The Philidorian, ed. bvG. Walker

THE PHILIDORIAN.

THE

PHILIDORIAN;

A MAGAZINE OF

CHESS, AND OTHER SCIENTIFIC

GAMES;EDITED BY

GEOEGE WALKER

COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME.

LONDON:

O. WALKER AND SON, No. 17, SOHO SQUARE,

SHERWOOD AND CO. PATERNOSTER ROW,

AND SIMPKIN a n d MARSHALL,

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THE

PHILIDORIAN.No. 1. [DECEMBER] 1837.

NOTE.In accordance with that custom which invariably prefaces a

pew periodical by an Editorial appeal to the tender mercies of the generous, we had prepared a voluminous statement of our hopes and &ars upon the present occasion. Second thoughts have changed our views, and we decline the big drum accordingly. The public is too old a bird to be caught with chaff; either literal or metaphorical. If they want a thing, they *11 purchase; if not—all the “ soft sodder ” in the world will never force a demand for the commodity.

In consecrating a magazine solely to domestic games, we open up ground entirely new. We believe and trust the soil will prove fertile;—it may turn out unhappily to be but sand. Either there is room for th e P h il id o r ia n , or we have anti­cipated the era, and the cause must bide its time for another generation. Be this averted!—for the sake of the kindlier feelings of man; nourished and expanded, as we hold them to be, by the free use of healthy recreation.

We raise our banner in the name of P h il id o b , whose ashes rest in England. As the veterans of the “ grande armee” are wont tp pile the base of Napoleon’s column with flowery wreaths, so do w e glory in now paying similar tribute to the fame of the illustrious dead. May our offering to the memory of Philidor be indeed twin’d of budding “ immortelles.**

B

The sports of the field, the turf, the angle, and the wave, come not within our limits. Similar jmrsuits are already suffi­ciently represented; both in, and out of. Parliament. C hess

claims our peculiar, though not exclusive, attention. Philidor (whose mantle be upon us I) played all games well. The true Philidorian walks in the path of his master. He practises every species of harmless recreation;—from Chess and Whist —Draughts and Backgammon,—down even to Dominoes and Speculation. The Philidorian must be an Archer j for he is proud of blithe King Hal, who bent the bow at Agincourt.— He likes Cricket when the sun shines— warms himself with Billiards in the frost,—and disdains not to join his family circle bn a Christmas evening, in a merry round of Pope-Joan, or Puss-in-the-corner. A wise man can afford to laugh; while the gravity of fools is proverbial.

Another word, and then “ vogue la galere ;**—indulgence is claimed for our earlier numbers. No first beginning comes quite up to the mark. Whether it be a new actor on the stage — or a new stage on the railroad;— the wheels wantoil, and the steam is not, as yet, fully lord of the ascendancy. Give us a fair start, and we hope to “ go a-head ;— growing as we go, both in size and strength;—and establishing, in th e

P h il id o r ia n , a source of permanent amusement to all lovers of intellectual relaxation.

December 1, 1837. T he E ditor.

CHESS.—THE COCHRANE GAMBIT.

The Opening designated as the Cochrane Gambit is less interesting in some respects than certain other modes of mar­shalling the forces; but is second to n(me, as to the brilliant positions of the pieces it cannot fail to elicit. Its chief draw­back is that it cannot be forced on the adversary by either party; since the first player is not compelled to play the Gam­bit, and the second player cannot be made to push the Pawn on the Knight.' Still this objection applies with equal force to many other “ debuts,” as well as to that of which we are about to chalk an outline, relieved by many new features.

We are strong advocates for the propriety of classifying the various openings as minutely as possible, no matter by what names, as the most definite ideas are thereby conveyed to the student, with regard to their construction and. origin. Still, in ascribing an opening to its supposed inventor, we should be careful to sail as near the wind as possible, lest the laurel should be awarded to the wrong competitor. The Gambit, or rather defence to the Gambit, of which we now write, was first christ­ened after that celebrated player, Mr. Cochrane, by M. de la Bourdonnais, in our contemporary, the Palam^de. La Bourdon- nais appears to have no doubt on the subject, as we gather from his own words: (Palam^de, vol. II. p. 86.) C’eat a M. Coch-

rane, 1* un des meilleurs joueurs a echecs de la Grande Bre- “ tagne, que nous sommes redevables d*une bonne defense du “ gambit.”* * * C’est ce coup ingenieux dont Finvention ap- “ partient h M. Cochrane, &c. &c.”

In the testimony here borne to Mr. Cochrane’s profound skill as a Chess player we heartily join. When that gentleman went out to India, some fifteen years since, our circle felt his loss as a heavy blow. We cannot, however, agree with our Parisian friend, that Mr. Cochrane invented the move in question. The assumption appears to have been too hastily founded on the fact of Mr. C5ochrane*s having given some specimens of the opening, in his Treatise, printed in 1822, being games actually played by himself, and, we believe, Mr. Brand. Mr. Cochrane, nowever, attempts nothing like analysis, and the move had been previously in common use by Sarratt, and even earlier players.

The first regular analysis of this move appeared in Mr. Lewis's Lessons of Chess, and certainly of the two, “ the Lewis Gam­bit” were a much more applicable title than the name it bears.

We waive, however, controversy on the point; and for the sake of unanimity, cheerfully agree in acknowledging “ th e C och­r a n e G am b it .” In either case the palm is awarded to an Englishman, and eke a member of the London Club ; and Mr. Cochrane will doubtless receive the compliment as a tribute of remembrance on the part of his European friends, to his trans­cendent powers of Chess calculation.

In all Mr. Lewis’s writings on the game, there is nothing, we allfirm more masterly than his variations on this mode of de­fending the Gambit. He was heartily convinced of the truth of the case he pleaded, and went into the suWect “ con amore/ He has been followed in the same track by Messrs. Walker acid La Bourdonnais; each of whom appears to coincide iii the opinion of Lewis, Cochrane, Sarratt, and most great players, that the defence in question is a sound, if not the soundest, answer to the attack of the King’s Gambit; It is with some diffidence we are now about to impugn the judgment of a host so mighty, but it is only by contradiction that truth is elicited, and as experience is still leading to further discoveries in every branch oi science as well as Chess, so we must not hesitate at testing our most favourite theories by its ever burning light. After sketching the preliminary moves, we shall come at once tc» the point at issue.

Opening of the Cochrane Gambit.

WHITE. BLACK.1. K. p. twosq. 1. The same.2. K. B. P. two sq. 2. P. takes P.3. K. Kt. to B. third. 3. K. Kt. P. two.4. K. B. to Q. B. fourth. 4. P. attacks Kt.5. Kt. to K. fifth. 5. Q. checks., 6. K. to B. sq. 6. P. to K. B. 'sixth. This

is the move on which Cochrane’s defence is founded, and which we think has been too hastily received as sound. It is the object of our present essay to pro vie that if adopted, White will not want resources to enable him to win the game.

On taking a view of the board with the pieces in their pre­sent condition, we find that White has his King’s Bishop and Knight admirably planted, while Black has but his Queen in play. It is true that White has been compelled to move his King, which in itself is a disadvantage. This, however, we fancy to be counterbalanced by the attack bearing on the adverse King’s Bishop’s Pawn.

If the defence wins through thus advancing the Pawn, they must make short work of it, as it is manifest that in thus breaking their left wing, they will have little resource td

fall back upon. To foil an attack at Chess, we must beware of moving a Pawn, unless at a certain advant^e, when we can, instead, expend that move in bringing out a Piece. We believe that Salvio’s defence, playing out King’s Knight at Move 6, is far better than advancing the Gambit Pawn.

In the present posture of affairs, reverting to the board before us, we find that White possesses a choice of moves, the gi'eat extent of which is alone sufficient to produce very considerable embarrassmient. Mr. Lewis’s analysis of these movesj as far as memory serves us, occupies something Hke fifty pages, and would iiot bear shortening by a single variation* We fully agree with .Mr. Lewis that White ought to lose if he play either of the moves which he supposes probable; but we deny that White’s choice is to be thus shaped out for him. We thmk White can now play a move unequivocally superior to either of those analyzed by Mr. Lewis, and accordingly we suppose White to move :—

7. Q. P. two sq.— This, as ikr as we can see, will preserve the attack, and lead to the winning of the game, through Black's having, at Move injudiciously broken his own position. With this belief, we shall not dwell on anjr one of the other moves White may play, since we only require to win the gameONCE. .

Mr. Lewis passes over the move of Q. P. two squares, with the following brief notice ; from which it is clear he thought it inferior to those he has examined so patiently and minutely.

“ If he play Q. P. two, you take Pawn With Pawn, Checking* on his retaking, you check with Queen at Rook’s

“ sixth, and then bring out K. Kt. to K. B* third, having the “ better ffame.”

We will then adopt Mr. Lewis’s moves, and see to what they le^d. Black plays as directed by him

7. P. takes. P. ch.8. King retakies. 8. Q. to R. sixth, ch*9. K. to Kt. sq.—This appears to be the best square oh which to

retreat tlie King.9. K. Kt. to B. third. This is

the Move advised by Mr. Lewis, and we cannot find Black a better.10. Kt. takes K.B.P.— The following diagram represents the

situation of the pieces at the present juncture

BLACK.

WHITE.

There is a great deal in observing the general face of a posi­tion, before entering upon details. Black has now the move, and his King’s Rook is attacked. This is the first consideration suggested. Looking further, we find that Black’s men are for the most part crowded up at home in their original quarters, while White commands three fourths of the field. The latter’s King is shielded from every danger by the situation of the ad­verse King’s Knight’s Pawn, and Black’s Queen will soon find her position too warm for comfort. AVhite’s centre Pawns are admirably .planted, and contrast strongly with those of the Black.

Supposing Black in the situation before us, to play what Chess writers well term “ an indifferent move,” (that is, a move which bears not upon the question,) it is clear White will cap­ture the Rook gratuitously. We cannot find more than four moves on Black’s part worthy of consideration at the present crisis, and these are

1. Rook moves.2. Knight captures Pawn.3. K. Kt. P. advances.4. Q. P. two squares.

Let us glance at these moves in their order.

No. 1.10. R. moves.—Black plays the

Rook, to place it, simply, Out of danger.11. Kt. attacks Q.—Should Rook take Kt., you (White) win

the exchange, and the subsequent advance of K. Kt. P. falls harmless. Should Blaqk, on the other hand, retreat Queen, say to K. R. 5, you take Rook with Bish^; having it must be allowed, on all sides, enough to win. Be it remembered we only profess to be “ sketching.”

No. 2.10. Knight takes P.

11. Black’s last move is “ worser” than the former. You reply by pinning his Knight with Queen, and evidently ou^ht to win the game; barring subsequent blunders, against which we could not insure Solomon himself.

No. 3.10. K. Kt. P. on.—Bv this move

Black threatens to advance P. to Kt. seventh, wnich would win the Rook. He has not, however, time for this.

11. White has two moves, both good. The first, and proba­bly “ fastest,” is to attack Queen with Bishop, as this insures the winning of Rook for Kt., and the Bishop is ready to move, if required, to Kt. second. Or, White may play

Kt. attacks Q. 11. Q. to K. R. fifth.12. P. takes P. 12. Q. takes P. ch.13. K. to B. sq., and our cry be “ White for ever T

No. 4.10, Q. P. two sq.— This is Black’s

strongest mode of play. To move the Pawn one square only, is unworthy of our consideration.

11. Variations almost innumerable spring from this point, but White has, to our mind, a clear winning game. To take the offered Pawn is perhaps less forward play, than

K. B. home, attacking Queen.—11. Q. to K. R. fifth.

12. Kt. takes R. 12. Kt. takes K. P.13. Q.to K. second.—We give these moves rather as supposi­

tious, than as the best for White. We mean those subsequent to Move 11, at which we should prefer dismissing the Game as de­cidedly in White’s favour. In going over this opening with a friend, a player of a very high order, he continued it for Black as follows:—

13. P. to K. Kt. sixth.14. P. takes P. 14. Q. takes P. ch.

15. B. covers. — It must be admitted Black has hardly a \es left to stand upon.

We have now “ said our say*’ thus far, respecting the Cochrane Gambit; and if wrong in our deductions, shall be glad to be set right. Truth is our aim, and we court alike criticism and correc­tion. Until better informed we must assume our premises to be well founded. The Cochrane defence to the Gambit w il l not d o .

Few questions in Chess are more difl&cult of solution, than the best method of defending the King’s Gambit. All writers agree as to the propriety of taking the offered Pawn at the second move, and then resting victory upon an obstinate defence of the acquisition; but as to the surest modes of effecting this, there prevails much difference of opinion. The point is rendered more difficult of decision, from the talent arrayed on both sides of the question. One party, including the unrivalled Philidor and Ponziani, are for prudently holding on with their gains; and, placing the King’s Bishop at King’s Knight’s second square, at the fourth move, await tne rush of the foe, like the Andalusian tauridor resting on his lance. Others, inpluding Salvio, Sarratt, and chiefs of similar repute, scorn to remain in their intrenchments, and boldly endeavour to wrest the attack from their adversa^, by advancing the Pawn on th Knight. We candidly state it as our own opinion, that either of these plans is good if judiciously followea up; but we hold that if the Pawn be pushed on the Knight, the second player can only with safety, snape his defence, subsequently, in the mode termed “ Salvio’s Gambit.” If you suspect yourself to be stronger than your adversaiT, you should, of course, push on the Pawn to attack Kt. at Move 4, but it is assumed that we are addressing pliers of comparatively equal force.

The advantage White gains from giving up his K. B. P. in the Gambit, can only be founded on tnese circumstances. 1.— By diverting the adverse King’s Pawn from his proper file, he is enabled to push his own Queen’s Pawn two squares, without putting it en prise. 2. The King’s Pawn thus diverted, is to the adversary’s own hindrance, as regards his shoeing an early attack. 3. Black must either give up the said Pawn, on which you will have sustained no numerical loss, and will have made a good exchange,—or else, in defending it, he must push his King’s Knight’s Pawn, and thereby open up the field on his King's side; to the detriment of his Castling, &c. It were needless to lengthen these details for the present. We shall not lose sight of the subject.

STUDIES IN POLISH DRAUGHTS.Under the above title, it is our intention to give a series of

Problems in this beautiful game; and we shall t^e an early op­portunity of explaining its elements and constitution; supposing them for the present to be known to our readers. The solutions of the positions will appear at a subsequent period. The White men we shall invariably assume to have occupied originally the lower half of the board, and to be therefore moving upwards, from the student. White, too, is always understood to have the move. We shall take care to specify such situations as have occurred in play; giving, when possible, the actual names of the parties. Such positions will of course be found easier of solu­tion, than those framed expressly to present the greatest possible difficulties. We possess many of this latter description, which we do not hesitate to proclaim will be found intensely hard to discover, if not altogether impracticable, without a clue. We shall generally, however, prefer printing problems of moderate difficulty.

No. 1. Won by M. Blonde of a celebrated player, termed in Paris, *‘ le Hollandais.”

No. 2. Won of the HoUandais,” by PhUidor, the Chesa-player.

WHIST;—BY A MELTONIAN.The game of Whist is in truth a noble sport, and its proper­

ties are duly appreciated by an admiring world. Some of my friends believe the division of the year into fifty-two weeks arose, originally, from the intense love of Whist in its fifty-two bodily elements, thus publicly manifested on the part of early quid­nuncs. The theory is curious and probable; and could it be pro ved, would tend to show that our ancestors were not the brutes I take them to have been. At any rate the pack of fifty-two cards was pre-ordained “ par excellence” for Whist; and it were sin indeed to sunder them; the parties constituting in their union, a high and holjr harmony.

There are some points about the games of both Boston and Quadrille, of a presentment exceedingly “ Whistish**; and, not to speak it profanely, there have been moments when I fancied that certain of their constituent parts were finer than Whist itself. But this opinion has not endured, and was merely the transient passion awakened by beauty in a novel form. The nightingale,” says the poet of Persia, “ stoops over the bright flowers of the garden, but is still constant to the rose.” When a man drinks gooseberry-wine in hot July, he thinks at the mo­ment Champagne can hardly match it. Whist is the Cham­pagne ; aye, and the Cogniac too, of the ripe vine’s richest produce.

The chief superiority of Whist over Quadrille and its fellows, lies in the exact simplicity of its constitution; all the parts of which are so evenly balanced, that they may be said, to use a bold trope, to have been fashioned of B ritiso O ak itself. The rudi­ments of Whist are acquired (somehow) in ten minutes; and should your friends be “ merciful of mood ’ you may then at once sit down, and begin to resolve your newly acquired know­ledge into practice. You have but to leam the order of the cards,—to know that you must follow suit—that the ace knocks down the king, and a few similar leading points, and then play away like old Kentucky. On the other hand, the elements and preparatory essentials of Quadrille require a week’s hard fag at least; and this I assume to be the chief cause why that really fine game has gone “ to grass.” The technicalities of Quadrille, too, once overcome, little ultimate superiority is gained by skill; whereas in Whist the case is just (and justly) reversed; for like Chess, its profundities are too deep for perfect exploration. The best players in the best clubs occasionally stumble, and every acknowledged first-rate I have ever looked over, was capable of losing a trick at least once in------how shall I fill up the blank ?

Whist is, then, the prince of card games, but never was

monarch more scurvily treated by his subjects. Of the hundred thousand persons who crouch daily on the earth*s surface to play Whist, how few are worthy of even rubbing themselves against the portals of the temple ? They may, parrot-like, pour out the slang terms of the science;—utter much flippancy about “ cutting ” the diamond, and taking “ five half-pounds to four —they may tell, and swear, “ how’ they lost last Monday sixty seven points in succession; and how they kept their legs under the same green baize, twentjr-five hours in succession, “ by Shrews- bu^ clock.” They, may, m a word, “ ta l k * Whist enough to strike a modest man, like me, dumb : but in their whole bushel of “ chaff,”—Winchester measure, there is seldom even one poor grain of wheat.

What capital fault-finders are some Whist torturers! How hard they fight the battle over between the deals! How they “ pitch it in’* to their partners for not “ running” the Queen, or for “ taking out” the Heart. How “ politefully” they tell the innocent sufferer who faces them, that he is little better than a fool, inside and out, and not fit to hold a card in their most sweet company! To think he should have held the ace, and not put it on!—the wretch ought to be consigned to immediate per­dition. Here were they, “ sitting with” the Lord knows *what, and he (Innocent) such a blind beast, he could not distinguish what treasures they possessed, through the backs of the cards IO the eloquence, say I, of similar spouting rhetoricians! How well they would lecture on Whist at the Royal Institutionbut as to its practice, “ Mangling done here” were their fitting motto. The scientific player is silent, and findeth fault good humouredly and rarely, or more in sorrow than in anger; doing it ever with an air of quiet modesty, as if rather anxious to seek truth for its own sake, than actuated by that empty, vulgar, spirit, which blames, but praises never. Many of the com­pany of shallow Whist-mongers, are so greedy and keen upon the scent, that even when not playing themselves, they cannot hold their tongues; but favor the party with a running fire of yelping criticism while the cards are dealing. Such persons have moreover this advantage, that, as they gape over two or three hands at once, they are thus better qualified to play Ther- sites; and hence their admonitions become doubly or trebly insupportable. You foolishly condescend, perhaps, to defend the unsuccessful finesse, and they demonstrate that you must have known (for they knew) that your left hand adversary held second best. If you ask Gander how you could have known what he assumes to have been so clearly legible, you draw down a redoubled scream of cackle ; which lasts until you lift your next hand, when your persecutor takes himself off, for the moment, to peck, hop, sniff, and flutter, once more round the table.

Other players of this school affect the pedant«. Let me look at that trick, Sir,*’-*-in order to know whether their partner played the tray or the deuce;—such nonsense, I know, plays the deuce with my patience. Many, rather more advanced, are able to play their own cards tolerably, but never acquire the more difficult art of reading their partners* hands. The conse­quence is, they study their own particular cards alone; and, with perhi^ a very weak set, persist in their own stupid path ; forcing their partner, instead of giving him a trump, or vice versa, as the case may be. I believe in the existence of men who fancy a knave, or ten, in their own hands, more than a queen, or king, in the hand of tbeir partner. It is astonishing these worthies do not oftener play the correct card—by mistake !

And what are the reasons Whist is played so badly ?—for I am not bigotted enough to deny that a moderate knowledge thereof is really easy of attainment. One of the chief <*,auses I take to be a disregard of the importance of studying its theory, but a more obvious reason is, that bad play is so frequently concealed from the practitioner himself, by the cloak of Dame Fortune. If the bungler wins, no matter how. He makes two by cards, and is satisfied; not having perception to become aware that his hand presented capabilities of making the game ; by scoring three for the cards, instead of a couple. The cutting in, too, of players of every grade, in succession, at the same table, keeps men, otherwise sensible souls, in th& dark as to their deficiencies; to say nothing of the habit of betting largely with all comers, before the tyro is well out of his spelling-book. If two bad players would agree to sit down in partnership, and play a match of a hundred rubbers s^inst two acknowledged masters of the game, the secret would be found out. Foolish men frequently win exclusively through the cards, and of course attribute it to their skill; “ for,” say they ignorantly, “ how can I play badly, if I win ? ” And it must be owned, that we often see the cards run provokingly cross in this respect; showering their choicest favours on those who so little deserve the boon. Unskilful players form bad habits, through starting originally in an erroneous track, and can never retrace their steps. Were it any thing else hut a game they would probably study it seriatim; but they are content to log on; riskmg sums of money on so sandy a foundation, that their superstructure is constantly totter­ing in the wind. One remark of a contemporary writer on Whist, comes here pat to my pen:—

“ Thousands sit down to play Whist, and millions of pounds are “ made to change hands yearly by its powers of transfer. Nine ** persons out of ten, however, would lock their doors if they sat “ down to study the principles of the game (which cannot be “ done effectually without the cards before them), from a dread

. i r“ of being caught; as if they were ashamed of being seen to “ learn, what they are not ashamed of being seen to practise." Mmor A. on Short Whist, p. 40.

1 have played in my lifetime many hundreds of rubbers at Whist, with players of every grade and country; and hope yet to live to play some hundreds more. With much experience should come understanding. To puff my own personal skill is far from being my present aim, but I may be permitted to say in a few words that as I have not been an inattentive'observer, so I have a number of curious points noted down in my Whist Scrap-book, which, when in due order unfolded, and laid before the “ board of green cloth,” will not, I am proud to think, be found without their use. Be not deceived with sound without sense. A large bell rings louder, but is as empty and hollow as the smaller one. The best play at Whist is that which approx­imates the closest to the playing of what is termed “ dumby.” All the world admit this to be the truth, but all the world fre­quently sin against their own conviction. Weak players adopt a wild course; finessing cards against all reasonable probability. The thing tells perhaps once in five times, and the practitioner chuckles over the skill developed in his splendid “ coup;” but respecting the four times it fails, he does yet more wisely, for he holds his tongue; and should his partner murmur, cuts him short by telling him decidedly it was the game. All this is sheer humbug. Others, with perhaps a couple of trumps, lead them off, to bring in some prodigious “ long suit,” as they term it; as if with two trumps they could draw eleven; and, as may be expected, sit sometimes, with four or five trumps, and to save their lives, would scorn to lead one. On these and similar points, I shall have a few words hereafter in detail, with the readers of THE P hILIDORIAN.

How many different ways, friendly reader, do you think the thirteen cards you take up can be produced by a pack? If you are fond of arithmetic, calculate for yourself. If otherwise in­clined, take it from me that the combinations “ formable” of thirteen cards in each, are simply expressed in figures thus :— 635,013,669,600. Oh I that a tithe of this resectable total were in the shape of shillings to call me master! But, seriously, there are certain things afloat, to which the application of figures produces results of a complexion approaching the ridiculous; and this is one of them. By way of climax, it is worth putting on record, that to represent the whole of the possible combi­nations of the pack of fifty-two cards, requires no fewer than forty-seven figures; which said cyphers array themselves in sober earnestness before us thus:—16,250,663,659,176,029,962, 668, 164,794,000,749,006,367,006,400. There is a bit of “ Cam­bridge” you won’t find in Hoyle!

What woiild the worthy Mrs. Battle (Charles Lamb’s Mrs. Battle) say, could she have lived to witness the coming in of SHORT WHIST ? Happily for her, she was spared the shock. Never had Whist a more enthusiastic admirer. Did she not reprimand her partner for laughing while playing ?—observing, so truly and emphatically, that “ cards were cards;”—and did she not send ten miles once over the snow to ask the Curate to dinner, because in his morning’s lecture he had made so many allusions to “ the last trump? * After the lamented death of Mrs. Battle, there was found among her papers the sketch of a new variety of Whist, which, had she lived, would ere this have been put in motion. The exact details I forget, but it hinged on these chief preliminaries. Twenty-five instead of ten were to make game, and the rubber was to comprise five, instead of three games. Three honours were to reckon for one point only, instead of two; and the four honours to be bagged as a brace, in lieu of four. Surely to this good Short Whist would have been an abomination unendurable. There are many Mrs. Battles. From my own narrow circle, I could pick half a dozen dowagers who would each give her right hand, to ascertain the author of this revolutionary innovation on the sacred aris­tocracy of Whist. Poor devil! were his name made public, his life for the next three months would hardly be insurable at any ofiice in the metropolis.

A convert to the light of truth, I am not ashamed to acknow­ledge that on the first introduction of Shorts, I was heathen enough to side with the legitimates, and was strongly prejudiced against the new game. My opinion is now altogether as much biassed in favour of Short Whist over Long Whist. The question is fair matter of argument, and I append a brief summary of the pros and cons, major and minor.

The conservatives, or followers of Long Whist, say that Short Whist was merely introduced to make the stakes in effect higher, and the excitement of play consequently greater, owing to the events being more frequently determined. That the money circulates faster, and that the .game is thereby more nearly allied to gambling, than its graver progenitor. That the fewer the points to be gained, the greater is the advantage to unskilful players. That the honours tell for too much at Short Whist, in proportion ; and that an jp<;rrased weight has been there^ thrown into the scale, on the side of luck versus science. That some of the chief beauties of the game are destroyed through the goal of victory’s thus being brought nearer to the competitors; in the same manner that the rail roads will tend to injure the pleasure of travelling, owing to the rapidity with which they whirl you across the country. “ where can be the use,” say the Longs, “ of exercising fine play to bring in a strong suit, and thus make “ two or three by caras, when the odd trick will of itself be

“ sufficient to land you at the mark of five ? **— But let the public advocates of the cause plead for themselves, and call Matthew'sfirst;----- speaking of the introduction of Short Whist, he says,

** There have been, 1 presume, two inducements for this alte- ration; the one to promote a quicker circulation of the cash,

“ and make the play aeeper; the other to reduce the advantage “ of the good over the bad player, by approximating a game of ** skill still nearer to a game of chance. That it has both these “ effects is evident, for Short Whist is much higher play at a “ guinea, than Long Whist at two-guinea points; and I am con- “ vinced that the fewer the points to be played for, the greater “ the advantage to the inferior player. v6n the supposition that “ the honours, on an average, are four in the Long, and two “ each game in Short Whist, I think the good player has double

the advantage in the former, to what he has in the latter “ game, having twice the number of points to play for,*’ &c. &c. Matthews on Whist P. 61, ^c.

The sentiments here expressed are repeated with increased force in the last editions of Hoyle; witness the following quotations:—

“ From the brevity of this new game, there is little scope for “ manoeuvre, stratagem, and plans, which form the chief beauties “ of the old game ; and the most successful way of playing it is, “ in general, by pressing forward in double quick time, making “ as many tricks as the hand will apparently admit of, seldom “ risking a finesse: in other words, to carry every thing by a “ coup-de-main, rather than a ruse-de-guerre, in the way of what “ is termed in derision W h itb ch apb l p l a y . And if the name “ of W h ite ch ape l W hist had been given to the game itself, it ** could scarcely have been deemed a misnomer. Its main at- “ traction would seem to be the quick return of the stakes; no “ unimportant attribute to the gamester.”—See HoyUs Games hy Charles Jones Esq, London, 1826.

“ Five, instead of ten, constituting the game at Short Whist, “ brings it much more within the sphere of chance than Long “ Whist, for by presenting a more extended field to the operation “ of your cards, it neutrauzes the good skill of a fine player, re- “ ducing his advantage over an inferior adversaiy in the ratio of

one half. * * * * * * It follows, therefore, tnat the most ap- “ proved tactique is a bold, dashing, en avant system, almost the “ very reverse of the Fabian policy of the old one, which presents “ so wide a field for stratagem and manoeuvre.” &c.—SeeHoyWs Games, hy G. H, Esq, London, 1835.

I will not HERE comment upon these writers. They agree in considering Short Whist to be almost as much a game of chance as tossing up a halfpenny.

It has been further remarked in favor of the ancient variety of Whist, that one of the chief reasons for its continued preference by thinking people, is founded on good play’s requiring so many

more finesses at Long, than Short Whist. This, they say, which constitutes so pretty a part of the ^me, is in positive contra dis­tinction to Short Whist; at which you must only look out for certain tricks, and risk next to nothing. In “ Whitechapel Whist,” as the ponderously facetious Jones, Esquire, hath it, you must trust to the moral weight of the cards alone, and not give away a single chance. The very deal at starting decides the game in the long run; it being a good five to four in favour of the rubber s being won by those who deal first; and as this event is decided by chance alone. Short Whist is more and more assi­milated to games of pure hazard.

Such is a fair abptract.of the arguments brought forward by the admirers of Long Whist, against its presumptuous and fast-grow- ing opponent. Let us see what may be said in reply.

And first, as to Short Whist necessarily involving higher play, the assumption falls to the ground, if the amount staked be dimi­nished. That guinea points, Shorts, are much higher play than guinea points. Longs, is an obvious truism, but is the lover of Short Whist bound to play the same points he has been accustomed to observe at Long Whist ? For example, I myself am one of a private Whist Club, who have met constantly during the last twenty-five years. While we played Long Whist we had half- crown points, with an optional crown on the fubber. Since the introduction, and exclusive establishment of Short Whist, we have lowered our stakes ; and now play shilling points, with a bet of half a crown on the rubber. We are all old friends, and sober citizens of London ; and of course our object has been harmless amusement, and not the winning of each other*s money. Were any of our members known to bet higher than permitted by the Code, expulsion from the circle would inevitably follow.

With regard to the increased frequency of the determination of the several events, and the consequently enhanced degree of ex­citement therefrom derivable,—I admit, while I rejoice, in the truth of the fact. A rubber under the old regime was sometimes a very tedious affair, particularly if supper was waiting. For­merly, a rubber might last two hours; now, it may be over in two deals; and this I hold to be an improvement. Whist not being intended to be practised as a soporific. It will be borne in mind, that as I have lowered my stakes, I lose, or win, about the same amount, on a hundred pomts at Shorts, as I formerly did on the same number of Longs; while in the administration of the course, I enjoy just twice the fun at the same cost, both as to time and money. The thing is equally applicable to each of the three friends with whom I form a table. Matthews is compelled to admit that “ the good plavers” are the chiefest advocates of Short Whist. They know best how capable of improvement are all human institutions, and none but tools will think this rule

exists with a single exception, A strong proof of the superiority of Short Whist is to be based on the rapidity of its progress. It has traversed the land from shore to shore, and established itself as quickly on the throne of public opinion, as did the mighty Nimoleon, when in 1815 he rushed like a meteor, from Cannes to Paris. The comparison cannot, however, be maintained further,for the votaries of Short Whist will “ ------leave it never! ” '

A few remarks upon the point at issue, by my clever and lively contemporary, Major A * * * are too good to be omitted in arguing for the cause of Shorts :—he says,

“ Matthews, the most gentleman-like, and best, Whist-player “ of the Long school, in his short observations published upon

the new game , as he calls it, has expressed his opinion that it “ was in favour of the middlings; but to my certain knowledge “ he lived to change it, and to see how frequently indifferent “ play prevented saving a game. * * * # The point in dispute “ may be thus settled :—how would good players play, at five-all “ in the old game? They would play to make nve, to win the “ game, or three points to score eight for the advantage of “ calling ; this is precisely the new game :—the attack and “ defence is therefore the same as at five-all. The introduction “ of Short Whist has, however, had the effect of improving “ Whist-players generally; scarcely a bungler now exists, who “ does not know that five tricks with one honour save the “ game. Whereas, formerly, bad Whist-players were like tra- “ vellers upon a strait French road, between a long vista, which “ seemed to have no end, and no variety. They played the same “ from one end of the game to the other; always thinking of “ ten points. Now they have learnt that a sudden turv on a “ rapid Macadamized turnpike may bring its coup-de-gr^ce ; and “ they, as well as they can, look to the score, and play to points,” &c. See Major A. on Short Whist, p» 26.

The mode in which honours are permitted to count at Short Whist, has been made the subject of frequent cavil, but in my opinion, improperly so. The writer just quoted. Major A., stands at the head of this party. They suggest that the honours ought to be divided with the score, and that while four honours thus count for two points only, three honours should reckon as but one. To me, I own, the suggested alteration appears to be equal­ly superficial as sophistical. The present method observed in counting for honours keeps up an interest in the game to the very last moment. Who can say they are sure of victory, when even at four-love, the game is so frequently carried off by the sudden apparition of the four honours on the side of the enemy t The not reckoning honours at four, and the abrogation of calling

• Mrs. Battle would have rcdde it “ turn-over.”

in toto, is likewise sound philosophy. The calling in Long Whist, at the point of eight, is any thing but Whist-like. It opens a door to sundry irregularities, and presents a decided encroachment upon that important feature in our legislative system, which prohibits partners from practising ought approach­ing to intimation of their relative force. 1 say, and say again, that our present plan of computing the worth of honours, is as perfect as can be any thing in the present century; which itself can only be defined as a part of that vast cradle, in which the infancy of the globe is being rocked into manhood.

And. while I am upon this part of my subject, let us see if we cannot retort a little upon the big Whistonians, and carry the war into the enemy’s camp. I maintain that in Old Whist there is a certain degree of tedium inseparable from certain positions of the score; which, in Young Whist, is by no means apparent. Suppose one party to be at nine-love, or seven-love, and their adversaries make up to them through a long succession of soli- taiy odd tricks—how heartily do both parties in similar cases unite in voting the concern a bore! The distribution of the points is now moreover vastly improved, and in this respect, at least, we have borrowed advantageously from France. The rub­ber point has been doubled, as it ought to be; for I take it to be an indisputable truism, that viewed in proportion to its colla­terals, the payment of the rubber has been hitherto inadequate to meet the merits of the case. The introduction of the “ treble” was a manifest conception of genius. The carrying-on game, in which any overplus that may arise, goes forward towards the next rubber, is an invention replete with talent; but runs too much into the extreme to suit either my taste, or that, I believe, of any other Whist Amateur; but this “ en passant.”

At Long Whist, he who gains four points is in reality no better off than he who loses a bumper; while the unhappy wretch who scores but nine, might as well have stopt at five. How opposite a state of things to the simplicity of our present arrangements, in which there is consolidated a distribution of reward and pu­nishment, worthy of Jeremy Bentham, or the great Rhadaman- thus himself. Make one single point, and you save your treble; mark three, and your double is out of danger; while, should you score five, your breeches pocket swells with exultation, and a single only is enrolled against you, even should the laurel of the day be awarded to your antagonists. The interest felt in Short Whist is never suffered to flag; but down to the last moment of the game, there exists the strongest stimulus to exertion.

To the assembled of Whist-players, who, though too few to form a couple of tables, are too many for o n e , h o w great a boon has been given by the cutting down the score. Fancy five men

round a Whist-table enffrossed by four out of the five, for an hour or two consecutiv^y. Bah ! I have formerly undergone the ordeal, and can well sympathize with the unhappy looker-on. Invited to play Whist, he finds himself reduced to play Pa­tience ; and is glad to take up a magazine, or to amuse himself with a Chinese puzzle!

The discomfited followers of the fallen monarchy tax their opponents with a frequent waste of fine play, its adoption being occasionally useless. Did I not believe the case to be the very reverse, and that good play goes for more at Shorts than Longs, I should withdraw my allegiance from the former to-morrow.

It is admitted that in playing Short Whist the gain or loss of a single trick nmst influence the result in a greater degree than in Long Whist. Upon this fact I ground my case, certain of a triumphant verdict. As the number of events is doubled, so are the effects of unskilful play doubled also. Suppose, for example, that in Long Whist, you lose the odd trick, by a blun­der, the first hand of the rubber; the fault is comparatively of minor consequence; but at Short Whist it would be sufficiently important, in all probability, to determine the eame. With us, let it never be forgotten, an odd trick is one fifth, instead of one tenth, of the whole affair. Twenty per cent., instead of ten Again, suppose that a Short Whist player, through bad play, remains at four when he could have played out; how much more does he thus lose, than he would do by scoring four instead of five at Longs. As in the royal game of Chess every move is required to count, so in Short Whist, every single card must tell either one way or another; and the judgment can ne­ver slumber, as it sometimes does at Great Whist, over the falla­cious reflection, “ Oh! it did not much matter; it was only one trick.*' At Shorts, there frequently arise hands with which bad players would at most score three, but with which the scienti­fic would at once play out. This cannot happen at Long Whist.

But methinks I hear a venerable Whistonian or Whist—one, true to his early pursuits, cry “ Then according to your logic, three had even better be game than five, since it would be the sooner decided, and a greater number of events would thence come off in the playing out of a hundred points, in favour of the skilful,” Stop a moment, my friend, and don't beg the case. You may, if you please, frame a new Whist, in which three points shall constitute the game, but I shall certainly not make one of the party. I prefer the Mail Coach to the heavy Waggon, but am little ambitious of travelling in a Balloon. A Whist, shorter than Short, would be as much in extreme, as Lon Whist; and moderate men prefer moderate measures. The line must be drawn somewhere, or we should be split into endless factions;

every man practising a Whist of his own concoction. Five is a good number; and I shall therefore pause, ere I permit any other to be substituted.

One point must not be forgotten. At Short Whist, different tables of calculation as to the odds. See., must supersede those previously in use, but these calculations are simple, and, indeed, easier of comprehension than their progenitors. I beg too, most respectfully, to hint that I have seen a good deal of nonsense committed by players at Long Whist; of which they would assuredly be ashamed at Shorts. I mean that some of them are prone to exercise the most ridiculous strokes of finesse; and to play so backward a game, in order to bring in “ their long suit,” that it amounts to positive burlesque. To see their “ coups,” one would be apt to suppose that each player had thirty, instead of thirteen cards, so very fine do they draw it. At Short Whist there is much less of this extraneous species of skill put forth, and young players will hence the sooner ac­quire a good style of play. There arise, however, certain oppor­tunities, in which it is more correct to finesse deeply than it would be in playing Longs, for it more frequently happens that a bold dash may save the game, which without it is irretrievably lost. The first consideration, on taking up a hand at Whist, should be to save the game; the second, to win it, if you can. There is nothing which draws the line between good and bad players stronger than the observance of this principle. The foolish man, with a weak hand, sees that his opponents must score, and resigns the contest in de^air; dropping his cards with the most enraging indifference. Whist would be better played, did private families form a habit of playing the points properly when alone; instead of being content to count only the game or rubber-point. Let them, say I, play the game; for pence if they will; but play the game.

The foregoing rambling remarks are intended to preface a series of discursive papers, in a familiar style, on the Game of Short Whist; both as relates to its theory and practice. I am vain enough to think I can throw considerable light on the subject; and perhaps the very circumstance of the work’s being broken thus into detached portions, may induce s6me persons to accompany me throughout the execution of my tasK, who would be deterred from opening a volume on the subject, if put into their hands ready “ bound and gilt.”

(to be continued .)

CHESS.—POSITION BY PONZIANI.

This situation, curious enough as regards the force set in op­position, occurs in Ponziani’s celebrated Treatise on Chess. That great writer gives the above position, as one in which White, with the advantage of the Move, can win the game by force; against a numerical superiority apparently overwhelming. The situation is repeated, and the same fallacy assumed by several subsequent authors. We proceed to expose the error of the calculation; first remarking, that it is to M. Szen, the celebrated Hungarian Chess player, we are indebted for its discovery.

The following are the Moves by which it has been always sup­posed White forces the game :—

WHITE. BLACK.1. Q. R. p. two. The result would be exactly similar were

White as his first move to play K. to B. as his best square.1. Q. P. advances.

2. Q. R. P. one. 2. Q. P. advances.3. K. to B.—It is obvious White must move King to arrest Q.

P .; and were he to play to either of the other two squares on the Bishop’s file, he would clearly lose the game. Similar points are useful as studies; and should not be passed without analysis.

3. K. B. r . advances.4. K. home, (best.) 4. K P. one.5. Q. R. P. on. 5. K. P. one.

6. Q. R. P. on. 6. Q. P. ch.—After the fourth move, we admit that the best moves are uniformly given to Black.

7. K. to Q. 7. K. B. P. one.8. P. Queens, ch. 8. K. to Kt. second.9. Q. to K. R. sq. 9. Kt. P. advances.

10. K. to K. second. 10. Kt. P. advances.11. K. takes P. 11. K. to R. third.12. K. takes P., and evidently wins.The flaw in the foregoing line of defence turns on the fourth

move; at which, by judiciously substituting a better, the com­plexion of the affair is immediately altered. Replace the original position, and try the following moves ;—

1. R. P. two. 1. Q. P. advances.2. R. P. on. 2. Q. P. advances.3. K. to B. 3. K. B. P. on.4. K. home. 4. K, Kt. P. one.—By pushing

this Pawn instead of K, P., White’s conquest is frustrated. This Move is ^ M. Szen.

6. R. P. advances. 6. B. P. ch.— This, and Black’snext move, founded as they both are, on the advance of the Kt. P. at the critical moment, form a first-rate piece of play.

6. K. takes P. White has no better move.6. Kt. P. ch.

If White do not take Pawn, it advances gratuitously.7. K. takes P. 7. Q. P. advances.8. R. P. on. 8. P. Queens.9. P. Queens, ch.—We may here dismiss the game, and con­

sider the case “ proven.” Of the two. Black is the more likely to win; having two Pawns “ plus,” one of them guarded, and the check being harmless. Whether White can succeed in es­tablishing a perpetual check, is foreign to the purpose. Grant­ing that he he fortunate enough to draw the game, Ponziani’s original conclusion is equally invalidated. We so rarely catch this author tripping, that his slightest inaccuracies are worth pointing out, to the critical eye of the scientific player.

ENGLISH DRAUGHTS.The solutions of the following critical situations at the com­

mon game of Draughts will be given in a future number of the ftilidorian; and the collection will be continued. As in our positions of Polish Draughts, the white men, here, have uniformly the first move; and are supposed to be advancing up the board, having originally filled the lower lines of squares.

No. 1. White to win.

No, 2. White to win.

No. 3. White to win.

No. 4. WhUe to win.

LESSONS IN feCARTfe.

L esson I .— W hat is fecARxfe.

T h e game of fecart6 is played by two persons, with a pack o f thirty-two, instead of fifty-two cards; tne twos, threes, fours, fives, and sixes, being thrown out of the common pack, as at Picquet. When there are several persons present who wish to join in, it is not unusual for three, or even four, of them to pW together; which is accomplished as follows:—Suppose A, B, C, and D, to form a similar party; A and B first play a game or rubber, and the winner gives up his seat to C, who is followed by D, and so on in rotation. As regards the uninitiated, this mode of cutting in, by turns, is preferable to the tedium of looking on; but it is rarely practised by better players.

fecarte is played with two packs of cards (as whist); these packs should have, by rights, backs of different colours, for the sake of proper distinction. Each player deals exclusively with the same cards throughout the game, or rubber. He who first deals has the choice of the packs, which cannot subsequently be changed; except for the purpose of introducing new cards, which may be called for at any time, previous to dealing. The right to the first deal is determined by cutting the cai ds in the ordinary manner; the highest to deal. At £lcart6, the king is the highest card. Each player keeps his own pack on his right hand, while not dealing.

It is customary to play either games, or rubbers, at the option of the players; the former being the most in vogue.

Five points constitute the game ; which are scored with four counters. These four counters are placed, at starting, on the one side of either player; and are then passed, as required, to the other side. The score is usually placed on the same side as the bets, or stakes, which is generally on the left hand. When the game is decided, each player replaces his counters on their original side.

The stakes and bets must all be placed on the table; and are not considered as accepted, unless covered. He who wins a bet, or stake, is compelled to give the loser his revenge, once only; but the latter is of course not bound to accept it without he likes.

ORDER OF THE CARDS.

The king is the highest card in fecart .The queen is next in value.The knave ranks after the queen.The ace follows the knave.

The ten, nine, eight, and seven rate as they are here placed; thus the seven is the lowest card in the pack.

It will be seen that the relative value of the cards is the same as at Whist, except as to the ace; which, in fecart , stands be­tween the knave and ten.

The cards capture each other according to their quality. The king, queen, and knave, can each take the ace ; while the latter can take the ten, nine, &c. Of course, this applies to each several suit, only.

A trump can take a card of any other suit, as at Whist. Thus the seven of diamonds, if trumps, can capture the king of clubs, &c.

With regard to following suit, fecart is also very similar to Whist Diamonds being trumps, and the eight of hearts led, should the king of spades, &c- be played in reply, it is taken by the heart.

ON THE MANNER OP PLAYING.

The cards having been shuffled, and cut, properly, the dealer gives five cards to each. The cards are not dealt singly, one at a time, but either by three and two, or two and three; that is to say, the dealer begins by giving his adversary three cards, then takes the same number himself,-rand finishes the deal by giving his opponent two cards, and taking two himself, — OR, hh may begin by giving two to each, and finish by giving three to each; as laid down in the laws. Having thus deaut five cards to each, the eleventh card is turned up by the dealer as the trump. The trump card is placed by itself, conspicuously on the table, during the playing out of the hand.

If the card turned up as the trump be a king, the dealer marks immediately one point towards game. The king of trumps when held in hand, also, entitles its holder to mark one point. He who first marks five points wins the game.

The deal being made, each party takes up, and looks at his five cards. The king of trumps, when held in hand, must be marked, before the holder begins to play.

The non-d€aler, who is termed the elder hand, then begins at once to play, if satisfied with his cards. But should he think fit, has the option, if dissatisfied with his hand, to propose ex­changing some, or all of them, for other cards. He does this by saying “ I propose.” The dealer, in determining as to whether he should agree to this proposal, consults his hand; and if he prefers it, refuses to agree, but compels the non-dealer to play without proposing.

Should the de^er, again, agree to the offer of the elder hand as to discarding, he answers “ how many?*’— The elder hand then

throws down one or all of his cards, faces downwards, and receives as many as he demands in lieu thereof; card for card. Thus, if he discards three, he receives three others, and so on. The dealer then throws out as many from his own hand as he thinks proper, and takes in a fresh supply accordingly.

