's P. to R's 3d. 17. K. to his R's sq.

Here are two instances of what is called "lost time" at chess, neither move serving in the slightest degree to advance the game of the player. That you should have overlooked the opportunity of gaining the adverse Queen was to be expected. Similar advantages present themselves in every game between young players, and are unobserved.

18. K. B's Pawn to B's 4th. 18. Q. Kt's Pawn to Kt's 3d.

Again you have failed to see a most important move; you might have taken the K. Rook's Pawn with your Queen, giving check safely, because Black could not take your Queen without being in check with your Bishop. All this time, too, your opponent omits to see the jeopardy his Queen is in, and that as far as practical assistance to his other Pieces is concerned, she might as well be off the board.

19. K. Kt's Pawn to Kt's 4th. 19. Q. Kt's Pawn to Q. Kt's 4th.

Your last move is far from good. By thus attacking your Knight, Black threatens to win a Piece, because upon playing away the Knight you must leave the Bishop unprotected.

20. Pawn to K. Kt's 5th. 20. Pawn takes Knight.

Although your Knight was thus attacked, it might have been saved very easily. In the first place, by your taking the adversary's Q. B's Pawn, threatening to take his K's Rook, on his removing which, or interposing the Q's Pawn, you could have taken the Pawn which attacked your Knight; or, in the second place, by moving your Queen to her 2d square. In the latter case, if Black ventured to take the Knight, you would have won his Queen by taking the K. Kt's Pawn with your Bishop, giving check, and thus exposing his Queen to yours. Black would have been obliged to parry the check, either by taking the Bishop or removing his King, and you would then have taken his Queen. This position is very instructive, and merits attentive examination.

21. B. to Q. B's 3d. 21. Pawn takes Q. Kt's Pawn.
22. Pawn to K. R's 4th. 22. Pawn to Q. Kt's 7th.

In such a position, the advance of your King's flank Pawns is a process too dilatory to be very effective.

23. Pawn to K. B's 5th. 23. Pawn to Q. Kt's 8th,
becoming a Queen.

Now the fault of your tortoise-like movements with the Pawns becomes fatally evident. Black has been enabled to make a second Queen, and has an overwhelming force at command.

24. Rook takes Queen. 24. Queen takes Rook (check).

You had no better move than to take the newly-elected Queen, for two Queens must have proved irresistible.

25. King to his Kt's 2d. 25. Kt. to Queen's 3d.
26. K. Kt's Pawn to Kt's 6th. 26. P. takes Pawn.
27. P. takes Pawn. 27. Bishop to Q. Kt's 2d.

Here you have given another remarkable instance of lost opportunity. At your last move you might have redeemed all former disasters by checkmating your opponent in two moves. Endeavor to find out how this was to be accomplished.

28. K. R's Pawn to R's 5th. 28. Knight takes King's Pawn.
29. Bishop to King's 5th. 29. Kt. to K. Kt's 4th
(discovering check).

Up to Black's last move you had still the opportunity of winning the game before mentioned.

30. King to Kt's 3d. 30. K's Rook to B's 6th. (ch.)
31. King to R's 4th. 31. Q. to K. Bishop's 4th.

At this point you were utterly at the mercy of your antagonist, but fortunately he wanted the skill to avail himself properly of his vast superiority in force and position, or he might have won the game in half a dozen different ways.

32. Q. takes Rook. 32. Q. takes Queen.
33. B. takes K. Kt's Pawn (ch.) 33. King takes Bishop.

This was your last chance, and its success should serve to convince you that in the most apparently hopeless situations of the game there is often a latent resource, if we will only have the patience to search it out. By taking the Bishop, Black has left your King, _who is not in check_, no move without going into check, and as you have neither Piece nor Pawn besides to play, you are _stalemated_, and the game is DRAWN.

If thoroughly acquainted with the information contained in the preceding sections, you may now proceed to the consideration of the openings; before you do this, however, it is necessary to apprise you that without a great abridgment of the notation adopted in the foregoing game, it would be impossible to compress within the limits of this work one-third of the variations which are required to be given. The following abbreviations will therefore be used throughout the remainder of our HANDBOOK:--

K. for King.
Q. Queen.
R. Rook.
B. Bishop.
Kt. Knight.
P. Pawn.
sq. square.
adv. adversary's.
ch. check or checking.
dis. ch. discovering check.

The word "square" is only used to distinguish the first row of squares on which the superior Pieces stand at the commencement--thus, we say, Kt. to K's 2d, and omit the word square; but if the Kt. were played to K's _first_ square or R's _first_ square, the move would be described not as Kt. to K's or R's _first_ square, but "Kt. to K's or R's square."