^ould the elder hand play without 'proposing to discard, or should the dealer refuse his consent to the proposition, there arise certain contin^ncies, and probable penalties as will be hereinafter explained .

After proposing, and receiving fresh cards, the elder hand is at liberty to propose a^in and a^n , and the dealer continues to exercise his discretion respecting the agreeing to such propo­sal. Only there is no contingent penalty consequent upon re­fusing a second proposal to discard.

The dealer is not compelled to discard, (or ecarter,) the same number of cards as his adversary. Thus should the elder hand change three only, the dealer may discard the whole five if he like. Or, if the non-dealer throws out four or five, the dealer m ^ only discard one or two, according to his hand.

The cards discarded are kept together, and not suffered to be mixed with the remainder of the pack; which is termed the “ ta­lon,** or stock,” and is kept on the right hand of the dealer.

The discarding being adjusted, the elder hand begins to play, by leading off a card.

The second player in reply must follow suit if he can, and in so doing must not underplay; that is, he may not play a card lower than the one led, should he hold a higher in his hand. Should he not be able to follow suit, he must trump, if possible.

The winner of the trick turns it, and plays again, and so on, until the ten cards are all played out. The hands form, there­fore, five tricks of two cards each.

He who wins three of the five tricks is said to have gained the po intand is thereby entitled to mark one towards game.

He who wins four of the five tricks gains no more than if he had turned only three. He who wins the whole five obtains “ the vole;*’ and scores two points towards game. Thus the greatest number that can be made by either player, in one hand, is three, viz.—two for the vole, should he win the five tricks; and one for the king of trumps, should he have the good fortune to hold it in his hand.

It may be as well here to point out that should the elder hand play without “ proposing,” and should the dealer then win three of the five tricks, the latter marks two for the point, instead of one ; as a sort of punishment for the presumption of the non* dealer, in standing with cards which were not competent to per­form the task they undertook. But should the dealer in this case gain the “ vole,” he still only marks two points; the inten-

fion being that in no case can a greater number be made from the playing the hand than two. So, on the other hand, should the dealer refuse to allow the elder hand to discard, on his proposing so to do, the latter has the privilege of marking two points, in­stead of one, should he gain three of the five tricks; but if he gains the vole, he takes no surplus. The risk thus run in not proposing, or in refusing your adversa^*s offer to propose, should he be elder hand, considerably increases the interest of the game; and is indeed one of its greatest beauties.

The hands being played out, and the score called, and marked, another hand is recommenced, the deal passing alternately; and so on, until the game is decided, by one of the two players having scored five points.L esson II.—E xplanation op the technical phrases , etc .

USED in Ecarte .

It is necessary to premise, that Ecarte being a game of French extraction many of its phrases exist exclusively in that language,*

Cut. This word is not only applied to cutting for deal, &c. but when a card of another suit is trumped, it is frequently said to be “ cut.”

fecART. The cards discarded are sometimes called the ecart.E tre a la D iv in e . A person is placed “ ^ la divine,” when

embarrassed as to which card, of two or more, he ought to keep, and which to throw away.

£1c a r t e r . The meaning of the verb fecarter is “ to discard,” or “ scatter,” and signifies the throwing on one side, or dis­carding, of certain cards, in order to their being replaced by others.

E l d e r h a n d . On beginning the game, the non-dealer is termed the “ elder hand.” Afterwards, this cognomen is applied to the winner of the first trick.

F o r c e (To). When you play a card, of which your adversary cannot follow suit, you are said to force him.

G a l e r i e (La), the spectators, or bystanders, are termed “ la Gal^rie.

G u a r d e d C a r d . A card is said to be “ yarded,” when, having another of the same suit, you have the dioice, under cer­tain circumstances, as to which of the two you will play. Thus, should you hold the queen of hearts, and a small heart, your queen is guarded, for in the event of your opponent leading the king, you are not compelled to give up the queen.

* In point of fact, £cart6 is a game which has existed in France from time immemorial; but until the last dozen, or more, years, was played exclusively by the lower order of the people, something like our all-fours. Such are the ca­prices o r fashion. Ecarte has now ascended to the Prawkig Room, and reigns paramount with all the honours.”

P o in t . Five points constitute the game, To win “ the point" is to gain three of the five tricks.

P ropose . T o propose is to “ offer,” or “ propose,” to b e allowed to discard certain cards. The phrase “ je propose” is always used in France under these circumstances. All proposi­tions to discard must come from the elder hand.

Q u a r t . A sequence of four cards is termed a Quart. The seven, eight, nine, and ten, form a quart to the ten. A sequence of four cards involving the kin?; to wit, ace, knave, queen and king, is called a “ Quart major. ’

Q u in t . The explanation given of a Quart is equally applica­ble to a “ Q u i n t t h e sole difference being that a quint com­prises five, instead of four, cards. A sequence of five cards up to, and inclusive of, the king, is termed a Quint major.

R e n o u n c e . The p la yer who cannot follow suit, is said to re­nounce.

R e v o k e . When a player does not follow suit, though h e holds a card of that suit, he “ revokes” as at Whist. The penal­ties properly attendant on this breach of honesty will be given in our code of laws; and should be constantly and rigorously ex­acted, whatever be the excuse set up.

S e q u e n c e . Cards of the same suit, following in order, are said to be in sequence. Thus the eight, nine, and ten of hearts, held together in hand, form a sequence of three.

S c o r e . Reckoning the points, as they are gained, towards game, is termed “ Scoring. * Five points complete the score, and rive you the victory. The counters with which the game is usually scored, are kept on the right hand—mostly, of the player, and passed to the left hand as required. The game being over, the counters are replaced on the right hand.

S in g l e , D o u b l e , a n d T r e b l e . In winning the game, you are said to win a “ single” only, should your adversary have scored as many as three points; but should he have scored only one, or two, points, you win a “ double.” Should your opponent not have scored even one point, you win a “ treble.” Consider­able analogy will be found here with the institutes of Whist; though at fecart it is more usual than at Whist, not to play points, but to reckon only the games, or rubbers. To play the points, however, adds to the interest of the sport.

T a l o n . Such cards as remain of the pack, after the dealer has turned up the trump card, are termed the “ Talon,” or “ Stock.”

T en ACE. Should you hold the first and third best cards, against your adversary’s second and fourth, you are described as holding Tenace. For, example, A has queen and ace, and B holds king and knave ; in this case B has Tenace, and if A have to lead, B will thereby secure both tricks ; but if B had originally to lead, he could only make the single trick derivable from his

kinff. Having a certain Tenace, it is often the play to throw the lead purposely into the hand of your adversary.

T ie r c e . A sequence of three cards of the same suit is called a “ Tierce.” The king, queen, and knave, at fecart6, constitute a “ Tierce-major.

T r u m p . Cards of the same suit as the card turned up by the dealer are termed “ trumps” during that hand. To trump a card, is to play a trump to a card of a suit in which you have not the means of playing.

T urn- u p . The eleventh card, in dealing, is styled the “ turn up fVom its being turned up, and thereby exposed to view, in order to fix the suit as to trumps.

U n d er - P l a y . The French for this term is “ Sous forcer.” We use the verb to “ under-play,” or to “ under-force,” to denote the playing a lower card than that which is led ; although you have the power of playing a higher. For instance, A having to play to the ten of hearts, plays the seven, although he has the knave in his hand. There is a penalty attached to thus “ under­playing,” as not beipg in accord with the institutes of the game. The same penalty is apj)licable to your not trumping when you cannot follow suit, which is equally under-playing. In certain circles this rule varies; but, both at Frascati’s and Crockford’s, is always observed as here described.

V o l e . When either player gains, hiniself, all the five tricks, he wins a “ vole,” and marks two points.

( To he continued,)

NEW CHESS PROBLEMS.

In commencing a series of Chess Problems, we have the pleasure of knowing, that, thanks to the kindness of some of the first Amateurs in Europe, our collection will be as varied as entertaining. The situations we ofier under this section will be for the most part new; including brilliant checkmates actuallygiven inI play, by our most distinguished contemporaries. The white pieces will be invariably supposed to be moving up the board. Solutions will be subsequently furnished. In our first number, this iteration is unavoidable at the heads of several articles*.

No. 1. By William Bone Esq.

White to Checkmate in three moves.

No. 2. By W. Bone»

Either party having the first move, can mate his adversary infour moves.

No. 3. By W. Bone,

White to mate in foiir moves.

No. 4. By W, Bone,

Either side having the first move can mate in five moves*F

White to mate in five moves.

No, 6. By W, Bone,

White to mate in six moves*

White to Checkmate in six moves, without moving his kings

No, 8. By W, Bone,

White wins the game.

THE CHESS RECORD;CONSISTING OF GAMES OF CHESS ACTUALLY PLAYED.

It is our intention to chronicle, in the Chess record, such spe­cimens of good and brilliant play, as we deem worthy of conser- yation. Games will be thus preserved, of the highest interest, and utility, to the student; since nothing can more contribute to the attainment of superior force, than a careful examination of real play. We possess a vast number of fine games recently con­tested between the first players of the day; not only in England, but on the European continent; and feel persuaded, brother Chess-players will favour us by taking down, and forwarding, anything really first-rate of the sort, which may come under their observation. Amateurs being properly tenacious of their names being too freely and publicly quoted, may depend on our respect­ing this very natural feeling; and as the belligerent parties will be mostly designated simply as White and Black, we shall feel at greater liberty to comment fully on such points of the game, as may present themselves to our especial notice.

GAME LWHITE.

1. K. P. two.2. K. Kt. to B. third.3. K. B. to Q. B. fourth.4. Q. Kt. P. two 6. Q. B. P. one.6. Castles.7. Q. P. two.8. P. takes P.9. Q. Kt. to B. third.

10. K. P. one.11. Q. B. to R. third,12. K. R. to K.13. Q. Checks.14. Q. takes Kt.15. R. takes P.16. R. takes B. (b)17. Kt to K. fifth.18. R. to K.19. Kt. takes Kt.

BLACK.1. The same.2. Q. Kt. to B. third.3. The same.4. B. takes Kt. P.6. B. to B. fourth.6. Q. P. one.7. P. takes P.8. B. to Kt. third.9. K. Kt. to B. third, (a)

10. P. takes P.11. Q. Kt. to R. fourth.12. Kt. takes B.13. Q. B. P. one.14. Q. B. to K. third.16. Q. to Q. second.16. P. takes R.17. Q. to Q. B.18. K. Kt. to Q. fourth.19. Q. B. P. takes Kt.

(a) It were probably better to pin the King’s Knight.(b) This move is beautifully played

20. Q. Checks. 20. K. to Q.21. Kt. to K. B. seventh, ch. 21. K. moves.22. Bishop Mates.— This is an extremely fine specimen of the

vigorous attack acquired through Capt. £vans*s opening; «nd is played throughout, by White, quite in a first-rate style.

GAME II.WHITE. BLACK.

1. K. P. two.2. K. Kt. to B. third.3. K. B. to Q. B. fourth.4. Q. B. P. one.6. Q. P. two.6. K. P. advances.7. P. takes Kt.8. P. takes Kt. P.9. Castles.

10. P. takes P.11. Q. Kt to B. third.12. Q. Kt. to K. fourth.13. Q. B. to Kt. fifth.]4. P. takes Kt.15. Q. R. takes Q.16. Q. R. to K.17. R. takes B. ch.18. K. R. checks.19. K. R. P. two. (b)20. K. B. P. two.21. K. to B. second.22. R. P. takes P.23. P. takes P.24. R. takes P.

1. K. P. two.2. Q. Kt. to B. third.3. The same.4. K. Kt. to B. third, (a)6. P. takes P.6. Q. P. two.7. P. takes B.8. R. to Kt.9. R. takes P.

10. Ktr takes P.11. Q. B. to K. third.12. Q. B. to Kt. fifth.13. Kt. takes Kt. ch.14. Q. takes Q.15. Q. B. takes P.16. B. takes Kt.17. K. to Q. second.18. B. covers.19. K. R. P. one.20. K. B. P. one.21. R. P. takes B.22. P. takes P.23. R. takes P.24. Q. R. to K. R., and soon

wins the game.GAME III.

WHITE.1. K. P. two.2. K. Kt. to B. third.3. K. B. to Q. B. fourth.4. Q. Kt. P. two.5. Q. B. P. one.

BLACK.

1. The same.2. Q. Kt. to B. third.3. The same.4. B.takesKt. P.5. B. to R. fourth.

(b) Let the books say what they wiU, we hold this to be decidedly the best move at this juncture.

(h) Play as he may, a piece Is lost.

6. Castles. 6*7. K.Kt. to Kt. fifth. 7.8. K. B. p. two. 8.9. K. P. takes Q. P. 9.

10. Q. B. to R. third. 10.11. R. takes Kt. 11.12. R. to K. B. 12.13. Q. P. two. 13.14. B. takes B. 14. 16. R. takes R. ch. 15.16. B. takes R. 16.17. Kt. to Q. second. 17.18. Kt. to Q. B. fourth. 18.19. Kt. takes B. 19.20. Q. to Q. seventh. 20.21. R. Checks. 21.22. Q. to Q. B. eighth, ch. 22.23. R. to Q. 23.24. R. takes Kt. ch. (b) 24.25. R. to K. B. eighth, ch. 25.26. Q. takes B. P. ch. 26.27. Q. takes P. at B. 7. 27.

K. Kt. to B. third.Castles.Q. P. two K. Kt. takes P.Kt. takes K. B. P.Q. takes Kt.B. checks.Q. B. to K third (a)P. takes B.R. takes R.K. takes B.P. takes P.P. takes P. ch.R. P. takes Kt.Q. to K. second.K. to Kt.Kt. covers.P. to Q. B. seventh.K. to K. B. second.Q. takes R,Q. covers.Q. checks; changes Queens, and wins the game.

NEW VARIATION OF THE KING^S GAMBIT.

The following mode of carrying on the attack in the King’s Gambit is not to be found, as far as we are aware, in any treatise on Chess extant. Without, perhaps, being critically sound, it presents many strong features; and for power of developing a fierce attack, is no whit behind the celebrated Muzio Gambit. The specimen we present is not exclusively imaginative, but actually arose in play between two of our first amateurs.

WHITE.

1. K. P. two.2. K. B. P. two.3. K. Kt. to B. third.4. K. B. to Q. B. fourth.

BLACK.

1. The same.2. P. takes P.3. K. Kt. P. two.4. K. Kt. P. advances.

(h.) This strikes us as being a weak move.(h) By different play, White might here force the game j if24. Q. takes Kt. ch. 24. Q. takes Q.25. R. takes R. ch., and wins through being able to arrest Pawn by capturing

Q. B. P.

W fflTB. BLACK.

5. K. B. takes P. ch. 5. K. retakes.6. Kt. to K. fifth ch. 6. K. home, as best; for if be

go to K. third, and subsequently captures Kt., he gets speedily checkmated.7. Q takes P. 7. Q. to K. B. third.—In the

books we find this given as the best move. It should be com­pared with attacking Queen with K. Kt.8. Q. checks. 8. K. to his second.9. Q. Kt. to B. third. By far the strongest move; since it ap­

pears to compel the playing one square of adverse Q. B. P.9. Q. B. P. one square.

10. Q. P.two. 10. Q. P. one. — Nearly every Chess player would make this move on first meeting with the game. Its correctness is nevertheless problematical.

Jl. Q. B takes P. Ve^ brilliant move. If he then take Kt. with P. you retake with Bishop.

11. Q. takes B.12. R. attacks Q. 12. Q. to K. R. third. — If he

check at K. sixth, you cover with Kt. Many curious variations might be traced throughout the opening; but we believe the stu­dent derives less information from much minuteness of detail, than from a strong, though rough, outline; by which he may himself exercise his faculty of marking out consequences.13. R. checks, 13. If he move K. home, youMate in two moves by taking Bishop.

K. to Q.14. R. to Q. seventh ch. 14. B. or Kt. takes.15. Kt. checks K. and Q., and ought to win. It is a pity we see

the Gambit played so seldom; it rarely fails to produce an interesting game.

REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS.The Cribbage Players* Text Book; being a new and complete

treatise on the ^ame, in all its varieties ; including the whole of Anthony Pasquin’s scientific work on Five Card Cribbage. By G e o r g e W a l k e r . London, Sherwood and Co., Paternoster Row, 1837. Pocket size, j)p. 130.

As long as sea>coal fires and Welsh-rabbits maintain their ground in merry England, so long will the venerable science of Cribbage hold its own. To the spectacled dowager, or the gouty old bachelor,—to miss near her teens, or master near his pinafore. —How could there be devised a better game ? It teaches the

child arithmetic, by a rail-road process ; and soothes the aches of age by its gentle exercise of the brain. Pasquin’s Treatise, long out of print, was the best cribbage manual ever published ; and in the little volume before us Mr. Walker has appended a good deal of interesting matter to a reproduction of the original. We may take another opportunity to draw upon this work for extracts. At p. 41, we turned up an error, which the publishers will thank us for pointing out, in order to its being corrected in a second edition. The author’s words are, “ A sequence of a six, seven, and eight, combined with a pair of aces, inclusive of a four card flush, yield thirteen points,” &c. Now the fact is, these cards with the flush, as indicated, count for seventeen, although at first view we grant the computation is not obvious. A six, seven, and eight, with a pair of aces, unflushed, form of themselves the ba­ker’s dozen; and this particular presentment of the cards is called, in some counties, the “ ragged thirteen.*'

Encyclopedic des 6checs, ou Resume comparitif en tableaux nopti<][ues des meilleurs ouvra^es Merits sur ce jeu par les auteurs

Frangais et Strangers, tant anciens que modernes, mis k V usage de toutes les nations par le langage universel des chiffres. Par A . A l e x a n d b e . Pans, D ’ Urtubie et Co.—London, Barthes and Lowell, Foreign Booksellers, Great Marlborough Street. Oblong folio, December, 1837.

This is indeed a cyclopedia of chess; and one of a size so stu­pendous, as to present an almost miracle of patient industry on the part of the author. The whole of the writings of something like foriy of the chief chess scribes are here pressed into the ser­vice, and do duty in the same cover, under one common flag. By using a cypher of great simplicity, a sort of universal lan­guage is set up ; equally intelligible to Germans, Russians, Chi­nese, Italians, Frenchmen, En^ishmen, and all the rest of the men. This is no mean advantage. It is to be hoped, that a country pretending, like England, to pet the lighter sciences, will not suffer M. Alexander’s heavy years of labour to have been altogether expended in vdn. We say this advisedly; regretting to be compelled to add, that we understand the author’s circum­stances, in a pecuniary point of view, are by no means in a palmy state; and hence a double claim upon British amateurs. It is too much the custom to reward writers with mere praise; which will not even fill the snuff‘~box, much less the belly. Let not thirty or forty chess players be content with seeing a tome like this “ at their club; ” but let them, also, prefer it to their library tables. This is the sort of patronage a man wants. Buy a dozen copies of his book, and burn them.

THE

PHILIDORIAN.No. 2. [JANUARY] 1838.

VINCENZIO THE VENETIAN;A FANTASTIC SKETCH.

(The following article was written by Mr. G e o r g b W a lk e r , a few months back, linci presented in MS. to a friend, who printed a French translation of it in the Palam^de. We here give the original, by permission of the author j verb, et lit* — E d it o r .)

CHAPTER I.« And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou ? Then Satan answered the Lord, and

eaid, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it ”See the Book o f Job, chap. 1. ». 7.

You ask me, Madam, to tell you a story about Chess ; I know one which nobody else knows. A true tale, but very shocking! It relates facts which happened—oh ! a very long time ago; be­fore you were born. I know it is true, because I learnt it in a way in which nothing untrue could be communicated ; and, when 1 was in Venice, I saw the very spot where the chief incidents oc­curred ; so, you see, it must be true.

Round the giant portals, and illuminated entrances, of the Buondelmonte palazzo in Venice, during one of the carnival nights of the year 16—, was the throng and pressure of many dark gondolas ; from whose cushioned seats, a crowd of laughing revellers were rushing up the marble steps of the Jbuilding; into halls blazing with light and beauty.

All within, and above, was enchantment. The noblest, the gayest, and the fairest of the city were mixed in that perfumed and silken throng. Here, the glittering banquet was spread in­vitingly forth,—there, the dance, and song, burst joyously abroad. And the women!—beauty, such as Titian or Giorgione could alone depict, was there in its choicest moulds. Dressed in the costumes of every age, with and without masks ;—shining in jewels, glit­tering in the velvets of Genoa, and the gems of Samarcand, in the

softest silks, scented with the rarest odours,—women were not wanting to complete the scene; dazzling, palpitating, glowing, and triumphant in their charms.—We pass slowly through hall after hall, brilliant with lights, to an inner saloon; m here our attention is particularly arrested.

This magnificent apartment is dedicated to play, in all its forms. Cards and dice are dealing, rustling and rattling, while the numerous tables of agate, or porphyry, groan beneath the heavy weight of gold and jewels staked as bets. Little noise is heard, save the deep and sonorous sound of the clashing zecchins, as they are poured from velvet sacks, upon the board, by the at­tendant pages, or collected in massive piles, to re-enter their temporary place of dwelling. So vast was the display of wealth, that Belial himself would have paused upon the scene. So pro­fuse was the array of treasure, that you would have thought yourself in one of the caverns of Aladdin, or the strong-room of some eastern sultan—but you were not there; what a pity!

At the date of my narrative. Chess was at the height of its zenith in the favour of the princes of the earth; and, as well as games of mere chance, was generally played for heavy sums. Priests were advanced to the mitre,—court favourites to the pension list,—and ofiicers to the baton, for their skill in this fas­cinating recreation. Chess was the “ shibboleth ” of distinction between the peer and “ the puddle; ” and a knowledge of its mysteries was as essential, then, to success in “ good ” society, as are now an intimate acquaintance with the red book, and the latest “ on dits ” of fashionable scandal. But on with our tale—

We are Chess-players ; and, as devoted lovers of the game, one table, in particular, attracts our attention. On that rare pedestal of silver and ebony; on that massive board of ivory and jasper, stand the mimic warriors arrayed in fight.— The rival players, who conduct the battle, are worthy of a closer examination. Let us look a little at them.

That youth of twenty, who plays the Black pieces, is one of the sons of Venice; and stands high on the golden roll of her nobility. His name is Vincenzio di Guadagnaro, distinguished alike io t face and form; for varied accomplishments, improvi­dent extravagance, impetuous passions, love of learning and an­tiquities, wine, women,—and Chess. During the present sitting, he has already lost gold, houses, and jewels. He has now staked his honour, K>r having no money left wherewith to wager, he is bound to pay, should he lose, more zecchins by to-raorrow*s morn than the mighty sum already parted with. Should he fail in redeeming his bond, the scene of life will darken o’er him.— From the paleness of his clammy brow* we can fancy him anticir

pating the only alternative then remaining. If he lose the game now playing—Vincenzio means to die at sunrise.

But who is the fatal mask who plays against him ? A woman : and, judging from her arm and hand—her bared shoulders, and ivory neck—one, of a most excellent and lovely presence. Yes, she is the Princess del Buondelmonte ; the owner of the palace; the giver of the fete; the leader of the fashion—and the queen of beauty in Venice. She appears formed for love and tender­ness, but neither of these sentiments rule her mind at present. Revenge the fiercest, hatred the most concentrated, and triumph the most mighty, unite to shake her frame ; and cause her fingers to tremble so, she can scarce conduct the Chess-figures. The feeling is mutual; and either of the two players could drink the very heart’s blood of their adversary; with a feeling which Italian souls can alone appreciate, or comprehend.

The spectators stand in a crowd around, awed into silence, and absorbed in breathless attention. Among them is a tall majestic figure, wearing the form and garb of the sons of men—masked, with enfolded arms, leaning against a marble pillar, and care­lessly watching the progress of the game, on the side of the lady. That figure is t h e f ie n d ! Not Satan in person, but a sort of in­ferior demon, like the gnome of the Hartz mountain, but younger, and, therefore, of less experience. A laughing Mephis- topheles—sort of sprite, who has lately set out to make the tour of Europe, and has dropt into Venice to see the carnival- So much to his taste does he find it, he thinks at times he has made a mistake, and stept into heaven!

As the game advanced, the feelings of the players become still more excited. Vincenzio strained his nerves to the utmost, in order to conceal his emotion ; but the sweat of death was on his forehead, and his countenance was whiter than Phrygian stone. Still, he compressed his energies manfully to the task—played a long series of moves in a masterly manner, and showed himself to be no unworthy opponent, even when matched against her, whose reputation lor Chess was unrivalled.

The fair Buondelmonte did not like her position. Her enemy’s Pawns offered a menacing aspect, and the adverse Queen cap­tured gratuitously a Knight, and threatened a discovered check. The following was the situation, in which, having the White pieces, the Princess had to move. She paused long over the board, and despair went to her heart, for she could find no re­source, and Vincenzio had again, she feared, eluded her grasp.

BLACK.

WHITE.

, Suddenly the fiend bent over her, and it was afterwards thought, whispered a few little words in her ear. The lady started with delight, and in the extacy of the moment nearly fainted with joy. She played the correct variation, and gave her adversary check­mate in just ten moves.*

Viiicenzio spoke not, but rushed from the room. The beautiful Buondelmonte turned eagerly to embrace the stranger. He was noIon er there—though no one recollected having seen him depart. * # *

Two hours later in the night, Vincenzio walked in solitude on the Rialto, with all hell burning in his breast. To die was his hast regret; but to lose his revenge ! O, saints and martyrs!— Was he not a beggar ? And had she not ruined him? When mutual love had passed away—when for her sake he had first tasted crime,—had she not betrayed him— scorned him! —for­saken him for another? Had she not brought his father to the block, and his brother to the dungeons of the state? Had he not wrestled with her during the last two years, in hatred ? and warred against her, even unto the knife?—Oh! what a

* The positions infroduced fhroughout this story, are all, in fact, Chess pro- bleniii purposely pre-ananged. The Author is indebted for them to his friend, Mr. William Bone. Their solutions will be hereinafter furnished.

conflict was raging in his brain,------when a stranger touched hisarm.

“ Off, begone! ” was the exclamation of the noble; and then, at a glance, remembering in the figure before him, the friend of the Buondelmonte, as if his pent spirit had at last found vent, in one instant of time did his good stiletto flash through the air, and strike home upon his sup|)osed foe. The effect of the blow was to produce a hearty laugh; while Vincenzio, abashed and wondering, was struck with mingled sensations of the deepest awe. He shuddered, and clung to the pillars of the adjoining balustrade for support, exclaiming—“ What are you?

“ Men may call me Azaroth,” was the reply,—“ what harm have I done, that you should give me so rough a welcome ? It was not I who won your money. True, *tis hard, bitter hard!— You played for life, and for revenge—and you have lost. A wise man would offer double or quits. Ha! ha! ha!— All may not yet be irredeemable. I am your friend.”

“ All—all—is lost,” sighed Vincenzio,—“ but honour! ”“ Honour! I like theierm. Oh! these men, with their honour!

Hark ye, friend, where was your honour just now, in striking an unarmed man with your dagger ? ”

“ From a Guadagnaro, intruders may expect no other welcome. Why name yourself my friend ?—What would you with me, fear­ful one,—say, form of mystery, who evidently boldest life by other tenure than that of human ? ”

“ My purpose is to save you. I like your spirit. Were I the reptile, man, I would be like you.”

“ Save me! O, never! ’tis now too late. You cannot give me back the past; and without that, the future recks me little.”

“ I offer all you wish. Wilt have revenge ? ”“ Revenge ! Can you give me revenge ?—revenge on Buondel­

monte !—Can you give me her flesh ?—Can you give me her blood ?—Say—speak—whatever thou be!—Oh ! speak to me ! but speak! ”

“ Ha! ha! ha! see what the tender passion comes to!— Youloved her once, and now---------”

“ Peace, fiend!—answer me—speak, or leave me. May I have revenge ? ”

“ You may, you shall; but hear me patiently :—all that you wish, I give. Revenge, even to the overflowing of the cup. Health, gold, and lengthened life; all!—on conditions though ! —Wilt hear them, youth?”

“ No ! by my soul I will not I Tell me nothing. For a mo­ment hast t lou kindly deluded me from the recollection of my wrongs. Bring me not back to earth directly. Were you in reality—the—licnd:—Oh! then, indeed ! ”—

“ And if I were, would you accept my boon on these condi-* tions ? ”—And Azaroth whispered in his ear, words, which but to write were mortal sin. St. John of Venice, protect us !

Vincenzio blenched not. For a single instant only did his frame quiver—and then he shouted, eagerly, and fearfully,—

“ I will, I do! so help me heaven and the saints ! I agree to all! Once more—give me revenge ! ”

“ Your noble spirit moves me ; my terms of service shall be lightened for you. All shall be given, youth, at morrow’s dawn. And now retire to rest, and dream of peace and happiness.”

“ Do you leave me thus. Oh ! Azaroth ! ”“ Adieu, Vincenzio, for ten long years. Cherish your lady love,

the beauteous Buondelmonte I And in remembrance of this inter­view, let me throw on your shoulders a trifling token of my affection. Adieu! ” .

Vincenzio felt something in the form of a weighty chain thrown round his neck. It was a carcanet of sparkling sapphires. He raised his head—he was alone on the Rialto.

Slowly did he pace his way to his couch; but deep was his sleep, and pleasant were his dreams, on that eventful night. # # # # # # # #

Vincenzio awoke at early morning, and returning recollection flashed across his brain. His first impulse was to feel for the chain which Azaroth had girt around his neck, and which had remained there, when he had flung his frame heedlessly upon his night-couch. The chain of sapphires was gone—but in its place —O horror!—there was the vivid imprint of a chequered line, encircling his throat, like the two outer rows of a Chess-board, marked deeply in black and red upon the skin, as if seared with a brand! Vincenzio shuddered, for this assured him of the sealing of the fatal compact I But the Lord di Guadagnaro was of no common mind; and, strange to say, the uppermost feeling at the moment of this discovery, was one of unmixed pleasure. He knew that his revenge was at hand. He started up, and saw before him huge coffers of gold piled to the very ceiling; aye, good, heavy, zecchins of the purest Venetian cur­rency; ducats which bore handling, and did not molt (as he al­most feared they would do), at the touch. O Pactolus! mighty river! it appeared as if thy waves had flowed across the chamber. Did Vincenzio think of the gold, while he handled it?—while he kissed it?—while he rolled in it ? No ; his joyous shout was for revenge! He certainly had not got implanted in him that love of his neighbour, which is so much more practised in these latter times!

On the gold lay a parchment, comprising an abstract of the conditions of the dark one ;—conditions accepted by Vincenzio

before hand, and even now registered elsewhere. The spirit of these conditions may be thus condensed :—One chance of re­spite from the last dread penalty was left. Vincenzio was bound to play three games of Chess with Azaroth, ( drawn games not to count)y to be played one game at each sitting, at intervals of ten years. In every case, he was to enjoy a hundred years of happy life, inclusive of the twenty summers he had already numbered. Should he win either one of the three games, the bond was thereby to be annulled, and he was to be free from penalty; should he, on the other hand, lose all the three games, he was tocomplete equally his hundred years on earth, but then------------!O dire alternative 1 I am almost afraid to go on. Oh! why did you make me tell you this story ?

The full amount of the money due was carried by Vincenzio’s pages to the Palazzo del Buondelmonte. Its enchanting and lovely owner was sorely grieved at the sight of the gold, and I regret that I cannot tell you more in detail, that which subse­quently passed between her and Vincenzio. Suffice it to say, that three months afterwards, a body was drawn out of the grand canal by a fisherman, which, from its long and heavy tresses, was recognized as the corpse of a woman, even before it saw the sur­face. It was indeed the body of the Princess del Buondelmonte, so horribly mutilated and carved, that had she not been seen at the festival given by the Doge the previous evening, it might have been supposed sh had lain a month in the water, and been half devoured by the fishes of the Lagimes. It is really wonder­ful what could have befallen her, and who could have been the murderer!

A few weeks afterwards, and the Palazzo del Buondelmonte was inhabited by its purchaser, the Lord Vincenzio di Guidag- naro, whose graceful tnirth, flowing spirits, open hand, and kind heart, were soon high for praise in the mouths of men. No prince gave such banquets—no man danced at them with such vivacity. His noble entertainments, united with his courteous bearing and handsome figure, made him the idol of Venice; the chief nobility of Italy crowded round him, and many a tender and timid heart sighed sorely to wear his chains. Vincenzio gave not all his time to pleasure, but acted up to the motto of “ carpe diem,” in every possible way- He loved learning, and delighted in the encouragement of learned men. To the study of Chess he became particularly addicted, and invited its first masters, by proclamation, from every quarter of Europe, to visit his palace. All who came were magnificently received, and, if they played well, every sublunary boon was placed at their command. By dint of genius and practice, Vincenzio became their superior. All went merrily with him, and the whole world seemed to lie at his

feet. With the ladies he was perfect; they could find nothing about him to scandalize, nor even to wonder at; except, perhaps, that when the fashion came in of wearing falling bands, and col­lars of Flemish lace, round the bare throat, Vincenzio adopted not the innovation, but continued to close up his doublet as before.I could wager his reason for this was, to conceal that ugly chec- quered line which was ever around his neck, as left by Azaroth.

CHAPTER II.Y e a r s fled then, as they now flee—like days. Time passed, and Vincenzio’s life passed with it. He was nearly thirty years of age, and felt something more than a qualm, when he anticipated the arrival of that point of time, which would complete ten years from his interview with Azaroth. It may be supposed by some, perhaps, as matter of wonder, that the demon had shown himself alreadjr so liberal, compared with his general reputation, but there is no accounting for circumstances. As I told you before, Azaroth was only a third-rate devil; mightier spirits could have given him the Pawn and two moves, in guile and craftiness. Per­haps he had, in his composition, sufiicient mortality to feel amused by similar adventures; and, besides, who can tell to what extent caprice may work with fiends, as well as men ? The latter give ruinously exhorbitant prices for a fine dog, a swift horse; and so, by a parity of reasoning, might Azaroth have made his bargain in an extravagant mood. Be this as it may, Vincenzio was no vulgar prize ; his was a master mind, and as such, far from now quailing in panic before the coming of his foe, he was nerving himself sternly for the encounter. Young in years, he was old in life; and if his right-hand had been familiar with the wine cup, it had been to.the full as intimate with the battle-axe, which he had wielded oft for Christendom, in the wars of Venice with the crescented Turk. The rolls of learning had unfolded at his bidding; and the sages of Arabia and Grenada, hailed in Vin­cenzio their favourite pupil. Indeed, he had once committed himself with Holy Mother Church, and fallen at Rome under the ban of the Inquisition, for taking part with those who first broached that monstrous heterodoxy, that the earth moves round the sun. But the potency of gold cleansed him of this deadly sin, and he was careful publicly to recant so ridiculous an opinion.

“ After all,” mused Vincenzio, in reference to the coming storm, —“ there are points about this being, demon or philosopher, Chaldee or magician, be he which he will,—to be reflected on. He cannot be wholly etherial, or why should my dagger have cut

his garments, as it did, and only turned against his cursed skin I No fault of mine it went not home, at any rate. Perhaps, after all, my burgain is a bad one. What was the woman to me? Could I not have left Italy, and thus fled her vengeance?— The sun shines brightly on* other towns besides Venice. Alas! how differently we see things at different ^periods of life! But shall my soul be cast down in this extremity? Courage, Vin- cenzio, if the fiend must be met, let us confront him like the master of evil himself. A game of Chess! Well, throughout Europe, where is my equal in skill ? Did 1 not conquer Barto­lomeo of Spain, anil Afger the Moor?—(that splendid player.) Have I not exhausted the whole science of Chess : or, is huTnan knowledge here of no avail ? This cannot be, for the bargain is

jull, unless I have the fullest exercise of my faculties. 'I'he church, too, can she befriend me ?—I have fought knee-deep in blood for Rome, surely her saints owe me agood turn now? Perhaps this Aza- roth may have done the thing as a frolic,—if a spirit,—and may have since forgotten me altogether; he must see so much of life and of the world, how can he bear in memory so poor an adventure ? Well, let him come, I shall be here, for nought would flight avail in any case. We play; he cannot cheat me. The contract was made as between men, and must be kept bv him accordingly. Ha! well thought, Venetian artifice 1 Who knows how far he may be human at the time of his visit? Some spirits, 1 have read, are mortal at one period, and only invulnerable at others. The ducats he gives are corporeal, why may he not be so too ? At any rate, no chance shall be on my part thrown away. Even should I fail, its only the loss of one game out of three, and during the next ten years, 1 shall have leisure to scheme some craftier plot to foil him, with the help of the experience acquired on the first essay. The field is not yet won, my spiritual friend!”

Vincenzio gave his bold page, Montalto, a few private instruc­tions, without revealing his grand secret; and waited calmly for the thunder-burst.—It came.

At the Palazzo Buondelmonte, the nobles of Venice were gathered to a banquet, and the reveliy had reached its highest pitch. Vincenzio’s laugh was ringing in the saloon, when Mon­talto presented a jewelled token, sent by a stranger, who waited in his study. It was the chain of sapphires seen before. “ Be he accursed!” muttered the Guadagnaro, as he courteously apolo? gized to his guests for so abruptly leaving them. “ Remember me, Montalto, for the time and the man are come!”

“ Ha! ha! ha!” shouted Azaroth, as Vincenzio entered the apartment, “ I feared you had forgotten the purport of my visit; ten years try many friendships, and break connexions less inti­

mate than our*s. Are your Chess-men ready ? I have to be in India four hours hence, to meet a Brahmin at Delhi.”

At a sign from his master, Montalto placed the costly board of silver and ebonv, and the fiend sat down to sport with his prey. Vincenzio felt nmi, but sad; he had oft faced death, but he bad now to cope with the spirit of death. For the firet time, he looked in the face of Azaroth, whose features at their former in­terview had been covered by a mask. The expression of the countenance was haughty, scornful, and overbearing, though mixed with many traits of noble feeling, and even beauty. Round his mouth lurked scorn, wreathed in a thousand smiles of sportive malice. His eyes shone with a brilliancy so withering, Vincenzio could hardly bear their searching gaze; his brow was as the brow of one indented with the blue and burning lightning. Azaroth’s age appeared to be that of a man in the prime of life. He offered the Venetian the move, which Vincenzio unhesitatingly accepted, and the game began.—^What were the odds on Azaroth ?

Have you seen, my friend, that celebrated engraving by one of the first men in Europe—Retszch ? I mean ihe one in which Satan is represented as playing at Chess, with man, for his soul. So looked, in some respects, our combatants; and I think they were even the more interesting couple of the two. The man of Retszch’s creation is so very good and innocent, he is hardly worth contending with, even though he have the partial aid of the attendant angel. The fiend of Retszch is a philosopher, of the school of Diogenes, and not the prince of darkness intended. There wants the animal about the lower features; and \\e see by the delineation, that Retszch has but little studied Spurzheim and Combe, Pardon this critique, O, mighty draughtsman, thou who with thy magic graver hast so filled our hearts with frequent sen­sations of mingled joy and fear. Certainly, thy Lady Macbeth has more of the devil about her, than thy Satanic “ Schach- spieler!”

A few preliminary moves only were played, when the Guadag- naro called for wine, and Montalto presented, in beakers of gold, the bright vintages of Chios and of Xeres. Rather to the surprise of Vincenzio, his opponent drained oft the presented cups. Under their influence, apparently, the dark spirit laughed and jested higher and louder; but, alas ! for the Venetian, the more Azaroth quaffed, the keener appeared his view on the board. The paffe slackened in his service, and Azaroth in his turn, de­manded “ wine.”

Montalto was staggered, and crossed his breast devoutly. “ What man is this ? * said he to himself, “ In his first draughtsI have given him poison enough to kill a regiment, and yet he asks again for wine! My lord’s scheme is naught. His ene­

my doubtless bears some counter-charm, or saniatary potion, I *11 try my own plan.”

“ This wine is fair,” quoth Azaroth, “ but not so much to my palate as the other. Have you more of the first vintage, Vin- cenzio ?

“ How may I answer thee, most potent I evidently thou art not of this earth! ” And Vincenzio bent, in something like awe, over the Chess-board.

H o! ho ! ho ! ” shouted Azaroth.Vincenzio started. I'he page had just struck the fiend, from

behind-, a desperate blow on the bare head, with a Turkish axe!“ Why, page, if I were of puny frame, like thy master, that tap

would have given me the head-ache, and how then could I have played at Chess ? O men of earth, he had need be proof against fire, steel, and poison, indeed, who communes with you. Hein ! ”

Vincenzio sat in silence, and Montalto crept tremblingly out, vowing I know not how many masses to St. rete'r, if he should live till morning’s dawn. The game of Chess went on with various changes ; Vincenzio’s skill was proved to the uttermost, but he made no impression, though Azaroth played, scarcely deigning to glance at the board. “ You are improved,” said he, “ since the night you played with Buondelmonte. Doubtless your practice has been great.—(If you move the knight to the square you meditate, he is lost).”

“ I fear I am lost,” thought Vincenzio. He found his very thoughts anticipated.

A change came over Azaroth. He gave away one or two jieces in succession, and Vincenzio almost dared to hope. Poor b o l! The wily fiend was mocking him. He sacrificed half a dozen of his chief pieces in a way which compelled their being taken, and thus fixed all Vincenzio’s men out of play. He re­served on the field, but one Bishop and two poor Pawns, against a mighty force ; but Vincenzio then saw, to his horror and amaze, that all the preceding train of sacrifices had been parts of one deep scheme to secure the Mate. The following was the position;

Azaroth had the White men, and forced the Checkmate in three moves. O, how I wish he were a member of some of our Chess clubs!

Vincenzio’s sensations were similar to those of a man taken, sleeping, out of his bed, and plunged into a cold bath ! “ In ten years time we meet again ! ” cried Azaroth, as he mounted on the wings of the wind. Vincenzio threw himself on the ground, and howled, in the bitterness of despair.

BLACK.

WHITE, /

CHAPTER IILB e f o r e the age of thirty, man wishes to be older than he fs ; after that point, he rather desires to stop. To an acute observer, it would have seemed as if Vincenzio del Guadagnaro could do all he wished on earth, except arrest this certain progress o f time. Every thing prospered with him—at least as to the out­ward man ; with his soul’s health it went, perhaps, indifferently. But the time for caring about one’s soul is decidedly yet to come with worldly men, at thirty years of age!—At the period of which I write, the nobles of Venice plaj ed the part of general mer­chants to the whole world ; and Vincenzio was among the chief of these nobles. His coffers overflowed with gold ; his halls were piled with silks and furs ; while the sea was covered with his si lips. His books, his antiques, jewels, bronzes, cameos, in­taglios, and pictures, were alike unique. He was thirty-five, but had never married.—Why should he marry, when the choicest beauties of Italy thought it an honour to see him at their feet ? Fashion had set her seal on him ( as well as the devil) ; what more could be said in his favour? Greater than Julius Caesar,

he conquered witlioui having seen, or come ; for the fairest sig­noras of Venice came first to him! Blest with health, tem­per, good spirits, and gtKxl lj(.’ks, combined with the form of an Antinous,—all with him was well. Did he play? fortune forsook his adversaries, and their cash was poured into his money-bags. Did he hawk or hunt, on the mainland of Italy—- whose hawks, horses, or hounds, were so fair and fleet as those of the g allant Vincenzio ? The world, too, could hardly cavil at the golden opinions from all sides showered around him. His was not a carpet life. Foremost in the wars of Venice with the Ottoman, no hand had struck harder at the crescent for the cross. It was really a pity he still had that nasty mark around his throat; but then, no one ever saw it, you know.

The passions of our matured friend continued to rage like a Volcano, but the lava’s torrent was well kept under command. Ambition opened her portals to his career, and it was said, (butthe virtuous are always the victims of calumny------), it waswhispered, that Vincenzio was not too particular, as to the‘means he adojited in sweeping from the path si|ch insects as would fain oppose his tread. But as this was seldom spoken aloud, what cared he ? And what man, above the low vulgar horde of bread- >roducers, would be uncivilized enough to say aught against a ord so powerful, and so unscruj)ulous ? One man, a simple

merchant, it was said, having discovered a certain political intrigue, inimical to the winged lion, working between the Pope and the Lord Vincenzio, substantiated his case by proof; and sent the packet to the Doge, through the ever-yawning lion’s mouth. What was the consequence ? This stupid merchant was found strangled next night on the sands of the Lido; and on Vincenzio, in return for the calumny, was conferred the office of Ambassador to France ! So much for luck and money.

This run of fortune continued many years, and Vincenzio was elected of the Council of Ten. At a subsequent period of life, he was proffered the office of Doge, but never having fancied matrimony, declined espousing the state herself, however fond he might be of her daughters. It was thought odd, that Vin­cenzio still cultivated Chess so earnestly. Every quarter of the world was ransacked, in turn, to procure players worthy of con­tending with him. One particular gallery in his grand palazzo was fitted up expressly as the “ Hall of Chess; ” and here, playing upon a hundred tables of marble, might be seen the first Chess players congregated in friendly warfare. All who could play well, were welcome; but none could beat Vincenzio ; and none had ever played for so heavy a stake. The skill of our Venetian surpassed imagination. Openings and Mates, to us unknown,

were to him familiar. O that we were in jpossession of the manu­scripts he wrote about Chess; what a tund of treasure would they furnish for the P h i l i d o r i a n . Vigilant in study, and en­dowed with a rare and docile patience, he appeared to have ex­hausted the science of Chess; and the wonaer was, it did not pall upon his appetite. The world dreamed not of his motives for such strict and constant training. The time of his encounter with Azaroth was again at hand.

“ All that art could do, I tried before,” sighed Vincenzio, one summer’s night, as he skimmed the blue waves in his gondola. “ Human skill may not avail against that which is superhuman! ” —and he sighed again. Were those sighs for repentance ? No ; he breathed them but in regret. Under the same circumstances, he would have ratified the same compact over again. Let us not be too confident in our own strength. Without the holy help of the saints, you, yourself. Madam, might perhaps have fallen under similar temptation. The great have been entrapt in slighter snares.

“ Azaroth has certainly behaved with honour; all my wishes are anticipated, with just sufficient difficulties to make the task of victory a pleasure. What could be his motive for the bargain ? At the rate I live, I was, and am his own, without it. Inscrutable mystery! Suppose I leave the country—would he follow me ?O yes; too late for thought of flight, the bond once ratified. His omnipotence has been proved to me; and I must once more clothe my features for the meeting, with the courage of despair! ”

“ I call on you to-morrow! ” whispered a soft voice in his ear, and the tones went like hot iron through the frame. Vincenzio started as if galvanized, but he was alone in his gondola, and nought besides was visible on those blue waters.

And morning came, and with that morn came Azaroth, Twenty years had not changed his countenance, nor added a single wrinkle to his brow. The same withering frown hung over the same malicious smile. The senator Vincenzio was forty years of age; his figure was now full, and his raven locks were slightly sprinkled, as it were, with snow. And oh 1 the depth—the un­fathomable depth— the unquenchable spirit of the wicked! Vin­cenzio faced the demon with a brow as haughty as his own, and scorned to own his inferiority. In the absence of the moment, he grasped the hand of Azaroth, and was surprised to find it feel as flesh and blood; but his own hand afterwards looked for a time, as though he had pressed live embers.

“ I should like to see your HalJ of Chess,” said Azaroth, “ we will play there, if you object not to so public a performance.” Vincenzio courteously bowed, and in silence led the way. “ It

shall never be said ” thought he, “ that Jeinon br anget could outbrave the potent lord Vincenziol N o; I yield not this advan­tage, though the grave yawn beneath my feet! ”

Numerous gazers came around them as they entered the gal* lery; and when they seated themselves to play, the chief Chess players of the company left their games, allured they knew not why, to look on this. The crowd felt that Vincenzio had met with his match; and with that brotherly love for their friends and countrymen, which all good Chess players entertain, were delighted in their hearts, at the most distant prospect of seeing their superior conquered. They could not, however, have ac­counted for the impulse which forced them so irresistibly from their seats.

“ Can any of these idlers play ? said Azaroth, sneeringly.“ Peace, I entreat you,” replied Vincenzio, who feared anything

which might lead to a scene. In how many cases, alas! do we see that the fear of being found out, is comparatively greater than the fear of crime.

“ Take the first move, my lord,” said Azaroth.“ No ; we play the strict game. Draw lots ”This was done, and the struggle commenced. The spectators

drew nearer, and there were not wanting some who offered bets on Vincenzio’s giving Mate in twenty moves; for it was observed, with wonder, that he yielded no odds in advantage. But there was a certain something about Azaroth, which prevented similar wagers from being accepted; much as some of the bystanders wished to flatter their patron, by this oft-seen species of pocket adulation. As the game went on, a solemn awe crept imper­ceptibly over the minds of all present. Every eye was rivetted on Azaroth, as the bird is fascinated before the blighting glance of the rattle snake. All felt uncomfortable, and wished the stranger at the antipodes, though none durst say so. Meanwhile, the Guadagnaro talked and smiled in bravado; while Azaroth chatted for ten, and laughed for twenty.

“ Curse the impudence of the fellow,” whispered the young Alonzo di Ortegano, to his brother in arms, Lucentio di Razzoli, “ I should like to pitch him into the canal yonder. Who is he?”

“ The devil! ” I think, was the quick reply.“ Ha! ha! ho ! ho! ” screamed Azaroth, ricanant, like an Ara­

bian goule!# # # # # # # # # # # # # # And so went the game for many moves. Vincenzio played

his best, but felt assured, that play as he might, he must eventually lose. The Chess of Azaroth was wonderful! he never made an error when it was important to be correct. His com-

binations, instead of taking in half a dozen moves, involved twenty or thirty. Vincenzio afterwards was of opinion, that Azaroth could have given the odds of a piece, to any man who ever lived. The despair of Vincenzio was proportionate; but his courage rose with the emergency. He was fighting for his life, both h ere and elsewhere. He set his back against the wall, and battled like himself.

More and more moves were played, and the posture of affairs waxed on both sides critical, as the situation became entangled. It struck Vincenzio with a feeling of melancholy this time, to see that, judging as mortals judge, from outward appearance, his game was decidedly stronger than that of Azaroth. I say, he was grieved, for he knew he was the mock of the fiend. Vincenzio felt like the poor mouse, permitted by the ruthless cat almost to gain its hole, to be suddenly torn back from health and safety, Azaroth had lost in numerical force, and, having the white pieces, had to play in the annexed situation.

BLACK.

WHITE.

“ My new gondola against five hundred zecchins of gold, that the ‘ padrone * beats his man,” whispered the youth Alonzo to his friend.

“ I wager not. It looks well, but White has some checks, both with Queen and Bishop.*'

“ Out upon his checks,’* cried Alonzo, “ the King, when checked, will retire behind his Pawns, and there laugh his im­potent adversary to scorn.”

“ Ho ! ho ! ho I ” interrupted Azaroth, with a mouth like that of Vathek’s Afrit. “ Depend on it,’* resumed Alonzo, Vin- cenzio has force enough to eat him. What the thick-headed ass has been about, to lose his pieces so in succession, I can’t imagine. Have you observed how he has played lately ? I verily think that for the last half-dozen moves, he has put somethmg ‘ en prise ’ every time ! And, moreover, has thrust his men so offen­sively forward, that Vincenzio has been compelled to see their defenceless state, and to capture them also. Oh! of a certainty, this intruder’s a mere swaggerer. The next time he j)lays with our Prince of the Chess Kingdom, the peerless Vincenzio, let the oaf take the Rook.” Azaroth at a glance took in the groupe, and his loud laugh again struck on the ear of his opponent, like the knell of death.

“ I shall Mate you, my dear Vincenzio,—if you play well,— in seven moves ! ” And sure enough he did so.

O this Azaroth ! what a fine practitioner he must have been! I should never have discovered the “ coup.” Do you think, lady, you should ?

The spectators were inconceivably aghast! They wondered Vincenzio did not propose a second game, and clamorously intreated the stranger, whom they now felt almost inclined to worship, to come again on the morrow. Vincenzio did not join in the invitation, he knew his conqueror would return quite soon enough. Azaroth bowed, and with a grace that would nave done honour to Talma, or Taglioni, left the hall. Alonzo followed him to see which way he went; determined, if possible, to make his acquaintance. But when the youth reached the great water stairs of the palazzo, Azaroth was no longer in sight. He cer­tainly must have worn seven-leagued boots!

The friends of the Guadagnaro gathered round ; to condole on the unwonted circumstance of his defeat. Strange to say, Vin­cenzio seemed to care very little about the matter; at least, such was the face he chose to put upon his thoughts ; and, indeed, in­somuch as certainty of any kind is better at all times than un­certainty, he felt glad it was over. I say, it seemed to Vincenzio’s throbbing brain, that when Azaroth relieved him of his presence, sun and stars smiled upon him, and the deadly gates of darkness closed for a time.

Next day, Vincenzio di Guadagnaro caused his servants to. build a mighty pile of fuel, on wMch he deposited Chess-men, Chess-boards, Chcss-books, and manuscripts, whether of parch­ment or papyrus ; the bad and the good, the clever and the worth-

1

less. Chess pieces, framed of pearls and emeralds from Persia, others studded with the most costly gems of the East. Many precious relics were there, which, if now preserved, would be worth a king’s ransom. All, I know, were heaped by the vexed Venetian into a mighty pile, more fragrant to the followers of our mystic art, than that of Sardanapalus. The pile, com-Slete, was fired by the hand of Vincenzio, and thus consumed to

ust impalpable. The Hall of Chess was abandoned and disman> tied. The professors and lovers of the “ Chess,” were dispersed with munificent presents, and sought their own homes sorrowing.

Shortly after, Vincenzio made a high and solemn banquet, to which were bidden all the chief men of Venice. Then and there, in a short speech, replete with expressions of the most intense urbanity, did he declare to them solemnly, that if henceforward, any living being whatsoever, of any rank or station, should ask him, the Lord Vincenzio, to play a game of Chess, he should re­luctantly feel bound to consider it as tantamount to a mortal affront, to be expiated only in death ; and he should expect that every such cartel be instantly made good on the spot; with sharp sword, lance, or dagger.

And his friends, hereupon, knowingVincenzio to be a man very likely to keep his word upon the occasion, acted prudently, and played Chess thenceforth without him.

I really find myself, throughout, giving the very words in which Uiis tale was narrated to me, by that worthy monk. Fra Scipione, of the Augustine order, at Venice.

CHAPTER IV.O t i m e ! time! time ! Once more I cry “ out upon thy speed!” Generations pass away, centuries revolve; but years, and thou­sands of years, are but as moments to thee, O time! Like the bubble on the river, is the life of man, and even while he thinks he lives, he dies. When we look forward in anticipation, thirty or forty years seem a little eternity ; when we retrace their recol­lections m our mind, they are but as an hour. That, which gazed on from the distance, was a mountain of Alpine height, is changed, on retrospection, to the merest molehill. Happy the man, who, on thus glancing back, can say, “ no matter, 1 have expended the past years in works of mercy and charity; they will not, there­fore, be thought to have been utterly wasted hereafter.” I do not think Vincenzio could have said this conscientiously. Do you, fair reader ?

Yes, the hour is almost come, when, for the last time, Vin- cenzio and Azaroth must fight in Chess. When the Venetian must stake down that drop, the most precious in the cup of life------ the last hope, O help him, holy saints and virgins, when hehas to enter the lists with so mighty an adversary, to combat under odds so fearful! Should he lose the last game, nothing remains. He must pass the remainder of his promised century o f little years, grovelling on earth, ** weeping and gnashing *’ his teeth, like a doomed criminal under sentence of death. Yes; since the last coming of Azaroth, nine years and nine months have already rolled away;—let us see how it has gone the while with our Vincenzio. “ I almost begin to pity him,” whispers the gentle voice of merciful woman.

In the outward man, but little change is perceptible, beyond the silveiT hue assumed by his curling locks, and the myriads of deep small lines indented on his forehead. Vincenzio's muscular force is not less developed ; but, on the contrary, the Antinous has almost become a Hercules. The brow of our Italian is the index of a mind replete with a knowledge of the deepest mys­teries within our mortal comprehension. Vincenzio bears the outward imprint of a soul within, able almost to grasp the live lightning as it flashes, and mould it to his will. Talent and virtue, you would have said, must be entwined in that man, in everlasting union. To me, who know him better, he seems like a fallen angel, but the thunderbolt has failed to sear the crest it struck. Is all within as it should be ? Who can say ? His thoughts are impenetrably hidden, and the chequered line is still twin’d, snake like, round his throat!

Upwards and upwards has Vincenzio never ceased to climb the ladder of rank and fame. Him do men cite, when they wish to point out to their children a model of the rarest worth. The name of the Lord di Guadagnaro is coupled in teachers' mouths with the names of the just—with Pericles or Aristides. Clad in the robes of judgment, and enthroned on one of its proudest seats in Venice, he shines, earth’s emblem of the Almighty. The ducal coronet is on his head—a much more comfortable ornament than his necklace!

After the last dire visitation, the first revulsion of feeling was dreadful. Vincenzio went forth in the depths of night, and crawled on the earth like a worm. He rolled himself amid the tombs, and said, “ O that I could be as these drjr bones! ” He sailed upon the Adriatic, and cursed his good ship for floating! though he knew that had he plunged bodily into the deep, he could never gain oblivion. The elements had no power over Vincenzio, the doomed! Deep, deep, had the arrow entered into his heart!—the heavy iron of rage and agony. Under its burden.

he withered like a green leaf in fire ; and the gay, the majestic presence of Vincenzio, was fearful even as the form of the gaunt vampire of the night;—terribly, and unutterably, and fearfully accursed!

A change came over Vincenzio, and his feelings subsided, cu­riously enough, into stern and indifferent stoicism. Prometheous like, he felt that the foul bird was gnawing his liver; but he folded his arms, and bade him welcome to the banquet. His form was once more portly, his front serene. His heart hardened like steel in the furnace. It seemed as though he had striven with his enemy, and come forth a victor from the struggle. Like the glittering May fly, he basked in the sun, and awaited the ar­rival of the foe with hitter indifference. O he was a precious specimen of the stuff out of which men are made!

It was on the eve of St. Januario, and hundreds of gondolas were skimming over the water. Nobles and peasants, in pictu­resque costume, mingled in the throng. The sky was clear, and deeply blue; the wavelets still, and the balmy air breathed perfect harmony and love. Among the throng, parading the place o f Saint Mark, was Vincenzio, the gazed of all beholders. He was munificently attired, but his spirit was sad on that fair eve.

The crowd thickened, and like the waves of the sea, were tossed about in almost tumult. An aged monk, in striving to ex­tricate himself from the pressure, would have been borne to earth, but for Vincenzio’s saving arm, which restrained the multitude, and supported the footsteps of tottering age to a remote piazza.

“ Blessed be thou, my son,*’ uttered the poor old man, in a feeble tone. The words went, somehow, home to Vincenzio’s heart. He started!

“ O mockery,” muttered he, “ can I be blessed,—never! ” Then, checking the full gush of feeling, which, under an almost irre­sistible impression, was about to pour forth from his lips, he answered, “ Thanks, father; the blessings of the good are as water to the drooping plant.”

“ Thou sayest well,” said the monk, who was evidently a stranger to Venice. “ The prayers and blessings of the righteous man avail much. Religion can draw that barbed weapon from the bosom, which has mocked the art of inferior mediciners.”

“ What meanest thou. Dost know me, monk ? ”“ I know thee not, kind sir. For fifty years I have wandered

among Saracens, seeking to save souls. Many strange sights have I seen, many sore trials have I encountered.”

“ Didst ever encounter Satan in person, good father? Ha! ha! h a !”

“ Jest not on such a subject. The fiend has not been back-

•

ward to oppose my calling; but I have smitten him in all his forms, and will smite him again. Many times has he fled before me bodily! ” And the monk uttered a short prayer, and crossed himself, with his eyes upturned to Heaven ; while his long silvery locks streamed in the wind. He was the prototype of Abraham, as painted by Raffaelle. A sudden thought struck Vincenzio as he gazed on the patriarchal form before him.- He took the arm of the monk, and led him to the palace. They entered by a pri­vate stair, and in Vincenzio’s study did he pour forth his whole sad story to the listening priest.

Vincenzio clasped the monk to his bosom, and shouted, fear> fully and loudly, “ I am saved!”

And here I would fain conceal one trifling circumstance in my narration. That monk was never seen on earth again. Whether he fell among thieves, and was slain for the sake of the treasure with which Vincenzio doubtless loaded him, or whether he died lest Vincenzio’s secret should be jeopardized by being in his keeping, can never now be known. No man ever saw him leave the Guada^naro palace, but‘ then he might have passed from thence at night. And even if he were really disposed of by Vin­cenzio, the act becomes a deed of virtue on being properly con­sidered ! For, of course, Vincenzio could only be jealous of his reputation, for the sake of Venice, on whose golden roll his name was emblazoned. And if Vincenzio chose to take this sin upon his soul, for the sake of the welfare of the state, was not his con­duct rather praiseworthy than otherwise ? If that was not virtue, I should like to know what you would call it ? There might be certainly one man less in the world, but the earth is very large, and could do without him.

Joy • vincenzio is saved. How, as yet, you know not,but I know, and I say he is saved. His soul is relieved from its cruel burden, and all is joy and happiness. Secure in the secret of the monk, ’tis thus Vincenzio now soliloquizes:—

“ There wanted but this, to fill up the measure; to cheat the fiend! and this is granted me. He has read me a hard lesson. I’ll teach him one in return. His day on earth is past, let him go back to his darksome caves. Ha! ha! ha! capital joke! I can laugh now—and heartily. Vincenzio laughs at Azaroth.”

It is matter of regret that I am forced to hurry over many interesting points of the narrative, as originally told me. Let these be supplied and imagined as they may. I pass on to the denouement.

At the time appointed, Azaroth came, and felt great surprise at the courteous reception afforded by his entertainer. Far from quailing before the infernal one, Vincenzio stood erect in his

presence,—bade him heartily welcome— and told him the time had seemed long since they met last.

“ Oh! ” replied Azaroth, “ the day will soon come, when we shall be more together.”

Vincenzio produced the Chess-board, and men (prepared for the occasion), and readily arranged them in battle-array. Aza- roth was surprised at his imperturbability.

“ One thing, man, I shall ever say for thee, that for constancy of purpose, boldness of bearing, and calm resolve, I never saw thy fellow. Patiently have I waited, and much trouble have thy caprices cost me, but I cannot begrudge it in thy cause.”

“ You flatter, Azaroth ! By the by, you really look younger and handsomer yourself, every time I see you. Move first if you like.” Each player pushed his King’s Pawn two squares, and to it, in earnest, they went.

“ We meet, so rarely,” said Vincenzio, “ 1 should like to take this opportunity of getting a little information^<;heck to your King—respecting a few mysteries, of which I fain would know something. Science has been ever my idol, as you doubtless know, from your power of reading man’s thoughts,”

“ Of your thoughts, Vincenzio, I am precluded from knowing as much as 1 could, were we on any other terms. When any little arrangement, similar to our’s, has been entered upon, be­tween me and one of you mortals, that very compact screens you, for the time, from all such powers as I still exercise over such as are now independent of my sway.”

“ O, you mean to say— par exemple—that you have no power then, however vexed, to do me bodily harm.’

“ My dear fellow! how can you ask such a question?”“ Oh! because I intend giving you Checkmate presently,”

cried the Guadagnaro, laughingly, “ and I should wish to know beforehand whether I dare do so with impunity. That’s all. I am a man of peace, but little given to quarrelling, and shouldn’t there­fore like the Chess-board knocked about my head, if you should fall in a passion, my friend! ”

“ Don t mention such absurdities. Ridiculous! The bargain’s a bargain ; and 1 can no more annul it, than you can. Let the game go as it may, you will live out your promised number of years, and none of your enjoyments can be curtailed in any way. —Checkmate me! A good joke ! H o! ho! ho ! ”

“ He laughs best, who laughs last, as they say in England,”responded Vincenzio, with a slight sneer.---------The fact is, hebegan to hold the poor devil in contempt, for having suffered himself to be gulled. And I assure you, upon my word, Vincen­zio was even beginning to meditate upon the propriety, or possibi­lity, of presently kicking his friend down stairs !

My pen is sketching a grave fact, and teaching a great moral lesson, but must not spin it out to a novel. Were I a Balzac, a Victor Hugo, or a Dumas,—why, perhaps, I might not let you off so easily. Vincenzio was, I declare, tremendous. He was su­blimely splendid ! He had hooked his fish, and now he had got him fast, gave him lots of line, and played him to perfection. Let me tell you, there are few men who could have found nerve to steer so close to the rocks. ITie ^ame went on, as the other games had proceeded, and the Venetian felt quite amused at ob­serving how little chance the deepest schemes of man would avail in Chess, against the cunning of Monsieur Diabolus. “ It serves him right, thought Vincenzio, “ for playing even with me origins3ly. Had he given me the Rook, as I see he could have done, I should have scorned taking this shabby advantage. Upon my soul! it wouldn’t be bad, afterwards, to propose playing at the odds of the Rook, for the gain of another hundred years! He said something to me once about double or quits. It were but fair to give him the chance. But perhaps I had better let well alone.”

Vincenzio glanced his eye towards atime-piece, which stood on an adjoining tripod,—“ We must play quicker,” said he, “ for I dine out to day; and shall hardly have time to dress.”

“ O, bravest of Venetians! you shall dine w it h m e some day. Say, is there aught else I can do for thee, ere I leave thee. To my very heart do I admire thee! ”

“ Why, since you *re so polite, there is a trifling matter you could do, if you would. Take away this cursed black and white line, you have stamped around my neck.”

“ O, certainly, with all my heart. It is gone even while I speak. The shepherd knows his sheep without marking them, after the first time of handling them.—It is your move. If you take my Queen, you will be Mated, my dear Vincenzio, in fifty- seven moves.”

“ Very true; but I shall not take the Queen.” Vincenzio made his move, and many other moves, warily, watching that he did not commit himself, and carry the joke too far.

“ You have not played so much Chess lately as heretofore,” resumed Azaroth, “ What is the reason of that ? ”

“ O, I got tired of it. We get tired of every thing in this world, by turns. Do you know, Azaroth, I *m almost tired of you! ”

“ Ho! ho ! ” sneered the fiend!“ Yes; I gave up Chess. - 1 was vexed at finding I could not

beat you. I am now older, and think differently. I can thrash you, and at your own weapons.”

“ Admirable!—And how does the world use you ? ”

“ Oh! tolerably. The men are, entre nous, for the most part, rogues ; shabby, miserable, sneaking, wretches! ”

“ You may say that,” quoth Azaroth, “ some of them are 1 0 truly contemptible I give them up. They’re not worth trap­ping.”

“ But when you catch a prey worth the trouble—”“ Why then it ’s pleasant,” answered Azaroth. — “ Hum ! ”

thought Vincenzio to himself, “ I wish you may find it so! ”And now I must again call in the assistance of a crayon, to

pourtray the situation of the Chess-men, while this conversation past. They stood as follows, and Azaroth, having as usual the White pieces, had to move.

You see, Vincenzio had the advantage of a clear Rook; but position they say, is more than numbers, in Chess.

Well, in this very position, Azaroth suddenly exclaimed, “ its all over. I am about to mate you in four moves.”

And the fiend accordingly played the first of these four moves. Vincenzio calmly examined the situation, and saw, indeed, that

Mate was inevitable in the number of moves specified. At the sanie time he could not but admire that superb talent for Chess, which, bva series of magnificently forced moves, had thus involved him. The Venetian’s heart beat high, and he turned pale with excitement. The sensation was delicious. Revenge never filled a sweeter cup. He glanced over the board, and remained still,

“ You see I’m right. Play on.”

“ Are you in a hurry ? my good friend,” answered Vincenzio. “ O ! by no manner of means. But it does not matter how

you take your next move. Come, play.”Said Vincenzio, in reply,------(now mark!)------“ My very obliging friend, and particularly kind patron! Man

or devil, be you what you may, moderate your impatience, or you ’11 certainly fall ill! Listen to me—a poor, humble, mortal.I believe we play according to the strict rules of Chess. Now by those laws my right of full time to examine the move is quite conceded.—Pray don’t fidget about in your chair so much; you shall speak when I ’ve done.—My next move is rather difficult, that’s all. You talk about giving me Mate. You may do so, if you can. When we played before, I lost, through being seduced into moving too quick—a common error with young players ! Into this error I shall not fall again. The position requires im­mense consideration. I shall look till I find the correct move by which I can frustrate your “ coup.” Till then, I shall not play.I intend to dwell on my next move, perhaps twenty or thirty years ; so if you will now retire, and do me the favour to visit me again, at the expiration of about that period, I may then probably have the pleasure of answering your last move. Or, if you pre­fer finishing the game by correspondence, I ’11 send my move, when I ’ve made up my mind, per post, if you leave your address. Meanwhile, I wish you every imaginable happiness. Excuse my rising. I dine out, and cannot offer to take you with me, for you look so cross, you’d really sour the wine! ”

While Vincenzio finished this long, and somewhat flippant, ti­rade, he rose from his seat, and smilingly bowed to his diabolical visitor; waving his hand at the same time towards the door.

The fiend could not articulate a single word. He was struck dumb with the man’s impudence. At length Azaroth stammered out—

“ Scoundrel and villain! are you in earnest ? What do you mean ?—Play directly, or—”

“ Ha! ha! ha! ” laughed Vincenzio “ In earnest do you ask ? Remember my adage, he laughs longest who laughs last. Don’t call names ; you have owned you’ve no power over me. I confess myself under great obligations to you, and if it ever lies in my way, shall be too happy to repay them in kind. Meanwhile, de­mon ! (and Vincenzio drew himself up to his full proud height)— liar! and father of lies! know that thou art scorned, and con­quered at thy own weapons, by a naan ! I spit at thee, and defy thee! ”

Azaroth turned black in the face with rage.—“ Monster of in­gratitude, ” foamed he!

“ I am a man ! ” was Vincenzio’s reply.—Pen cannot write theK

description of the scene that followed. Azaroth forgot his breed­ing, and scolded like a fish>woman. At length he took himself off in a thunder-blast, which shook Venice to the depths of its watery foundations.

“ After all! ” sighed Vincenzio, “ I have really not behaved well to him ! ” # # * * *

Vincenzio never saw Azaroth again He passed on to extreme old age, enjoying to the last, all the finest qualities of youth; together with the varied endowments gained by his unearthly compact. He returned to the practice of Chess, and was fonder of it than ever. This is not to be wondered at. Had it not been his saviour and protector ?—Chess afforded him the chiefest solace in age, wlien his iron frame began to yield to time, and in him did Chess-players again hail their master and their patron. And when he knew, and felt, that his last days were at hand,— when his appetites were palled~his senses dimned—and his limbs pal­sied ;—THEN, I say, being ninety and nine years of age, and sink­ing into death, he received the consolations of the church—was anointed with the holy oil of unction— and expired, as his con­fessor thus beautifully expressed it, in his funeral sermon :—“ in the assured hope of sharing endless felicity, with persons of similar rank and respectability.”# # # * • ' # # # #

And now that I have finished this little story, which I have scribbled, my fair friend, merely because you told me it was im­possible to twist Chess into a romance, if you ask me to point out the moral of it, I reply thus;— It is a Chess-story, and it is, there­fore, rather relative to the “ morals of Chess,” than to the morals of you, or of me, that its tendency ought to be applicable. And the “ Chess moral ” hereby enforced is this :—“ Take proper time for the consideration of your moves, and never play too quickly.”

And if you are not satisfied with this “ moral,” Madam, I must beg of you to find a better----- G. W ,

PETER PINDAR AND ANGLING.

Dr. Wolcot’s taste for angling may be gathered from his verses on the subject; of which the following is the concluding stanza.

Eiyoy thy stream, O harmless fish,And when an angler, for his dish,

Through gluttony’s vile sin,Attempts—a wretch—to drag thee out,God give thee strength, O gentle trout,

Tu pull the rascal i» !

STUDIES IN POLISH DRAUGHTS,No. 4.— The ^Hollandais ’ winsof Philidor; having the move, and the White men.

No. 5 .—Won at the Caf6 de Manoury, by M. R. j who had the White, and themove.

No. 7.—White to move and win. By M. Harvant. (Very difficult to solve.)

WHIST.—BY A MELTONIAN.

No. II.

Before proceeding to unfold more of my own lucubrations, a short notice of existing authors on Whist may not be found de­void of interest. Once for all, let it be remembered, I treat here exclusively of Short Whist.

Besides the ancient writings of Payne and Hoyle, there are several original pamphlets on Whist, of early date ; but of ex­tremely little value. The great Hoyle was one of the first to appreciate the value of innocent mes to society, and treated his subject with due and professional dignity. Hoyle delivered pub­lic lectures, on both Whist and Chess; and I have seen one of the newspaper advertisements in which he offered to give private lessons on either oT these sports, at “ a crown a lesson.” Hoyle has been reprinted, in endless forms, and by numerous commen­tators. Honour to Hoyle! It is not my intention to run him down, for I am so unfashionable as to think, seriously, we are under many obligations to the zeal he manifested in the cause of amusement. True, he would cut but a poor figure now-a-days at a whist table in St. James’ Street; but m this, as in every other subject, the theorist who comes last, justly carries off the laurel awarded to new discoveries. Improvement is easier than inven­tion. Hoyle was suited to the slow and heavy days of powder and perriwigs ; enamelled faces, and clouded canes. Requiescat in pace; and may the earth lie light upon him.

It is hardly necessary to point out, that the huge modern edi­tions of Hoyle possess a quantity of additional matter, “ as thick as that cheese, ’ passed off under his name. Could Hoyle see some of these, I believe he would feel little pHde at the appear­ance and equipment of his offspring. The last edition, dated 1835, and edited by one G. H., forms no exception to this remark. It is, in sooth, a most indifferent production, as you will see on a summer’s day.

Tliat Hoyle’s pearls were not exactly thrown to swine, may be gathered from the following paragraph, in a journal of 1798.

“ Milton, that glory of British literature, received not above ten pounds, at two different payments, for the copy of Paradise Lost. Yet Mr. Hoyle, author of the Treatise on the Game of Whist, after having disposed of all the first impressions, sold the copy to the bookseller for two hundred guineas.”—A pretty round sum for those days; but probably a lucrative speculation to the publishers.

Of modern booJ s on Whist, there are but three worthy of par-

ticular notice. These are the Treatises of Mathews, Burney, and The M^or, I do not want to read “ Hints upon Etiquette/* to notice them, severally, in that order of precedence, in which they followed each other into the world, to assist man in his laborious search after knowledge. Honour to the trio! At issue with each other on sundry minor irrelatives, they are beautifully har­monious in the price at which they sell out their knowledge to her Majesty's lieges. Three shillings for a pamphlet, would foe called by Sam. Weller, “ rayther dear at the price ; but how can we sufl&ciently remunerate the sage who has grizzled his locks, while trimming the midnight lamp so long, for our reforma* tion ? But of this again, anon.

Mathews’ book’'' has gone through several editions; aad in most respects, may be fairly stated as a very praiseworthy pro­duction, as jar as it goes. It is spiritedly written, and free from the monotony so detestably prevalent in certain b^ks on games. Mathews has been called the founder of a new school; imd hk innovations on Hoyle, may generally be styled as “ glorious revo­lutions,” rather than as the “ triumphs of faction.** When Mathews wrote, he appears to have been in earnest—^which I like to see; and we cannot doubt his having been a man capable veiT jiroperly of kicking a partner down stairs, who should trump a King-card incorrectly. It is evident he was himself a strong player, and it is to me the more astonishing that he should have so long continued in opposition” to the use of Short Whist, It has been ever matter of regret, that Mathews did not develop his subject at greater length, and upon a better plan of systematic arrangement. As it stands, I assume it to have been a collection of precepts noted down at intervals ; without regard to order or arrangement. Like the sayings of Confucius, and other philoso^ phers, Mathews* Treatise forms an admirable “ bouquet” of apo­thegms, for the guidance of youth in the way he should go. The terseness of his style is strongly in his favour, and it is, on the whole, no wonder his work should have placed him on the pinna­cle of the mount. Mathews is universally recognized as the first classical authority, and the very Whist medals from Birmingham, in common use as counters, are stamped with quotations from his rules.—Could Westminster Abbey, itself, give his reliques greater honour ?

One point about Mathews I find particularly deserving of ad­miration ; I mean, the positive tone in which he lays down the law. No half measures with him ; and “ no mistake ” about his meaning. Poor Hoyle is dismissed, by Mathews, as one “ not fit

• Advice to the Young Whist-player. By T. Matbe^s, Esq.—Bath, Meyler,1822, pocket size. Thirteenth edition, pp. 64.

to sit down even with the third-rate players of the present day.” Tolerably modest this; to say the least of it—Unhappy shade of Hoyle ! can we give thee no comfort, reposing mournfully upon the “ hills of storms,” round Bath, or Clifton ? Little didst thou anticipate being scolded for bad play, after thy departure bodily from earth; whatever may have been thiy fate, when in the flesh, and at the card table. Is there no solace for thy grief? Sleep, perturbed spirit, while we search thy foe, to find a crevice in hi« armour of proof. He votes thee a ninny—in fee-simple; and evidently rates himself, in comparison, as a giant with a dwarf. Let us see whether our Achilles himself be not vulnerable to re-C of—at leaBt in the heel of his red Morocco slipper.—Mathews*

k opens of itself before us, and the forty-third doctrinal text stares us in the face, as followeth;—

“ Many good players, in playing tierce-majors, begin with the king and queen. This is often productive of mischief; as, when played at other times, from king and queen only, the ace is kept up, and while each thinks his partner has it, and has played ac* cordingly, it unexpectedly comes from the adversary and disap­points their whole plan.”. Now, according to the meaning of a tierce-major in my vocab­ulary, it can only exist when the three cards are in one hand; and, in such ease, how can the ace fall from any other ? Having a tierce-major, and playing, under circuntstances, the king first, and then the queen, tells your partner as plainly as a man can talk in the language of Whist, that you hold the ace; that is, more especially should the queen win. And as the perfection of Whist consists in having acquired the art of rendering your hand fairly legible to your partner, I take it to be correct, except in particular cases, to play off king and queen first. In fact, nold- ing tierce-major, you can hardly do mischief, play them as you may. The chances are balanced somehow on every event. If you lead ace first, your partner has no right to know you hold king. As a set off, should you begin with the king, and your partner be weak in trumps, he ’11 certainly cut the poor king down. Still, I dissent on this point, from Mathews, and believe that in the long run, it is the sounder play to keep the ace in hand.

Should you, then, lead the king of any suit, and win the trick, it does not absolutely follow that your partner has the ace. Should you hold the queen in sequence, guarded by a low card, discon­tinue the suit; but if you have a tierce to the king, carry on with it accordingly.

How difficult it is to lay down general rules! The unceasing cry of good Whist-players is very properly this:—let the playing out of your hand approach as nearly as possible to the playing out of a hand at dummy. Now Mathews does not himself always

recollect this most important axiom; upon which, in fact, all Whist precepts should be based.—His forty-seventh bit of advice runs thus:—

“ With ace, queen, &c. of a suit, of which your right-hand ad­versary leads the knave, puf on Invariably. No good player with king, knave, and ten, will begin with the knave ; of course it is finessein against yourself to put on the queen, and as the king is certainly behind you, you give away at least the lead, without any possible advantage. *

In the general and absolute manner in which Mathews directs the observance of this dictum, I conceive him to be undoubtedly wrong. It is laid down too broadl);, and should by no means be acted on, as he recommends, invariably. Particular exceptions exist with regard to trumps ; and there may arise frequent hands in which the queen, or a small one, would be stronger play than the ace. In trumps, to draw two honours for one is mostly sound ; and in other suits, should you hold ace, queen, and ten, you ought decidedly to play oflP queen npon knave, and thus remain with tenace.

** It is equally advantageous to lead up to, as through an ace.”— Here we are treated by Mathews to a dogma of positive absurdity. Surely he must mean that the advantage belongs to the ace which is thus led up to; but how any advantage is to accrue to the leader, remains to me a mystery. In double dummy, we are taught to lead through the strong, and play up to the weak; which ought therefore to be our rule of conduct in the ordinary game. To lead through an ace, stares one in the face as an ad­vantage ; to lead up to one is quite a different matter. Of course, with certain hands, it is good play to lead up to the ace ; and not be frightened by its menacing scowl, from drawing a round of trumps when justifiable. Let players of reflection judge for them­selves, and neither be led, nor misled, by the pertness of self­constituted authority. I may here remark, that in my flying cri­tique on “ the books,” I intend my observations to be equally applicable to the game, both Long and Short; though, as I before said, my own theory— when it comes—will apply especially to the latter variety.

With three cards, Mathews tells us peremptorily, always to put an honour on an honour ; a little further on, he says, that with king, ten, and a small one, you should not put the king on the queen. Many good players dissent from this, and prefer putting king on queen as the sounder play ; but what is the be­ginner, poor fellow! to do, when he takes up a pamphlet full of such startling contradiction ? I know that in a similar case I should throw the book in the fire. Mathews advocates the lead­ing, with certain hands, from a single card. I do not say this

fehould never be done ; for the words “ always ” and “ never” are equally inapplicable to the science of Whist; but I hold, that a single card should be led with fear and trevibling; it being two to one that the strength in such hand lies against your partner. Should your partner win the trick, he is not necessitated to return the suit, and should your adversaries win it, circumstances may show them what you are at; and a heavy fire of trumps will be the immediate consequence.— The relative position of the score should be duly weighed, before starting a single card, as your lead.

In his hundredth axiom, Mathews says, “ Tenace is easily ke^t against your right hand, but impossible, without great superi­ority of skill, against your left hand adversary/* The self-same words are copied, and adopted, by Major A. Being thus laid down, as a canon, by two writers of name, I shall of course, whenever I write a Treatise on Whist, make free with the remark; but shall take the liberty of altering it as follows

Tenace may, with moderate skill, and average fortune, be main­tained against your right hand adversary, but you will be indeed a lucky man, should you ever be able to keep it against him on your left. Unless the latter be compelled to lead up to you, the idea of keeping tenace against him is a mere dream of Utopia, worthy of Charenton.

But somewhat too much of this. It is easier to find fault than to do better. The blessed sun, himself, is spotted with shadows, and Homer could nod in his easy chair like common men.— Mathews was a fine fellow, and so is A dm iral B uhney .*

We are prejudiced in favour of Burney, if only from his name. I like to see a man of similar standing, not ashamed of contri­buting his quota, openly, to the fund of general knowledge, in sci­entific disport. Admiral Burney was, personally, a very skilful player, both of Whist, and Chess; for the especial practice of the latter of which games, he founded a club at Cheltenham. This institution for many years held its meetings at the Plough Hotel, but is now, I regret to say, defunct. The gallant Admiral’s book on Whist is less known than it deserves to be ; and is written in as pleasant a chit-chat, gentlemanly style, as you can conceive. Did it assume loftier pretensions, its plumes might be the easier olucked ; but it bears its crest so very meekly, the critic can lardly forbear letting it pass peacefully. Burney’s chief fault is the high price set upon his pages; and this is probably the reason they are not more known. That, which as a sixpenny tract would be excellent, is surely less worthy of patronage, when the pur­

* (NoteJ A Treatise on the Game ofWhist; by the late Admiral James Bur­ney. London, Boone, second edition, 1823. Sm. 8vo. pp. 87.

L

chaser is charged no less than three shillings for so slight an essay. By way of parenthesis,—Will booksellers ever under­stand the folly and enormity of high ] rices ? Or is it reckoned vulgar, by authors of “ gentle blood,** to place a proper estimate on their labours ? Poor fools 1 if such be the cause which prompts the really swindling tax exacted on many of the fashionable volumes! The writer cannot see, that instead of selling his one thousand books at a guinea and a half, to the reading rooms, he might vend an edition of fifty thousand to the public, would he but content himself with a crown a copy. This is proved, by the vast numbers of new books disposed of by Gkilignani, Baudry, and otiiers, abroad; consisting of cheap English reprints of our best productions. An absurd fuss is making lust now, about what the legists term, “ a system of international copyright.*’ Should any measure of this sort pass into law, it will be a dead robbery on the public of Britain. Print your books low, and you will never be “ pirated *’ by foreign publishers. Take an instance, however out of place. Southey’s poems are procurable in Paris, complete in one handsome tome, for twenty shillings. Here, they cannot be purchased under nine pounds. The consequence is, that of one of the most beautiful poets in the English language, the public know, at present, little more than they do of the man in the moon ; though his publishers have been at length coaxed into commencing a cheap edition. Let us hope the present system will be exploded. Under it, so great a steam pressure is required to cram the people with dear books, that of the twenty-five shil­lings charged for what should form one small volume, it has been computed the publisher is forced to expend fifteen, in the pufis of newspaper wind, on which the butterfly trifle floats away its hour. And the fun is, that the poor periodicals are, with few ex­ceptions, so dependent on the booksellers’ advertisements, they dare not advocate a healthier plan.—Return we to our Whist.

One of the most important points of Whist is memory; the high cultivation of which, in a first rate player, is remarkable in the extreme. Nothing can put him out. His exactitude of re­collection is equally unmoved, let there be dancing, fiddling, and drinking, all enwreathed around his chair. He can, under all circumstances, recollect how the cards have fallen. Here, the second-rater is at fault. The latter is liable to fits of aberration from extraneous causes; and if capable of falling into one lapse of memory, only, in an hour, sUch fault is enough to mark nia grade. Suppose eleven clubs are out, and the two in hand are the Five and Six; should either of these be led, you ought to know, of course, to a certainty, as to whether it is the best or not; and, moreover, from the cards previously played, ought in gene­ral to have gathered sufficient indication, to tell the whereabouts

which the other card inhabits. Most Whist players on reading this, will exclaim, that “ of course ” they could recollect a thing so simple; but how many tolerable players do I see constantly blundering upon equally “ simple ’* points ? A first-rate ought to be capable, as a test, of looking rapidly once over his thirteen cards, and then, placing them face downwards on the table, should be able to draw them individually as wanted. He ought to be able, when the hand is over, to repeat its perfect history from memory alone; naming the fifty-two cards successively in the order they fell, and classing the tricks accordingly. I have seen this done at Whist; though, candour compels me to add, that, without training, its accomplishment by me, personally, would be utterly impracticable.

The system of devising any artificial memory for Whist, I vote to be a dead take in. Writers direct us, after counting our cards, to place certain suits in different relative positions ; sticking the trumps at the back of the others ; by way, I presume, of showing, metaphorically, upon what the hand rests as its chief support. Thirteenth cards, again, are to be placed by themselves, in some quiet snuggery, like old bachelors in an alms-house. Now, I maintain, that—not only in Whist, but in every thing else,—the more you attempt to prop the faculty of memoi7 by adventitious means, the more you undermine its constitution. Men, who “ memorandumize ” their tablets upon all the petty details of life, and cannot recollect a dinner engagement without noting it down in black and white, weaken their memories by thus mistrusting its powers. Like our other faculties, this precious organ can only be maintained in a healthy state, by being boldly leant upon and exercised. What would become of your legs, were you to take to a couple of crutches by way of helping them along ? The thing speaks for itself, but cannot be too fully exemplified. Our great Rothschild could do business throughout the most compli­cated forms, to the amount of millions, during the whole of the day, and could then at night record the whole from memory alone; and write down each transaction in its order.—O what a Whist memory would this have been I Follow, I beseech yon, Mr. Rothschild’s plan. Take up your cards, count them care­fully, reckon how many you hold of each suit, but do not alter the position of a single card. A very little practice will enable you to appreciate the advantage of acquiring thus the habit of keeping your cards placed indiscriminately. Go off in the rightrub ; and your future progress is certain. In quitting this topic,

would enforce it upon you as points to be especially recollected, who dealt last, and what was the turn up card. Admiral Burney is perfectly correct in calling this a ditficult thing to remember ; but adds, with equal propriety, that by a predetermined attention

to these particulars, during six following deals, the observance will come to be a habit.

Among Whist players of the old school, there is a rhyme extant,relating to the play of the second hand, should he hold the king,or queen, with one small card only. The said couplet advises thesecond hand, in every such case, to play—

The king, ever 5 The queen, never,

Burney wishes this altered to “ The queen, ever; tbe king often/* I agree with him most cordially; and the remark applies even more forcibly to Short Whist. Indeed, generally speaking, with only two cards of the suit, second player, the higher card is the stronger play. I shall take another opj)ortunity of reverting to this important point, subjoining, in the interim, the gist of Bur­ney’s reasoning on the subject, in his own words. “ With the?ueen and one small card of a suit not trumps*and the first lead,

advise the second baud to put on the queen; wherein I differ from former authorities. The objections to the second player put­ting on the queen, are, that either the ace or king, or both, must be with one or other of the two last players, as it is not to be sup­posed, that the leader having both would lead a small card ; that Dy putting on the queen, you risk exposing your weakness in the suit; and that if the king should be in the third hand, and the ace in the last, the queen if kept up, would become the head o f the suit. The chance of the queen making, by a finesse of the original leader, i. e. the right hand adversary, in the second round of the suit, is to be reckoned next to nothing.”

“ There are nine difierent ways, nearly equally probable, in which the ace and king may be disposed in the other three hands. If both are with the leader, or both in the last hand, the second hand will have done well in putting on the queen. If both are in the third hand, it will seldom be of consequence in what manner the second hand is played. The first opening of a new suit with­out having an honour in it, seldom happens but from the poverty of the leader, or by his playing from numbers; and in those cases, the second hand putting on the queen will be attended with dis­advantage, unless both the superior honours are in his partner’s hand. But in four of the nine possible dispositions of the ace and king, eight only of which are supposeable cases, one of the supe­rior honours in the suit is with the leader, and one with the third or fourth player; and as in such disposition'of the cards there is nothing repugnant to leading, it is to be regarded as the most common circumstance of the case, and on which the second player

* I should carry the principle still ftirther, and trumps should by no means be thus e:iEcepted.

tsbonld most calculate. If the two superior cards are in the hands of the leader and his partner, the injuir suffered by putting on the queen will be in the exposure of weakness, which may some­times make the difference of a trick. If one of the superior cards is with the last player, the other being with the leader, your put­ting on the queen second hand wins the trick, and saves your partner’s ace or king. If the king, the adversaries will be per­fectly at a loss to know in which hand it lies; if the ace, it secures the two first tricks in the suit, with the chance of ruffing in the third round. To give up an even chance of advantages so important, for the hope of concealing weakness, is paying a high price for the chance of a benefit comparatively small,’ &c.— ('See Burney, p , 42,J

Who is the real author of that new and nice little book on Short Whist, standing in the name of Major A, ? * I know not; thoughI have heard it attributed to Major A— b—y. Whoever he be, he plays a good game of Whist, and, breaking out of the trammels of pedantry, has given us a pocket volume in which there are ceHainly combined both instruction and amusement. His affect­ing the anonymous is absurd enough; for if ashamed of his subject, he should not have laboured in its illustration. I dislike to see authors thus playing at blind-man’s buff. Every writer ought fearlessly to hang forth his banner on the title page. Think of that. Major A., and take not offence at the suggestion; ahem! Lower the price of your book, my dear sir ; or give more matter for more money. Few are, I suspect, better qualified to write a really good Treatise on Whist. Major A. should treble the size of his volume ; and thus establish it as “ the best trump.” Of my own laboitrs, the public can only judge hereafter. “ Have at ye all,” will be my motto, if the Philidorian favors me with space enough.

On tuming over the leaves of my copy of Major A , I find a few marginal indentations, which 1 presume to have been the product of some critical “ thumb; ” perhaps that of the great “ Lord Thumb ” himself. I have only room to notice a few of these ; and accordingly take them indiscriminately. Truth is best eli­cited by a diversity of opinions, as I redde m the Pliilidorian last month. To infallibility, far be it from me to pretend. Let the skilful Whist player judge between us.

At page 58, Major A. says,“ If you have ace, ten, and a small card of a suit, of which your partner leads the nine,—pass it, although the finesse is against three cards; for if your partner has an honour you make two tricks; if not, you can make no

* Short Whist: its rise, progress, and laws. Together with maxims for begin­ners, and observations to make any one a Whist player. By Major A * * * * * •London, Longman, 1896. 8m. 8vo, pp. 95,

more than the ace, by any mode of play.*’ This is given as a general law, universally, and equally, applicable to trumps as to other suits. It strikes me, I own, as bemg very fine play, but too deep, as the man says in the farce, for my poor comprehension. The potion is good,—granted; but when prescribed like Morison’s Pills, to cure all diseases, forms,'on a small scale, quite as cool a piece of mystification. In trumps almost every species of finesse is a fair risk, and a bold game is the best; but the play­ing out of the trumps, properly, forms a peculiar branch of Whist, to which the remaining shoots of the tree can scarcely be likened. In the present case, it is matter of nearly moral certainty, that your left hand adversary will win the trick, on your running the nine, for it is a good five to two he holds an honour; and on his thus gaining the trick with perhaps queen or knave, how are you to ensure that the remaining cards of the suit are so equally distributed among the hands, that the third round will not be cut ? Such play will sometimes succeed, no doubt, and then you may get lots of ^llery applause for your “ prodigious skill,” but the question is, out of nve and twenty times, with average hands, would this play be successful thirteen ? I think not, and consider the ace to be the sounder play; except in certain eases of trumps. When Major A. adVocated this atrocious finesse, he must assuredly have been suffering from indigestion, occasioned by feeding too heartily with his friends on the hot lobster men­tioned in his preface; and it could only have been under the in­fluence of a similar cram, that our gentleman could have for­gotten his Whist, to puff a quack nostrum, as the Major does at p. 42. The brandy bottle would be, I should say, of quite the same efiicacy as the restorative cordial in question.

Major A. s remark, that, “ it is in playing bad cards to advan­tage that superior skill is most manifest, ’ is not in keeping with my own experience, but altogether the contrary. Skill is most shown in playing good cards; temper in playing bad ones. He that gets from off good cards all that is to be got, is the Whist player for my money. Of course the good player will do more with bad cards than his fellow, but this is a more negative species of merit Major A. does not stand alone among writers, as one who sanctions this most egregiously shallow sophism.

At p. 70, Major A. tells us, “ With ace, queen, and two small trumps, if the knave is led on the left, do not win it,” &c. In the main this advice is good, and is based on a sound principle; but there may arise many cases in which it would be far stronger to play the queen Cutting it too fine, is the rock on which half bred Whist players so often split. Finesse to win the game, but do not finesse for the mere sake of finesseing.

My limits this month will allow of only one more quotation:

There is frequently judgment required in selecting the penaltiei for a revoke. If the revoking party be four love, add three to your own score, as it saves a double game, and puts you at three to four. If he be at three, take them away from his acore,” &c, (See Major A , p, 23.J

Really I cannot see the sense of the latter half of this propo­sition. My adversary is three, and I am advised to take him down, instead of makmg us three all, by adding three to my own score. Pause on this a moment. Whether eaA party has to get two points, or five points, the chances must be so far equal, and the mode of taking the nenalty, then, should be regulated by the position of the rubber, tne deal, &c. The fault I find here with the Major, turns on his omitting to notice this. Should the coming deal be with my opponent, I would rather we should both return to the “ nix’* point; than stand at three all; but should the coming deal be ours, the case is altered, and I should then certainly prefer placing the three to the credit side of our account; though m so doing we leave our adversaries at four. Never forget the value of the deal, which gives you a certain trump, a probable honour, or even two, and a strong chance of the largest share of trumps, out of all the hands round the table.

And now having cleared my ground,somehow, I pause for breath to enable me to take a higher flight than the invidious task of fault-finding with my neighbours. As I write this sentence, eighteen-hundred-thirty-and-seven is just walking out, to make room for his successor, and when I resume my pen, I must date with another year. In the interim, I wish my readers good cards, pleasant partners, and above all, that “ equal mindedness,” so dear to the philosopher, which enables man to bide the heaviest brunts of fortune ; without wincing under her frown, or being lured by her smiles, into the paradise of fools.

{ To he continued.)

CHESS PROBLEMSSOLUTIONS. (See P. 31.) P r o b l e m I.

1. Q. to Q. Kt. fifth. 1. K. to K. fifth.2. Q. to K. B. fifth, ch., and then Mates.

P r o b l e m II.White move9 first,

1. Q. to R. eighth, ch. 1. K. takes Q.2. B. to Q. B. sixth, ch. 2. K. to R. second.—If he play

to Kt. sq., you take Q. with R., and Mate next move.3. R. checks, and then Mates.

Black moves first.1. R. takes P. ch. 1. K. takes R.

2. Q. to K. R. fifth, ch. 2. Kt. covers.3. Q. ch. at Kt. 6, and then takes P., Mating.

P roblem III.1. Q. to K. B. second, ch. 1. Q. covers.2. Kt. to K. B. third, ch 2. K. to R. (best.)3. Q. ch. and Mates,—taking the interposed Q.

P roblem IV.1. Q. to Q. B fifth, ch. 1. If he interpose Pawn, he is

Mated in three naoves; therefore,K .toKt.

2. Q. to Q. B. seventh, ch. 2. K. to R. (best.)3. Q. to Q. B. eighth, ch. 3. K. moves.4. B. to Q. Kt. sixth, ch. 4. K. takes B.5. Queen gives Checkmate.

P roblem V.(In this diagram, through an error of the Press, a Black Pawn

was dropt from its K. R. 4, on which square the reader will replace it.)

1. R. checks. 1. If he play to B. or Kt., he is Checkmated in three moves ; therefore,

K. to R. third.2. Q. takes P. ch. 2. K. takes P.3. Kt, to R. fourth, ch., and the rest is obvious.

P roblem VI.1. B. to Q. B. sixth. 1. R. to Kt. (best.)2. B. takes P. ch. 2. R retakes.3. Q. to K. eighth, ch. 3. R. covers.4. Q. to Q. B. sixth, ch. 4. R. covers.6. Q. to Q. B. eighth, ch., and then Mates, taking P.

P roblem VII.1. B. to Q. B. fourth. 1. K. takes Kt.2. Kt. to K. B. eighth. 2. K. to Q. third. (A)3. Kt. to Q. seventh. 3. K. moves.4. B. to Q. B. fifth. 4. K. moves.6. B. to Q. Kt. fifth, and Mates next time.

(A)2. K. to Q. Kt. second.

3. B. to Q. Kt. fifth. 3. If he go to comer, he is Matedin two moves; so, K. to Kt.

4. Kt. checks. 4. K. to Kt. second, (best.)6. B. to K, Kt. sq., and Mates next move.

P roblem VIII.1. King, opposes King, and then offers to Mate by moving Rook to Q. fourth. If Black place Bishop at Kt. 4, R. checks, and Mates with P. In every case the Mate is forced, from the ori­ginal situation, in four moves.

THE

PHILIDORIAN.

No. 3. [FEBRUARY] 1838.

CHESS.—IMPORTANT VARIATION OF

THE QIUOCO PIANO.

T he following letter needs little comment by way of introduc­tion. It exposes the fallacy of one of the modem additions to the usually received Chess openings. We are prepared to show that several others are equally unsound. For tne notes append­ed to the present communication, our editorial pen is alone answerable.

“ To the Editor of the PhiUdorian.

Sir,—In Mr. Lewis’s Second Series of Lessons on Chess, p. 93, occurs the game below, which I give with his own remarks.

WHITE. BLACK.‘ 1. K. p. two. 1 K. p. two.2. K. Kt. to B, third. 2. Q. Kt. to B. third.3. K. B. to Q. B. fourth. 3. The same.4. Q. B. P. one. 4. Q. P. one. (a)6. Q. P. two. 6. P. takes P.6. P. retakes P. 6. B. checks, (b)Though this check,* says Mr. Lewis, ‘ has been recommended by

most writers as a good move, yet I venture to differ from them; and shall endeavour to prove that it gives White decidedly the best of the game. The move usually given in opposition to it is to interpose either Bishop or Knignt; the move I propose to play is the King, thus :—

7. K. to B. sq. (c) You now threaten to advance Q. P., and on the removal of the Kt., to check with your Q., at R. 4th, winning K. B.’

Then, among a varie^ of moves proposed to obviate the me­naced danger, Mr. L. gives—

‘ 7. Q, B. to K. Kt. fifth.8. Q. P. one. 8. Q. B. takes Kt.*

M

After stating that it would be bad play to take the Bishop, (d), he proposes, now, as the proper move—

‘ 9. Q. to R. fourth’—saying, ‘ If he remove Q. B., you should take'Q. Kt,; perhaps his best move is

6. B. takes K. P. * (e)And here this defence of the Black is left. Now, Sir. I think

it will not be difficult to show, that Mr. Lewis has signally failed in his proof, and that so far as the evidence he affords us gives, no advantage whatever is gained by White from Black’s check with Bishop. 1 take it for granted the next move would be—

10. P. takes Kt. Black has now taken one P. more than White, but is threatened with the loss of a Bishop, or with a vei7 un­pleasant check by discovery. The move I propose, and which probably escaped the observation of Mr. L. is—

10. Q. Kt. P. two; (f) thus pre­venting the discovered check, and attacking two pieces. Wnite has now several moves, the best of which, I think, will leave a slight advantage with his antagonist.

Firstly. B. takes K. B.P. ch.Secondly. B. takes Kt. P.Thirdly. Q. takes Kt, P.Fourthly. Q. takes B.

FIRSTLY.

11. B. takes P. ch. 11. K. retakes B.12. Q. takes B. 12. B. takes Q. B. P. and re­

mains a P. superior, with a better game.SECONDLY.

11. B. takes Kt. P. H. B. takes Q. Kt.12. R. or Q. takes Bishop, and Black’s other B. removes, hav­

ing still the best game.THIRDLY.

11. Q. takes Kt.'P. 1 . Can play K. B. to Q. B.fourth, or take Q. Kt., or attack Q. with R. &c. (g.)

FOURTHLY.

11. Q. takes B. 11. P. takes B.12. Q. takes doub. P., but Black has the better game, (h)The original check with K. B. remains, thererore, to be im­

pugned ; and this point is of the more im|)ortance, in as much as the soundness of Q. P. one, at move 4, in defence of the Piano Game, seems to depend on it.—I am. Sir, &c,

J .W .Bristol, Jan, 7, 1838. B.

Notes; by the Editor,

(a) We have long since given up this move as partially weak, and certain to insure a cramped game, for the second player. Its fatal effects, without the Bishop subsequently checks, are well developed in the match at chess, by correspondence, be­tween the clubs of Paris and Westminster. It is better to play out King’s Kt. to K. B. 3.

(b) Unless this check be sound, the Bishop must retreat to Kt. 3, and a move is thereby lost. Our correspondent fairly proves his assertion; that t h e c h e c k m u s t b e g i v e n .

(c) The prospective advantage ought to be clear indeed, which can excuse a move like this. The King becomes hampered; and, as in the Bishop’s Gambit, the King s Rook is locked up for an indefinite period. If Black could dp nothing else, in re­ply, he might move King to his Bishop’s sq., also; for that which is “ sauce for the goose,” poor Richard well describeth as being equally “ sauce for the gander.” White would 4o better to cover with Kt. or B.

(d) If you take Bishop, he moves Kt. to K. fourth, and gets a fine ^m e. It should be borne in mind that the second player succeeds to a certain extent, if he merely neutralizes the advan­tage of the first move. Suppose White takes with Pawn:—

8. P. takes B. 8. Kt. to K. fourth.9. Q. checks. 9. Q. covers.

10. Q. takes B. 10. Q. checks, &c.(e) We agree in opinion that this is Black’s best move.( f ) The advance of Q. Kt. P., under these circumstances, is

finely conceived, and most “ Philidorian.”(g) Black has plenty of resource, and will not therefore play

B, to Q. B. 4., because White in such case would take B. P. ch.

(h) Black probably pushes Q. P., having a good game. The remark is equally applicable to several of these variations, that when the “ crush” is over. White’s Q, B. P. will be found too far advanced for health, and Black is able to Castle, first bring­ing out K. Kt., while White’s King and Rook both remain em­barrassed We repeat that our subscriber has proved his case —and that the Check of the Bishoj), at move 6, is the best move Black can play. Instead of pushing Q. P. on Kt., at move 8, White might try taking K. B. P. with Bishop, but similar vari­ations are foreign at present to the question.

ENGLISH DRAUGHTS.—CRITICAL SITUATIONS.

No, 5 .— White to move and win.

No, 6.— White to move and win.

No. 7.— White to move and win. B y W, Bone*

No. 8.— B y W,Bone,Black, having the move, played 10 to 15; on which White wins.

LETTER ON WHIST;ADDRESSED TO THE EDITOR OF THE PHILIDORIAN.

“ M r . E d it o r , S i r ,Being anxious as a sporting man to encourage games of

all sorts, I purchased your first numbers. The Filly-dorian, or whatever you call it, I take leave to sav, is not to my mind. I mean no disrespect, but for a fast man, the article’s what I should call a heavy drag, and doesn’t go the pace, sir. Chess, or Chests, as you term it, seems to be something like skittles, but inferior ; fit only for men who wear spectacles; and not for varmint fellows that ride across a country in leathers. Why not give something more slap, Mr. Editor?—But the chief object, sir, of this letter, is to do a bit of talk about Whist, a game at which I now and then put on the pot. I read the says on Whist of your Meltonian all through, and beg to inform you, it’s no go, sir. The man who wrote ever you mean to pay him) is picking your pocket, and you may tell him I say so. 1 take a double sight about most matters. I t ’s no use boltinff the door with a boiled carrot. Your Meltonian knows no more about Whist, than the Honourable Mrs. Norton knows about drawing a badger.

Now, sir, I am a literary man, though the fact is not common to every bod^. I began to write a book last winter on Whist, and not wishing to take too much trouble, till I saw how the cat jump’d, sent the first part of my manuscript to Mr. Nesbitt, the sporting bookseller in Berners street, to know how much he’ d cash for it when complete. Would you believe it, he sent the paper back next morning, and said “ it was n’t in his line! ” All envy, sir, as my wife justly remarked. So, Mr. Editor, not thinking it reputable in a gentleman like me, that hunts in scar­let, and can ride up to, ( or over,) any hounds in England, to go haggling about, chaffing his black and white, like the fellow with his donkey cart selling greens, I send you herewith a sample, being the first chapter of my work on Whist, as I have now touched it up, which I shall feel obliged by your printing in your next number. And as this will doubtless make the Paternoster row chaps open their mouths, and bid handsomely for the copy­right, 1 shall thank you to forward such tenders for the lump as you may receive; begging just to insinuate, in conclusion, that should I sell through your means, ten per cent, r e a d y , will be cheerfully allowed as commission, by.

Sir, your most obedient servant,RICHARD RUMMENS.

14, Elysium Places near the Brewery,Lamhethr

SAMPLE CHAPTER OF RUMMENS ON WHIST;

COMPRISING MAXIMS AND GENERAL REMARKS OP ALL SORTS*

No. LA good deal of difference prevails, as to who first invented

Whist. My own opinion is, that its founder was Shakspeare. We have no notice of it in any preceding writer, and the following lines convey as clear an allusion to \^ist, as words can do :—

Gome unto these yellow sands,And there take hands;Curtsied when you have, and list—The wild waves W h ist .

(See Tempest.)

Here's the whole thing plain enough. The waves are playing Whist together, and blow each other up for blundering, at no allowance. Shakspeare condemns their violence, in telling us to “ list, ” or “ listen,” to the wild recriminations of the losers. And pray, tell me, if Shakspeare did n’t mean Whist, what did he mean ?—and where is there any other Whist than card-whist ? (Mem. To write a paper on this for the Harkyeologia; and, query, the difference between “ Whist,” and “ Hist! being only a W, does n’t it simply mean “ Silence;” and hence the title. Two theories are always better than one.)

No. 11.Wet your thumb, well, a few times, in the course of dealing*

It insures a correct delivery of the cards, improves their polish, and, by proving that you consider yourself at home, gives your friends encouragement.—N.B. If you are sucking Spanish li­quorice at the time, tant mieux; its like the oil to the steam carriage, which the editor of the Philidorian talks about in his preface.

No. III.Call frequently for new cards; it demonstrates your import-

ance. It is moreover your duty as a Briton to add as much as possible to the revenue ; and a pack of cards pays the queen a shilling. The De la Rues, too, are ingenious men, and deserve encouragement. I wish, by the by, they’d put a few more aces in the pack.

No. IV.Always claim honours No harm in trying it on. It ’s all the

chances of war. Do not, however, claim all four. I have a con*

science, and never, demand to score for more than three, unless I really held them. If your adversary lets you take them, its his fault, and not your*s.

No. V.Should your partner lead an eight, and your right-hand adver­

sary play a fi^e, if you bold the ace do not put it on, but play the two, ana thus finesse the eight. This is deep play, ana would not be understood by every one. For all that, it *s the game ; and its difficulty of comprehension is the surest test of merit. The more eccentric your tactics, the more they must puzzle your opponent. As a free-bom Englishman, be independent of rules of all sorts—Britons never will be slaves. Play Whist like a gentleman, and not like a mechanic.

No. VI.Should your right-hand adversary lead a trump, and you win

it, return another trump; as much as to say, “ Who *s afraid f two ecMjiiay at that game,*'

No. VII.Suppose at the beginning you play a small heart, which your

partner trumps, first round; when you recover the lead, what should be your plan ? To play another heart ?— Certainly not. If you exhaust your partner s trumps, hell have none left for a rainy day.

No. VIII.Major A. says, “ always force the strong hand, seldom the

weak.’* Major A. is a very nice man, but he may tell that to the marines. The weak should be forced, in preference to the strong. Is n*t it easier to lick a boy, than to thrash a man ?—Answer me that. Major.

No. IX.When compelled to renounce, throw away from your most nu­

merous suit; and if you toss down an ace, or kin^, so much the better; it will raise your partner’s spirits, and will be the same in the end. “ Are we not all brothers ? ” as Mr. Wilberforce said to the ourang-outang.

No. X.“ Faire Sauter la Coupe ” is a luxury above your enjoyment.

Do not attempt it. Vested interests must be respected, and the privileges of the aristocracy duly defended. The man who can afford to give a guinea for a pine-apple, is alone sufficientlj re­sectable to practise the thimble rig thus elegantly diversified, ^ould he be discovered, he need only cut, and go to France.

But if he unfortunately move in a lower grade of society, and be tempted to “ Sauter la CJoupe,” he will probably be compelled to

Sauter ” the window afterwards. The same remarks apply to marking the cards with your thumb-nail; a luxury peculiarly privileged to peers of the realm; having been wrung from King John by the barons, and standing the top article in magna charta. So pray don’t mark the cards------with your thvmh-naU,

No. XLAim at playing the game on a grand scale, and disdain indivi­

dualities. Should your partner lead a thirteenth card as a forcer, trump with your lowest; for if fate decree you should win the trick, the little trump is as good as a bigger ; and should you be doom’d not to win it, it is better your loss should be small. When your partner subsequently says, you should have trump’d with a nigh trump, answer briskly that he knows nothing at all about it ; and that you always play thus at Crockford’s, or the Travellers’, If that don’t choak him oflP, the deuce is in it.

No. XII.If you can win the game without revoking,—do so ;—b u t

WIN IT !

No, XIII.The laws of Whist allow you to call cards seen. Look boldly

over the hand of your left side adversary, and call for any card you fancy. I name your left hand man exclusively, because honour forbids your looking over b o th hands,

Nota Bene,-^A fellow with a fine leering squint makes the partner of partners; for he reads all the cards right and left, while his eyes appear to be domiciled in his nose.

No. XIV.Should the ace be turned up on your left hand, and you hold

the king, start him off, the first time you- get the lead ; for then your adversary must either play his ace, or suffer your king to make a trick; and when his ace is once played, it can do no fur­ther mischief.

No, XV.Suppose you have no card of a suit of which your partner leads

the ace, such suit not having been previously playea, I say trump it immediately; for as the perfection of Whist consists in making your hand legible to your partner, how can you adopt any oj:her method half so good of showing him that you renounce to the suit he leads?

90

No. XVI.ShouM your partner lead the king of trumps, and you hold ace,

with small ones, play the ace and win his king; for you thus show you have got the ace, and two such weighty cards falling at once, will strike terror to the hearts of your antagonists. They will say, “ If he throws away the ace, what tearers he must have got behind! ”—and will probably give up the game, without play­ing out the hand.

No. XVII.Should you be last player, and a certain card, say the knave,

against you, of a suit m which you hold ^een, do not put her on, but suffer your adversaries to win it. This is an artful dodge, and therefore cannot but puzzle them, for they will never sus­pect you of holding the queen ; and half the battle is to deceive your enemies as to the state of your hand. Besides, it looks greedy to win all the tricks you can. The principle on which this maxim is founded is frequently applicable, and in our own Whist set, extensively practised.

No. XVIII.Blow your partner up incessantly. If he is in the wrong he

deserves it, and if in the right, give him double allowance. It anticipates reproaches, and before he can raise his steam, the next aeal stoppers him. You’re sure to pass for a fine player if you scold well; besides, should your partner be a freshman, he *11 find it highly encouraging. When you have been very wrong, I ’m not quite sure whether the laws of the game do not justify you in knocking your partner down;—that is, if he be a light weight.

No. XIX.It *s only bad players who pronounce the lead to be difficult.

I never find it so, and I ’11 tell you mv plan. I begin with the highest card I hold, whatever it may be; subject to such delicate exceptions as cannot fail to be recognized by individuals o f re­flective idiosyncracies, and preponderating powers of rational ratiocination. (M em — I copied this phrase or something like it, from Kant, It sounds good, hut I hardly catch its meaning As Kant was a sporting man, it is probable his favourite word “ ratio- cination ” relates to a rat hunt^

No. XX.Ignorant people return their partner’s lead. This is a thing

I seldom do, if I can help it. It *s a base, slavish idea, to which no man of spirit would submit. What right has he to the lead, more than I ?

No. XXLSome Whist-plavers have remarkably short memories. I, my­

self, particularly after supper, am very apt to deal twice running. The fact is, I deal badljr, and require practice ; but whenever I find myself under a similar aberration, 1 always give up the second deal, if demanded before the trump card is shyed up. Liberality is my “ forte,” and my “ piano ” too. I *m real “ grit,” potatoe weight;—as the Duchess said at Almack’s.

No. XXILA man of genius can always get along the road fast. I saw a

very slap fellow, the other evening, offer to bet a five-pound note he would name the colour of the forthcoming trump-card. Mr. Green, a friend of mine, took the wager, and the gentleman called “ cherry.” A club was turned up, but as cherries may be both black and red, poor Green was adjudged to have lost the bet.

No, XXIILTwo aces, a brace of kings, ditto queens, and four or five

trumps make up a fair hand. Should you hold anything worse, you *re an ill-used man. Never, however, swear, till the hand is over; when, if the cards have run very cross, % tearing them in halves, the chances are heavy against their ever bothering you again. Abuse your luck, and people will like to play with you. On first sitting down, assert that at Baron Hummo’s, last Tuesday night, you lost a hundred and thirty-seven points in succession. The wonder to me is, where all the money goes to ; for I never heard of any body ever owning they had won above five shillings.

No. XXIV.Should you, hy mistake, omit putting up your counters at the

conclusion of the game, you will naturally carry on the score to­wards the next, ft is astonishing how often players labour under similar absence of mind. Do not however refuse correcting the error, if pointed out in reasonable time. It is painful to take ad­vantage of folly, but in all such cases, your adversaries are as much to blame as you are ; and it is doing them good, to teach them a lesson of vigilance. In acting thus, you “ lighten the Gentiles,” more ways than one.

No. XXVWhen, being four, you only want another point, to make out,—

should you have turned six tricks, and, being last player, hold the best card of the suit,— do not play it. To complete a task with mere mathematical accuracy, is low and mechanical. Either

score two or three by cards, or disdain an odd trick solus. Moreover, to act thus looks chivalrous and spirited, and what *s one game? Live and let live. Give the poor devils another squeak.

No. XXVI.Hearts are trumps. Your risht hand adversary plays the king

of clubs; of which suit you hold ace;—very good. Play a small club. Suppose he follows up his king with the queen, ditto a small cara. Lastly, should he play the knave after the queen wins, throw a third small one rather than part with ace; for observe, he wants the ace out, its clear, by his leading so decidedly for it ; and why should you be bullied out of your property ? Good cards are as scarce as good women; of whom 1 can only say with Beaumont and Fletcher,—“ Onb I read of once.’*

No. XXVII.In some of the west end clubs, the play-men dine on dry toast

and lemonade. Poor stuff for the nerves, and impossible to pro­duce bold play. Altogether inferior to brandy grog, and devilled kidneys. After my sixth tumbler, I go the animal a few ;— after the eighth, Ajax at Troy was a sucking baby to me.

No. XXVIII.When I first began Whist, I was bothered to find the significa­

tion of the word “ tenace.’* For some time I thought it meant that you held ten-aces literally; and I couldn’t, I own, see how this could be done, unless you hid them under the table; which a sporting man would be “ tenacious ” of doing. 1 now know that the real meaning of the term is, that when you hold the “ ten ” and “ ace ” of the same suit, you hold “ tenace.”

No. XXIX.One of the few things in which I agree with your Meltonian

friend on Whist, relates to what he says about memory. There he*s pretty right. Memory at Whist is all a hum. I never at­tempt to recollect any thing about the cards; it damps the genius. Your writer’s simile about Rothschild is very well, but profane. Things sacred, ou^ht not to be sported with. What pretence have magazine-scribblers to talk about Rothschild ? Let them draw their parallels nearer home. Rothschild, in memory, was nothing, in comparison with Sally the waiter at a slap-bang, I frequent, near the Mansion House. Sally, I say, beats him hollow. I’d back her to give him the odds in a hundred turns, of “ three roast beefs,*' “ one veal and ham,” and four “ mashed potatoes.”

Always het odds, in preference to taking them. The latter makes you funky ; and it ’s all the same in the long run, as to whether you bet two, or three, to one. Some men talk about “ hedging.** Til tell you the surest way to hedge. Go it, double or quits, Pon-tick system; and if you lose all, do as follows, according to the time of day. If early in the evening, drop your cards, sham a fit, and ask to be taken home to your mother. Late at night, there’s no occasion to sham. Get preciously “ how came you s o a n d lie down to snooze on the hearth-rug. This is “ hedging,” and “ ditching,” too.

No. XXXI.Certain folks are fond of borrowing little sovereigns, at the

Whist table, of their neighbours. This is a bad plan for the “ borrow-he,” the chances of a correct score being against him. Men rarely repay more than they borrow. I would n’t lend a shilling to my own father, but you may do as you like. Like other unsophisticated young men, I had at one time contracted the habit of borrowing indiscriminately. Its a bad plan, and by no means recommendable. One of our set once lent me a little gold, and made me pay it back again ! I nevei* borrow now, but when a friend is considerably “ s l ewedand then I always do so to the fullest extent, for fear he should get robbed going home. In such case, on being afterwards asked, I very often pay again.

No. XXXII.Should you hold but two or three little stupid trumps, the first

time you get the lead, send one of them flying ; as not being of the slightest use to remain at home. On the other hand, should you hold half dozen, never lead a trump; but keep them up, to tell in all of a lump at the last. You can*t eat your pudding, and have your pudding. All writers agree that the last trump is half the battle, and how can you keep it, and play it away, both ? To lead a strong suit, is breaking it up prematurely. I know that the precept I would here inculcate is not the common practice; but that *s just why I adopt it. If a thing’s common, it must be vulgar. Besides, you are a gentleman; and gentlemen ought to have souls above “ common ways,” or “ common sewers,” either.

No. XXXIII.When asked to play Whist against husband and wife, cut it

short. They “ toe it,” under the mahogany, and work the tele­graph with a patent motion. Should you be in the habit of di-

ning at their house three times a week, don’t affront them, but tell them, genteelly, you’re not the fool they take you for. If they are your friends, they ’11 laugh it off; if they re not your friends, what do you care about them ?

No. XXXIV.Bad as married couples are, to face as an opposition company,

there is one class of persons worse. I mean, old maids; Irish spinsters, lean and long, rising fifty next grass,— who have played at Bath, I add this as the climax. Hundreds of such harpies are roaming abroad, and the Vampire is a lamb to them. How they would he classed by naturalists,—not knowing, cannot say. Sex they have none, and bowels but little; presenting a species quite unique; a pestilential formation of two diy boards, in a state of semi-mortalization. They are quite genteel; live on “ their means,” and bear the same relation to Whist, that a certain dirty beetle does to the oak. I sometimes think these pussy cats have pre-existed, bodily and literally, as the old thin legg’d rickety card-tables of our ancestors; and that the devils are thus trans­migrating through different forms, constantly bearing a very si­milar maliogany impress Covered with baize one century, and satin the next. Hungry as horse-leeches, hard as highwaymen. Sparing neither young nor old, but skinning their living prey to the quick!—Ugh !—I ’m getting sentimental.

No. XXXV.If you keep a journal, take pen in hand, and log it down, that to

revoke is a matter much more easy of performance, than is it sub­sequently to escape the penalties thereupon consequent. Still, to a clever fellow, there existeth “ balm in Gilead.” Should you find out you have had the misfortune to revoke, don’t cry stinking fish, but curb up to take the leap in a sportsman-like manner. On this head, I cannot do better than relate an anecdote of a friend of mine, John Brag, esquire, and all that; a clever fellow, and a great man. Poor Jack! Little did he think he should ever be served up, boots and sjmrs, on a clean plate, as it were, by Theodore Hook; to gratifiy the cannibal propensities of the public! W ell;— Jack Brag revoked once; “ right up and down, and no mistake.” When I say “ once ' I do not intend to apply the word in its lite­ral signification. On the occasion in question, by a remarkable coincidence, the revoke if undiscovered would give Jack the game, which without some such blunder was irretrievably lost. Jack, having cut his eye teeth, looked on both sides of the way, and saw that the man on his left, a fat, sleepy sumph, was as in­nocent of “ twig,” as a methodist parson of keeping a bull-dog; but on turning “ eyes right,” it was equally clear to poor Jack’s

perception, that his friend, Mr. Martinet, was getting- up his dan­der. Mr. Martinet is a player of the “ pedant school,” and was poking at the tricks turned, so as to present a mem. for future explanation. There was a something in the expression of his smile, which was any thing but what Lady Stuart Wortley would have called “ loveable.” Jack Brag began to whistle, and wished himself at home; hut Jack was a great man. He kept up the offending card to the last, according to classical usage; and as he dropt it, began also to drop it into his partner, like a perfect savage, for alleged bad play. Not satisfied with words. Jack started from his chair, snatched the several piles of turned tricks, and hurled them indignantly in the face of his associate. The thing was done as quick as “ winking,” and John Brag, Esq., pocketed two trebles and the rub. Mr. Martinet smelt fox, but was fain to retire upon his pension. I have thought it right to put this masterly stroke on record, though few men have genius sufficient to enact the part of my illustrious friend. A bishop, or a judge, could do the thing ;— with practice.

C H E S S P R O B L E M S .( Continued from p, 35. J

No. 9. B y M , Szen, the celebrated Hungarian player.

White to Mate in seven moves; and the Black King to he when mated, on the self-same square he now occupies.

Number 9, was given by M. Szen, to the players of London and Paris, on his visit to these capitals, in 1836. M. Szen pro­posed it as a problem in which White was required to Mate the Black King on the square he now stands in nine moves, and it was published accordingly in the Palamede, Vol. I. p. 384. Since that, Mr, Duncan Forbes has favoured us with a new and elegant solution, in which all the conditions are observed, the King being, when mated, on the square he now occupies, i n s b v b k M0YB8; and which has been overlooked, equally by the author, as by the best Chess-players who have examined the problem. Mr. Forbes' solution is extremely neat and curious. Our tenth problem turns on a similar point, but we deem it right to state, in justice to Mr. Bone, that it was in our possession in MS. nearly two years before M. Szen visited England. It is worthy of note, that the King, Queen, and Bishop can Mate the adverse King alone, on any given square of the board; excepting the two squares known as the itt. second, and Kt. seventh, on that long diagonal which is of the same color as the Bishop. On either of these two squares, the Mate is impracticable.

No. 10. B y TFwi. Bone,

White to Mate in five moves; and the Black King to 6c, when Matedy on the square he now fills.

White to move and win.

No. 12. B y J, W, Lowry Esq,

White Mates in three moves, o

White to Mate in six moves, without capturing either o f the Black Pawns.

No, 14. The following receMly occurred to a distinguished player.

White to Checkmate in eight moves.

No^ 16. B y Duncan Forhes Esq, A ,M . ( This situation actually arose in play.J

White to Checkmate in four moves.

No. 16. B y the Editor,

White to Mate in seven moves.

POLISH DRAUGHTS.—SOLUTIONS.

To follow out our solutions of the studies in Polish Draughts, the reader should furnish himself with a diagram of the board; numbered on the fifty white squares, 1 to 50; No. 1 being the left hand square, on the ultimate line from the student. As we suppose the White to be invariably moving upwards, it follows that the twenty White men must have originally occupied the squares 31 to while their adversaries, the Black, have filled the squares 1 to 20.

No. 6.No. 1.19, 13 1, 4513, 8 3, 1233, 29 45, 1847, 36, and wins.

No. 2.36, 31 24, 4244, 39 48, 3428, 23 34, 36

8, 3 36, 93, takes Q. & 4, & wins

No. 3.49, 43 26, 3714, 10 o, 1429. 23 28, 1930, 24 19, 3043, 38 42, 338. 3, queens, & wins.

No. 4.17, 11 47, 1640, 34 16, 3035, 13 20, 2448, 43 24, 2943, 39 2, 713, 8 7, 128, 17 14, 19

17, 12 19, 2312, 8 23, 288, 3 28, 323, 20 29, 34

39, 30 32, 3720, 47, and wins.

39, 33 23, 2934, 23 24, 3023, 18 If 30, 3433, 29^?vins; but i f

30, 3548, 43 35, 4043, 39 40, 4518, 12 45, 50q.12, 7 50, 457, 1 45, 501, 45, and wins.

No. 6.33, 28 17, 2636, 31 26, 3727, 22 18, 2739„.33 30, 3928, 22 39, 1747, 42 45, 3442, 4, takes 8 and wins.

No. 7.26. 21 22, 3132, 28 16, 2729, 24 20, 2934, 23 45, 3442, 37 31, 2241, 37 18, 2925, 20 14, 2543, 39 34, 4349, 17q.&takes 8

3, 4248, 37 5, 4146, 37, and wins.

LESSONS IN feCARTfe.

L esson III.—O n the O dds op the G am e.

Under this head, we might go into much elaborate calculation; and I have found it difficult to draw the line, so as to include every point of real utility, without too much overlaying of figures, and arithmetical computation. I aim at general statements, re­jecting the contingency of certain events; drawn chiefly from French authors; from which, by comparison and extension, more particular data may be derived. He who aspires to be a first-rate player, must not be satisfied with assertion; but must demon­strate every calculation to his own satisfaction, with mathematical accuracy. Beginners, on the contrary, will do well to receive, implicitly, that which is sanctioned by the judgment of acknow­ledged veterans, and men of real science. On some of thc'calcu- lations of odds, I have found the authorities to diifer; and when this is the case, have suitably shaped the propositions thus referred to.

Let us start upon right principles. As each player receives originally five cards, and the eleventh card is turned up, it is clear that each player sees at starting, six, out of the two-and- thirty cards, of which the pack is composed ; and that there are remaining twenty-six, unknown to him; that is to say, twenty-one in the talon, and five in the hand of his antagonist. Your calcu­lations must therefore be framed upon the fact of there existing six known, and twenty-six unknown cards. For example, should there be, in the six known cards, two trumps, there must remain just six trumps in the twenty-six cards which are unkuown; and if there exist six trumps in the twenty six unknown cards, (thBi is, a little less than one fourth part of the total), it is certainly probable that in the adverse hand there is contained barely a single trump; —one being rather less than the fourth part of five. Simple as you must acknowledge this position to be, all calculations are, in some measure, based on a similar foundation.

It is a curious fact, that of the twenty-six cards, unknown to each player on taking up his hand, there may he formed no less than 66,780 different combinations, or hands, of five cards each. The thirty-two cards, in like manner, produce 201,376 hands, of five cards each. Reckoning the various modes in which these may be subsequently combined in play, two and two, the product approaches the astounding number of 41,000,000,0(X). At first sight it appears something like an absurdity, to quote so vast a number at all, but as a question of figures, the thing deserves to be placed on record.

The following is in itself a simple calculation, but may be ex­tended with considerable utility. Suppose A and B cut for deal, and A, cutting first, lifts an eight. What are the odds on B*s gaining the deal ?—6 to 1 .

Never forget that there are but eight trumps in all. Suppose that you hold one trump only, on taking up your five card«, (a second trump being of course before you as me turn up), it is rather more than 2 to I, that your adversary does not hold two trumps.

Tliere is a calculation worth noting, relative to bets. Two players being of equal skill, what are & odds against either one of them winning three games, or riibbers, in succession ?—7 to 1 .

The odds agamst the dealer’s turning up the king are estimated at 7 to 1 . The same calculation applies to the turning up of any other card in the pack ; it being tne remainder of the pack, or twenty-eight cards, against the four cards of the particular species in (juestion. The odds are, therefore, 28 to 4, or exactly 7 to 1 against any one sort of card being turned up.

The odds against the elder hand’s taking in any one particular card, on discarding, are three to one; while they are 18 to 1 against his taking in any two named cards.

The odds against the dealer’s taking in any one particular card, on dibcarding, are 17 to 3; and they are no less than 62 to 1 a^inst his taking in any two specified cards. A little reflection will point out why the odds vary, as to the elder, and younger hand.

The odds are usually estimated at 26 to 5, or rather more than 5 to 1, against the king of trumps being dealt to either player. One author makes this only 21 to 5, and a very clever French writer on Ecarte, calculates that each player ought, on an avei^e, to have the king of trumps dealt him five several times in thirty- two deals The same calculation equally applies to any other in­dividual card.

Supj)ose either player to hold no trump, and to discard three cards, it is 4 to 1 ne does not take in two trumps; but it is 3 to 1 he takes in one trump.

Should either player hold one trump, and discard three cards, it is 13 to 2 against his taking in two sidditional trumps; while it is something like to 6 to 5 he takes in one trump.

A, (the elder hand) holding one trump, and discarding his four other cards, which are not trumps, what are the odds against his taking in two trumps?—Rather more than 4 to 1.

A, (elder hand) holds one trump, and a second card of another suit, and discards his three remaining cards, none of which are trumps; what are the odds against his taking in two trumps?— Nearly 8 to 1 .

A, (elder hand) from a hand containing no trumps, throws out three cards; what are the odds against his taking in three trumps?—About 73 to 1.

The elder hand having no tramps dealt him, the odds in favor o f the dealer’s holding at least one trump are nearly 4 to 1; while it is something like 3 to 2 against his holding two trumps, and about 9 to 1 against his holding three trumps. The value o f these calculations will be universally recognized.

The elder hand having one trump dealt him, the odds are rather more than 3 to 1 in favor of the dealers havin? one trump at least; while it is rather more, than 2 to 1 , the latter does not hold two trumps. This of course applies to the origi­nal hand, in which it is, moreover, rather better than 15 to 1 against the dealer’s here holding three trumps ; about 218 to 1 he does not hold four,—and no less than 11,000 to 1 against his holding five trumps.

The elder hand having two trumps dealt him, the odds are about 2J to 1 in favor of the dealer’s having at least one trump. Against his having two, they are rather better than 3 to I ; about 32 to 1 against his having three; 655 to 1 against his having four; and not less than 65,800 to 1 against his holding five.

The elder hand holding three trumps, dealt him, the odds are about 3 to two in favor of the dealer’s having at least one trump. Against the latter s holding two trumps, the odds are something like 5} to 1 ; against his holding three trumps, they are rather better than 68 to 1 ,—while against his holding four, they are 2,900 to 1.

It is easy to see how applicable these calculations are, also, to the dealer’s hand originally.

The elder hand holding four trumps, dealt him, it is slightly more than an even bet, that the dealer has not a trump. Against the dealer s holding two trumps, it is rather less than 12 to 1 ; and against the dealer s holding three trumps, it is about 260 to 1 .

It will be remarked, that the calculations, applicable to trumps, apply just the same to other suits; bearing in mind that one trump is turned up.

Should the elder hand hold five trumps, it is nearly 2 to 1 against the dealer’s holding even 1; and about 32 to 1 against the dealer’s holding two trumps.

These calculations might be considerably extended, but it isQuestionable whether such extension would not abstract from aeir use. The data on which they are founded are necessarily

voluminous, and few would care to wade through so great a mass of figures. I have examined them carefully in detail, and be­lieve them to be strictly accurate. At the same time, prudence will dictate your not placing too implicit a reliance on them.

when you know more of the game. At first, I advise you, asI said before, to act on them implicitly; but afterwards examine for yourself, and judge accordingly.

CALCULATIONS AS TO THE WORTH OP CERTAIN IMAGINARY HANDS.

FIRST HAND.

A holds the queen, and nine of trumjss (hearts), the eight of diamonds, the seven of spades, and the king of clubs ; is this an average hand?—Yes; and better. The odds are about 17 to 16J, in favor of A’shand being better than that of his adversary.

These calculations apply to either party, since they are inde­pendent of discarding; to which act tney are, indeed, supposed to be made previously.

SECOND HAND.

A holds the king of clubs, the king of spades, the knave of diamonds, the ten of hearts, and the ten of clubs ; the turn-up being the queen of hearts. What are the odds, as to the proba­ble superiority of his hand to that of his antagonist ?— The odds are more than 9 to 7 in his favor.

THIRD HAND.

Diamonds being trumps, A holds the king of hearts, the knave of spades, the knave of clubs, and the seven and eight of trumps. The turn up card is the nine. With this assortment, the odds are 6 to 5 in favor of A*s hand being better than that of B.

A little reflection will shew you the utility of these calcula­tions ; since they serve as important guides in discarding, as well as betting.

FOURTH HAND.

The ace of hearts is the turn-up. A’s hand consists of the queen of spades, the queen of clubs, the ace of diamonds, the knave, and eight, of trumps. How stand the chances, in favor of this hand ?—The odds are 1 1 to 6 on A’s hand, as compared with the probable state of B’s.

Bear in mind that these calculations only apply to the relative value of the hands, abstractedly. They might be materially modified, or changed, by the circumstance of having, or not having, the lead.

FIFTH HAND.

A holds the king, queen, and knave of clubs, together with the ten, and eight of trumps. Being the elder hand, he has, moreover, the lead. What are the odds, for or against him?—

If he play with these cards, the odds are rather better than 2 to 1 on his making the point; but they are 3 to 2 against his scoring for the vole.

SIXTH HAND.

A having to lead, holds three diamonds (trumps), which are the eight, nine, and ten. The queen is turned up. His remain­ing cards are the ten of clubs, and the seven of spades* The chances, here, are about 6 to 1 that he will gain the point.

SEVENTH HAND.

The ten of clubs being the turn-up. A, who has the lead, has to play from the eight, and ten of diamonds; the knave and queen of trumps, and the ace of spades. How stand the odds ? —About 3 to 1 in favor of his gaining the point.

EIGHTH HAND.

Clubs being trumps, and A the elder hand, he happens to hold the four knaves, with the seven of spades. This is superior to the probable composition of B’s hand, almost as 3 are to 1.

NINTH HAND.

A holds the four aces, and the queen of diamonds. Spades are trumps, and the ten is turned up. Is this a good hand ?— No; it is bad in the proportion of 3 to 4, whether he lead, or not.

TENTH HAND.

A is leader, and the queen of diamonds is the turn-up, A sits with the kings of spades and hearts, the tens of hearts and spades, and the nine of hearts. The odds are nearly 5 to 3 against his scoring for the point with these cards.

To carry these probable hands further, would cause me, I fear, to incur the charge of being too prolix. It will be found highly improving to deal out promiscuous hands, and examine into their comparative degrees of value. In the preceding ten hands, I have considered both players, neither to have discarded, nor begun to play. Similar calculations would not apply sub­sequently.

L e s s o n IV.—C a s e s o f S c ie n t i f ic P l a t .

The student is advised to try over the following examples, with the cards before him. The more practice he acquires, the more he will be convinced that in difficult situations of the cards, SCIENCE carries every thing before it ; and that such positions arise much more frequently than he will believe, until his judg­ment «hall have become matured by precept and experience. In

laying down certain im ^na^ cases, my chief intention is to offer an outline of a few difficulties; from the solution of which, you will draw your own conclusions, to serve as guides in analogous cases.

FIRST IMAGINARY HAND.

Elder Hand, ( a ) , Queen of diamonds (trumps), queen of clubs, ace of hearts, seven and eight of spades.

Dealer, (b). King, ace, and nine of spades; knave and nine of clubs.

Whether the parties have discarded or not, is foreign to our present consideration; the above we suppose to be the actual cards with which they are about to play.

A, the elder hand leads, as best, the eight of spades; the dealer may capture it with the nine, but should he do so, he loses the point, play afterwards as he may. On the other hand, by playing the king, he will probably win the point, through inducing his adversary to suppose he has no- more of the same suit.

Supposing the dealer, then, to win the trick with his king, he returns knave of clubs, which the non-dealer takes with queen, and answers with queen of trumps ; and as he has, with his eight of spades, brought down his opponent’s king of spades, is naturally induced to imagine the seven of spades a safe trick; and leading it, loses the point. But, observe, that if the dealer had taken the eight, with the nine of spades, his adversary, after playing queen of trumps, would have followed with ace of hearts, instead of seven of spades, as being a more likely card to miike ; and would thus have gained the point.

As in Whist, you are taught to play the game scientifically, through a frequent practice of double dumby, in which the cards are all exposed; so, here, I suppose you to see both hands. Half-a-dozen cases of this sort might be- instantly arrayed by a good player, in which may be said to lie the whole secret of Ecart6 ; but the simplicity of the thing prevents its general at­tainment, on the part of persons, who, were it more difficult, would see it more readily. This is the very antithesis of paradox.

SECOND HAND.

Elder Hand, ( a ) , Knave and ten of diamonds (trumps), king of spades, king and ten of hearts.

£>ealer, ( b ) , Queen and nine of trumps, knave and ten of clubs, seven of hearts.

In this case. A, finding he has no chance of winning the vole, leads off king of spades; the chances being in his favour that it will not be trumped ; and as the queen of trumps is the only card against him (king not having been declared, he presumes its ab­

sence), he will probably afterwards make knave of trumps. Should the kinsr of spades be trumped, the elder hand has still a good chance of the point.

B, the dealer, trumps the king of spades, and should he return knave of clubs, A cuts it with the ten of trumps, answers with king of hearts, and wins the wint. Should A, on the other hand, return knave of trumps, the dealer would win knave with aueen, and make another trick of the ten of clubs To the king of nearts the dealer must drop the seven; the elder hand plays -ten of hearts, the dealer trumps it, returns are of clubs, which falls to the knave of trumps, and thus the non-dealw wins the point.

I'his example must not be dismissed, without an additional reason, why the elder hand originally prefers playing the single king (spades), to the guarded king (hearts). This is, that should he succeed in placing his opponent B “ la divine,” and sup- posing the latter to have held orij inally two spades and two hearts, including queen of each suit, he will prefer keeping up the spade, as being the suit first led.— These minutiae are ever present, to a good player.

THIRD HAND.One of the chief beauties of Ecarte arises from the comparative

non-value of the fourth trick in playing out the hand. Suppose each party to have turned one trick, it is then obviously the same, afterwards, whether you make the remaining three, or only two of the number ; since in either case, you make but the point. In play, this fact tells immensely; for while the bad player is strain­ing to grasp every individual trick, as if the game thereon de­pended, the practised hand makes the winning of the point a dead certainty, by playing a losing card, in order to get rid of the lead, and thus throw the onus on his adversary. The following is an illustration of my position,

A and B play, diamonds being trumps, and the seven being the turn up card. ’ The king has not been declared, and as two tricks have been played, and the scores are both so far advanced, that it would be highly disadvantageous to both parties, not to mark king, if in hand, it is matter of moral certainty that the king remains in the talon. Of the two tricks turned, each player has gained one. Both these tricks are assumed to have been composed of cards, irrelevant to the best method of playing out the remainder of the hand.

In this situation, A has to lead, holding a decided losing card, say the seven of clubs, with o ueen and ace of trumps. The question is, how should he play from these three cards ?

Ariswer, He leads the seven of clubs, purposely to be won byB, and thus remains with tenace ; secure of making the two other

tricks. If, instead of thus giving up a trick and the lead, A plays off queen of trumps, he has, it is true, a greater chance of making all three tricks, but he has also the chance of only making one. The whjole of the three tricks are useless, since the vole is out of the question, and the certainty of the point is therefore made very properly his aim. Suppose B to hold, as his three cards, in the present case, knave and ten of trumps, with eight of clubs now, should A lead queen, it is obvious he can make only one trick out of the three; but by skilfully sacrificing a trick, for the moment, he secures the other two, by remaining with the first and third best cards.

FOURTH HAND,

The following instructive case is given, as it was really played, by a first-rate player. Whether the parties had discarded or not, is irrelevant to the question. Hearts were trumps, and the following are the cards of which the several hands were formed.

Elder Hand ( a ) . King, ace, and ten of trumps (hearts), king of diamonds, and king of spades. The cards could hardly be better, if drawn by choice.

Dealer, ( b ) . Queen, knave, and seven o f trumps, with seven and eight o f clubs.

The elder hand, naturally considering himself secure of the vole, led off, as best, king of trumps.

The dealer, had he been an ordinary player, would have an­swered with the seven; but in order to induce his opponent to continue trumps, he unhesitatingly sacrificed the queen. The stratagem took efect.

Seeing queen fall to king, A next played ace of trumps, which he certamfy would not otherwise have done. B wins ace with knave of trumps, returns the eight of clubs, and wins the point; as you will see upon placing the cards

Instead of queen of trumps, had the dealer played the seven, to A*s king, the latter would have feared encountering queen or knave; and instead of the trump, would return one of his kings, and gain the point. Moreover, as it was, had the elder hand, on his second lead, played any other card than ace of trumps, the dealer would not have done any injury to his chance of the point, by his previous sacrifice of the queen; since it must be obvious that no play could have saved the point for B,

NOTE ; ON FALSE PLAY AT £:CARTfe.

If persons would universally refuse playing for a stake, with strangers, the evil would right itself: but there is, unhappily, a spirit abroad, which leads men too frequently to rely on their

own powers of discrimination, and in this case, experience alone can cure their folly.

Beware of your adversary, if he be a stranger, should the cards present a convex appearance, on being presented for you to cut. A “ bridge” is probably constructed, upon which you are almost certain to alight; and thus to give your “ Grecian” opponent the kmg. Further, you will do well to remember that it is the shallow swindler alone, who is content with dexterously appropriating the king in this manner. The more practised cheat plays a safer game, and prefers ensuring the turning up of a suit as trumps, of which he gets several cards. There are vari­ous modes in which this may be eflFected. By a common l^er- de-main manoeuvre, the cut may be neutralized, and you may, by a similar p: ocess, be made to believe your worthy opponent is shuffling and mixing the cards well together; while the last part of his shuffle undoes the former, and the pack is replaced, without a single card having changed its place.

Whether you have the deal or not, always shuffle the pack, and present it to your adversary well closed up together at the edges. Should you suspect false play, no precaution is half so good as the “ total abstinence ” system. Do not continue play under such circumstances.

Beware of the player, who, with all the agility of Robert Macaire, after dealing the ten cards, instead of turning up the eleventh, brings up the king, or other card required, &om the bottom of the pack, and unblushingly produces it as the trump. A “ professorcan place a card in shuffling, so that after your cutting the pack, he passes it, while dealing, to the bottom ; where it awaits the moment of arising to do its master’s bidding.

Beware of the stranger, who, while shuffling, turns the pa^ partially sideways, in order to catch a nearer view of the nobility of the card-makers’ creation; and lastly, beware of the scoundrel who plants his friend, under the pretence of a paltry bet oh the game, to look over your cards, and “ hoist the telegraph.” A very slight sign is sufficient, in this way, to tell over every card in your hand; or at least to prompt your adversary as to the eligibility of his discarding himself; or suffering you to do so.

Very little is k n o w n at present, by the innocent public, as to the thousand modes of flat-catching, practised by “ play-men.” In Fraser’s Magazine, for December last, appeared a clever paper on the subject by Nimrod, and it is to be hoped that spirited author will probe the sore thoroughly; however odious the topic may be, to even the momentary consideration of men of honour.

( To he continued,)

THE CHESS RECORD ;CONSISTING OF GAMES RECENTLY PLATED.

GAME IV.WHITE. BLACK.

1. K. P. two. 1. The same.2 . K. B. to Q. B, fourth. 2 . Q. P. one.3. Q. P. two. 3. Q. Kt.to B. third.4. Q. B. P. one. 4. Q. R. P. one.5. Q. Kt. to R. third. 5. Q. Kt. P. two.6 . K. B. to Kt. third. 6. Q. Kt. P. one.7. Q. Kt. to B. fourth. 7. Q. R. P. one.8 . Q. R. P. two. 8. Q. R. to Kt. sq.9. Q. B. to K. third. 9. Q. P- takes P.

10 . Q. B. P. takes Q. P. 10 . Q. B. to Q. R. third.11. K. Kt. to K. second. 11. K. R. P. one.1 2 . K. Kt. to B. fourth. 12. K. Kt. to B. third.13. Q. to K. B. third. 13. K. Kt. to R. second.14. Q. to K. R. fifth. 14. K. B. to K. second.15. Q. takes P. ch. 16. K. retakes Q.16. Kt. takes Q. P. double ch. 16. K. to B. third, (a)17. Kt. ch. at K. R. fifth, and then Mates with Bishop.The amateur who played the White pieces in the above rame,

generally gives his adversary the Kt., and it is not therefore to be wondered at, that he plays careless moves, occasionally, when rendering no odds. The sacrifice of the Queen at Move 15, is a beautiful conception, the Mate being subsequentljr forced if she is taken; and it is rather on account of the brilliant “ coup,” by which the game thus terminates, than by reason of its general soundness, that we have placed it on record.

GAME V.WHITE. BLACK.

1 . K. P. two. 1 . K. P two.2 . K. Kt. to B. third. 2 . Q. Kt. to B. third.3. K. B. to Q. B. fourth. 3. The same.4. Q. Kt. P. two.—Our readers are aware that this move

constitutes the celebrated opening invented by Captain Evans. We shall take an early opportunity of giving the correct defence; which is hitherto unpublished.

4. B.takesKt.P.* 5. Castles. 5. Q. P. one.

6. Q. B. P. one. 6 . B. to B. fourth.(a) If he retreat to B. sq., the other Knight giyes Checkmate.

7. Q. P. two.8. P. takes P.9. K. R. P. on6.

10. K. P. one.1 1 . Q. P. one.12 . Q. Kt. to B. third.13. Q. B. to R. third.14. Q. P. one.15. Kt. takes Kt.16. Q. P. advances.17. B. takes R.18. K. Kt. takes P.19. K. R. to K.20. Q. R. to B.2 1 . B. lakes Kt.22 . Q. takes B.23. R. ts kes Q.

7. P. takes P.8. B. to Kt. third.9. K. Kt. to B. third.

10 . Q. P. takes P.1 1 . Q. Kt.to K. second.12 . Castles.13. Q. B. P. one.14. Q. Kt. to Q. fourth.15. Kt. takes Kt.16. Q. B. takes P.17. K. takes B.18. Q. B. to K. third.19. Q. to Q. B. second.20 . Q. R. to K.21. B. takes B.22 . P. takes Q.23. B. takes R.

24. Kt. checks, and Mates next move.— This game is finely played, as a whole, by White; and developes the peculiar force of this opening, unless scientifically opposed from the very com­mencement.

GAME VI.WHITE. BLACK.

1. K. P. two.2 . K. Kt. to B. third.3. Q. P. two.4. Kt. takes P. (a)5. Q. B. to K. third.6. Q. B. P. one.7. K. B. to Q. B. fourth,8 . Castles.9. Kt. takes Kt.

10. B. takes B.1 1 . K. B. P. two.12. K. B. P. one.13. Q. Kt. to R. third,14. Q. to K. R. fifth.16. Q .R .toK .16. Q. R. to Q. (h)17. K. B. to Q. fifth.18. Q. Kt. to B. fourth.

1. Same.2 . Q. Kt. to B. third.3. P. takes P.4. K. B. to Q, B. fourth.5. Q. to K. B. third.6. K. Kt. to K. second.7. Q. to K. Kt. third.84 Q. P. one.9. Kt. takes Kt.

10. P. takes B.11. Castles.12. Q. to Q. third.13. Q. R. P. one.14. Q. to K. fourth15. Q. Kt, to K, second.16. Kt. to Q. B, third.17. Q, Kt. to R. fourth.18. Kt. takes Kt.

(a) A bad move, though frequently played. Black’s countei^march should he Queen to K. R. fifth: a move recently introduced to the notice of the Chesa- world, by a member of the London Chess Club.

(b) Threatening to take K. B. P. with Queen.

19. B. takes Kt.20. Q. to K. second.21. Q. takes B.22. Q. to K. second.23. K. B. P. one*24. Q. takes R.26. Q. checks.26. Q. to Q. seventh.27. Q. checks.28. Q. takes Q. ch.29. R. to K. B. fifth.30. R. takes P.31. R. to Q. B. fourth.32. K. to B. second.33. K. to B. third.34. R. to Q. fourth.35. K. Kt. P. two.36 K. takes P37. R. to R. fourth.38. R. takes P.39. K. to B. fifth.40. K. to Kt. sixth.41. R. takes R. ch.42. Q. Kt. P. one (e)43. P. takes P.Black has a won game, owing

fortynaecond move.

19. B. to K. third, (c)20. B. takes B.21. Q. R .toQ .22. K. R. to K.23. R. takes R.24. K. Kt. P. takes P. (d)25. K. to corner.26. K. to Kt. second.27. Q. covers.28. P. retakes.29. K. B. P. one.30. Q. B. P. one.31. R. to K. fourth.32. K. to B. second.33. K. R. P. two.34. K. to K. second.35. P. takes P. ch.36. Q. B. P. one.37. Q. Kt. P. two.38. R. takes P. ch.39. R. to K. fourth, ch.40. R. to K. third.41. K. takes R.42. Q. Kt. P. one, ( f )43. P. takes P. (g)

to his opponent’s unfortunate

GAME VII.WHITB.

1. K. P. two*2. K. Kt. to B. third.3. Q. P. two.4. K. B. to Q. B. fourth. 6. Q. B. P. one*6. Q. takes P.

BLACK.1. The same.2. Q. Kt. to B. third,3. P. takes P.4. Q. to K. B. third.5. P. to Q. sixth.6. Q. P. one.

(c) The possibility of playing this move comes very oppoitunei and releases Black from his constrained posttioii. ^

(d) Hardly- worth while to break up his Pawns, for the sake o f this insignificant capture.

(e) This move loses the game. White might draw by pushing Q. B. in which case both parties could queen.

(f) Well played move.(g) Black’s one Pawn locks up the two, and assures an immediate victory.

This latter position fs highly instructive. If White retreat K. to R. 6, Black moves K. to B. 4 ; and on White’s K. R. P. ttien advancing one sq., plays K. to B. 6.

7. Castles.8. Q. Kt. to R. third.9. Q. Kt to Kt. fifth.

10. Q. B. to K, B. fourth.11. K. P. one.12. B. takes Q.13. B. to K. Kt. iSfth.

7. K. B. to K. second.8. Q. to K. Kt. third.9. K. B. to Q.

10. K. Kt. to B. third.11. Q. takes Q.12. Kt. to K. R. fourth.13. Kt. takss P. This move

wins a Pawn; but Black thereby exposes himself to a strong attack.

14. Kt. takes Kt.16. B. takes B.16. Q. R. to Q.17. K. B. to B. fifth.18. R. takes B. ch.19. R. toQ20. R. takes Kt. ch.21. B. to Kt. fourth.22. B. to K. B. third.23. Kt. to R. third.24. K. to B.25. R. to Q.26 B. to K. second.27. Kt. to Q. B. second.28. K. B. P. two. (a)29. P. takes P.30. Kt. to Q, fourth.31. B. to K. B. third.32. R. checks.33. R. checks.34. R. takes Q. B. P.35. Kt. retakes.36. K. to K. second.37. Kt. to Q. fourth.38. Q. R. P. one.

14. P. takes Kt.15. King retakes.16. Q. B. to Q. second.17. K. Kt. to B. third.18. Kt. retakes.19. K. to K. second.20. K. to B. third.21. K. R.P.two.22. Q. B. P. one.23. Q. R. to Kt.24. K to K. third.25. K. B. P. two.26. Q, Kt. P. two.27. Q. R. P. two.28. K. Kt. P. one.29. King retakes.30. R, to Q. Kt. third.31. K .R .toQ . B.32. K. to B. third.33. K. to B. second.34. Q. R. takes R.35. Q. R. P. one.36. K. to B. third.37. R. to Q. Kt.38 K. Kt. P. one.

39. B. to Q. B, sixth, and Black resigns.

GAME VIII.WHITE.

1. K. P. two.2. K. Kt. to B. third.3. K. B. to Q. B. fourth.4. Q B, P. one.

BLACK.1. Same.2. Q. Kt. to B. third.3. Same.4. K. Kt. to B. third,

(a) Should he take Pawn, you check with Kt. Q

6. Castles.C. B. to Q. fifth.7. B. takes Kt.8. Kt. takes P.9. Q. P. two.

10. Q. Kt. to Q. second.11. Q. Kt.to K.B. third.12. P. takes P.13. Q. B. to Kt. fifth.14. B. to K. R. fourth.15. B. to K. Kt. third.16. K. R. P. two.17. P. takes Kt.18. Q. to Q. B. second.

6. Kt. takes P.6. Kt. to B. third.7. Q. P. takes B.8. Castles.

B. to Q. third.Q. B. P. one.P. takes P.Q. B. P. one.K. R. P. one.K. Kt. P. two.Kt. to K. fifth,Kt. takes B.K. to Kt. second.

9.10.11.12.13.14.15.16.17.18. K. Kt. P. one. — This

move forces, ultimately, the gain of a Pawn for Black; but in similar cases it becomes a question, whether the immediate profit counterbalances the after risk.

19. Kt. to Q. second.20. P. takes B.21. K. to R second.22. Q. R. to K,23. Q. to Q. B. third, ch.24. Kt. to K. fourth.25. Q. to Q. second.26. Q. to K. B. fourth.27. Q. to Q. B.28. Kt. to Q. B. fifth.29. K. R. to K. B. second.30. Kt. to K. fourth.

19. B. takes Kt.20. Q. checks.21. Q. takes P.22 Q. to Q. B. second.23. K. B. P. one.24. Q. to K. fourth.25. Q. to Q. fourth.26. Q. to K. fourth,27. K. B. P, one.28. Q. to K. B. third.29. Q. Kt. P. one.30. Q. to K. Kt. third.

31. Q. to K. B. fourth.—A bad move. White has stronger resources,

31. B. to R, third — Black should rather play R. to K., which move would, we believe, win the game.

32. Kt. to Q. sixth. 32.33. Kt. takes P. ch. 33.34. R. checks. 34.35. Q. to K. fifth, 35.36. R, takes Q. R. P. 36.37. Kt. to K. seventh. 37.

R, to K. B. third. K. to R. second. K. to comer.Q. R. to K, B.R. to K.R, takes Kt.

38, Q. R. retakes R., and White wins.

STUDIES IN POLISH DRAUGHTS. No, 8.—Jf. Everard voinsy with White and Move^

No, 9.— Won hy M , Boutillier, with White and Move,

No, 11.—M , Blonde wins of the Hollandais ; having of courseWhite and Move.

ANECDOTE OF PHILIDOR.

The stream of gossip poured forth, over the Chess-board, by certain players, has often excited the astonishment of the uniniti­ated ; but the habit, however ridiculous, is merely mechanical, and impedes not the exercise of the reasoning powers. M. de la Garde, first valet-de-chambre to Louis XVI, introduced a friend, one day, at the Cafe de la Regence, to see the great Philidor; and they seated themselves to watch the game then in progress. To the amazement of the stranger, he found Philidor playing off all manner of jokes and buffooneries; made up of peals of laugh­ter, snatches of opera songs, whistlings, and various other Chess- interpolatiohs, familiar to first-rate players. M. de la Oarde, who had intended Philidor to create a sensation, was, of course, annoyed to find the lion roaring so very dovelike; and to counteract the unfavourable impression, whispered his visitor: “ Look at that man; he’s Philidor, the first Chess-player in the world. You’d take him for a fool,—5ut it *s all genius!

CONTINENTAL CHESS-CLUBS, AND PLAYERS.

For the information of visitors to the continent, we here note down a few Chess institutions, in various countries. Chess is properly considered a species of free-masonry, and the visit of a brother is duly appreciated; particularly should he speak a foreign language. We only pretend to point out a small pro­portion of the clubs; but, at a future time, hope to give them in more ample detail; and request, accordingly, to be favoured with additions to our catalogue. In rating the players, we must be excused, should we omit, through ignorance, many names, who have a just claim to distinction.

Beginning north, the best Russian players are Baron Schilling, Baron Pogogogef (sweet namel) Prince Mystersky, Prince Labanof, and M. Petrof, of Petersburg; who has published a lar^e work on Chess, something in the style of Koch, or Alex­andre.

At Copenhagen, there is a professorship of Chess in the Royal Military College; the chair of which is filled by M. Osterberger. We understand this gentleman to have written on Chess; but have tried ineffectually to procure his work.

The Chess-players of Vienna meet at the Cafe de TArgent; their strongest amateur being M. Witholm. The Hungarian, M. Szen, resides at Pest; and he and Witholm are about equal in power. M. Szen has never met with any other player in Germany, who could make a stand against him, though he has visited Berlin, Dresden, &c. M. de la Bourdonnais could give the Pawn to either Szen or Witholm; though M. Szen, when in London, beat all the good players who could screw up their courage to face him.

Dr. Smeichael, of Hamburg, is a stout player, as are M. M. John, and Popert. The men of Hamburg conquered those of Berlin, a few years since, in a match by correspondence. We have heard M. Rust, of Leipzig, spoken of, as playing a strong game.

At Frankfort, the leading players are M. M. Goldsmit, Shie- reck, andErhman. The two former have printed a German trans­lation of Mr. George Walker’s work on chess. M. Silberschmidt is a player of a high order ; and the author of several works on the game. This gentleman is famed for his romantic contest with the players of the Chess-village, Strobeck.

M. Mauvillon, the writer on Chess, is resident at Essen. Berlin can boast of two clubs; the strongest players being Mi M. Beledow, Mendheim, Netto, Mayet, Hanstein, andSarbruck.

Mendheim’g Chess problems are, doubtless, familiar to some of our readers; as are those of M. Schmidt, of Breslaw.

Holland possesses many players, but none of eminence. The best is M. Kopman, of Amsterdam. There is a club in the Dutch capital, the president of which is M. Donker Curtius, head of the Post-office department. This society has played three matches, by correspondence, with the clubs of Rotterdam, Antwerp, and the Hague, and won them all three.

The strongest player in Leyden, is M. Oliphant, surgeon. At Utrecht, M. Van Reede bears the bell; and has a good col­lection of Chess-books.

In Belgium, Chess is much played. There is an excellent club at Antwerp, the leading players in which are M. D’Orville, M. Schauffer (president). A, de Bie, The Chevalier Cocquiel, Solvyns, Wouters, Colonel Loix, &c. In Binissels, the chief amateurs are M. M. Michaelis, Fetis, Destroope, Previnaire, De Mevius, Mosselman, The Chevalier de Berhr, Capt. Muller, and Col. Moyart. At Ghent, resides M. Mettepening, Advocate, an enthusiast in the cause; and we must not omit to make honorable mention of M. Lebeau, the governor of Namur, for his zeal in the service.

Jumping to the south of Europe, the names of four Spaniards have been given to us, as good players; viz.—General Vigo, the Duke de Frias, Santa Maria, and Hernandez.

The players of Italy are little known here. The.Grand Duke of Florence is fond of the game, and has a collection of works relative to the subject. Several good Italian players have visit­ed Paris and London ; among whom must be particularized Calvi, Robello, and Lavagnino. At Rome, the “ sacred fire” is kept burning at the Caf6 de Scacchi, by Ciccolini and others; M. Leati, of Ferrara, and Prince de Cimilile, of Naples, are also of the initiated.

Modena, once the Chess capital, still holds practitioners wor­thy to succeed the Lollis, Ponzianis, and Del Rios of the last century. Among others may be quoted Signori Bianchi and G.B. Borsari; the latter of whom is said to be in possession of some unpublished MSS., by his whilom &iend and master, Ercole del Rio. Should this be true, and should our magazine catch the eye of Signor Borsari, we request he will forthwith transmit these said papers to head-quarters; that we may give them to the Philidorians of Britain.

Come we lastly to France. There exist Chess clubs in the following, among other French cities and towns:—Blois, Bor­deaux, Paris, Tours, Rouen, Lille, Strasburg, Douay, Valen­ciennes, Toulouse, Auxerre, Laon, and Arras. The players of Bordeaux meet at the Caf6 Montesquieu. Their chief, is the

venerable M. Foy. This gentleman, during the sixteen years he has kept the lists at Bordeaux, has only twice met with a con* queror; the visitors upon these two occasions being M. M. de la Bou^onnais, and St. Amant. After M. Foy, the best players in Bordeaux are M. M. Ristord, Boiteaux, Burnard, Moussey, Cart, Grangeneuve, Delasalle, Martinelli, Sasportas, &c.

The clubs of Douay and Valenciennes are engaged in a match by correspondence. The president of the Douay club is General Guingueret, a scientific player. The president of the rival soci­ety, at Valenciennes, is the Chevalier de Barneville; an aged amateur, and a contemporary of Philidor; of whom he was wont, in the days of yore, to receive Knight, for Pawn and move. The match is being stubbornly contested.

The Pans players are mostly known, personally, to our metro­politan amateurs. The Paris club, at the present time, is the strongest Chess institution which ever existed. Their “ locale ” is No. 89, Rue Richelieu; the president of the club being Gene­ral Count Duchaffault, and the vice president M. Jouy, the well known author. We need not state, that the secretary of this club, M. de la Bourdonnais, is the first Chess player in Europe. The two next players in the Paris circle are M. M. St, Amant, and Boncourt; who are to the full as strong as M. Szen. After them, we might notice many skilful amateurs; including M. M. Devinck, Bonfil, Chamouillet, Calvi, Azevedo, Alexandre, Lecrivain, &c. The members of the Paris club shew the greatest hospitality, in the reception given to British visitors. de la Bourdonnais, their hero, stands pledged, in print, to give the Pawn and move to any player in the world. We l^lieve there is no one in England, who could win of him at these odds. The inferior class of players continue to meet, “ en masse,** at the Caf6 de la Re^ence. The French players have recently sus­tained a loss, m the death of M. Mouret; distinguished for having been the invisible sprite, who conducted that clever imposture, the automaton Chess player, during the time it gave Pawn and Move to all comers. T he printed selection from those games is well known; and comprises specimens of the play of some of the first English amateurs of that period; as Brand, Cochrane, and Mercier. Mouret was Chess preceptor to the family of Louis Philippe.

The celebrated M. Des Chapelles, the Napoleon of modem Chess, is, also, a member of the Paris club; but to the deep regret of his contemporaries, perseveres in his retirement from the circle of war.

THE

PHILIDORIAN.No. 4. [MARCH] 1838.

CHESS.THREE PAWNS, SIDE BY SIDE, ALONE, AGAINST THE KING ALONR,

The proposition here discussed is:—What effect have three Pawns, side by side, by their own moral force, or specific gravity, without any other adjunct, against the adverse King alone 1 To the superficial observer, this problem will appear easier of solu­tion, than to the practised player. Such questions, like enigmas, are simple enougn, when known; but it is hardly too much to say, that, like the keystones of arches, all Chess rests upon them.

The Pawns used are the Queen’s Rook’s, Queen’s Knight’s, and Queen’s Bishop’s Pawns. Since the King never requires, once placed in front, to go from off the three files on which the Pawns*are placed, it follows that our remarks equally apply to any three Pawns similarly connected, with this one exception :— there arise certain positions in which the King can draw by playing to the corner, which he could not do, were the Pawns on other files. To keep the question open, we use diagrams of the three requisite lines of squares only. It would have been easj to place the Black King on the board, as done by Carrera, m a position of Stalemate ; but his omission tends to simplification; and had we introduced his sable majesty on the field, we could not describe the White King as winning, when capturing all the Pawns. The Pawns are Black Pawns, opposed to a White King; and the former are advancing from the remote side of the board.

When we say, Pawns win,” it is understood they Mate, or go to Queen. When we declare King to win, we mean that he takes the Pawns. When we dismiss the game as drawn. King gains Stalemate.

Many of the positions might be reversed, as to the relative situations of the two Wing Pawns; bnt this would not affect the conduct of the King, though he would perhaps take the several files in another order.

There arise cases in which King arrests the Pawns in the same manner, over and over again. When we have thought this obvious from previous positions, we have considered recapitula­tion unnecessary. In numerous variations, having analyzed the moves of one of the Wing Pawns, we pass over those of the

&

other ; the sole difference being, that the King would place him­self in similar relation, to the other Pawn, were it played, which he has done with its fellow.

The following are our deductions:—1. The preponderance of advantage is on the side of the King,

against the three Pawns.2. Should the three Pawn« be all unmoved, and the King on

any one square in the front of them, he will win, whether he move first or not. We here expose certain fallacies, in which Carrera, and other authors, have indulged.

3. The less forward the Pawns, the easier it is for King to stop them.

4. Two Pawns at the fifth squares, with the third Pawn un­moved, should they not be under attack, will invariably win.

5. The two Pawns at the sixth squares win, wheresoever King is placed, if they have the Move, and if the third Pawn be on any square in their rear. Certain exceptions exist to this rule, in the case of the King’s gaining Stalemate in the corner.

6. One Pawn at the sixth, guarded by another, the third Pawn being unmoved, win invariably; let King stand where he may, and whosoever has the move.

We now proceed to practical illustration, beginning whh the positions of Von Nieveld and Carrera, in which the Pawns are unmoved.

Position hy Zuylm Von Nieveld, ( See his celebrated work “ La Superiority aux Echecs Campen, 1792, 2 vols. 8vo.)

In this position Von Nieveld erroneously makes Pawns win. It is needless to give his Moves, since nothinjv can be more fallacious. Allow the Pawns to have the advantage he gives them, of the first move:—

1. B. P. ch. 1. K. to R. fifth, as a better Move than that given Nieveld, and again by Koch. The Pawns cannot now push R. P. with advantage, and playing

2. B. P. advances. (A) (B) 2. K. to Kt. fifth.3. Kt. P. one.4. R. P. one, (best.)

2. Kt. P. two,3. R. P. one.4. R. P. one.

2. Kt. P. ch.If R. P. one, K. to Kt. third. If R, P. two, K. to R. fourth. If Kt. P. one, K. to R. fifth.

3. P. checks.4. R. P. one.

(A)

(B)

3. K. to B. fourth.4. K. to B. third, and wins.

2. K, to Kt. fourth.3. K, to Kt. third.4. K. to R. 3, and wins.

2. K. to Kt fourth.

3. K. to B. fourth.4. K. to B. third, and wins.

Another position by Von Nieveld,

Here again Von Nieveld makes the Pawns win ; though King can stop them as follows:—If they check, King goes to Kt. 5, and on their advancing either P. 2, sq. confronts it.If they move R. P. one, K. retreats to B. 4.If they play R. P. two, K. at Kt. fifth wins. Suppose,

1. B. P. one. 1. K. to Kt. fourth.If Kt. P. two, K. to R. fifth.If Kt. P. one, K. to Kt. third.

2. R. P. one. 2. K. to Kt. third, and stops Pawns, in the plan developed in the following examples.

Carreras Position,

Carrera, one of the most trumpery of Chess authors, here gives the Move to the Pawns, and says they win by force. His English translator very properly shows, that at a certain time Carrera does not allow the King to play the correct Move; and says, besides, that he “ doubts’* the truth of Carrera’s assertion; but does not follow up this opinion by analysis. The Move is in reality of no consequence; but we allow the Pawns to begin. Observe, that King simply aims at playing to Kt. 3, on the advance of either two of the three Pawns, two squares each; and place him as you will, he can always accomplish this; winning all the Pawns

FIRST MODE OF PLAY.

1. Q. R. P. two. 1. K. to Kt. second.2. Q. Kt. P. two. Did Pawns advance one, instead of two

squares, at first, they would be stopt, even earlier.2. K. to Kt. third.

If Q. B. P. two, K. retreats to Kt. 2, and wins, as may be seen in detail hereinafter. If, instead, Q. B. P. one, King goes to R. 3,

3. Kt. P. one. (A) 3. K. to B. fourth.4. B. P. one, (best.) 4. K. to Kt. third.5. B. P. one. 6. K. to Kt. second, and wins.

(A)3. P. checks. 3. K. to R. third.

Now, if Q. B. P. one, K. to Kt. fourth.4. Q. B. P. two. 4. K. to R. second, and wins

Pawns, by regaining the opposition at the proper time.

SECOND MODE OF PLAY.

1. Q. R. p. two. 1. K. to Kt. second.2. Q. R. P. one. 2. K. to R. third.3. Q. Kt. P. two. 3. K. to Kt. fourth.4. Q. B. P. one, (best.) 4. K. to R. third.6. Q. B. P. one. 5. K. to R. second, and wins.

THIRD MODE OF PLAY.

1. Q. R. p. two. 1. K. to Kt. second.If Q. B. P. one, K. to R. third.

2. Q. B. P. two. 2. K. to Kt. third.If Kt. P. two, K. to Kt. second.

3. Kt. P. one. 3. K. to Kt. second. Pawns being so far from Queening, you will have time to regain the opposition.

4. If he push B. P., you go to B. third, and on Kt. P. being then advanced, win the Pawns by retreating to B. 2, and then to Kt. 2 The same method is applicable to his advance, here, of R. P.

Kt. P. one. K. to Kt. third.If he push B. P. or R. P., you confront it.

6. Kt. P. one. 5. K. to Kt. second; and re­sumes the winning opposition, by opposing the Pawn next advanced.

FOURTH MODE OF PLAY.

As the whole of our Moves, relatively to the advance first of Q. R. P., equally bear upon the substitution of Q. B. P., it is unnecessary to give the latter in detail.

1. Kt. P. two. L K. to Kt. second.‘2. Kt. P. one. 2. K. to Kt third3. R. P. two. 3. K. to R. fourth.4. B. P. one, (best.) 4. K. to Kt. third.5. B. P. moves. 5. K. to Kt. second, and the

King then wins, by opposing the Pawn advanced ; whether such be B. P. or R. P.

We must now refer to the folding plate; every diagram on which is numbered, to agree with the following Key.

KEY TO THE FOLDING SHEET OF DIAGRAMS.

No. 1. Whoever moves first, the Pawns win.No. 2. If Pawns have the move, they lose; because being

compelled to advance, th^ are devoured in detail. If King move first. Pawns win. If King stood originally on either of the two squares indicated, he would win, with the Move; but without such advantage, must lose.

No. 3. If the Pawns move first, they win ; but if K. have the Move,

1. K. to Kt. 1. Kt. P. moves.2. K. to R. 2. B. P., or R. P., moves, as

best, and the game is drawn. Were the King not on the Rook’s file, such would not be the case.

Did King originally stand on Kt. sq., and have the Move, the Pawns woind wm.

No. 4. Should Pawns move first, they lose, but if otherwise,1. K. to B. third. 1. R. P. advances.2. K. to B. second. 2. Kt. P. one.

If K. move now to Kt., either B. P., or Kt. P. may go on.3. K. to B. 3. Kt. P. one. Were either

of the other Pawns to move instead. King could draw.4. K. to Kt. 4. Kt. P. one.5. K. to R. second. 6. P. Queens.6. K. takes Q. 6. B. P. on, and wins. The

same train of moves frequently occurs. In the above position, did King originally stand on either R. 3. or B. 3, the victory would go with the Move.

No. 6. The party moving loses:—

PAWNS MOVE.

1. Kt. P. one. 1. K. to Kt.2. B. P. one. 2. K. to B. second, wins.

KING MOVES.

If he go on B. file, the R. P. moves, &c.1, K. to Kt. 1. Kt. P. one.2. K. to Kt. second. 2. Kt. P. on, wins.Did King originally occupy R. 2, or B. 2, he would win if he

had the Move, by playing to Kt. 2, but if Pawns had the Move, they would win by advancing the remote Pawn.

No. 6. The party moving, wins. If K. move, he goes to Kt. 2, and wins as shown in No. 6. If Pawns move, they push Kt. P., and win ; because they have the opposition.

If K. stood on R. or B., the player moving first equally wins. No. 7. Whoever moves first, loses. Suppose K. to move :—1. K. to R. fourth. 1. B. P. one.2. K. to R. third. 2. Kt. P. one.

If K. to Kt. 2., Rook’s P. advances.3. K. to R. second. 3. B. P. one.4. K. to Kt. third. 4. Kt. P. one.5. K. to B. second. 5. R. P. one.6. K. to B. or Kt. 6. Kt. P. one, wins as before.

If King stood originally at R. 4, or B. 4, the party moving first would win. The attention of the student cannot be too frequently dbected to similar nice distinctions.

No. 8. King wins in every case. If he move first, he goes to Kt. 3, and on Kt P. moving, plays to Kt. 2. If Pawns move,—

1. R. P. one, (best.) 1. K. to Kt. second.If Kt. P. one. King to R. third.

2. B. P. one. 2. K. to Kt.3. Kt. P- one. 3. K. to Kt. second.4. Kt. P. one. 4. K. to Kt., winning.Were the King on any one of the eight marked squares, he

would win ; whether with, or without, the Move; because he could play, either to Kt. 2, or Kt. 3.

No. 9. “King wins, whether he or the Pawns play first; and the result would be the same, did he occupy any other of the fronting squares. King plays

1. K. to R. fifth; then if Kt. P. move two sq., he goes to Kt. 4.1. B. P. one.

2. K. to R. fourth. 2. B. P. one. If Kt. P. two,King goes to Kt. 3. (A)

3. K. to Kt. fourth. 3. Kt. P. two.4. K. to B. third. 4. R. P. one.6. K. to B. second, and then to Kt. 2, winning.

(A)2..................... 2. Kt. P. one.3. K. to R. third; then if B, P. advances, K. goes to Kt. 4 ;

but, if otherwise, to Kt. 3.

No. 10. Whoever moves first, loses. Did King occupy either of the marked squares, the party moving first, would win.

No. 11. Whoever moves, must lose. If K. go to R. 3, or B. 3, the remote Pawn advances. Should he play to Kt., either B. P. or R P. may move.

1. K. to fi. 1. R. P. one.2. K. to Kt. 2. If P. check, or B. P.

move, K. goes to the comer, and gains the Stale.Kt. P. one.

3. K. to B. or R. 2. 3. P. Queens.4. K. takes Q. 4. B. P. one, and wins.

Were King on any one of the marked sq., the party to move, wins.No. 12. K. wins in both cases.1. K. to Kt. second. L B. P. one.2. K. to B. second.

If R. P. one, King to Kt.If B. P. ch., K. to Kt. 3 ; and on R. P. ch., to B. 2.

2. Kt. P. one3. K. to B. third. 3. Kt. P. one.4. K. takes Kt. P. 4. R. P. one.6. K. to Kt. and wins.

If K. were originally on R. 4, or B. 4, the party moving first, would win ; but if he stood on either of the marked sq.. King would win, whether he had the move or not.

No. 13. King wins, by moving to Kt. 3. If he were on B. 5, or R. 5, the party moving would win. If he stood on any one of the nine hindermost sq., he would win, either with, or against, the Move.

No. 14. Either to move. King to win.KING MOVES.

1. K. to Kt. fourth. 1. B. P. ch. (A.)2: K. to B. fourth. 2. R. P. one3. K. to B. third. 3. If R. P. one, K. goes to

Kt, 3, and thence to Kt. 2.Kt. P. one.

4. K. to Kt. third.If Kt. P. one. King to B. or R. 4.

4. B. P. checks.5. K. to Kt. fourth. 5. R. P. checks.6. K. to B third. 6. R. P. one.7. K. to Kt. fourth, and wins.

(A).......................................1. B. P. one.

2. K. to Kt. third.If R. P. two, K. goes to R. 4.

Digitized by Google

If B. P. one, K. to B. 4.If Kt. P. one, K. to Kt. fourth.

2. R. P. one.3. K. to Kt. fourth. 3. Kt. P. one.4. K. to Kt. third, and wins.

PAWNS PLAY,

1. B. P. two. 1. K. to B. fourth.2. R. P. one, (best.) 2. K. to B. third. This mode

of stopping the Pawns should be particularly looked at.3. If R. P. one, K. to Kt. 3, and then Kt. 2.

Kt. P. one. 3. K. to Kt .3, winning.Were K. originally on either of the twelve home sq., he would win, both with, and without, the Move.

No. 15. If Pawns move, they win by checking. If King move, he goes to corner, and draws. In this example, were the Rook’s file not one of the three lines in question, the pawns would win in every case.

Were K. in the corner, he would lose if he had the Move; but would draw, did Pawns move.

Were K. on B. sq., he would lose in all cases.No. 16. Whoever moves, loses the game. Should Pawns

move, they check, on which K. goes to R. 2, and arrests them. If K. move,

1. K. to R. second, (A.) 1. B. P. one.2. K. to R. or Kt. 2. Kt. P. one, winning.

(A)1. K. to B. second. 1. R, P. one,2. K. to Kt. second. 2. Kt. P. one.3. K. to R. 3. B. P. one.4. K. to Kt. second. 4. B. P. ch., and wins.

Did King stand on either of the three marked sq., he loses, whether he play first or not.

No. 17. Whoever moves. King wins. If K. play—1. K. to R. third. 1. B. P. one.2. K. to R. second, (best), and wins.

If King stood at R. 3, he would also win in every case; and the same, were he on R. 2. In the latter position, did Pawns move first, and begin with Kt. P. one, his first Move must be K. to Kt.

No. 18. If K. have the move, he wins by going to Kt. 4, but if Pawns move first, they win thus :—

1. B. P. one. 1. K. to B. second. If to Kt. 2, the B. Pawn advances.

2. R. P. one. 2. K. to Kt. third.3. Kt. P. one, and wins.No. 19. Whoever moves, King wins.

KING MOVES.

1. K. to Kt. second. 1. Kt. P. one.2. K. to Kt., and wins.

PAWNS MOVE.

If B. P. one, King goes to Kt.If R. P. one, he goes to Kt 3.If Kt. P. one, he goes to Kt.

Were the King originally on either of the three other squares indicated, he would equally win, both with, or without, the Move.

No. 20. The player moving first, wins. If K. move, he goes to R. 4, and on B. P. advancing, marches to R. 3, and then to Kt 3. Should Pawns have the Move, they play B. P. two, and resolve it into a position already discussed.

Were King on any one of the eleven marked squares, he wins both with, and against, the Move.

No. 21. If K. have the Move, he draws; but if Pawns move first, they win. If K. were on R. sq., and had the move, he would lose. If he stood on the B. sq., he would lose in every case.

No. 22. Whoever moves, wins. If K. move, he retreats to K t.; if Pawns move, they advance Kt. P.

If K. stood on Kt. sq., the party moving first, loses ; but if he were on R., R. 2, B., or B. 2, the first Move would win.

No. 23. Here, the Pawns are so far from Queen, the K. stops them in every case. If he have to move, he secures the opposi­tion by playing to Kt. 2. If Pawns have the Move, they appa­rently gain the opposition, by pushing Kt. P .; but the King has time to regain it, by expending a Move; going to Kt. 2, and then confronting the leading Pawn.

No. 24. Whoever moves, wins. If K. move first, he goes to Kt. 2. If not:—

1. R. P. one. If K. to Kt. 2, the B. P. comes on.1. K. to B. second.

2. R. P. one, and King loses; because he cannot now at once play to Rook's second.

No. 26. King wins, whoever moves first. If P. move. King is already in a winning state of opposition; and should he have to move, he goes to Kt. 3, and has time to regain the opposition.

Were King on Kt. sq., he would also win. Had he then to move, he would play to Kt. 2 ; and if Pawns had the Move, he would play on the same file as the Pawn pushed.

No. 26. Whoever plays, King wins; and the result would be the same, were he on either of the marked squares. If Pawns have originally to move, and push B. P., the King’s first Move

must be to Kt., for he would lose, were he to answer by going to Kt. 2.

No. 27. The King placed on any of the marked sq., wins, both with, and without the Move.—Since writing out this article for press, we have received from Paris, an elementary work on Chess, dated 1838, almost wholly compiled from the before-mentioned book by Von Nieveld ; but ushered forth by the writer, as revised and corrected by the celebrated Mouret, lately deceased. We notice this, because we therein find one position of three Pawns against King (No. 112), being our No. 27. The French author pTa; s it rightly, but appears to think the chief difficulty, i similar cases, lies on the side of the King; the truth being just the reverse. His words are “ il est tr^s-difficile au roi de pouvoir emp^cher trois pions reunis d’aller a dame * * # il existe tr^s- peu de situations qui puissent tre favorables au roi contre trok pions, &c.” After going through our present essay, we trust this writer will change his opinion.

No. 28. If Pawns move, they win; but if K. move, he draws; by playing to Kt. 2, and then returning to corner.

No. 29. The party moving, loses. If Pawns move, they pushB. P., and on his playing to Kt. 3, check with Pawn. The King then retires to R. 2, and stops their march.—Suppose King to move first •—

1. K. to Kt. 3. 1. B. P. one.2. K. to R. second. 2. B. P. one, wins.

If King stood on Kt. 3, the party moving would win the g ^ e .No. 30. If Pawns move first, they win by pushing Kt. P .; but

if K. have the Move, he draws the game, by playing to B. 2; which compels Pawns, as best, to push R. P.

If K. were on R., orKt., sq., the party moving, wins.No. 31. Whosoever moves. King wins. If he play first, he

goes to Kt. 4.If he stood on Kt. 4, the result would be similar.No. 32. Whoever moves, wins. If K. play, he goes to Kt. 4.

If Pawns begin, they push B* P. two.No. 33. The K. on either Kt. 2, or R. 2, wins with the Move,

by seating himself on R. 3 ; but if Pawns move, they win, by pushing Kt. P.

On either of the four crossed squares, the King must lose, whether he move first or not. The reason is, that the Pawns can then push Kt. P., to Kt. 6, before starting B. P.

No. 34. The King on any marked sq., loses whether he have the Move or not-; because the Pawns can gain the Move, through the option of pushing B. P., one or two sq.

No, 35. Whoever moves, the Pawns win; the King being on any of the three edge squares.

No. 36. King wins, whichever plays first. If he have the Move, he goes to B. 2.

The result would be the same, with K. on either of the two marked squares.

No. 37. The party moving first, here, wins; and the case would be similar, were King on either of the two marked squares. This position forms a good contrast with the last.

No. 38. Fixed on either of the nine front sq.. King wins, whe- tlier he have to move first, or otherwise. The Rook’s P. being moved one sq., allows him always to dodge successfully for the

ition.To. 39. On any of the twelve hinder squares. King wins, whe­

ther he moves first, or not.No. 40. Whoever moves first, the King being on either of the

three squares indicated, the Pawns win; and the result would be similar, were the R. P. on either of the two marked squares in his rear.

No. 41. If the K. be on either Kt., or B., the Pawns lose, whether they have the first Move or not. If he occupy, instead, either of the four indicated houses, the Pawns win, if they have the Move.

No. 42. Pawns to win, whether with, or without the Move ; King being on any one of six squares.

No. 43. On either of the five marked squares, King wins, whe­ther he move first or not.

No. 44. With the King on either one of the four marked squares, the party moving first, wins.

No. 45, The party moving, to win.If K. stood on R. 2, he who plays first, loses.If K. were on B., or B. 2, Pawns would win, with and without the move.

If King were in the comer, the first Move would decide the fate of the day.

No. 46. Whoever has the Move, the King wins; because, if to play, his first Move is to R. 2. Were he, instead, on R. 2, he would infallibly win ; just the same.

No. 47. Whoever moves. Pawns win. Carrera notices tlus position; but both he, and liis translator, give it as won for the pawns, merely should they have the Move; an obvious error. If Pawns move, first they push R. P. one. If K. move first—

If K. to Kt. 2, B. P. one.If K. to B. 2, R. P. one, and wins.No. 48. Whoever moves first, wins:

PAWNS MOVE.

U R. P. one, 1. K. to Kt. third.

2. Kt. P. one. 2, K. to R. second.3. B. P. one, and must win the party.

KING MOVES.1. K. to Kt., (best,) and stops the Pawns.No. 49. Whoever moves, wins. If K. move, he goes to R. 3.

If Pawns move, they push B. P.If K. stood in corner, or on Kt. sq., he wins, whether he move

first or not. If he has to move, in such case, he goes to R. 2.IfK . stood on B., Pawns would win, only if they had the

Move; for if King had the Move, he would gain all, by going to Kt. sq.

No. 50. The King wins, with or without the Move, if seated on any of the marked squares.

No. 61. Same in solution as No. 60.No. 62. Either to play. Pawns must win; because they have

established two at the sixth, with the third behind. The result would be the same, were King on either of the two front marked squares ; or the hinder Pawn on either of the two squares indi­cated, in his rear.

If K. stood on B. 2, R. 2, or Kt. 3, the party moving first, would win.

No. 63. The party moving wins. If Pawns have to move, they push Kt. P . ; if King move first, he can only win by going to Kt. sq. It is a curious fact, that if he stood originally on Kt. sq., the party moving first must lose. Did the King, however, stand originally, on any one of the eight squares marked, the first player must win the game.

No. 64. Pawns win, whether they have the Move or not. Should they begin, they play Kt. P. two. The result would be similar, did King stand on either of the five squares marked.

Did King stand on B. 3, R. 3, Kt. 4, or Kt. 6, the party mov­ing first would win.

No. 66. Whether K. stand at Kt., R., or B., whoever moves, wins ; but if he were on Kt. 2, King would win in either case.

No. 66. King wins Pawns, whoever moves; but suppose Pawns to begin with B. P. one, he must answer with King to R. or B.

If K. stood on R. or B., he wins in all cases.No. 67. He who moves, wins.No. 68. Whether at Kt. second, or Kt. sq., King wins; whe­

ther with, or without, the Move.No. 69. Whoever has to play first, wins.No. 60. On Kt., or Kt. 3, K. wins Pawns, whichsoever

moves.No. 61, With King on either of the three squares, noted, the

Pawns infallibly win; both with, and without, the Move.No. 62. King being on either of three square , the P a ^ s win;

with, or without, the Move. And so, also, if hindmost Pawn be on either of the two back squares ; observing to sacrifice Kt. P. at the proper moment.

No. 63. The player moving first, wins. Observe, were King on either of the three marked sq., the Pawns would win, whether they had the Move or not.

Were K. at Q. R. 3, or Q. B. 3, he who moves first, will^lose the game.

No. 64. He who moves, loses. If King were on either of the five squares pointed out, he who moves first, wins.

No. 65. King being on any one of the six squares denoted. Pawns win ; either with, or without, first play. They would ad­vance R. P., one, or two sq., according to the post of the enemy.

No. 66. Whosoever has the right of playing first, Pawns win; and the case would be the same, were R. P. unmoved.

No. 67. Pawns to win, whoever moves; and the same, did K. stand on any one of five of the crossed squares ; but if he were on B. 2, the party moving first, wins.

No. 68. I f Pawns have the move, they draw by pushing Kt. P . ; and compelling King thus to go, as best, to comer, to force Stalema,te. Were the advanced P., the B. P., instead of the other. Pawns could obviously win with the Move.

If the King were fixed originally on the corner square, the party moving, would win. If K. stood on B., or B. 2, he would draw, if he had the Move, by going to Kt. 2.

No. 69. The party moving, wins; and such would be the result, were K. on R. or Kt.

If K. stood at R. 2, he wins, either - ith, or without, the Move. If he were placed on either of the three squares on the Efishop’s file, he must lose the game, whether he had to play or not.

No. 70. King conquers, whether he moves first or not. Should Pawns have the Move, and advance Kt. P., he goes to R. 3, and then purposely loses a Move, by placing himself on R. 2.

The King on any one of the crossed squares, would win the Pawns; either with, or without the Move. Did King occupyB. 4, the player who moved first, would win.

No. 71. With King on any marked sq., he wins; with, or against the Move,

No. 72. Supposing King on either one of the squares indicated, the player moving m*st, must win. Did King stand, originally, on either one of the three home squares, he would win, both with, and without the Move. If, in such case, he was in the comer, and had to play first, his Move would be to Kt., but were he oa Kt., and had to play, his Move would be to corner.

No. t3. The party moving, wins; and the result would be similar, were Kii^ on any one of the crossed squares.

Were King on R. 2, R. 3, Kt. 2, Kt. 4, or B. 3, he would win, whether he had the Move or not.

No. 74. Whoever moves. Pawns win; supposing King to stand on either of the five indicated places.

Did King occupy, instead, K. 2, the player moving first, would win.

No. 75. King, on either one of the six squares pointed out, must arrest the Pawns; whether he move first or not. If K. were at Kt. sq., or B. third, he who had the first move would win. If K. were on B, 4, the Pawns would win, whichsoever had the move.

No. 76. Were King on either of the 4 marked sq., he wins Pawns, whichsoever moves first, fiut if he were placed, instead, on R., Kt., B., B. 2, B. 3, or B. 4, the p ayer moving first, would win.

No. 77. King on either one of the eleven marked places, wins the Pawns, whoever moves first.

If King were on B. 5, he would win, if he had the first move ; but Pawns would win, if they had the move; even could the King go to a fourth line of squares.

No. 78. Whoever moves first, wins; and so it would equally be, with K. on either marked sq.

Were King on Rook’s file. Pawns would win; and the result would be similar, were the Kt. P. at home unmoved.

No. 79. Whoever moves first, King occupying either square indicated, Pawns win. Did K. stand on Kt. 2, the party mo­ving would win.

No. 80. King standing on B. 3, wins, whichsoever party have the first move; but should he stand on B. 2, the party playing first, will win.

We cannot dismiss this, without remarking that we shall be satisfied, should only half-a-dozen inaccuracies be detected; out of the several hundred relative situations of the King and Pawns, on which we have herein dilated.

K d it o i ;

STUDIES IN POLISH DRAUGHTS. No. 13.— TTon by Philidor.

No. 14.— Philidor draws the game, in play, with White men.

No. 16.— Philidor wins with White.— These fine strokes of play grg fty Philidor the Chess

LESSONS IN fiCARTfe.

L esson V .— G e n e r a l R u l e s , &c .

One of the most difficult points is, to know whether you hold cards on which you ought to stand; or whether, being non-dealer, you should prefer proposing. Also, as to the propriety of admit­ting your adversary’s proposition to discard ; and having yourself once proposed, and been supplied, to know whether you would be justified in again proposing. Both parties, whether elder hand or dealer, can never acquire accuracy, as regards this part of the game, from theory alone ; but a little theory will go a long way, accompanied with practice. The chief source of your diffi­culties arises from a want of reflection, as to the cards of which an average hand ought to consist. Unless comprising two or three court-cards, at the least, the tyro thinks he holds a bad hand. A good illustration of this ma;| be drawn from Whist; at which, the 3T0ung practitioner, on taking up his thirteen cards, does not consider, that if he hold one ace, one king, one queen, and one knave, he holds an average share of court-cards; and that he is, in consequence, only justified in terming his cards bad, in pro­portion as they fall short of the one fourth part of the pack,— which, barring the chances of Fortune, ought to come to his lot. And so, as to the matter of trumps, at Whist, the bungler cannot see that if he hold four, he gets more than his number; since he leaves but nine, to be divided among his three associates. This consideration carried from Whist to Ecart6 will be found useful. A bad player is for discarding, over and over again; thinking himself hardly used, unless he gets all the four kings in his own possession; and if watching the game as a spectator, is surprised at “ the folly” of the veteran, in standing on “ such bad cards.” The love of changing the cards, incidental to beginners, is, indeed, one of the strongest weapons in the hands of the experienced. The latter knows your failing, and will, at the proper moment, turn it fatally against you.

At every point you should in some measure change your rule of conduct, according to the relative state of the scores. That play, which, during the first hand would be correct, may, proba­bly, in the second hand, be the worst possible. This is what the novice has to leam. He says, Just now, with the self-same cards, you told me to play so-and-so, and now you blame me, for doing the thing you then advised!” Very true; but he must be taught to comprehend the necessity of varying his play, so as to meet the exigencies of the case. Begin on a ri^ t principle, and you will speedily make way. If the tyro think he possesses

&culties for the acquirement of Ecarte in half an hour, he is to be pitied, as one insensible to the great truth, that we only begin to leam, when we confess we know nothing.

It should constantly be borne in mind, how much the situation of the elder hand varies from that of dealer; and that different rules of conduct must be their guides. The deal is, generally speaking, a decided advantage; but partially counterbalanced by the lead. One thing makes against the elder hand; that if he propose, the dealer knows he has a weak hand, and is at liberty to act accordingly; while, should the leader play without propo­sing, he must do so in the dark, without the slightest insight into the quality of his adversary’s cards. The dealer’s chance of turn­ing up king is of value; as will be seen on reference to the odds against that event’s happening. While it is but seven to one against a king’s starting, it is certainly more than seven to one a^inst the elder-hand s making the point merely through the circumstance of his having the lead, independent of his cards,^I mean, with a hand which wins because it leads, and would lose without that advantage. Still the lead is valuable, and contri­butes to preserve something like the “ balance of power.”—When the tum-up is once determined, the advantage must be with the elder-hancf; not only as to the choice of the card to lead, but as to the liberty of proposing to discard; and also as regards the possibility of gaming two for the point, should his proposal to discard be negatived.

Half the sport arises from the rapidity with which the rame is conducted by good players. They appear, to the crowd, as if their judgment on every point were rather matter of intuition, than reflection. The ^eatest quickness and decision must be aimed at. Form a habit, from the beginning, of acting off-hand, and you will rarely require to break the rule. I need not point out the impolicy, and actual dishonesty, of all pretended delay. I have seen persons, holding first-rate cards, considering five mi­nutes, as if they were about to propose. Such fools fancy them­selves mighty clever, and chuckle at the thought of thus having taken-in their opponents. A good plajrer sees through all this, and in the long run could give them pomts. He never hesitates a single minute. Whether your cards be bad or good, your countenance should present the quiet smile of a gentleman. Coldness and imperturbability are essential to the formation of a skilful player of Ecart .

You understand, that should you hold the king of trumps, you mark one point, provided you declare the king before playing any of your cards ; you are not, however, absolutely compelled to mark for the king, should it happen that good play requires you to forfeit the point thus to be gained, in order to conceal from

your opponent the fact of the king’s being part o f your hand. Suppose, for example, that, being elder hand, you are at the point of three, and that the dealer has rejected your offer to take fresh cards; should you here make the point, it counts double, and thus gives you the game, and your chance of so doing is faci­litated by your adversary’s not knowing that you hold the king. It is to be presumed that he himself holds good cards, or be would allow you to propose, and there is the greater need o f vigilance. The point will give you the game, whether you here mark for king or not, and it is no better to attain six than five. By forfeiting the point for the king, you perhaps tempt your antagonist, should he win the first trick, to lead a high trump, as queen, and the leading this veiy card may lose him the point. Beginners will excuse my reminding them, that the king of trumps is one cer­tain trick out of the five, the same as the ace of trumps at whist; and that hand must be proportionably good, which can make the point in the face of this disadvantage. Cases of occurrence are much rarer, in which it would be good play for the dealer to forfeit the privilege of making for the king, and such indeed can ve^ seldom occur.

Should you hold king of trumps, being non-dealer, and deter­mine to declare it, do not mark for him, until the discarding (if any), is adjusted, and you are about to play. Should you, being dealer, hold king of trumps, never mark him until your antago­nist has played his first card ; as the knowledge of your being in possession of the king may influence his lead to your detriment.

Should you, whether elder hand or dealer, stand at three on the score gainst four, and your opponent being thus at four, play, without either proposing himself, or suffering you to discard,— in such case, if you hold king of trumps, never mark it for, ob­serve, to mark the king is useless, since, should you make the point, you will equally win the game, because you will score thereby two, on account of the previous line of conduct adopted by your opponent; and, should you fail in making the point, you are no better off at four than three. The knowledge of your hold­ing the king, as I before remarked, will be of material service to your adversary, as regulating the mode in which he will play bis cards. For instance, if elder hand, and believing that as you have not marked king, you do not hold him, he may perhaps start with queen of trumps; and in losing her may lose the point.

ON DISCARDING.

Being elder hand, it is rarely good play to discard when your adversary is at the point of four, as he is so likely to take in the king, and thus at once make the game. Of course, should you already hold king of trumps yourself, this objection does not

apply. If dealer, and your opponent stand at four, you must regulate your play by the same rule of conduct; and unless you hold king, must hardly ever agree to his having fresh cards.

Holding only one or two probable cards to win tricks, and being elder hand, it is the game to propose, unless your antagonist stand at the point of four. Should you even hola three probable tricks, it is sometimes correct to propose; for should you be refused, you will have a chance of winnmg the point, and thereby fin in g double. This is a nice part of the game, and not to be hastily acquired. These present themselves, a number of hands, termed “ jeux de reg i e , o f which I shall presently speak more fully. When you hold one of these hands, you must not discard ; but practice is wanting to teach you to recognize them, as you ought, at the first glance. The non-dealer, having the lead, ought to use additional caution in proposing to discard.

It is frequently incorrect to discard when you wish to change less than three cards; the chance of taking in two good cards being against you; and, moreover, you cannot tell how many cards your adversary may choose to lay out. Recollect that he is not compelled to discard the same number you do, but while you are content to exchange a couple, may avail himself of your unfortunate proposition, and get rid of his whole set, which perhaps consists of five cards absolutely worthless.

Circumstances alter cases. Having king of trumps, and two other probable tricks, it is sometimes good play to propose, un­less your remaining two cards are likely to secure the vole. For should your proposition be received favourably, you may take in good cards and thus secure the vole ; or, should it be negatived, you already stand with good cards to play for the point, for which you will mark two. It may occasionally be correct to propose, when you mean to exchange only one card, in the hope of l^ing refused, should you feel morally sure of gaining the point in every case; and the single card you take in, if permitted to dis­card, may give you the vole. A very little thought will reconcile any seeming contradiction between this and the last paragraph.

Many of the principles applicable to the elder hand as to the eligibility of proposing, equally relate to the proper conduct of the dealer; as to the admission, or rejection, of such proposition. In many cases, too, there must be a difference observed in the play of the rival parties, depending on their relative positions, as dealer and elder hand.

Bad players propose much oftener than those who are more skilful, and more frequently agree to offers of exchange. This is one of the most important truths in Ecarte. The novice is never satisfied with his cards, unless he holds the four kings,—and

hardly then. Two kings and three trumps, he calls a “ pretty good hand.”

In making up jr ur mind as to proposing, do not forget that sometimes, even with a good hand, you do no harm to make the offer; for should you make the point, after being refused cards, you will score thereby two instead of one. Remember, again, that when your adversary proposes, should you refuse, and lose the point, he wins two. These considerations should be always present; and cannot be too forcibl] dwelt on.

After discarding, great caution is necessary as to making, or acceding to, subsequent proposals to re-exchange cards. Look pver the play of acknowledged good players, and observe how they conduct their game in this resjpect. Study the chances of the cards, and the probabilities of their situation.

ON LEADING, AND PLAYING THE CARDS.

The greater part of my advice under this head is directed to the elder hand ; but some of it is emially applicable to the dealer. The playing out of the hand depends, in tne line it takes, chiefly on him who commences, as the second pl^er has no will of his own, as to what card shall be first led. But should the dealer win the first trick, he can then exercise an option as to the course to be pursued. Many parts of Ecart6 resemble Whist, in the principle on which they are grounded; indeed a good Whist pl^er soon sees through most of its difficulties.

Should you have only one trump, being elder hand, and from the great weakness of your other cards, find reason to fear your adversary’s making the vole, lead the best single card you have; for should he win that, and return the same suit, you make your trump. Good play is to be exercised, not only with good cards, but with bad ones.

Should you win the first trick, no trump having been led, and not feel sufficiently strong to be justified in playing trumps, change the suit of the card you lead; lest it be cut by your opponent.

Should jrou have to lead from a hand consisting of two trumps, a single king of another suit, and two indifferent low cards, begin with one of the latter in preference to the king. By keeping up the king, you have the chance of regaining the lead with a trump, and you will then play according to circumstances. There are exceptions to this, as to other rules.

Whenever you hold three trumps, lead one of them off; parti­cularly should they be in sequence. I have heard it said, that the man who, holding five trumps at Whist, does not lead one, ought to be horsewhipped. The cases are about parallel.

Should yon hold a sequence of three or more cards, lead the highest, whether trumps or not.

Should you lead a trump, and your adversary renounce to the suit, do not play another trump; but lead any single court-card you may hold. By reserving tne remaining trumps, you will re­gain the lead.

Suppose, being elder hand, your cards present themselves in something like the following shape:—trumps, none; a king un­guarded (single); king wim one other of a second suit; with queen and another card of a third suit;— play the guarded king, and should he make, continue the suit. Should the king be trumped, you have the chance of regaining the lead with your remaining kins or queen.

Should you hold two trumps, with three cards of a second suit, keep up tne trumps, and play from the latter. Should you win, continue the suit; and should your adversai7 make the trick, and you regain the lead, play the same suit still, in preference to trumping out. It is often an important advantage to force your opponent in this manner.

Should you take up two trumps, accompanied by a single king o f a second suit, and two indifferent cards of a third suit, play from the latter. Should you lose the trick, and re^ n the lead by a trump, play off your other trump; and should such trump pass, play the king. To see a single king trumped is a great annoyance.

Should you hold two trumps, queen with another card of a second suit, and a small single card, the following should be your plan as to leading;—if either of your trumps be a hi^h one, lead queen, and if she fall, you have the chance of regaining the lead with your lesser trump; having done which, play your high trump; and then follow, with the suit of the queen. On the other hand, should both your trumps be small, lead off the sinele card, and then, in the event of your antagonist’s taking it, and returning the same suit, you trump.

Should you hold two trumps, knave and ace of a second suit, and knave of a third suit, lead off the guarded knave. Should you win the trick, and have good trumps, do not play your ace, lest it be trumped, but lead off trumps.

Should you hold a single trump only, with king unguarded of a second suit, and queen with two other cards of a third suit, lead the aueen, and should you win the trick, continue the suit. Should your queen be trumped, you remain in the possession of a couple of commanding cards, viz. the trump and the king, with which you have a fair chance of regaining the lead. Having done so, you resume playing from the suit of your queen.

Shoula you hold only one trump, with king and three other

cards of a second suit, lead the tramp if a tolerably good one. But should the trump be very weak, play off king, and if he make, continue that suit.

Should you take up a hand consisting of one small trump, a tierce major in a second suit, and a single low card of a third suit, lead king from the tierce major, and should he win, continue the suit. If the King be trumped, and you regain the lead through your own single trump, resume playing in the suit of the king.

Should you have won the two first tricks, and remain holdingSueen with two other trumps, unless your adversary has marked ing, you should generally play off queen of trumps. But if the

king has been declared, lead a small trump. When you lead queen, here, should your adversary be forced to play a good trump, you will probably make the vole.

When placed in the situation termed “ h la divine,” it is some­times particularly difficult to know how to act. For example: three tricks are turned, and your adversary leads a certain to which you have to throw away; while you hesitate which card to sacrifice, both being perhaps tings, so as to be the most likely to make the last trick, by catching his last card. This is the meaning of being ** h la divine,” and the circumstance is of con­stant occurrence. In such ease, do not aim so much at keeping up the higher card of the two, as the card of that suit of which the fewest have appeared during the playing out of the hand It is thus sometimes better to keep up a queen, than a king; but I repeat that the situation is critical, and requires calculation to renounce, so as to have the utmost possible chance in your favour.

Should you have a chance of gaining the vole, and jrour adver­sary renounce to trumps, it is better to lead a sinsle king, than to continue trumps. For it’s being generally considered the game, to lead from a suit of which you hold two, your adversary, when subsequently placed k la divine,” by your leading trump, will most probably keep up that suit of which you played the single king; thinking you have another card to follow of the same. Should your antagonist, as a good player, be possibly aware of this manoeuvre, you may vary your play, by leading off a guarded king before leading the trump; in order to induce him to believe you wish him to keep up that suit. On your then following np guarded king, by leading a trump, he may fancy you previously played a single king, and not a guarded king, and accordingly discard to your trump the very card he ought to keep.

Two tricks being turned, supposing your antagonist to have renounced to trumps, while you remain with the lead, and two small trumps, with a low card of another suit, your play is to lead off the two trumps successively; in order to have the greatest possible chance of his throwing away a card, which, if kept up,

would win your last card. The same thing applies to your re­maining with one trump, or certain king-card, and a small card of another suit; when you first play the winning card.

ON JEUX DE REGLE.

I have preferred leaving the phrase “ Jeux de regie” in its native French, to weakening its import by translation. Its mean­ing will be best gathered from the context of my explanation; but may be briefly stated, as implying hands something more than of average value, and therefore with which, the chances are in favour of your gaining the point. All “ jeux de regie” are not of the same value, since with some it is full two to one in your favour, or even more. When elder hand, never play without proposing (your adversary not being at the point of four), should you hold a “ jeu de r e g i e f o r , the chances being already in your favour, you should not risk a change. It must be evidently bad to propose, should you hold cards with which you feel you should be justified in betting two to one on the point; since, in the event of not obtaining it, you will risk two against one—ex­cepting always the case of your opponent being at four; for then, as one point alone would give him the game, you can no longer be said to risk two to one ; and by playing without proposing, and without suffering him to discard, you avoid the chance of his taking in the king.

With a “ jeu de regie,” then, you are generally to play with­out discarding, and without suffermg your antagonist to nave fresh cards, but how, say you, are you to recognize this description of hand ?—Practice must here be your chief guide, based on the following examples:

First Example.Under the definition of “ jeux de regie,” may be classed all

such hands, as, can only lose the point, in the event of your adversary holding two trumps.

Suppose your hand thus composedone small trump, a tierce major m a second suit, with a low card of a third suit. It is here more than two to one in favour of your gaining the point, having the lead, by playing in this manner;—

Lead off king from your tierce major, and continue the suit till trumped; on which it is highly probable your trump will regain the lead, to bring in your suit.

Second Example,Two trumps, with queen guarded of a second suit, and a low

card of a third suit. With this, and analogous hands, although not quite two to one in favour of your scoring the point, yet

being elder hand, it is better to play the cards as follows, than to propose:—

Should the two trumps be low ones, lead the single card; for if taken, the chances are that your adversary will not return the same suit, but will play a king if he have one; and should he answer with the king of that suit of which you have queen yarded, you will probably make your queen and both trumps ; unless your opponent hold more than average cards.

But, should one of ; our two trumps be a high one, as queen, or knave, lead off originally your guarded queen ; for, there is a. hope, should the queen be cut, of re-entering the suit through another trump.

Third Example,Two trumps, knave, and ace of a second suit, with single knave

of a third. With this “ jeu de regie,” you do not propose, but play thus:

Lead off your guarded knave, and should it make, and your trumps be strong, follow it up with your best trump. Generally speaking, it is good play to lead a guarded card, except where you have reason to fear your antagonist’s gaining the vole; or when you possess hardly the most remote chance of gaining the point.

Fourth Example,Suppose a hand to contain no trumps, and constituted thus ;—

A single king of one suit, king guarded of a second suit, with queen guarded of a third suit, ^ i s is not an unlikely hand to gain the point, if you do not propose.

Lead off your guarded king, and should you win the first trick, continue the suit. If, on the other hand, king be trumped, ^ou have the chance of regaining the lead, either with your remaining king, or guarded queen: and should this happen, return the forcing card. Bad players would be surprised at being told this was a hand to stand upon without proposing, and doubtless it would frequently lose the point; but you kuow better than to judge of play by its events, instead of by its preliminary chances of success.

Fifth Example.One trump, king single of a second suit, and queen with two

minor cards of a third suit. Unless you are elder hand, I admit these cards would be too weak to stand on, but if leader, the case is altered. Play off queen, and should she make, continue the suit. If queen be trumped, your single trump is strengthened ; and on regaining the lead, you will again force your adversary, by playing from your numerous suit.

Sixth Example.A hand, consisting of one single trump, with king and three

minor cards of a second suit. The strength of this hand consists in the having the lead, with four cards of the same suit. The state of the score would guide me as to deciding whether to rest upon it, or not. Should you be at the point of three against four, you ought to stand with similar cards; in any other situa­tion of the score, I admit there are certain unfavourable contin­gencies to be taken into the account. In the first place, your adversary may hold king of trumps, and if so, is tolerably certain of scoring two points. Again, you would lose the point, should your opponent hold two good cards of your long suit. You might, moreover, lose through leading off the trump, should your anta­gonist have no trump; while in other situations of the cards, by beginning with king, you might make the point, if the cards fell favourably, even should your adversary have two trumps ; if, after winning the first trick, he should return a trump. Still, the best French players agree that the cards here quoted form a fair “ jeu de r e g i e a n d having thus candidly stated the pros and cons, I have only to direct you how to play them.

Should your single trump be queen, lead her off, it being more than four to one in favour of her making. It is also more than two to one that your opponent has not two trumps; and more than five to one that he has not two cards of your long suit. Should, jrour single trump be lower than queen, play your King first, and if he make, continue the suit.

Seventh Example.Two trumps, with three cards of a second suit. Holding a

similar hand, it is generally wrong to discard, if elder hand.Lead the highest of the three cards composing your second

suit; if it is even trumped, your adversary cannot make the point, without he held originally three trumps ; the chances against which are much in your favour.

Eighth Example,Suppose a hand to consist of an honour in each of the four

suits, with a fifth indifferent card. In this case, good players differ as to the propriety of not offering to change cards. In my opinion, it very much depends on what cards the honours are; should they be the four knaves, for instance, they would be too weak to stand on, unless the fifth card was something good.

If, being elder hand, you play with similar cards without pro­posing, should the trump be king or queen, play it off first.

Ninth Example.Among that description of hands termed “ jeux de regie,” are

to be classed such as from which, should you discard, you find you should only he justified in laying out a couple of cards.

Under this head, many instances of hands arise in which, though it is not two to one in favour of your gaining the point, yet you do well to play without discarding. Remember that it is not a light thine to give, for the chance of taking in two good cards, the risk of your opponent’s taking five, in which he may get the king to boot. Hence, there are few cases, in which you are justified in laying out only two cards.

In dismissing fliis part of my subject, it remains only to observe, that there arise so few hands, in which it is more aavantageous to play last than to lead, that it is needless to dwell particularly on them. Holding similar hands, you should never refuse dis­carding once, but must never agree to a second proposition to give cards.

ENGLISH DRAUGHTS.—ORIGINAL SITUATIONS.(C o n t in u e d fr o m p a g e 85.)No, 9.— B y Wm, Bone, Esg,

White moves, and may draw the game; although apparently inferiorin force.

White wins the Game,

No, 11.— B y the same.

White moves and wins.

White has the Move and wins the game.

ENGLISH DRAUGHTS.^OLUTIONS.

The draught-board must be numbered on the white squares, 1 to 32, beginning at the left hand white square on the farthest line. As we assume White to move in the upward direction, it follows that the men of this colour have originally occupied the lower half of the board, 21 to 32; while the Black have filled 1 to 12. A diagram, thus numbered, will serve the purpose; and can be kept for constant reference :

No. 1.30, 26. 21, 30.

8. 11, and wins.No. 2.

17, 14. 10, 17.22, 18. 15, 22.31, 27. 22, 31.5, l,&c.

No. 3.28, 24. 20, 27.25, 22, and wins.

No. 4.19, 16. 12, 19.28, 24. 19, 28.25, 22. 10, 19.22, 17, and wins.

No. 6. ' No. 9.18, 16. 6. 1. 27, 24. 20, 27.14. ■ 9. 24. 28. 28, 32, &c.23,9,

19

19.6.

OA

1,28.

a

5.32.

1. 29, 25.No. 10.

26, 19.24, 19. &C. 18, 14.

25. 21.10, 17. 3. 10.

10, 6.»o .6 .

10. 21, 23, wins.23, 19. 8, 11. No. 11.31, 27, 6 , 9. 7, 2. 10, 17.27. 23. &c.

No. 7.2, 7. wins.

No. 12.27, 31. 25, 18. 32. 27. 18, 11.28, 23, wins. 10, 7. 3, 10.

No. 8. 27, 24. 28, 19.10, 15. 9, 5, 2, 9.

17. 22. winnii^. 6, 30, wins.

POLISH DRAUGHTS.—SOLUTIONS. No. 8.

26, 21. 20, 47.23, 18. 12, 32.27, 38. 47, 8.21, 3, wins.

No. 9.27, 21. 24, 22.34, 30. 17, 26.40, 34. 35, 24.34, 29. 24, 33.39, 10, and wins.

No. 10.27, 21. 16, 27.36, 31. 27, 36.37, 31. 36, 27.33, 28. 23, 32.39, 34. 30, 37.47, 41. 32, 43.41, 1, qneens,ts^ing8.

43, 48.46, 41. 48, 25.49, 43. 25, 48.41, 37. 48, 31.26, 37, and wins.

No. 11.18, 13. 9, 18.34, 30. 35, 24.33, 28. 24, 22.37, 31. 36, 38.48, 42. 18, 29.42, 4, and wins.

No. 12.50, 33. 19, 23.33, 11. 13, 19.11, 33. 18, 22.33, 17. 19, 24.17, 8. 24, 29.8, 12. 23, 28.

12, 34. 28. 32.34, 29. 32, 37.29, 47, and wins.

No. 13.29, 24. 30, 28.21, 17. 12, 21.26, 17. 8, 48.20, 14. 6, 17.39, 33. 48, 9.33, 4, and wins.

40, 35. 12, 7. 17, 11. 22, 18. 28, 23. 50, 44. 45, 34.

No. 14.34, 23.16, 2.2, 16.

23, 12.19, 48.15, 40. 48, 30.

35, 2, draws.No. 15.

32, 28. 26, 37.29, 23. 18, 40.35, 44. 24, 35.

27, 21. 16, 27.28, 22. 27, 18.38, 52. 37, 28.35, 4, winning.

No. 16.19, 37.25, 23.17, 28.28, 37.23, 34.15, 24.35, 44.

28, 23.42, 22,39, 34.38, 32.34, 29.24, 20.44, 40.50, 6, winning.

CHESS PROBLEMS.—SOLUTIONS,P r o b l e m VI.

We have already furnished a solution of this, in six moves, but are indebted to “ an occasional pltwer, Portsmouth '' for the dis­covery that it majr be shortened. Our correspondent is, however, incorrect, in stating that “ White may Mate in three m o v e s a s it cannot be forced under four; ex. gr.

1. Rook to Kt.2. Rook moves.3. King moves.

As thus amended, the position is

1. B. to Q. B. sixth.2. Q. to Q. B. fourth.3. Q. takes P. ch.4. Queen takes P., Mating.

decidedly iniproved; and affords a fine piece of play.P r o b l e m IX.

1. K. to K. B. sixth.2. K. to Kt. fifth.3. B. to B. fifth.4. K. to B. sixth.5. B. to Q. third.6. B. to Q. Kt. fifth.

1. K. to his fifth, (A.)2. K. to Q. fourth.3. K. to Q. third.4. K. to Q. fourth.5. K. to Q. third.

K. to Q. fourth.7. Q. Checkmates at K. 5, as stipulated.

(A.)1. K. to Q. third.

2. B* to K. B. fifth. 2. K. to Q. fourth.3. B. to Q. third. 3. K. to Q. third.4. B. to Q. Kt. fifth, and Mates next move.

P r o b l e m X.1. Q. to Q. B. sixth. 1, K. to B. fourth.2. B. to K. third. 2. K. returns.

3. B. to Q. B, fifth. 3. K. moves .4. B. to K. seventh. 4. K. to his fourth.6. Queen Mates at King's fourth.

P r o b l e m XI.1. Q. Kt. P. one. 1. P. takes P.2. Q. R. P. advances, and wins. Black may also Queen, but

White checks K., and wins Queen, Several variations arise, but they all hinge upon the same point.

P r o b l e m XII.1, R. checks. 1. Q. covers.2. Q. takes B., ch., and then Mates with B.

P r o b l e m XIII.1. King to Kt. 1. P. to Kt. seventh.2. Q. to K. Kt. fifth. 2. P. moves.3. Q. to B. fifth, ch. 3. K. takes P.4. Q. to B. fourth, ch. 4. K. returns.6, Q. to K. Kt. fifth. 5. P. moves.6. Queen Checkmates.

P r o b l e m XIV.1. R. takes Kt. P. ch. 1. K, takes R. (best.)2. Q. takes P. ch.—If he go to Kt. sq., Q. checks at Kt. 6,

then takes R. P., afterwards checking again at Kt. 6, and Mating with R.

2. K. to R. second.3. Q. to Q. seventh, ch. 3. K. to comer, (best.)4. Q. to Q. fifth, ch. 4. K. to Kt. (best.)6. Q. to Q. sixth, ch.—If he now play to Kt. 2, or R. 2, you

check with R., and then Mate in two moves. If, instead, he go to comer, Queen takes P., and then Mates in two moves.

P r o b l e m XV.1. Q. to K. B. fourth, ch. 1. K. takes Q.2. Pawn checks. 2. K. returns.3. R. to K. sixth, and must Mate next time.

P r o b l e m XVI.1. Q. checks. 1. Q. covers.2. Q. takes Q. 2. B. retakes.3. K. to Kt. fourth. 3. B. to K. Kt. sixth.4. Kt. to K. B. third. 4. B. to K. B. fifth, (must.)6. K. to B. fifth. 5 B. moves off.6. Knight Mates in 2 moves.

ORIGINAL CHESS PROBLEMS.No. 17.— B y William Bone Esq.

White Mate* with the P. in Six Moves,(Carrera declares it to be impossible to Mate with the Kinif* Paw f having

onkf the two Bishops,)iVb. 18,-^jBy the Same,

White to Mate with the P . in six Moves,(To effect the Mate of the King's Pavin, with the two KnightS) Carrera also adds a Bishop: the above Position proves the additional piece to

unnecessary.)

White Mates with the P . in Six Moves.

No. 20,— t h Same.

White to Mate with the P , in Six Moves,

No. 22.— B y the Same.

White Mates with the P . in Nine Moves at most.(This Position is the more curiouS) from Carrera’s assertion that it is impottihU to Mate with King s Prtirn, having only the King*8 Bishop a Knight,—E d . )

White Mates with the P . in Six Moves,%This Checkmate, as well as the following) is only effected through the confined situation of the Black King; and cannot be forced from any indifferent Position,

like the Six previous.

iVb. 24.— B y the Same.

THE CHESS RECORD;CONSISTING OF GAMES ACTUALLY PLAYED.

G ame IX.The following game was played by Philidor, in 1780, giving

the odds of the Pawn and Move, His opponents were Carlier and Bernard, two celebrated playew* who were allowed to consult together on the moves. This game is now printed, in England, for the first time; not being included in Philidor’s Treatise, nor in Mr. George Walker’s recent publication of the newly discovered Chess M§S. games, played by Philidor and his contemporaries.

Philidor plays with Black men; his K. B. P. being removed from the l^ard.

WHITE.1. K. two.2. Q. P, two.3. P. takes.4. Q. to R. fifth, ch.6. Q, to K. fifth, ch.6. Q. B, to K. B. fourth.7. K. B. to K. second.8. Q. takes Q. ch.9. K. Kt. to B. third.

10. Q. B. to K. fifth.11. Castles.12. Kt. takes Kt.13. P. t^es B.14. K. B. to Q. third.16. B. takes B.16. K. Kt. P. one.17. K. B. P. two.18. Q. Kt. to R. third.19. K. R. to B. second.20. King takes.21. K. to Kt. second.22. K. R. P. one.23. K. Kt. P. one.24. Q. R. to Q.25. K. R. P. one.26. Q. B. P. one.27. Kt. to Q. B. second.

BLACK^1. K. P. one.2. Q. P. two.3. P. retakes.4. P. covers.6. Q. covers.6. Q. B. P. one.7. K. B. to K. Kt. second.8. Kt. takes Q.9. Castles.

10. Q. Kt. to Q. second.11. Q.Kt. takes B.12. B. takes Kt.13. K. R. to B. fifth, (a)14. Q. B. to K. B, fourth. 16. Kt. takes B.16. K .R. toK. fifth.17. K. R. to K. seventh.18. Kt. to K. sixth.19. R. takes R.20. Kt. to K. Kt. fifth, ch.21. Q .R .toQ .22. Kt. to K. R. third.23. Q. R. P. one.24. Kt. to K. B. second.25. Q. B. P. one.26. Q. Kt. P. two.27. Q. R. P. one.

(a; Very skilfully played; its object being to prevent the advance two sq., of White’s K. B. P .; in which, however, he can only succeed for a time. This game is played with great care on both sides; and the mero weight of the Pawn alone decides the fortune of the day.

28. Kt. to K. third, 28. Q. P. one.29. P. takes P. 29, P. takes P.30. Kt. to Q. B. second. 30. Q. P. one.31. Kt. toK . 31. Q. P. one.32. Kt. to K» B. third, and Philidor resigns.

Game X.Won by M. Boncourt, of M. Szen, the Hungarian. These

two Dlayers are of about equal force. It is 1o be regretted that M. Szen’s recent return to Pesth, deprives the Chess circle, here, of so distinguished an artist.

BLACK. (S zen .)1* It. P, two.2. K. Kt. to B. third.3. K. B. toQ. B. fourth.4. Q. B. P. one.5. Q. P. two.6. P. retakes.7. B. covers.8. Q. Kt. retakes.,9. Castles.

10. Q. to. Q. B. second.11. Q. P. one.12. Kt. takes Kt.13. K. B. to Q. Kt. third.14. Q. R. to Q. B.15. Kt. to K. B. third.16. K. R. to K.17. P. takes B. (b)18. K. R. to K. third.19. Q. home.20. Q. to K. Kt. fourth.21. K. R. to K. Kt. third.22. B. to Q.23. Q. R.takesQ.B. P.24. Q. R. to Q. B. second.25. Q. to K. B. third.26. Q. R. to Q. B. third.27. P. retakes.28. K. to comer.29. B. to Q. Kt. third.

WHITE. (B oncourt.)1. IThe same.2. Q. Kt. to B. third.3. Same.4. K. R. P. one.5. P. takes P.6. B. checks.7. B. takes B. ch.8. Q. P. one.9. K. Kt. to K. second.

10. Castl6s.11. Q. Kt.to K. fourth.12. P. takes Kt.13. K# Kt. to Kt. third.14. Q. to K. Kt. fourth, (a)15. Q .toK . B. fifth.16. Q. B. to K. R. sixth.17. Q. takes Kt.18. Q. to K. R. fourth.19. Q. to K. Kt, fourth, ch.20. Q.to K. B. third.21. Kt. to K. B. fifth.22. K. Kt. P. one.23. Q. to Q. Kt. third.24. Q. to Q, fifth.26. Q. R. to Q. B.26* R. takes R.27. Q. to Q. seventh, (c)28. R. to Q. B.29. Kt. to K. seventh.

(a) Well played. The Q. B. P. is wisely abandoned.(b) A very bad move. He should rather play up Rook, to K. S.(c) M. Boncourt follows up his attack skilfully. His adversary’s play is by

no means seen to advantage, this game.

30. R. takes K. Kt. P. ch. (d) 30. K. to B.31. R. to K. Kt. 31. Kt. takes R.32. K. retakes. 32. R. takes P.33. Q. to K. B. sixth. 33. Q. to K. eighth, ch.34. K. to Kt. second. 34. Q. takes K. P. ch.36. K. B. P. one. 35. Q. to K. Kt. third, ch,36. Q. takes Q. 36. P. takes Q.

M. Szen (Black) gives up the game.

CHESS.—SOLUTIONS OF THE FOUR PROBLEMSIN THE TALB OF

VINCENZIO THE VENETIAN.

No. 1.—(Paob 44 )1. Q. to Q. R. second, ch. 1. K. to B. (best.)2. Q. to Q. R. third, ch. 2. K. to Kt. (best.)3. Q. to Kt. third, ch., advancing to adverse King by a similar

zig-zag path, and thus Mating him on the tenth move, with Queen, supported by Pawn.

No. 2.—(Pace 52.)1. B. to Q. B. fourth. 1. P. takes P.2. B. to Q. Kt. fifth, and Mates with Pawn.

No. 3,—(Page 66.)1. Q. to Q. B. fifth, ch. 1. K. to R. fourth.2. Q. to Q. Kt. fourth, ch. 2. K. returns.3. Q. to Q. fourth, ch. 3. K. to R. fourth, (best.)4. B. to Kt. fourth, ch. 4. K. to R. fifth.5. B. to K. sq. dis. ch. 5. K. to Kt. sixth, (best.)6. Q. to Kt. K>urth, ch., and Mates at Kt. sq.

No. 4.—(Page 64.)1. Kt. to R. sixth, and on Q. B. P.*s advancing, Rook takes

P., and Mates with Kt. The check of Bishop protracts it one Move, whether he take P., or not.

(d) A Bcientific move; but his antagooist is too old a fox to retake the Rook. Were he to do so, the Q.'P. would advance, discovering check from Bishop. The French player will very properly move K. to B.

tH E

PHILIDORIAN.No. 5. [APRIL] 1838.

CAiSSA REDIVIVA.POBM ON CHESS ; BY THE LATE REV. A. D’ARBLAY.

The following it the history of this little poem :—Sometime after the playing o f the long and celebrated match between M. de la BourdoliuaiB and Mr. Me Donnell, the best players, decidedly, of France and England, M. M6iy published an amnsing;poem4n French, called, *<Une R6yanche de Waterloo,” to commemo­rate the victory of the Gallic champion. The Rev. A* D*Arblity, In return, printed the following lines, in which he skilfidly embodies the moves of one of the games won by Mr. Me Donnell of his gie&t antagonist. Tlie lamtoted deaths, subse­quently, of both Mr. D’ArUay and Mrt Me Donnell* at a oompa^tively early age, add a mournful interest to ** C A issi. R e d iy x v a . ’ * A few copies of this poem, only, were printed, exclusively ibf pHtftt (iircdlfttlOtt > but the present edition was afterwards corrected by the author, and given to the editor of the P h i l i d o - BXAN, in the shape it now appears.

C a n t o I.— Th b P r e p a r a t i o n .

1 THAT erewhile on hapless P oland 's bier Pour’d the avenging verse, and dropp'd the tear.Then to the skies On loftier pinion flew.And from her throne of light U ran ia drew,—*In less trod paths, a newer garland now.Where seldom yet the poet’s anxious brow With laurell’d wreath hath been by Muses veil’d,Venturous, I seek ;f while with full note exhal’d

C hess and the man I sing, who, fam’d afar For bloodless trophies in the mimic war,

• The Rev. A. D’Arblay published several fugitive compositions in verse, on various subjects.

t . . . Juvatque novosdecerpereflores,Insignemque meo capiti petere ind coronam I/nd^ prius nulli velarint tempore Mus®.—Z«cre<.

Long in Caissa s tempk sat enthron’d,Where ev'ry firiton, his dominion own’d ;Nor e*en to proud Labourdonnais did yield The sceptred honors of the chequer’d field; (Labourdonnais whom now .all tongues conieM The great Napoleon of the world of Chess.)

Souls of departed heroes, who of yore From land to land Britannia’s standard bore, -And ye whose valour taught in later days The sons of Gaul to own your Albion’s praise. Whether a Wellesley thro’ Hispania led.Or ye with Nelson at Trafalgar bled.If e’er the sound of human joy or woe Invade the stillness of the shades below.If e’er the thoughts in living breasts that bum Break the deep silence of your mouldering urn. Mourn not to hear that now, from shore to shore Your country’s boasted thunders roll no more. Nor fear lest Peace from her soft languid wing Eternal slumbers on her spirit fling.For, lo! the trumpet, sounding from afar Proclaims another and a fiercer war.And soon Macdonnell’s victories shall renew The wreaths of Aboukir and Waterloo.

Muse thati of old, didst in undying verse The battle of the frogs and mice rehearse.And taught’st our Pope to sing a belle’s despair. When a proud lord withdrew her lock of hair; Awake, and in thy loftiest measures tell What varied fate the lords of Chess befel.*

* The match between M. De La Bourdonnais and Mr. Me Donnell was played at the Westminster Chess-club, in 1834. It comprised nearly one hundred games, and was won by the former,—the iirst player in Europe.

But first depcribe how stood in fierce array The rival annies, e'er began the fray.The varied actions of the men prepare, [dare.Their namei| their movements, and their powers de-

On the bright board, where hosts for victory vie, Squares eight times eight in chequer’d order lie. Deck’d are th’alternate spots in black and white:Pale is the nearest corner to the right.

High o'er the extremities, to each most near.Two ponderous towers their huge heads uprear; Forwards and backwards, right and left, they go.In lines direct, advancing on the foe,Of minor value in the early fray,While pawns and pieces choke the crowded way;But when the foremost in the fight have bled.When kings are mourning o’er their heroes dead. Along the ranks these glide with graceful ease,And watch their time the opening files to seize.

Next to the corner squares by castles grac’d,Two valiant knights on prancing steeds are plac*d. How shall the muse upon their merits dwell ?How shall her rhyme their curious movements tell? Like the cameleon, to no colour true.At every step they take, they change their hue;To two squares’ distance shifts their veering tack. Vaulting from black to white, from white to black, Chiefest in crowded battles is their skill.Winding around the straggling pawns to kill.Or winning stations, where they Turk unseen,To spring at once on monarch and on queen.

Beside these knights, two mitred bishops stand; Their steps oblique by slanting lines are scann’d ;Two bishops, not for arts of peace renown’d.But murd’rous exploits on the battle ground;

Nor fear lest ev«r their pretemions clash;For while the one doth thro* the white lines dwh»The black diagonals to the other yield.And thns between them diride ihei field*Woe to the adverse king, with sheathed dirk,Behind a rook if e*er a bishop lark!Nor less their value in the closing fight;When hostile pawns their sierried rank> unite,.A bishop wisely station’d far or near,Arrests th inraders in their fierce career.And saves the game, until the distant king Can other forces to the rescue bring.

Who now the two remaining squarea. which still Vacant between the bishops lie, shall fill ?The gallant monarch gives his queen the choice;For her own colour she declares her voice.What tongue, brave Amazon, shall tell thy power,. Blending in one the bishop and the tower ?At first behind the ranks in cautious plight Thou dwell’st aloft, and view'st the distant fight,But when thy time is come, thou springest forth Fiercer than all the Vandals of the north.Now here, now there, with sword prepar’d to strike. Ranks, files, diagonab, to thee alike.While now a bishop bleeds, and now a knight.From square to square, thou hunfst a monarch’s flighty Till to the fatal comer he is drivenAnd mourns his throne o’ertum’d,. his sceptre riven. Less rapid, young Camilla scour’d the plain,Or lightly glided o’er the azure main;Less fierce, through ranks where mailed warriors bled Her virgin host Penthesilea led.And oh ! how oft upon an early graveI’ve seen thee rush, thy royal spouse to save 1How often when a tower assail’d the kingAnd not a friend wa<» near. I’ve mark’d thee spring

Between him and the lbe» while manreU’d all At the game teecu'd by thy gen'rous fall!

Now for the king one only vacant square On the first rank remains; his throne is there.On him the issue of the fight depends:The monarch captur’d, all the contest ends.Tho* not a warrior from the field be miss’d,Tho* full the ranks as when they form’d the list.If the check’d king can neither run nor cover,Nor pierce th'insulting foe, the battle’s over:Kings, queens, rooks, bishops, knights and pawns. Till a fresh fight provoke another mate, [must wait. With cautious tread, the king, on victory bent. Howe’er assaiPd, ne*er shifts his royal tent.More than to one square’s distance.from his post,Till mingled shouts proclaim the day is lost.Long in the centre, or behind a string Of faithful pawns that cover either wing.He hears in peace the distant cannon roar,And sees his soHiers weltering in their gore, Unmoving, not unmov*d; but when the plain Is strew’d with corpses of the heroes slain,Should he survive, when both aTike have perish’d The queen he hated, and the queen he cherish’d,— Then vowing to revenge his dame’s defeat,He springs in fury from his cool retreat.Darts boldly to the centre of the plain.Blest if he can the opposition gain.Cheers his last pawns, revives tiieir fhinting breath. And leads them on, to victory, or to death;

The pawns! In them the greatest players confess, if marshall’d truly, lies the toml of Chess.Feeble when parted, one by one they die:Their strength, Itke £etggols doth in, union lie.

Long ere the field their valiant blood hath drank, They, side by side, adorn the second rank:O’er one, or two, squares, first they tread at will, Then over one alone their march fiilfil.When in their line, or friend, or foe, they meet, Advance they may no further nor retreat:Nor are they suffer’d on the foe to strike,Save withm one square's range by wound oblique. What science doth their well-tim’d march require! What art, what patience, never known to tire, Macdonnell showed, while others strove in vain The centre of the board to keep or gain!

And oh! what glory doth that pawn await Who through the ranks, with loftier hope elate. While his brave comrades all around him die,And cheer him in their funeral obsequy.Moves fearless on, till, ev’ry peril past,Th'extreme line of the board is reach’d at last! Crown him, ye Muses, with your choicest flowers; For him prepare your amaranthine bowers,And every field of Helicon explore To decorate that pawn— now pawn no more!For lo! divested of his ancient form,With loftier tread he braves the coming storm:No longer to one square his march is bound;0*er the whole board his conquering steps resound. While with fresh armour, and undaunted mien,He moves in all the splendour of a queen!

So the coil’d snake, by noxious herbs o'erfed. Beneath the ground, long mingled with the dead, Shunn’d the keen frost, nor rear'd his drooping head Anon, the vernal skies recall his strength—He wakes, he moves, he rolls his sinewy length,

]

Tarns proudly to the sun’s enlivening ray,O’er his new lustre casts a pleas’d survey, VAnd lolls his forked tongue, impatient for the prey !” 3 ^

C anto II.— The A ttac k .

Nbar that fam’d market, where ten thousand flowers Droop their wan heads, and mourn the sylvan bowers. Condemn’d in London’s smoky air t’ exhale The perfumes giv’n to scent their native vale—While hundreds, crowding to the neighbouring stageHear stem Macready vent his classic rage—In Bedford Street an ancient mansion lies,f Throng’d by Caissa’s ardent votaries,

’ There, wooden warriors stand in goodly rows,Unenvying rivals, and unconscious foes.Or slumb’ring lie, on many a table spread.Until some voice recalls them from the dead !

Thither, their souls prepar’d for mortal fray,' Are met, Macdonnell and Labourdonnais;

The last, impetuous as the bounding roe—Cautious the other,—prudent, wise, and slow.Dense crowds of anxious friends on either hand,Around the board in breathless silence stand,And, doubtful, wager, which shall reap the sheaf.The Gallic hero, or the Irish chief. J

* Qnalis nbi In lucem coluber mala gramina pastus,Frigida sub terr& tumidam quern bruma tegebat.Nunc positis novus exuviis nitidusque juvent&,Lubrica convolvit sublato ]>ectore terga Arduus ad solem, et liuguia micat ore triaulcis.

ViKGiL, Georg^t The Westminster club beld their meetings in Bedford Street, Covent Garden.

t Mr. Me Donnell was of Belfast.

Now, in each brawny band’s gigantic folds,Two pawns, one black, one white, the veteran holds.** Say, which is thine ? If fete the choice approve,Thy troops shall foremost in the battle move.”Right chose Macdonnell: to the fierce attack (So Gods ordain) his hand shall lead the Black ;While, to repel their furious shock prepar’d,The mighty Gaul shall the pale legions guard.

Then faintly trembled on Macdonnell*s ear A distant warbling from the viewless sphere—Near and more near the liquid accents ran.Then shap’d themselves to words, and thus began:

THE WAANINO.

Ireland’s pride and Ireland’s glory, bid thy men go forth! Long shall live thy name in story, champion of the north! Rapidly thy sable legions, to the charge advance;Forward press into the regions, of the host of France.Tho thy foremost men be Ming, in the early f5ray,Tho* thy trial will be galling, thou shalt win the day! Erin’s pride and Erin’s glory, bid thy men go forth !Long shall live thy name in story, champion of the north!

And lo I the signal from each camp is given^Still, as though listening to a voice from heaven, Spectators stand; some, scanning all their ways— Some, wondering ** with a foolish face of piaise.”

First, o’er two squares, at one impetuous spring,Leaps the black pawn that stands before the king.With equal rage his ivory rival glows.And face to face bis progress doth oppose.Unhappy youths, with fatal zeal ye burn:To your lor’d tents ye never shall return !From the left wing a swarthy soldier flies (Bold gambit pawn!) and, setf-devoted,—dies.

** On cavalry!”— The king s knight hetos the word. And vaults exulting to his bishop’s third;The white knight sends his pawn, with cautious wile. To guard his brother on the bishop's file:While tiie black bishop, with high hopes elated,To three squares eastward suddenly translatedFor early castellation hath made room,Nor heeds the presage of his early doom.** Now for our turn to fall upon the foe,”The whiteking cries, and bids the knight’s pawn go Forward, and threaten, with bis tiny spear,To close the sable horseman’s dark career.

Farewell, brave knight,” (the ebon monarch said;) Soon wilt thou mingle with the silent dead—In vain thy king would save thee from their hands:

‘Thy sacrifice the public weal demands.** Yet shall the fiery struggle soon be o’er,

Tlien in the chest we meet to part no more!** But thou, bright courser, guarding my right wing,

Come and obey the mandate of thy king!** Rejoice—within me something seems to say ** On thee will rest the fortunes of the dayl”—He said: the queen’s knight hears his stem commands, And on his bishop’s third square proudly stands: While to the pawn the king’s knight yields his breath, And falling, sees the queen avenge his death.Already, though the fight be scarce begun.With all his banners glittering in the sun,And every weapon ready for the blow.The dark kmg’s batteries open on the foe;While straiten’d in the precincts of their camp,Shiver the white men with a general cramp, ^And boding fears their martial ardour damp. ^E’en thus to Italy, Napoleon came.With head all genius, and with soul all flame,(Ere yet the general sank into the king)With a few troops on mighty hosts to spring,

Y

Broke thro' the slavish Austrian’s lazy slumbers, Confin'd his movements, and defied his numbers.

Who shall the White send forth the spell to break ? Rise, bishop!— At thy monarch’s call awake!Swift, on thy king’s rook’s third, the gambit pawn Protect, until some happier prospect dawn!

** Queen’s pawn advance,” now cries the sable Lord: Seize in two steps the centre of the board,

** And open on the foe thy bishop’s fire I”Answers the white queen’s knight, with keen desire The pawn to win, and to his bishop’s third (So plann’d the king in council,) stood preferr’d. Recks not the black prince: to a quiet nook Retiring, he hath castled with his rook,And deeply shelter’d, safe from all alarms.Serenely hears the distant clash of arms.

Thus Eastern Monarchs, slumb’ring on their throne. Bid millions bleed, for quarrels not their own. Enjoying, while their bravest warriors fall,Th’ inglorious feast of the voluptuous hall.Not thus, where wisdom dawns upon the world.And freedom’s glorious banners are unfurl’d :Here, terror’s earthquake voice is heard no more, Her spell is broken, and her influence o’er:Kings for the people’s good their sceptres wield.No rights divme their lawless passions shield;On with the general tide their minds must move. Wise as the serpent, harmless as. the dove;—Their safety, truth,—their guard, a nation’s love !

C amto III.— The V ictory .

Soul of the Mantuan bard, inspire my song!Teach me the varying interests to prolong,To bid alternate fear and hope prevail,Weave the thin web, and poise the doubtfiil scale! But thou, and he of Scio’s rocky isle,With sweet illusions might your dreams beguile;For you, in every stream a Naiad trod,In every grove ye heard a whispering god;Or if a battle was the theme you singled,Jove, Juno, Pallas, in that battle mingled.And while in council sat the great immortals.High Heaven expanded wide its flammg portals !* With us this bright machinery 'vails no more;Stem truth hath bid illusion’s reign be o’er!

Thro* the white camp a shout of joy is heard: Macdonnell’s champions fear their chief hath err’d, And left the queen’s pawn, in an evil hour,To fall defenceless in the pale knight’s power:So deem’d the general of the silver legions.While his knight, moving into hostile regions,With vaulting march by wily foe foreseen,Slays the black pawn, and menaces the queen.Now o’er Macdonneirs lip a wan smile quiver’d ; (The Gaul observ’d it, and with vague fear shiver’d:)

That move, cries Mac., hath mark’d the day my own! ** Tremble, O white king, on thy tottering throne!

Our author renders thus the line not limpy:Panditur intered domut omnipotenti$ Olympi,I beg your pardon, if the truth I urge ill}But you must know he *b cribb’d that verse from VirgiL

(Note bp PHnter s Devil.)

“ Now, my dark queen, a furious charge prepare;** Th’ incautious foe hath fallen into the snare I “ Not number, but position, wins the fight:

Another sacrifice, and all is right I ** From the queen’s bbhop’s fourth, brave prelate, go ? “ Thy mitre was not giv’n for empty shew—** Snatch the white pawn that doth before thee lie,“ And for thy king, and for thy country, die T—(For Chess is just like war—Sic juhent Divi; Quicquid delvrant reges, plectantur Achim.)The warlike prelate kills the adverse pawn,But, by the white king slain is from the field withdrawn.

Dear partner of my joys, and of my bed, [said)— Queen of my swarthy realms,** (the black prince Seize thy bright spear— like lightning forward spring. At his rook’s fourth square check the wand’ring kingl'’'

Th* assaulted monarch, conscious of defeat.On his knight’s second seeks a brief retreat. Queen’s bishop, seize the pawn!”—On hostile ground

The prelates at each other darkly frown’d,Tlien grappled in close fight, till on the plain The sable priest is stretch’d among the slain.On rush’d the black king’s rook, with zeal unshaken. Kill’d the white bishop, and his post has taken.While the white king’s knight,by his monarch beckon’d. Saves the mate threaten’d at his bishop’s second.And at that bishop’s third square interposes,Masking his queen. Not on a bed of roses,Unhappy king, thou Irest—the ebon queen Hath at one glance her new advantage seen,A nd at thy knight’s fourth square she rudely checks AVhere’er thou go, that dame will surely vex thee! [thee. Back to his bishop’s second square now driven.The ivory monarch mourns his glory riven.

The black hath hail’d him with triumphant smile:His rooks are doubled in the bishop’s file.The ivory hero to an early grave Abandons the brave knight he cannot save.Vows, but too late, he will no longer roam,And seeks in pensive gloom his ruin’d home—O how unlike that home where once he stood,Ere adverse fortune came in as a flood,While rosy dreams his peaceful sleep beguil’d.And docile checkmates at his bidding smil’d !So Gaul’s great Emperor, when his star grew pale. And redd’ning Moscow blush’d her funeral wail. When fickle Fate her favourite child misled,And from the vanquish’d, the foil’d victor fled.To the proud Louvre’s once triumphant bower,On Bourbon’s throne to mourn his prostrate power. While frozen Beresina’s slumbering wave Entomb’d the scatter’d remnants of the brave.Now by an arrow from the black tower slain.The pale horse lies upon the purple plain—But ** bloodier yet” that plain with gore shall flow. Ere laurell’d wreaths adorn the conqueror’s brow. One desperate effort more the white will try:His queen, resolv’d to conquer or to die,In armour bright now stands before her king.For a brief moment guarding his right wing.“ Behold,” Macdonnell cries, “ the destin’d hour,** Already, maid, I feel thee in my power—** But ere the fugitives have time to rally,** Forth to the charge our cavalry must sally—

With no delay the flying foe pursue—“ So triumph’d Wellington at Waterloo I

To the queen’s fifth the Moorish knight hath vaulted. And by a dangerous check the queen assaulted:Away doth stalk th’ insulted Amazon,And to her bishop’s fourth hath slowly gone.

A moment o’er the black king danger hover'd— Lest, unawares, he, by a check discoyer*d,Should see his consort from his bed estrang’d,And the day’s fortunes on a sudden chang’d !He sees the peril, and from gathering fires,In his rook’s vacant mansion he retires.

•

To the pale army yet one hope remains—For while life lasts, some faint hope ling’ring reigns Within the aching breast—what wretch so lost.But yet he dreams some die might yet be tost ?Back to his king’s third square the knight retires, And opens on the queen his sidelong fires.Moving e’en as a half-spent Congreve rocket Obliquely wounds the foe that thought to mock it.If the dark dame take fright, and waste a move.The white position may have time t* improve;The men that now as in a prison lie.Will quick emerge from their obscurity.And the feir lady from her unharm’d regions Pour in a torrent her unbroken legions.So hop’d Labourdonnais— but to his cost Soon found the reckoning was without his host.Yet one apparent sacrifice! To vexHis foe, the rook now takes the knight, and checks:The queen’s pawn lifts its spear with sudden power.And on the field now rolls the prostrate tower.Decisive moment! One last furious trampOf horse is ringing in the hostile camp:The knight at adverse bishop’s third hath check’d. And the blonde queen, with no one to protect.Before her gipsy rival stands disarm’d !Ld! to the square which erst her presence charm’d, Sullenly, slowly, crawls the widow’d king.And with his loud lament makes the wide welkin ring. The conquering lady lays her rival low.And smiles triumphant on her prostrate foe*

Swift flew the glorious tidings far and wide,And onward rolled like Ocean’s gathering tide,0*er England’s valleys, and o'er Erin’s fountains,O’er Wales’ rarines, and Caledonia’s mountains:Loud peal’d, bright signals of the battle won,The bells of every church in every town.Thunder’d the.cannon from each martial steep; Answer’d, proud Dublin, thy castle keep;Long streets illumin’d, wave Macdonnell’s name,From house to house, in characters of flame;While, echoing to the wild harps of the north.Bursts the triumphant hymn in glory forth:

THE JXTBILEE.

Sound the loud harp o’er the mountains afar; Macdonnell hath triumph’d,—he’s finish’d the war!

Sing,— r the pride of the Frenchman is broken.His horse and his spearman are in the deep chest;

The dark queen hath taken his love for a token,His rook and his bishop can never molest;

The king is alone, and will soon be check-mated. His men must all fall by the foeman’s attack,—

And the bright hopes of conquest, his breast that elated.

Have melted like snow in the glance of the black.

C horus.

Sound the loud trump over wild Mullingar ; Macdonnell hath triumph’d,— he’s finish’d the war!

Bards, strike your harps in the land of the claymore,- Gather the clans for the dance and the song,—•

Sing how Macdonnell their boasting soon came o’er,

While the wild strain our hills’ echoes prolong.

Erin, not more dost thou worship O'Connell, Making the pride of thine enemies fall.

Than now shalt thou honour thy chosen Macdonnell, By his bright victory galling the Oaul,

C horus.

Sound the shrill fife o*er Killamey -afer, Macdonnell hath triumph’d,—he*s finish’d the war!

Here pause we, to regain our fainting breath ;— Then once more strike the lyre, and hymn the dirge

of death.

C anto IV,— The L am ent.

T hy consort captur’d, of thy glory reft,Pale monarch, of the throne what hope is left ? Fear hath the remnant of thy troops struck dumb. Nor can they to thy timely rescue come:Say, wilt thou wander houseless and forlorn,Till from thy brows the wither’d crown be torn ? Wilt thou, from square to square inglorious driven. Still linger, till the dire checkmate be given ?No—thou shalt die, as thou hast liv’d, a lord.And like the Roman, fall upon thy sword!

Lo! fate hath rid hfan of a life grown cumbrous, Vitaque cum gemitu fugit indignata sub umbra$, Tis said, while flying from the realms of light His soul descended to the shades of night.Aerial forms around his shadow throng’d,And viewless harps the choral dirge prolong’d ;As bending from her bright tent in the sky,*Caissa sang this mournful lullaby:

T he D ir o e .

Farewell, brave hero, white king, farewell, Reduced to zero, by Macdonnell 1

Thy glory banish’d, thy consort dead,Thy kingdom vanish’d, its warriors fled—111 starr'd, ill fated,—no succour nigh.All but checkmated, more couldst thou die ?

C horus. Farewell, great hero, pale king farewell. Reduced to zero, by Macdonnell!

O’er thee exulting, bends the swart king;His queen, msulting, mockery doth fling; Dark knights advancing, laugh at thy doom; Sable pawns dancing, tramp on thy tomb.

C horus. Farewell, brave hero, monarch farewell,, Reduced to zero, by Macdonnell i

Lord of pde legions, whither art gone?In what dark regions wanderest alone? Where shail thy sorrow sympathy clum. From ntght to morrow wailing thy shame?

C horus . Farewell, brave hero, great chief, fareweU, Reduc’d to zero, by Macdonnell!

Where the dark shadows lingering die: Where Stygian meadows mournfully lie: Where daily slaughters Pluto controls.And his black waters Acheron rolls!

C h o r u s . Farewell, brave hero, light king, farewell, Reduced to zero, by Macdonnell!

When from thy prison, starting to light.Thou art uprisen, fresh for the fight—When thy pale legions, their penance done.In upper regions hail the bright sun,—

C horus. Farewell, brave hero, French chief, farewell.Reduc’d to zero, by Macdounell!Be not too daring, his wrath to brave.Lest thou despairing, find back thy grave—Lest he inweave thee, in his dark chain.And pining leave thee, mated again!

Chorus. Farewell, brave hero, warrior, farewell.Reduc’d to zero, by Macdonnell!

Dark knit his brows the proud Labourdonnais,And, silent, ru’d the fortunes of the day;To his lone couch he crept with aching breast.And gave his soul to sleejl, but not to rest.Strange visions of C heckmate ’s unusual form,Hover’d around him like a gathering storm;And his lost queen s pale ghost, with shiverings deep.Rode, like a nightmare, on his strangled sleep.Yet ere the cock announc’d the dawning morrow.Fresh dreams of glory drown’d his transient sorrow.Thus ever with alternate victory crown’d.Fiance, England, be your equal arms renown'd!Long, noble nations, may your discords cease.And be your rivalry the arts of peace; ^Hush’d the dire feuds that set the world ajar.And the chess board your only field of war!

But thou, Hibernia’s chosen, dearest son.Whither wilt bear the wreath of laurels won ?Death claims her suffering victim even now,With his green garland fresh upon his brow—•

* Mr. Me Donnell died ghortly after the playing of these games, at the age of thirty-seven. At this comparatively early era of life, he was the best Chess­player in Great Britain.

Thy swelling veins her lurking venom carry,The only check thou could'st not learn to parry !A few short months, and all thy triumph’s o*er: Mourn, Ireland, mourn—Macdonnell is no more And is that noble soul for ever fled.And art thou number’d with th’ oblivious dead, Illustrious youth, ere yet the hand of time Had ripen’d to full growth thy skill sublime ?Yet shall thy grave with sculptur'd chiefs be drest. And marble queens lie lightly on thy breast.*Oh! may some kindred soul the sceptre claim.Thy glory share, and emulate thy name !While thou, in holier realms, least understood. Where the sole conflict is the thirst for good. Embosom’d in a calm eternity,Enjoy'st thine early immortality !f

For me, the meanest of Caissa’s train,That glory, which thro’ Chess I sought in vain,t Thou yet may'st give, Macdonnell, while with thine. Like ivy round the oak, my name I twine:Enough, that from Parnassus’ lofty height.For thee my muse hath wing’d her venturous flight; O’er realms by poesy yet scarcely own’d.And sung a captur’d Queen,—a King dethron’d.

♦ Yet shall thy grave with rising flowers be drest.And the green tu r f lie lightly on thy breast.—P o p e .

t The Rev. A. D’Arblay died in 1837. He was not forty years of age.

Mr. B’Arblay received the odds of the Rook from Mr. Me Donnell.

NoU on Canssa Rediviva.

As inexperienced players might find it difficult to follow the g^me from the Poem, we insert it here in the usual form.*

BLACK.

1. K. P, two.2. K. B. P. two.3. K. Kt. to K. B. third.4. K. B. to Q. B. fourth.6. Q. Kt. to Q. B. third.6. Q. takes P.7. Q. P. two.8 Castles.9. B. takes P ch.

10. Q. checks.11. B. takes P.12. R. takes B.13. Q. to K. Kt. fifth, ch.14. Q. R. to K. B.16. R. takes Kt.16. Kt. to Q. fifth.17. K. to R.18. R. takes Kt. ch.19. Kt. checks at B. sixth.20. Q. takes Q. and Mates in

WHITE.

1. The same.2. P. takes P.3. K. Kt. P. two.4. K. Kt. P. one.5. P. takes Kt.6. K. B. to K. R. third.7. Q. Kt. to Q. B. third.8. Q. Kt. takes P.9. K. takes B.

10. K. to Kt. second.11. B. takes B.12. K. Kt.to K. B. third,13. K. to K. B. second.14. K. home.15. Q. to K. second.16. Q. to Q. B. fourth.17. Kt. to K. third.18. P. takes R.19. K. to Q.

three moves.

The above game afibrds a fine specimen of the Muzio G a m b it , oAe of the most attacking and brilliant openings extant. The present mode of pursuing the attack, by bringing out Queen’s Knight, at Move 6, on the part of the first player, in preference to the old custom of Castling at that time, is entirely new, and the exclusive introduction of Mr. Me Donnell. Which is the sounder of the two moves is difiicult to decide; the merit of that which is here played, could not have been better proved, than by its succeeding against M. De La Bourdonnais; to whom it was perfectly novel, or his defence would have been doubtless stronger. The first players agree that the sacrifice of the Knight, which constitutes tne Muzio Gambit, ought not to succeed against the best line of defence. Mr. Me Donneli was the author of many new moves, both in this opening, and the Evans Gambit.

* Copious notes are given on this individual game, by Mr. George Walker, in his manual for beginners, called— Chess M a d e E a s y .”

CHESS PROBLEMS.No, 26.— B y M , Jidms Mendheim of BerHn.

White to Checkmate in four moves.

No. 26.— B y the same.

White to Mate in eight moves.

No. 28.— B y the same.

White Mates in seven moves.

No. 30.— B y the same.

White to Mate in jive moves.

No. 32.— B y the same.

WHIST.—BY A MELTONIAN.No. III.

There exist certain terms in Whist, an exact knowledge of which is essential, but which are mostly very imperfectly understood. Players are content to repeat them by rote; but show, practically, that they are innocent of a closer acquaintance together. In the present paper, I shall touch upon some of these; and hope by the use of ample illustration, to develope their means and signi­fication in the fullest extent. The first to be noticed is

A S l a m .You are said to gain a slam, when you and your partner Win

all the thirteen tricks. That this may occur, is proved by the following curious example of a certain situation of the cards, which results in a slam. A and 6 are in partnership against C and D, C having the deal, clubs being trumps, and the four hands being thus constituted:—

A,—King, knave, nine, and seven of trumps; a quart-major in diamonds, a tierce-major in hearts, and the ace and king of spades.

B,—Nine diamonds, two spades, and two hearts.• D,—Ace, queen, ten, and eight of trumps, with nine spades.

C,—-Five trumps, and eight hearts.A having to lead, pl^s trump, which D wins; returning a

spade, which his partner, C, ruff’s. C leads trump, which D wins, and the latter again returns a spade, which is trumped, like the last, by C. C once more plays a trump, which D wins, and D having the best trump, then plays it off; afterwards making all his seven spades, and thus winning a slam. It must be confessed that this said &lam i9 an exotic, much easier to talk of th^n produce.

The following species of Whist problem, embodying a “ case of slam,” is given by a French contemporary of the Philidorian, the Palamede, as having really occured, a few years since, to a Mr. Chapel (or some such name), in actual play. This gentleman and his partner were nine to three (longs), aiid of course required but the odd trick, to go out. In this state of things, Mr. Chapel, designated herein as A, dealt; and having turned up a heart as the trump, found his hand thus fashioned;—

H e a r t s (trumps),—King, knave, nine, seven, and five.D i a m o n d s ,— Ace, king, queen, and knave.S p a d e s ,—Ace, king, and queen.C l u b s ,— The k in g .With such cards, A felt assured of making the tricky and his

pocket began doubtless to glow, at the thoughts of the coming harvest. The hand is played out, and not oiuy do A and B (the

2 A

partners) lose the trick, but their op^nents, C, and D, actually make a slam (or seven by cards), and thus win the game! And this, moreover, without grossly bad play on the part of A and B ; for, on the contrary, the game is not absolutely forced through the weight of the cards alone, but through the good play o f A and B ; who are thus made to cut their own throats scientincally.

To produce the required result, it is possible to vary the dis­position of the cards in the three remaining hands ; but for my present purpose, it is sufficient to show one mode by which the question may be solved. The reader must follow me, with the cards in hand. The' following we suppose to be the manner in which the three remaining hands were constituted :—

C, the left hand adversary of A, holds—T b u m p s ,—Ace, queen, ten, eight, and six.D ia m o n d s ,—Nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, and two.C l u b s ,—The eight.D, the partner of C, holds—T r u m p s ,— Tw o , th ree , and fou r.D ia m o n d s ,— Th e ace.Cl u b s ,—Ace, ten, nine, seven, three, and two.S p a d e s ,—Nine, eight, and seven.B, A's partner, had of course the remaining thirteen cards,

which need not be more particularly specified, than as being a very queer lot. Let us now see, trick by trick, how the hand was played out.

1. A having dealt, C leads off his single club, B plays queen,D, ace, A the Hng.

2. D, having turned the trick, returns club, A ruffs with the five, C overtrumps with the six, and B plays four of clubs.

3. C leads mne of diamonds, B gives the three, D the ace, and A the king.

4. D, who won the last trick, plays the nine of clubs; A trumps this time with knave, C overtrumps with queen, and B throws the five of clubs.

5. C returning to his diamonds, plays the eight; B throws the four of spades, D cuts with the two of trumps, and A drops queen of diamonds.

6. D leads seven of clubs, A plays king of trumps, C wins with the ace of trumps, and B throws the five of Clubs.

7. C leads off seven of diamonds, B three of spades, D ruffs with the three of hearts, and A plays knave of diamonds.

8. D leads three of clubs, A cuts with nine of trumps, C over­trumps with the ten, and B plays knave of clubs.

9. C, knowing the ten of diamonds is yet in hand, plavs the six, B follows with the six of spades, D cuts with the four of trumps, and A drops his last diamond.

10. D leads the two of clubs, A trumps with the seven, C over­raffs with the eight, and B plays the five of clubs,

11, 12, 13. C leads, and makes, his three remaining diamonds; the trumps being played.

C and D consequently make a slam, and A must be, I should conceive, somewhat astounded at the result.

The next technicality on which I propose to pause, is the phrase

T e n a c e .

By placing the cards in the following position, a clear idea is conveyed to the learner’s mind, as to the designation of “ the tenace*’ . Suppose A and B to play a species of two-handed whist, the pack being divided into two hands of twenty- six cards each:— A’s hand includes ace, queen, ten, eight, six, and four of clubs, with the like six cards in spades. It is now clear, that if B had to lead twelve times running, in the two suits named, A must make all the twelve tricks; now suppose B has the same twelve cards in diamonds and hearts which A has in spades and clubs;— it is equally clear, that should A lead a dozen times in succession from the red suits, B makes twelve tricks in them. Now with hands thus constituted, should one of the parties name his trump and lead, he turns, on the whole, but thirteen tricks; but if one name the trump, and the other lead, he who names the trump wins fourteen tricks.

T h e F o e c e ,

To force, is to play a card of a suit, of which, knowing he has none, you compel a trump from either your partner, or your ad­versary* according to which of the two parties your hand demands should be forced. While a skilful force wins the game, an im­proper force as frequently loses it. The force, is, indeed, one of the strongest weapons of war wielded bjr the better order of players. Always force the strong hand in your adversary; but not the weak; its operation is seen thus:—suppose you have three trumps each, all round, except one of your adversaries, who has four, it is clear that if all the trumps were at once played out, he with the four, must remaiii with that important advantage, the last trump; but if he can be forced to trump, before the trumps are led out, he must part with one of the four trumps; and as he then remains on an equality with his neighbours, in point of numbers, his certainty of having the sole trump, left, fares accordingly.

The danger of forcing vonr partner improperly, is well shown by the following case; which to be understood, must be referred to the cards; the hands being sorted out and played :—

A and B are partners. A has a quint-major in trumps ; eight

cwds, including ijnother qui&t-m$tjor, in a seeond siiit; and hits the lead. Here, it must be obyious, that should the adversaries G and D have five trumps, only, in either one hand, A, draws all the trumps,—makes the eight cards of his second suit, and thus ttirns the whole thirteen tricks. But, on the reverse, should one of A *3 adversaries, say C, hold five small trumps, with eight cards, including a quint>major, of a second suit, and have the lead, C forces A to trump, and the latter turns, consequently, but five tricks. The principle of the force can hardly be better exempli­fied, than in this one brief instance. Pass we on to the con­sideration of what is the “ Saw,” or “ See-saw/*

The Saw .

You are said to establish a saw, when ypu and your partner alternately trump a suit, played to each other for the express purpose. Under this head, 1 am enabled to give a case o f curiosity, in illustration, which will show bow many tricks a saw will sometimes yield. It is indeed an orthodox Whist maxim, that when possible to form a saw, it should be adopted before every other species of play. Let us place our position as a problem:—

It is required to know how the four different hands must be constituted, to allow one party to score three by cards, against the four honours held one hand, and thus certain of four tricks; besides the same hand possessing two other quart-maiors. I annex one solution, which is as good as a dozen; and which, besides, comprises some interesting play.

A and 0 play, it supposed, in partnership, against B and D.A holds a quar ipia jor in hearts (trumps), the same in spades

and diamonds, and. bb thirteenth card is the ace of clubs; making up a pretty looking sort of hand on the whole. A has dealt.

B, A's left hand adversary, holds four trumps, five spades, and four clubs.

D, B’s partner, has five trumps and eight diamonds.’ C, A*s partner, holds of course the remaining thirteen cards,

B, having to lead, plays off spade, D, cuts it, and returns diamonds, which B trumps, and again gives the spade. The saw, thus established, is followed up; and eight tricks are thereby gained; leaving the lead with B. B for his ninth card, prefers p la y ^ club to spade, and D makes his last trump on the same; turning nine tricks, and leaving the four honours “ blooming alone, ’ in the fingers of unhappy A.

From the execution of this “ coup,” the student may gather a good demonstration of the force of a saw, in preference to any other description of play.

The authors of the Academic des Jeux pretend to resolve this problem; but as they only assign nine cards to A, without naming

the otli^r fQur bQ' should hold, th^r $olution is hecesearilyrim-' perfect for should his remaining four cards not be of the suit first led by B, and should A’s partner have cards superior to those of B, A, instead of making only four tricks by his honours, would gain five tricks. Th writers of the Acad6mie des Jeux seem not to have been too particular as to aoeuracy; for on one occasion we find them giving fifteen trumps, to be held in thirteen cards!

And so much, at present, for Wliist in its technicals.Whist has its curiosities, as well as other sciences and some of

them are well worthy of a niche in the amateur’s book-case. For instance, I have seen a bet made, that the deal after a mis-deal, one of the four hands will have none, or at most a single card, of one of the four suits. I recollect trying this over patiently with friend, twenty times; and fourteen out of the twenty, the result

was in favour of a similar wager. Indeed, were I a betting man,1 should have no hesitation in laying la^e odds on the event’s coming off as above stated. 1 be same thing holds good, that the deal following a mis-deal, one of the four players will hold at least five cards of one particular suit. Persons sometimes set such things down to the score of superstitious belief in certain of fate’s oddities, but it is hardly necessary to point out, that in both of the above cases, the mis-deal merely acts as a perfect means of mixing and shuffling the cards, and hence the increased proba­bility of the different suits falling in disproportional allotments. When the pack is dealt almost as taken up, the tricks havings run pretty regular, each player freaaently gets his three of a sort all round, and this by no means aads to the amusement, nor to the science, of playing out the hand. The inference is, that the cards should invariably be well sorted and shuffled. I have heard that one of our most celebrated living engineers, Mr. B*****, some time back invented a curious little machine, by means of which the pack of cards is not only perfectly shuffl^, and re­mixed, after dealing, but is subsequently dealt round to the four whist players, with mathematical precision; the last card being turned up for the trump. For many reasons it were desirable that some such ^gine should be introduced, partcularly in mixed society; could its operation be depended on, and rendered entirely free from suspicion. Mis-deals would then be things unknown; cards would remain clean much lon^erthan at present; ^ d clumsy dealers would jump at once from limbo into Paradise.

I call the following cunous, and well exemplifyinff t ^ beau­tiful uncertainty of fortune. A first-rate Wnist player with whom 1 am acquainted, played recently, at a large Whist party, thirty rubbers of shorts, cutting for partners every rubber; and playing during the night at four different tables. Out of the thirty, he lost twenty-seven. I can pledge myself to the truth of this, and it may be added, he was decidedly the best player in the

room. Doubtless, men of larger experience than myself could produce authenticated cases of similar, and much greater runs of

or bad cards, attaching themselves thus pertinaciously,during the whole meeting, to one devoted individual. I have heard of some things this way, which require to be taken “ with salt,"' and a good deal of “ salt” too, to make them swallowable.

Another Whist “ coup” may be here introduced, which though less brilliant, is even more eccentric” than the last I noticed. You are required to name the four hands, which will allow the one party to make five by cards, against the four honours; the latter being all in the hands of the adversaries, though divided. Once more, I repeat that to follow me here, a pack of cards must be put in requisition.

A and C, are against B and D ; hearts being trumps. A has the lead.

A holds five trumps, a tierce-major in spades, and the three o f spades; lastly, a quart to the nine in diamonds.

B takes up the ace and queen of trumps, a quint to the ten in clubs, a tierce to the queen in diamonds, and a tierce to the knave in spades.

C hM four trumps, ace and king of diamonds, a quint to the queen in clubs, and the eight and nine of spades.

D holds king and knave of trumps, ace, king, and knave o f clubs, a quart to the knave in diamonds, and a quart to the ten in spiules. The tricks come off thus:—

1. A leads ace of spades, and turns the first trick.2. A plays king of spades, and makes it.3. A leads queen of spades, and his partner, C, throws away

a small club.4. A plays off the three of spades, B throws away a club, C

ruffs with a little trump, and D plays the ten of spades.5. C leads off ace of diamonds and wins.6. C leads off king of diamonds, and again wins.7. C plays low club, D wins it with ace, A ruffs, and B plays

elub.8. A leads diamond, B plays queen, C cuts it, and D follows

suit.9. C plays clubs, D knowing it will be trumped, plays knave,

A trumps, and B follows suit.10. A plays diamond, B, knowing his partner holds knave,

throws away a club, C trumps, and D follows suit with knave.11. C leads club, D plays king, A ruffs it, and B, playing his

last club, remains with ace and queen of trumps, which fall with his partner s king and knave of the same. Five by cards are thus scored against the four honours.

And now to quote another suppositious piece of remarkable Whist-play.

Itnagine three hands of cards, each hand consfsting of three cards only, to be played Whist fashion, bat each acting in inde­pendence of the others. Allow A to name the the trump, and permit B to choose which of the three handjg he likes; but A having the subsequent choice of the remaining two hands, will win two tricks. The execution is thus:—

Clubs are trumps.First hand; ace, king, and six of hearts.Second ditto; ^ueen, ten of hearts ; ten of clubs.Third ditto; nine of hearts, two and three of clubs.The first hand wins of the second; the second wins of the third,

and the third wins of the first.1 shall wind-up this article by a Whist story; pregnant with

instruction.An acquaintance of mine, some years since, at that time a very

young man, was ingeniously swindled at Whist, under the following circumstances;—he was in the coffee room of a second-rate tavern, with a friend, one evening, when two strangers who were present entered into conversation; and the result was a rubber of Whist; which my friend, being of course extremely wide awake to the manoeuvres of men on town, would only engage in, for the trifling stake of glasses of brandy-and-water round. Indeed, the stran­gers themselves earnestly deprecated playing for money ; which they said spoilt the interest of the game. The rubber was played, the brandy-and-water drunk, and a second commenced upon the same terms; a hand or two were played, and one of the strangers had to deal, with my clever acquaintance on his left hand ; on whom therefore the lead naturally devolved. My friend took up his cards, with all the eagerness of a novice, and. found his hand thus composed :— a seizieme-major in hearts (trumps), a quart- major in clubs, and a tierce-major in spades.

The stranger who had dealt, was taking snuff, and had therefore not touched his cards; but laughingl3r asked our poor friend, if he felt inclined to bet upon the odd trick—“ but 1 have looked at my cards/* was the reply;—“ oh! never mind that; if you like to bet on the odd trick, Tm in the humour for a little speculation,

' and ril take you for a couple of sovereigns.”—The victim gorged the bait, ihinKing he must turn at least twelve, out of the thirteen tricks; and after a good deal of discussion, the bet was increased to twenty pounds, and a twenty pound note was deposited on the part of the pigeon with the honest landlord; accompanied by some substance, bearing the same appearance, on the side of the dealer. The hand was played out; my acquaintance making six tricks, and the dealer taking up of course the other seven. The sufferer and his friend were petrified ; and ere they determined it to be a cheat, the deposit was withdrawn from the landlord,—

pocketed by the 8trniige9* ftnd the rubber being ti&fittished, the two sharks made their exit in triumph. The thinff was pie enough, and had been evidently pre-arranged as follows :—

A pack of cards, prepared for the “ Coup,” were doubtless drawn from the pocket of the dealer; and after the cutting of the honest pack, had been changed by slight of hand, and uiu6 surreptitiously introduced into circulation. At the time to which I allude, nearly all the cards had white backs, which doubtless would facilitate similar deceptions. We have seen what were the cards devoted to the use of him, on whom the robbery was to be committed: but says the youthful reader, “ what cards could the dealer have packed for himself, to ensnre the winning the odd trick against so much force; since the leader’s six trumps would alone ensure him six tricks?” I will tell him—

The dealer must have held the other seven trumps, with a seizieme-major in diamonds. As to the mode in wl^h the re­maining two hands were distributed, it matters not a farthing. Let us look at the result of these two hands quoted, when brought into contact; the thing lies in a nutshell; the leader must make his six trumps, but cannot make another trick.

If the leader begin by trumping out, the dealer plays trump for trump; and brings in his diamonds, through the agency of his seventh, and last, trump. If on the other hand, the leader forces the dealer, by playing spade, or club, the latter, of course, trumps, and forces the leader in return, by playing diamonds* Should the dealer, instead of returning diamond play trump , the method would not succeed, the one force having brought his number of trumps down to six, the same as held by the leader, who wo«ld then be enabled to take out the trumps, and win all the remaining tricks. This is a good illustration of the value of the last trump to bring in a long suit, and also as still more expiratory of the peculiar action of “ forcing” herein before described.

The swindlers who so well succeeded on this occasion, formed doubtless part of a class who have always prepared cards, dice, and other devilries in their pockets; ready for the edification of her majesty’s very verdant subjects. The “ genus” is not new, there being a fine specimen exhibited in femollet’s Roderick Random. Older men than the inexperienced youth whose adven­ture I have quoted, would have refused payment, and would have kicked the vagabonds out of the room ; but the landlord doubtless had a feeling in the division of the spoil, and of course, therefore, de­cided upon giving up the stakes to the winners. It may be added that the dupe was himself in fault, for had the deal been genuine, it Would have been little or no better than robbery on his part, to make a bet, which, as he had looked at his cards, he wad morally certain of winning,

( To be continued.J

STUDIES IN POLISH DRAUGHTS.No. 17.—M , Dufour moves with White and wins.

2 B

Digitized by G o O g l C

No. 20.— White to win. B y M . Lamontagne,(A coup ” of first-rate difficulty.)

THE CHESS RECORD;CONSISTING OF GAMES ACTUALLY PLAYED.

G a m e XLWHITE. BLACK.

1. K. P. two.2. K. Kt. to B. third.3. K. B. to Q. B. fourth.4. Q. Kt. P. two.6. Q. B. P. one.6. Q, P. two.7. Kt. retakes.8. Q. retakes.9. K. P. advances.

10. Castles.11. Q .toQ . fifth.12. Q. to K. fourth.13. Q. to K. second.14. Q. B. to R. third.16. P. takes P.16. K. R. to K.

.17. B. checks.18. Q. Kt. to Q. second.19. Q. to K. B. third.20. Q. takes Q. Kt. P.21. Q. retakes B. ch.22. Q, to Q. Kt. seventh.23. R. takes Kt.24. R. takes P. ch.

1. K. P. two.2. Q. Kt. to B. third.3. The same.4. B. takes Kt. P.6. B. to R. fourth.6. P. takes P.7. Kt. takes Kt.8. Q. to K. B. third.

Q. to K. Kt. third.K. B. to Q. Kt. third.

11. Q. to K. third.12. Q. to K. Kt. third.

K. Kt. to K. second. Q. P. one.Pawn retakes.K. B. to Q.B. covers.

18. Q. to K. third.19. Q. to K. B. third.20. B. takes 6.21. K. to B.22. Q. R. to B.23. Q. takes Q. B. P.24. K. to JCt.

10.

13.14. 16. 16. 17.

26. R. to B. eighth, ch.—By this move checkmate is very neatly effected.

26. K. takes R.26. B. takes P. ch. . 26. King to Kt.27. Q. to Q. fifth.---------Checkmate.

G a m e XII.Won by M , Szen of M . Boncourt, the latter playing with White.

WHITE.

1. K. P. two.2. K. B. to Q. B. fourth.3. K. Kt. to B. third.4. Q. B. P, one.6. Q. P. one.6. Q. Kt. P. two.

BLACK.1. K. P. two.2. Same.3. Q. Kt. to B. third.4. K. Kt. to B. third.6. K. B. to Q. Kt. third,6. Q. R. P. one.

7.8. 9.

10.11.12.13.14.15.16.17.18.19.20. 21. 22.23.24.25.26.27.28. 29.

Castles.Q. R. P. two.Q. B. to K. third.Q. Kt. to Q second.P. takes B.K. P. takes P.B. takes Kt.Q. Kt. to K. fourth.K. Kt. to Kt. fifth.Q. to K. R. fifth.Kt. takes B.Q. to K. Kt. sixth.K. R. to B. seventh.Q. R. to K. B.K. R. takes K. Kt. P. (b) K. to corner.Q. takes K. P.Kt. to K. B. sixth.R. to K. Kt.Q. to K. R. third.Kt. takes R.Q. to K. sixth.Q. B. P. one.

7. Q. P. one.8. Castles.9. Q. B. to K. third.

10. K. B. takes B.11. Q. P. one.12. K. Kt. takes P.13. Q. takes B.14. K. R. toQ.15. Q. takes P. (a)16. K. R. P. one.17. P. retakes Kt.18. K. to corner.19. K. R. to K. Kt.20. Q. R. to Q. B.21. Q. takes K. P. ch.22. R. takes R.23. Q. R. to K. Kt.24. Q. to K. seventh.25. Kt. to Q. (c)26. Kt. to K. B. second.27. Rook retakes.28. Q. to K. B. seventh.29. Q. to K. B. fifth.

M , Boncourt (White) resigns the game.

(a) This move is better at first, than second sight. It allows White to establish a strong attack.

(b) White commits an error here, which will probably cost him the game.(c) Should be, instead, take K. Kt. P. with Rook, White Matesin two moves,

b j taking Book with Queen.

G am e XIII.WHITE. BLACK.

1. K. P. two.2. K. Kt. to B. third.3. Q, P. two.4. Kt. takes P.6. K. B. P. two.6. Q. Kt. to B. third.7. K. B. P. one.8. K, Kt. to Q. third.9. Q, B. to Kt, fifth.

10. Kt. takes B.11. K. B. to Q. third.

is perhaps premature. It allows12. Kt. to Q. fifth.

1. Same.2. Q. Kt. to B. third.3. Kt. takes P.4. Kt. to K. third.5. K. B. to Q. B. fourth.6. K. Kt. to B. third.7. Kt. to Q. fifth.8. Q. to K. second.9. Q. P. one.

10. P. takes Kt.11. K. R. P. one.— This move

the Kt. to attack Queen.12. Q. home.

13. Kt. takes Kt. ch. 13. P. takes Kt.14. B. to K. B. fourth. 14. Q. to K. second.15. Castles. 15. Q. B. to Q. second,16. B. takes B. P. 16. R. to Q. B.17. B. to K. B. fourth. 17. Q. B. P. one.18. Q. B. P. one. 18. Kt. takes K. B. P.19. P. takes Kt. 19. Q. to Q. B. fourth, ch.20. K. to corner. 20. P. takes B.21. R. checks. 21. K. to B.22. Q. takes P. 22. Q. takes K. B. P.23. Q. to Q. sixth, ch. 23. K. to Kt. second,24. K. Kt. P. two.— This appears to be a good move; but is,

in reality unsound. It opens White’s King to danger.24. Q. to Q. Kt. fourth. The

best move, were he to check with B, you capture B with Q.25. B. to K. third. 25. B. checks.26. K. to Kt. 26. Q. takes Q. Kt. P.27. Q. to K. Kt. third. 27. Q. R. to Q.28. B. to Q. fourth. 28. K. R. to K.29. K. Kt. P. one. 29. K. to R. second.—Black

has no better move; his position was difficult.30. Q. R. to Q. Kt. 30. Q. takes Q. R. P.31. K. R. P. two. 31. R. P. takes P.— To waste

time in taking off these Pawns, seems badly judged. It also opens Black’s King to difficulties.

32. P. takes P. 32. Pawn takes P.33. R. to K. B.—Very well played move; menacing a tre­

mendous attack.33. Q. R. to Q. third.—This

Rook is safely put en prise, as White dare not bring away Queen to take it. If White check with Q. at R. 3, Rook would now cover.

34. Q. R. to R.—This Rook placed at Q. Kt. 2 would have changed the fate of the day.

34. Q. to Q. fourth.35. Q. R. to R. fifth.—Ingenious; but Black will refuse the

proffer.35. Q. to R. eighth, ch.

36. K. to B. second. 36. Q. to K. R. fourth, (best)37. R. to K. 37. R. takes R.38. K. takes R. 38. R. checks.39. R. covers. 39. Q. to K. R. fifth.40. Q. takes Q. ch. 40. P. retakes Q ..41. R. takes R. 41. P. takes R.42. B. takes P.—^White might draw the game, were Black’s

Pawns differently posited. But their being so far apart, makes the greater<tiumW of points for White to guard ; and renders defence impossible.

42. K. R. P. one.43. B. to Kt. eighth. 43. K. to Kt. third.44. K. to B. second. 44. K, to B. fourth.45. B. to K. R- second, 45. K. to K. fifth.The game is forced. for Black; though it was carried many

moves further. On the whole it is an interesting piece o f play, the situations being lively and critical on both sides. At one time, White had decidedly the better position; a comfort with which losers are always glad to hug themselves.

CHESS PROBLEMS;—SOLUTIONS.P roblem XVIL

1. Q. B. to Q. sixth. 1. K. moves.2. K. to Q. B. sixth. 2. K. moves.3. K. B. to K. fourth. 3. K. moves.4. K. to Q. Kt. seventh. 4. K. moves.5. K. B. to Q. B. sixth, eh., and then P. Mates.

P roblem XVIII.1. Kt. to K. B. seventh. 1. K. moves.2. Kt. to Q. B. sixth. 2. K. moves.3. P. one sq. 3. K. moves.4. K. to R. seventh. 4. K. moves.5. Kt. to Q. sixth, ch., and then P. Mates.

P poblem XIX.1. Kt. from R. seventh, to K. B. sixth, ch.

1. K. moves.2. K. to Kt. eighth. 2. K. moves.3. P. one sq. 3. K. moves.4. Kt. to K. R. fifth. 4. K. moves.5. Kt. to K. B. fourth, ch., and then P. Mates. ,

P roblem XX.1. Kt. from Kt. sixth, to Q. B. eighth ch.

1. K . to It. sq. (A)2. King moves. 2. K. moves,3. P. one sq. 3. K. moves.4. Kt. to Q. R. seventh. 4. K. moves.5. Kt. to Q. B. sixth, ch., and then Mates with P.—It is to be

remarked, that the Kt. may also be brought to this square by sev­eral other routes, but the result would be similar.

(A)1. K . to K t, sq.

2. P. one sq. 2. K. moves.3. Kt. to R. seventh, and forces Mate as before, but earlier.

1. Kt. to K. fifth. I. K . to R . sq. (B)2. P. one sq. 2. K. moves.3. K. moves. 3. K. moves.4. Kt. to K. Kt. fourth. 4. K. moves.5. Kt. ch., and Mates with P.

(B)1. K , to K t. square,

2. P. one sq. 2. K. moves.3. Kt. to K. Kt. fourth. 3. K. mores.4. Kt. checks, and Mates with P.

P roblem XXII.1. Kt. t6 Q. B. sixth, ch. 1. K .to K . sq, (C)2. K. to Kt. sixth. 2. K. mdVes.3. B. to Q. fifth. 3. K. moves.4. P. one sq. 4. K. moves.6. K. to R. seventh. 6. K. moves.6. K. to R. eighth. 6. K. moves.7. B. to K. fourth. 7. K. moves.8. B. to K. Kt. sixth, and then P. Mates.

(C)1. K , to B , sq,

2. K. to Kt. sixth. 2. K. moves.3. K. to R. seventh. 3. K. moves.4. B. to Q. fifth. 4. K. moves.6. P. one sq. 5. K. moves.6. B. to K. fourth, and then Mates with P. in two moves.

P roblem XXIII.1. K. to B. seventh. 1. K. moves.2. P. one sq. 2. K. moves,3. B. to Q. sixth. 3. K. moves.4. B. to K. B. eighth. 4. K. moves.6. B. checks, and Mates with P.

P roblem XXIV.1. K. to Kt. sixth. 1. K. moves.2. B. to Q. sixth. 2. K. moves.3. P. one sq. 3. K. moves.4. B. to Q. K. third. 4. K. moves.6. B. to Q. B. sq. 6. K. moves.6. B. to K. R. sixth. 6. K. moves.7. B, checks, and then P. Mates.

ENGLISH DRAUGHTS;—SITUATIONS.

No. 13.— White to win.

No, 4.— White draws hy a sdentijic Coup,

THE

PHILIDORIAN.

No. 6. [MAY] 1838.

CHESS.—NEW VARIATION, AND DEFENCE, OF

THE EVANS OPENING.

T h e b e is a fashion in Chess, as well as in everything else, and Captain Evans’ Opening is decidedly the one at present most in vogue, with the higher circle of players.

The following outline of a defence to the Evans Gambit is by Mr. B., a distinguished player, and a member of the Edinburgh Club. The accompanying remarks are our own. It will be seen that this defence is not general, but applicable solelj to one particular mode of attack ; which, in our belief, it certainly foils. The inference is, that the first player must change nis tactics, and try to strengthen his previous moves, or the opening must be abandoned; but all this we shall notice in detail, beginning with the preliminary moves which constitute the Evans Game.

WHITE. BLACK.

1. K. p. two. 1. Same.2. K. Kt. to 6. third. 2. Q. Kt. to B. third.3. K. B. to Q. B. fourth. 3. Same.4. Q. Kt. P. two. 4. B. takes Kt. P.6. Q. B. P. one. The Evans Opening is now perfected, and

the parties join issue thereon accordmgW.6. ]5. to R.fourth.—Whether

the Bishop should be played to this, or to the B. fourth, is foreign to the question here. The authors of the attack, the defence of which is developed in the present essay, presume Black’s sixth move to be as now given.

2 B

6. Castles,— We may here hint that to deploy the Q. P. two, is also ffo<)d play, though rarely adopted. If the K. P. take, you rets^e with Kt.

6. K. Kt. to B. third.—This, and Black’s seventh move, are decidedly the best he can play.

7. Kt. to K. Kt. fifth.— This, and the subsequent advance of K. B. P., are advised as the best means of continuing the attack, by eveiy writer who has hitherto broached the suQect. After going through Mr. B.*s defence, we fancy it will be universally admitted that White must here “ try b a c k a n d push the Q. P. 2., as his strongest move.

7. Castles (best.)8. K. B. P. two, 8. Q. P. two (best.)9. K. P. takes Q. P. (best). 9. K. Kt. takes P.— This,

and all Black’s subsequent moves, are the best that can be found. It is equally presumed that White has never the choice of other moves, than those given. Black purposely reserves giving the check with Bishop.

10. Q. B. to R. third. 10. Kt. takes K. B. P.— This is the new move on which the defence turns.

Should White now take Rook with Bishop, Black captures Kt. with Q., and wins the game. There are, therefore, but three things worthy of notice for White, at this stage; and these are:—

No. 1. R. takes Kt. (best.)No. 2. K. R. P. two.No. 3. Kt. takes K. B. P.These three several means of resource we proceed to analyze

in rotation; beginning with No. 1, because it seems the strongest.No. 1

WHITE. BLACK.

11. R. takes Kt. 11. Q. takes Kt.12. R. to K. B. 12. B. checks.13. K. to corner (Var. A.) 13. Kt. to Q. R. fourth.— This

is better than Q. B. to K. 3, or Kt. to K. 2.14. B. takes R. 14. Kt. takes B.15. Should you retreat B. to Q. Kt. 4, he pushes Q. R. P. 2;

so you may as well at once playB. to Q. R. third. 15. Q. B. to K. third.The second player has, so clearly, a game won by its nature,

that we need carry it out no further. White’s men are com­pletely locked up; he has not indeed a move on the board, and the more we examine the position, the more convinced become we of his inevitable defeat, with equal play.

VARIATION A.

Position of the Pieces.

WHITE. BLACK.

13. Q. p. two. 13. Kt. to Q. R. fourth.—For the sake of variety, Black might risk retreating this Kt. to K. 2, but we doubt its being equally “ Chess.”

14. B. takes R. 14. Kt. takes B.15. B. to Q. B. fifth. 15. B. takes B.16. P. takes B. 16. Q. B. to K. third.—It is

not certain that Black might not find out something stronger, with much analysis; but this appears winning. Observe, that should White now push up Q, R. P. two, Black checks with Q., and takes Pawn at Q. B. 4; remaining with a decided numeri­cal superiority.

17. Q. to Q. B. 17. Q. takes Q.18. R. takes Q. 18, R. to Q.Black, being secure of gaining at least another Pawn, maybe

allowed to retire, upon this occasion, with the assurance of having, what writers term, “ the better game.”

WHITE. BLACK.

11. K. R. P. two.—The Queen attacks Knight, and you thus defend it.

11. K. R. P. one.—Should White now capture Rook, you gain in exchange, by taking Kt., a minor piece and three rawns; being surely more than an equivalent.

12. Kt. takes K. B. P. 12. R. takes Kt.13. B. takes R. ch. 13. King retakes B.14. K. Kt. P. one. 14. B.toKt.3.ch.—At length

Black determines on giving the check.16. Q. P. two.—White’s best move; since if you play King

upon R. file, Black may move Q. to Q. second ; or may retreat King to Kt., and you would not dare to take Kt. with P., as Q. could take your K. R. P.

16. Q. Kt. takes Q. P.16. K. Kt. P. takes Kt. IG. Kt. toQ.B.seventh dis. ch.Black’s 16th move appears to be his strongest and White

cannot long protract defeat.

206

No. 3.CFor the position of the pieces see Diagram prefixed to No, 2,J

WHITE. BLACK.11. Kt. takes K. B. P. 11. R. takes Kt.12. B. takes R. ch. (Var. B.) 12. K. takes B.13. K. Kt. P. one, 13. Q. to K. Kt. fourth.14. K. to corner.—It does not appear that White’s checking

at Q. Kt. 3, would be of service.14. Q. B. to K. third.16. Q. home.—^Threatening to16. Q. to K. B. third,

place Bishop at Q. 4.16. Q. to K. R. fifth, ch. 16. K. to Kt.17. P. takes Kt. 17. Q.toQ. sixth.—This wins

the game. White has not a move on the board worth looking at.

VAR. B Position of the Pieces.)

WHITB. BLACK.

12. Q. to Q. Kt. third. 12. Q. to K.—We once, inplaying this opening with the White pieces, against M. Szen, the Hnngarian, carried out the present variation to the actual point before us. M. Szen, on his twelfth move, however, with Black, first checked with Bishop, before moving Q. to K. sq. The student may compare both methods.

13. B. takes R. ch.—Unless White take Rook, the Kt. would retreat to K. 3.

13. Q. takes B.14. Q. takes Q. ch. 14. King retakes.16. K. Kt. P. one. 15. B. checks.16. Q. P. two.—Should K. retreat to corner, you win by play­

ing B. to R. 6.16. Q. B. to R. sixth.

17. R. to K. B. second. 17. Kt. takes Q. P.18. Q. B. P. takes Kt. 18 K. B. takes P.19. P. takes Kt. 19. B. takes Q. R.20. P. takes P. ch. 20. K. moves, and wins.Black probably removes K. to K. 3; but it is clear his two

Pawns ought to mve him the victory. This is not an opening, in which, the second player can expect to find a defence which will enable him to Mate his adversary in a dozen or two moves. If he can be shown his path out of the maze, and is enabled to carry off a brace of Pawns safely, no further demonstration o f superiority can reasonably be looked for, in analysis.

GAME OF CHESS FOR FOUR PLAYERS, WITH TWO SETS OF MEN ON ONE BOARD.

We are no great admirers, in general, of new varieties of Chess, believing the ordinary mode of playing the game to be morally unimprovable ; yet the game for four, coming as it does, rather under the description of being merely an extension, than an alteration, of the orthodox sport, meets with our heartiest approbation. We have been invited by several correspondents to furnish the rules of Chess for four, but find them so fully laid down in a “ wee” pamphlet lately sent us, that we transcribe the entire of the work, with the author's kind permission.♦ In the course of our “ Chess, experience,” we have met with several other modes in which four players can participate at the same time, in one game; but all these are far inferior to the follow­ing ; the invention of which is, we believe, primarily due to the Germans.

* Complete Rules for Playing the New Game of Cbess for four persons, with two sets of men, on one board.—London, Sherwin, Great Queen Street, 1887.

THE GAME OF CHESS FOR FOUR, &c.

The game of Chess for four persons is played on a board of one hundred and sixty squares. The foliowinjg: diagram repre­sents the board and men on beginning a game.

B. BLACK MEN.

A. WHITE MEN.

From this sketch it will be seen that each of the four players has a set of men nlaced as indicated. We suppose the players to be A, B. C, and D, and that the four colours used are white, black, red and green. It is right to observe, that in all points, excepting such as are here delineated, the game for four is played similar to the usual game for two; according to the laws laid down by P h il id o r , W a l k e r , and other writers. We proceed to point out the exceptions.

A and B play with the White and Black pieces, in partnership, against C and D, to whom are appropriated the Green and Rea. The partners sit opposite to each other.*

The pieces are tne same in number, but their position is slightly different, at beginning, to what it is in the ordmary game. The only difference, however, relates to the relative situations of the Kings and Queens, and this will be best gathered from the foregoing pictured representation. In the game of Chess for two, the Kings and Queens face each other; but here the King faces the Queen, and so on. It is obvious that two of the play­ers will have a white square at their right hand comer of the board, and two will have a black one. At the beginning of each game, the four players draw lots for the first move.

The move passes round, in turn, always to the left hand ; thus, if A play first, C follows ; then B, and lastly D. Each player supports and assists his confederate to the utmost, while he opposes the two adverse parties indiscriminately.

The Kings of the partners may move on to adjoining squares, and, of course, can go freely into the range of any of their partner’s pieces. A Queen, or other piece, cannot assume the state of giving check to the partner’s King; towards which, as towards her own, all hostile properties lie dormant. This rule equally applies to all the Chess-men.

No player is allowed to move a piece or Pawn, the removal of which would open his partner’s King to a check from either of the hostile powers; any more than he may uncover his own King to a similar check.

Each player supports his mrtner in an attack; thus, should A put a Queen en prise of D’s King, unsupported, and should C be unable to take her, or otherwise provide for the check,— B may support the Queen, and even give Mate, in this com­pound manner.

The Pawns can only move one square each time, and not two squares the first move, as in the ordinary game.

* The partners are rigorously interdicted, as at Whist, from intimating aught to each other, either by word, look, or gesture.

It is the general rule to disallow Castling, altogether, in the game for four. With some pereons, however, it is the custom to adopt it. There being a difference of opinion upon the point, it is best to arrange before hand respecting it. It is by far the best plan to prohibit Castling, as the game is in itself sufficiently complicated.

The Pawns do not become pieces, when they reach the oppo­site end squares of the board; such squares being friendly squares, because in the territory of the partner. But on a Pawn’s attaining any one of the extreme hostile line of squares, right or left, it becomes a Queen. Thus A can only Queen a Pawn by getting it on to one of the end squares of D or C,— such squares being the edge line of the board. It is evident from this, that a Pawn can only Queen through making repeated captures; since unless in the act of taking, it cannot move diagonally.

When a Pawn has attained either one of the ultimate squares of the board, belonging to your partner, such Pawn remains there as a Pawn, and moves back again, as a Pawn, one square at a time, in the same direction ; that is, towards you. A Pawn, therefore, which has reached either one of the eight ultimate friendly squares, should be marked in some way, to show that it has exchanged its own line of march for a power exclusively of backward motion. Should such Pawn return to the line from which it originally started, it moves forward again, as it did at first.

As the partners sit opposite, it sometimes happens that their Pawns meet on the board. In every such case, they are allowed to leap over the friendly Pawn; and place themselves, on the move, upon the square beyond; always preserving their forward, or backward motion, as the case may be; but never leaving their file, save to make a prisoner. The player will soon be­come accustomed to these little peculiarities.

The game is only won when the two partners are checkmated. Should one be checkmated, and the other be stalemated, the game is drawn, as if both were stalemated.

Should a player be checkmated, his pieces are not removed from the board, but must remain in the same position, his part­ner continuing the fight single-handed. Of course, while check­mated, he cannot move, and therefore misses his turn. His partner may at any time relieve him, if he can, from the check- mate, in the event of doing which, his pieces regain life, and he again moves in his turn. As, while one is checkmated, the ene­my moves twice for once, it is seldom that a checkmate can be relieved, if it has stood more than one move. While a player is in checkmate, his pieces cannot be taken by the adversary, but

2 c

they remain in the same position. In this case, they present a species of “ Caput mortuum,” devoid of all offending properties; thus, should the squares be open, the adverse Pawns, or pieces, may move between them; going into their check, or range, with impunity. They still, however, offer the inert resistance of a lifeless mass, by blocking up the squares they actually occupy, &c.

The principle of playing this game well, is, in directing the attack to the right hand in preference to the left. For as the move passes round to the left, you thus have the chance of your partner’s support. For example, A having to play, attacks D rather than C; being assured, by this, of two hostile moves against D ; while the latter, until it is his own turn to play, can only divert the attack by the one intermediate move of his partner C. A skilful player by thus attacking his right-hand adversary, frequently secures, through the co-operation of his partner, not only the simple capture of a man, but even the giving of checkmate. When you find that your partner, acting on this, has attacked his right hand adversary, you support him in the best mode you can. In such case, your attack is of course directed against your left hand adversary, but this attack is rather of a secondary, than primary nature, since it does not originate with you.

It would be out of place in this brief outline of the game, to attempt more than general description. The game of Chess for four is rarely adopted but by tolerably good Chess players, and it is pretty clear that those who play the common game best, are most likely to excel in this new variety. The game of Chess for four, is aavancing daily in fashion and favour with the British public. It takes in players of every grade; for a good player with a less skilful partner, are equally matched against a similar couple ; and the less scientific have thus an opportunity of play­ing in consort with those of greater skill. In so doing, it is belived much instruction is derivable, and it is anticipated that the extension of a knowledge of the game for four, will thus contribute in no mean degree to promote the wider diffusion of the finest intellectual recreation yet devised,—C h e s s .

ENGLISH DRAUGHTS.—SOLUTIONS.No. 13. 6, 10. 16, 6.

12, 8. 11, . 4. 23, 19. 30, 16.16, 11, and wins. 20, 18. 17. 22,best.

No. 14. 18, 26. 13, 17.1, 6. 9, 13. 26, 21. 17, 22,

30, 25. 21, 30, draws.

CHESS PROBLEMS.33.—-jBy jP. X. SI0US9 Esq,— This arose out of a position

which occurred in play.

White to Mate in Seven Moves. No, 34.—By — Herring Esq,

White played K t to K, R. fourth^— Bloch then took the Kt. with Pw ny on which White Mates in Six Moves. (Two tcsehss

sacrifices are not computed.)No. 36.—By i?. Brown, Esq. of Leeds*

White to Mate in Four Moves.

No. 38.—By I, Piercy, Esq.

CHESS PROBLEMS.—SOLUTIONS.P roblem XXV.

B. to K. seventh, dis. ch. 1. B. takes Q. (best.)2. R. to B. eighth, ch. 2. K. to Kt. second.3. B. checks at B. sixth, and whichever Rook he takes. Mate

is given with the survivor.P roblem XXVL

1. Q. to Q. R. second ch., then checks with Kt ; suhsequeHtlj sacrificing Queen for Q. P., and Mating with Rook.

P roblem XXVH.1. Kt. to K. third, ch. 1 . K. moves.2. Kt. to Kt. fourth, ch. 2. K. moves.3. B. takes P. ch. 3. P. takes B.4. Kt. to K. third, ch. 4. K. moves.6. Kt. takes P. ch. 6. K. moves.6. Kt. checks at K. 3, then at Kt. 4, and Mates with P.

P roblem XXVIIL1. B. checks. 1. K. to Kt.2. R. checks. 2. R. takes R.3. Q. to Q. fifth, ch. 3. R. covers.4. Q. takes other R. ch. 4. R. covers.6. Q. takes P. ch. 6. R. covers.6. Queen checks at R. 8, then at Q. 5, and Mates with R.

P roblem XXIX.J. Rook ch. 1. K. moves.2. Q. to K. sixth, ch. 2. B. takes Q.3. P. retakes ch. 3. K. takes P.4. B. to Q. B. fourth, ch. 4. K. moves.6. R. checks. 6. If he take P., you check

with Kt. and Mate with R.,and if, instead, he move to K. third, you give double check by playing R. to Q. sixth, and Mate at K. sixth.

P roblem XXX.1. Kt. from B.6, to K. 7, ch. 1. K. to Q.—If he play K.

to Kt., or to Q. 2, you Mate in two moves.2. Kt. checks. 2. K. to Q. second, (best.)3. B. checks. 3. K. takes Kt.4. Kt. to K. seventh, ch. 4. K. to Kt. fourth.5. B. ch. at Q* 3, and Mates with Kt*

1. Kt.to K. seventh, ch. 1. K. to B. third, (best.)2. R, checks. P. takes R.3. Q. to Q. 6, ch.; then checks with P., and Mates by taking

P. with Kt.P roblem XXXII.

1. B. checks. 7. K. to Kt. second.2. Q. to K. eighth, ch. 8. K. to corner.3. Q. to Q. eighth. 9. Q. R. P. mores.4. K. to K. firth. 10. Q. to Q. Kt, sixth, ch.6. K. to B. fourth. 11. Q. to Q. B. sixth.6. K. to Kt. third. 12. B. to K. Kt., whereupon

Black is compelled to take Queen, and give Mate.P roblem XXXIII,

1. Q. to K. eighth, ch. 1. Q. covers. (A)2. Q. takes Q. ch. 2. B. takes Q.3. B. checks. 3. Kt. to Kt. second.4. K. B. P. one. 4. Kt. removes.5. P. on, dis. ch. 5. Kt. to Kt. second.6. P. takes B., and on R. retaking, Kt. Mates.

A.J. K. moves.

2. P. checks. 2. Should K. take Kt., check with Q. at B. 8, and after capturing the interposed Kt., check with K. Kt. P., and Mate with Q.

If Kt. take P., you check with Kt. at B. fifth, and Mate, taking Queen, with the other Kt.

2. K. takes P.3. Q. to B. 8, ch, (best.) 3. Q. covers.4. Kt. to Kt. fourth, ch. 4. K. to K. third.5. Q. Mates at Q. sixth.

P roblem XXXIV.1. Q. to B. sixth, ch. 1. Q. takes Q.

2. Kt. P. retakes ; then checks with R., and gives Mate with Kt.

P roblem XXXV.1. Q. to Kt. seventh ch. 1. R. takes Q.2. R. P. retakes, ch. 2. K. moves.3. Kt. to K. B. fifth. 3. R. P. one.

4. Kt. takes P. ch. 4. K. to R. second.6. P. Queens, and tlien Mates.

P eoblbm XXXVI.1. Q. to B. eighth, cli. 1. K. moves.2. Q. to K. R. eighth, ch. 2. K. to Kt. fourth, (best.)3. R. checks. 3. P. covers, (best.)4. R. takes P., ch., and Mates next move.

P roblem XXXVII.Kt. takes P., ch., then checks with R. at B. 6, and with Q. at

K. 6,—Mating with Kt.P roblem XXXVIII.

1. Q. to Kt. seventh, ch.2. P. takes R. dis. ch.3. R. takes Q. ch.4. R. checks.6. Kt. ch., and R. Mates.

1. R. takes Q. (best.)2. Q. covers, (best.)3. K. moves.4. K. moves.

POLISH DRAUGHTS.—SOLUTIONS.

No. 17. No. 19.24, 20. 15, 24. 43, 39. 34, 32.36, 30. 25, 45. 49, 44. 60, 28.44, 40. 46, 34. 41, 37. 32, 41.36, 31. 27, 36. 31, 27. 22, 31.47, 41. 36, 47. 40, 34. 29, 40.43, 39. 47, 44. 36, 16, takes 8 Pawns49, 18, takes 9, & wins. and Queen: passing over 44,

No. 18. 22, 13, 2,*11, 22, 36, 47, & 16.

41, 37. 31, 44. No. 20.43, 39. 44, 22. 21, 16. 29, 49.36, 31. 27, 36. 26, 21. 36, 24.23, 19. 14, 23. 32, 28. 23, 34.29, 9, wins, taking six. 17, 12. 6, 37.

12, 3. 49, 21.3, 40, wins, remaining

withQ. & ] P. i^ainstS P. only.

A BIBLIOGRAPHICAL CATALOGUE OF PRINTED BOOKS, AND WRITERS, ON CHESS,

UP TO THE PRESENT TIME,

BY GEORGE WALKER.

Of the various branches of book-knowledge, none have been hitherto more imperfectly illustrated than that of Chess. With the exception of the catalogues given by Hoeck, C lodius, and C ochrane, the collector has no data on which to found his re­searches; but stumbles on, purchasing in the dark; and of course frequently led to attach great value to publications com­paratively worthless. It has been my aim to fill up this “ hiatus ” m bibliography, with a brief, but concise, notice of all existing works on Chess, up to the present date; compiled, not from the labours of others, but from personal experience and research. Most of the books are, indeed, in my own possession ; collected at some cost of time,, and patience, during the last ten years. Chess manuscripts would require the pen of a M adden , or a Lowndes, to do them justice; and I therefore presume not to set my foot on so holy a ground., A more extended critical account of each volume would be de­sirable, but my limits have been necessarily circumscribed. In point of fact, I commenced a similar notice of Chess-books, in1830, in a magazine, called the Bibliographical and Retrospect­ive Miscellany ; ” but the work was stopt after two or three numbers.

I have found considerable difficulty in drawing the line as to the exclusion or admissibility of various writers. Hundreds of authors, from James the second, down to a greater man, Walter Scott, make frequent allusions to Chess, but cannot hence be properly defined as writers on the subject. In Burton’s History of Leicestershire we meet with a long notice of the game, but I have not thought fit to quote the volume. Compilations, in­cluding various sports, of the nature of Hoyle, The Boy’s Own Book, The Book of Games, or the Sportman’s Dictionary; En­cyclopedias, Magazines, and Newspapers, I have mostly passed over. In the mathematical works of E uler , O zanam , G uyot, and others, articles on Chess are introduced, as well as in the Reports of the Transactions of various learned societies; in­cluding the Asiatic Researches, the Acta Eruditorum Lipsiae, &c.; but such quotations of authors as I have made from similar publications, form exceptions to my general rule of guidance.

2 D

To many anonymous books, and pamphlets, I have attached the names of the writers, and have endeavoured always to give the number of pages, as a fair indication of size. I mostly name the printer, and the different editions of each volume; but, in some mstances, this is impossible fully to do; as in the cases of P h ili- DOR and G r e c o . For all additions to the list, I shall feel thank­ful; and, in justice to myself, I cannot help adding, I have a right to expect that all writers on bibliography, whether in Eng­land, France, or Germany, who may think fit justly to avail themselves, in this narrow walk of my humble labours, will do me the honour to acknowledge their source of information.

17, Soho Square May, 1838.(A).

A ben E z r a , R. A b r .—C arm ina R ythm ica db L udo Sh a h u a tSEU SHAHILUDIO, R. AbRAHAM, AbEN-EzRJE, BEATA MEMO- RliE.A Hebrew poem of 76 lines, given in Dr. Hyde*s work, with a Latin translation.—It was dso printed with other Hebrew tracts, 1702, 8vo.—Reland*s Analectica Rabbinica contains the life of Aben Ezra; he died A.D. 1174.

A ben E z r a .—Neuerofinete Kunststucke des Schachspiels von dem beruhmten Rabbinen und Cabbalisten Abraham Ben Esra geschrieben, nun aber zun Dienst und Nutzen dieses Spiels ins Teutsche ubersetzet. Frankfurt und Leipzig, 1743. 8vo.

A cademie univeselle des jeux.—Paris and Amsterdam, 1718, 1725, 1730, 1762, 1786, 3 tom. 12mo.A similar work to Hoyle> Games, but on a larger scale. Under the head of Chess, we find the treatises of Greco and Philidor; the former in the first editions of the “ Academie the latter in those of a more recent date.— The best editionI have seen, is called “ Nouvelle Academie des jeux. 3 vols. A Lyons, chez Leroy, 1810. To enumerate every edition, were impracticable and unnecessaiy.

A ctius, T homas.— Foromsemproniensis, de ludo Scacchorum in legali methodo, ubi variaB qucestiones legales 'tractantur causa dictu Judi. Pisauri apud Hieronymum Concordiam.1683. 4to —Also in Tom. VIII, Tract. Univ. Juris, p. 168.

A benstein (C. W. Von).—Das Schach—und Tokkategli—Spiel, &c. Berlin; Gottfr. Hayn, 1810, 8vo. pp. 84.

A la -E d d in , Tabrizensis, Commentarius de ludo Schatrangi, liber Arabicns.—See Timiiri Hist. Arab. p. 428, Lugd. Bat. 1636. 4to.

A cademie des jeux (Nouvelle), par C. B., Amateur. Paris, Hubert, 1818, 8vo. pp. 300.

A lbers H. C.—^ Unterricht im Schachspiel, mit zwei arten Schacfa, zu vier spielern so wie mit dem verbesserten Courier-spiele, Termchrt von H. C. Albers. Lunehurg ; Her old und WahU stab. 1821. 8vo. pp. 40.—There exist several previous edi­tions ; the present is edited by D. Eveling.

A llen , Lak e , wrote four papers on Chess, assisted by Sir Frederick Madden, inserted in the New Monthly Magazine for 1822, vol. IV., pp. 316, 320, 495, 602; vol. V., pp. 125, 130, 316, 320.

A l’ D amiri. Liber Arabicus de Shahiludio.—See Hyde, Bk. 1, p . 182.

A l-R azi. Liber Arabicus Apoiogeticus, pro ludentibus Al-Sha- trangi.—See Hyde, Bk, 1, p. 182.—Hyde also quotes him as the author of a work in Arabic, called De Arte Nerdiludii.

A l -Suli. Liber Arabicus de Shahiludio.—See Hyde.A h m e d is A r a b s ia d je V itje et R e r u m G e s ta r u m T im u r i, q u i

v u lg o T am erlan as d ic itu r , H istor ia , Latine v ertit et annota- tiones a d jec it M a n g e r , A ra b , et L atin . 3 v o ls . 4 to . L e o v a r - dia , 1747.

A llgaier, Johann. Neue theoretisch praktische Anweisung zum Schach-spiele, Wien, Kotzl, 1795, and 1802; reprinted 1811 Sind 1823, 8vo. Another edition was printed at Vienna, by Haas, 1826, 8vo. One edition, I have, bears the imprint of “ Wien and Prag, bey C. Haas,” J823. 8vo. pp. 189, and numerous folding plates. There are several very recent editions of Allgaier, who ranks as tbe German Philidor; his play however was far superior to his book. The last edition IS edited by M. C. de Santo Vito.—^Wien, Verlag der Carl Haas* chen Buckhandlung, 1834,8vo. pp. 222, with the same folding plates used in previous editions. This book contains some additional matter, particularly three games described by M. Santo Vito, as having been played in Vienna by first- rate players.

A mateurs. Trait6 theorique et pratique du jeu des Echecs, par une societe d' Amateurs. Paris, Stoupe, 1775, and 1786. 12mo. pp. 412.— This work was composed by a society of Amateurs, who frequented the Caf6 de la Regence, and amongst whom were many skilful players; particularly Car- lier, Leger, Bernard, and Verdoni. TheTraite des Amateurs is translated into German, as follows:— Theoretisch-praxjktischer Unterricht im Schachspiele von einer Gesellschaft von Liebhabem, aus dem Frauzbsischen libersezt und mit den hundert Spiclen des Phillipp Stamma vermehrt. Berlin, Nicolai, 1780. 8vo. pp. 430.

A nasta6ia und das Schachspiel. Briefe aus Italien vom Ver- fasser der Ardinghello. Frankfurt, Varrentrapp, 1803,— Boselli, 1815. 8vo. 2 vol.

A Translation, in an epistolary form, of Dr. Ercole del Rio. llie author’s name was H eiicbe,

A nastasia en het Schaakspel brieven int Italien van den Schrijyer van Ardinghello. Door I. T. Boogard. (2 vol.) Te Alk- maar, ter Drukkerij von L. Harencarspel, 1819, 8vo. pp. 181 and 214.

A ndra, H. F. Das Scfaaclispiel mit historischen bemerkangen er- lalitert und zum gebrauch sowohl fur Anfanger als geiibtere Freunde desselben pracktish ausgearbitet. Halle, Hendels,1796. Svo.pp. 62.

A lberti, I. I. Leicbtfacklicher, pracktischer Unterricbt Zur Erlemung des Schachspiels, &c. Leipzig; Gottfr. Baffe. 1829, 8vo. pp. 81.

A zevedo. Jeu des Ecbecs, ou parties du Calabrois et de Stam­ina, arrang es avec une notation facile; par M. Azevedo. Bordeaux, 1833, 12mo.

A nweisung Z um Schachspiel, nebst critick desselben und Ideen zu einem neuen Schachspiel, welches von maschinen nicht nachgeahmt werden Kann.—Von F. v. R., mit 1 Kupfer und2 holzschnitten. Miinchen, 1820. 8vo. pp. 148.

A lexandre , A . Encyclop6die des Ecbecs, ou Resume comparatif en tableaux synoptiques des meilleurs ouvrages Merits sur ce jeu par les auteurs Francais et Strangers, tant anciens que modernes &c.—Paris ; D’Urturbie, Worms et Co., also Cau- sette, &c. 1837. Folio, 63 large charts ; including the works of forty different Chess authors.

This immense volume presents a monument of patient and useful industry on the part of the author.

A nweisung, D eutliche, vom Schachspiel, daraus man selbst alle Vortheile und handgriffe ohne anfiihrung elernen, mit sich selbst spielen, und sich perfectionniren Kann (ohne Druck- ort), 1740. 8vo.

A utomaton C hess-P layer (K empelen*s). — Etwas uber den Kempelisc'hen Schachspieler, eine gruppe philosophischer Grillen. Frankfurt, 1783. 8vo.—Written by Professor Ostertag.

— W iN DiBCH , K. G. Von, Briefe iiber den Schachspieler desHerrn von Kempelen, nebst 3 Kupferstichen, die diese berlihmte Maschine vorstellen.—Herausgegeben von Chris­tian von Mechel. Basel, 1783. 8vo.

— W iN D iscH . Lettresde Mons. CharlesGotliebDe, sur leJoueurd’ Ecbecs de M. Kempelen, traduction libre de I’allemand. par Chretien de Mechel. A, Basle; chez Tediteur, 1783. 8vo. pp. 56.—With three very fine folding plates.

— Hypothetische Erklarung des beiiheten mechanischen Schachspielers des Herm von Kempelen, von I. L. Bokmann,

in Posselt’s Wissenchaftlichern Magazine, fur Aufkloefiing,1 heft. Kehl. 1786.K. F. H indekburg iib. d. Schachspieler d. Hrn. v. Kempe- len. Leipzig, Muller, 1784. 8vo.An account of inanimate reason. Lond. 1784. 8vo.The Speaking Figure, and the Automaton Chess-player, ex­posed and detected. London : Stockdale, 1784. 8vo. pp. 20. Written by Mr. Philip Thicknesse. The frontispiece gives a view of the speaking figure, a deception of the same genus as the Automaton Chess-player.I. Jac . E bert, Nachr. V. d. her Schachsp. u.d.Sprachmasch. d. Hrn. v. Kempelen. Leipzig, Muller, 1785. 8vo.Jos. F. Frhr. v. Racknitz iib d. Schachspieler d. Hrn. v. Kempelen u. dessen Nachbild. Leipzig and Dresden, Breit- kopf, 1789. 8vo.Lettres sur un Automate qui joue aux echecs. Presburg et Vienne, 1770. 8vo.Observations sur I’Automate, Joueur des Echecs, qu* on montre actuellement a Londres.—See vol. V. of “ La Biblio teque Universelle. a Geneve, 1809.’*Observations on the Automaton Chess-player, now exhibited in London, at Spring Gardens, By an Oxford Graduate. London : Hatchard, 1819. 8vo. pp. 32.T arufpi, G ius. A nt. Lettera sopra il famoso Automa giuca- tore di Scacchi di Kempelen, e Elogio Ab. G. A. Tarum, per Sig. Car. Gio. Gherardo.—De Rossi, Roma. Ant. Fulgoni, 1786, p. 27.Selection of fifty games, from those played by the Automaton Chess-player, during its exhibition m London, in 1820; ta­ken down, by permission of Mr. Maelzel, at the time they were played. London: Sold at the Exhibition Room, No. 29, St. James’ Street, and by A. Maxwell, Bell Yard, Lin­coln’s Inn, 1820. 12mo. pp. 76.

The editor of this volume was Mr. W. Hunneman, and the games were played on the part of the Automaton by Mons. Mouret, a first-rate player; who gave the odds of Pawn-and-move to all comers. Those games played against Messrs. Cochrane, Brand, and Mercier, are the best in this selection.

■ R obert W illis, of the University, Cambridge.— An attempt to analyse the Automaton Chess-player of Mr. De Kempelen, with an easy method of imitating the movements of that celebrated figure. Illustrated by original drawings. Lon­don : Booth, 1821. 8vo, pp. 40; with an appendix on the move of the Knight.

The Automaton was directed by a person concealed within

the figure. Sir David Brewster has copied his aceount of the Automaton from this work, in his clever publication on “ Natural Magic.”—Mons. De Crempt, in his Magie Blanche,” supposes that the concealed person Was a child, or dwarf; but such was not the fact. For further mformation respecting the Automaton, see Leipziger Ma^zin, 1784,-^ Licntenherg*s Magazin, 3 band. 2 st. &c.—-Literatur! und Biicherkunde III. p. 170.—Hessische Beitrage, 3 W. p. 475.—Acta Lipsiorum,—Eckartshausen’s Aufschliisse zur Magie. 3 Thl. Munchen, 1791, p. 363.—Halle’s Magie, 3 Thl. Berlin, 1785 and 1790. Jacobson’s technologisches Worterbuch, Berlin, 1794.—Repository of Arts, &c. Lond.1819.—The Palamede, vol. 1,—and numerous othler publica­tions. The Aut 'maton Chess-player was constructed by De Kempelen, in 1769, and when last exhibited in London, be­longed to Mr. Maelzel, who took it to the United States, where it is still to be seen. I understand that an exact counterpart, which possesses the additional qualification of playing Whist, has been fabricated by an ingenious Ame­rican.

— Letters of Mr. Charles Gottlieb de Windisch, on the Autom­aton Chess-plaper of Mr. de Kempelen, &c. Translated by M. S. N. from the German of Chretien de Mechel. London: BrovoUy 1819. 8vo. pp. 35.

A veran ii, Jos., Dissertatio de Calculorum seu latrunculorum ludo. V . in Miscellanea di varie operette, tom. 8.461.

A ylw ard , Simon, has been erroneously represented as an author on Chess, by every writer on bibliography. In point of fact, he merely made a copy of Jacobus de Cessolis, which M S . is in the library of Magdalen College, Oxford.

Anweisung Zum Vierschachspiel von E n b e r l e in , Berlin, Laae, 1826. 8VO.

A rchiv der Spiel ,— Berlin, bei Ludwig Wilhelm Wittich,1819. 12mo. 3 vol.

A miscellaneous collection of games, including Chess in all its varieties.

(B.)B almford, J ac., On various Games, including Chess. London,

1623. 8vo.B arbetrac , Jean . Traite du Jeu, Amst. 1709. 8vo. 3 vol. and

Amst. Pierre Humbert, 1737. 12mo. 2 vol.—See Book III, vol. II. This work exists in many editions. It is similar ill its design to that of Thiers. It was republished in Ger­many, at firemen, in 1740. 8vo.

B ertin, C aptain Joseph. The noble game of Chess, contain-

ing rules and instructions, for the use of those. who have already a little knowledge of this game. London, printed ^ H. Woodfall, for the author, and sold only at Slaughter’s Coffee House, in St. Martin’s Lane. 1735. Small 8vo. pp. 78.—A scarce and curious publication.

B arb ibr , Joseph. The famovs game of Chesse-playe; being a princely exercise; wherein the learner may profit more by reading of this small book, than by playing of a thousand mates. Now augmented of many materiall things, formerly wanting, and beautified with a three-fold method, viz, of the Chesse-men, of the Chesse-playe, and of the Chesse-Jaws. Printed at London for John Jackson, dwelling without Temple Barre, 1640. 8vo. 64 leaves.—Also, Lond. 1672. 8vo. pp. 108. Dedicated to the Laay Lucy, Countess of Bedford.—Barbier’s very scarce book is merely a reprint (with some additions) of Arthur Saul’s Chesse-playe. Among the laws we find “ the King may change or shift with either Rook, at any time; either before check, in c h e c k , or after check.” I suspect this manner of castling would be con­sidered as more convenient than orthodox, if attempted in the London Chess Club.

B esoldus, C h r . Thesaur. Pract. See Bretspiel, p. 128.”— “ Spielen, p. 895.”—and “ Schachspiel,” p. 861. Edit. Norimberg, 1679. Folio.

B ingham, J. S. The incomparable game of Chess, translated from the Italian of Dr. Ercole del Rio. Lond. Stockdale,1820. 8vo. pp. 340. This work is, in fact, a translation of the 3rd edition of Ponziani, and it appears difficult to ima­gine how the English author could have fallen into the error of ascribing the book to Del Rio, when at the head of the 3rd critical situation in the original, we find these words, “ By the author of this volume, A. D. C. P.” which letters cannot be construed into any thing like “ Ercole del Rio.” Besides, had the* translator ever seen the second (and best) edition, he would have found it there expressly stated, that the work was written by Ponziani. The name of “ Bing­ham” is supposed to be fictitious, and the student will hardly be compensated for the omission of no less than thirty of the famous “ Semi-centuria di partiti,” by the paper on Chess of Mr. Irwin* , which is here reprmted from the Transactions of the Irish Academy.

B runetti, F rancesco Sayerio . Giuochi delle Minchiate, Om­bre, Scacchi, et altri d’ ingegno. Roma, Bernabo, 1747. 8vo.

B eale , F rancis. The royall game of Chesse-plave, sometimes the recreation of the late king, with many of the nobility,

illustrated with almost an, hundred G^mbetts, beixg the study of Biochimo, the famous, Italian. London, Henry Herringman, J656. 8vo. 1 2. ,With aheadpf Charles I, to face the title. Mr. Beale s work is, in fact, the ;trans- lation and first edition of Greco, wl o is erroneously styled “ Biochimo,” instead of “ Gioachino.” It is de4ieated to the Earl of Lindsey, and contains also a long poeticd address to Dr. Budden. This book is of rare occurrence.

B arrin g tm , T he H on. D ain es .—Historical notices of the ^m e, in an erudite paper, printed in vol. IX of the Archaedfogia, pp. 16—38; including a letter on the subject from Count Bruhl.

B u k e op y e C h esse (T h e ) . Taken from an ancient MS., sup­posed to have been written about the beginning of the 16th century. Privately printed at the Auchinleck Press by Sir Alexander Boswell. 1818. 4to. 42 leaves, Scottish black letter. Mr. Lowndes says, there were but forty copies printed. I think Sir A. Boswell reprinted it under the supposition of its being an original MS. written by Sloane, who finishes thus, “ heir endis—ye buke of ye Chesse, script, per manu 1 hois Sloane —but in fact Sloane translated it from an old latin MS., of which there are several copies extant.

B e t e r , A u g .—Memorise Historico—criticoe Librorum Rariorum. —Bresdae et Lipsiae, apud Fridericum Hekel, 1734. 8vo. pp. 300. See page 77 to 93, article entitled “ Scriptores de Ludis,*’ comprising Chess authors.

B e l l ’s L if e in L o n d o n . This clever paper has for sometime merited tbe title of the “ Chess Chronicle,” from its regular notices on the subject.

(C.)CiccoMNi, Cav. G iu s e p p e . Tentativo di un nuovo giui)co di

Scacchi. In Roma, presso Francesco Bourlie, 1 20, 16mo.2 vol. with appendix, in one, one hundred and ten leaves. This work relates exclusively to a new variety of Ghess, played on a board of a hundred squares.

CiGooLiNi, C a v , G iu se ppe . Presidente deir Academia de* Scae- chi in Roma.—II Nuovo Tesoro degli Scacchi, o sia Rac- colta di partiti di vaij autori; compilata, ed aumentata.r Roma, presso Francesco Bourlie, 1827. 8vo. .2 ttoI. pp. 244 iuad 350; with folding plates. The first volume con-

. , Wn the splutbns; the second, the represeritation, on diagramsi curiously coloured, of 704 Chess Pi obiemsi Of , th^,-410 are adapted for the usual game; the remainder are for a board of one hundred squares.

CrccoLTifi, Del Cavallo degli Scacchi, per opera di Teodoro Ciccolini, Marchese di Guardiagrele, Faris, Bacbelier, 1836. 4to. pp. 70, followed by upwards of twenty large plates. This volume exclusively treats on the march of the Knight; not only on the common Chess board, but on the larger field of one hundred squares; as well as the circular board of sixty-four squares.

C a iss a R e d i v i v a ; or T h e M u zio G a m b it , an heroi-comical poem. By an amateur of Chess. London, Low, 1836, ISmo. The author of this sportive melange was The Rev. A. C. L. D’Arblay, since deceased. The subject of his lyre is the match at Chess, played between La Bourdonnais and Me Donnell. The poem of Caissa Rediviva is reprinted in the Philidorian.

COERESPONDENCE, CoPY OP THE, between the French and Eng­lish committees, relative to a proposed match at Chess, between M. Deschapelles and any player in England. London, A. H. Bailey and Co., Cornhili, 1836. 8vo. pp. 16. Printed exclusively for private circulation.

C a ze n o v e , J o h n . A selection of curious and entertaining games at Chess, that have been actually played, London, W. Marchant, 1817. 16mo. 87 leaves. Mr. Cazenove printed this anonymously, for private circulation only. Some of the games are particularly brilliant.

Cozio. II giuoco degli Scacchi, osia nuova idea* d’attachi, di- fese, e partiti del Giuoco degli Scacchi. Opera divisa in quattro libri, composta, dal Conte Carlo Uozio, Nobile Patrizio della Cittgl di Casale Monferrato. CoU’aggiunta in fine d’altre difese scritte dal medesimo Autore dopo la conmosizione del Libro. In Torino, 1766. Nella Stampe- ria Reale. 8vo. 2 vol. pp. 367 and 382.

Presumed to have been privately printed. The work is dedicated to the Duke of Savoy. It is remarkably rare for a book of a date so modern. The whole is practical, and among the two hundred critical ends of games given in the second volume, are to be found manjr fine specimens.

C e r o n , A l p h o n sijs , of Grenada. Del juego del Axedrez, siva de latrunculorum ludo, quem exactissime comprehendat.— Vid D. Nicholas Antonii Bibl. Hisp. T. 1. p. 13.

C a r r e r a . D on P ie t r o . 11 Gioco degli Scacchi, diviso in otto libri, n6 quali s’ingegnano i precetti, le vscite, ed i tratti posticci del Gioco, e si discorre della vera origine di esso, Con due discorsi, Tuno del Padre D . Gio Battista Cherubino, Taltro del Dottor Mario Tortelli. Opera non meno vtile a professoridel gioco, che diletteuole h gli studiosi per la va-

2 b

rieta della eruditione cavata dalle tenebre deir antichital. In Militello, per Giouanni de'Rossi da Trento, 1617, 4to. pp. 600.— Under the name of Valentino Vespai, This writer published his “ Risposta in difesa di Pietro Carrera,” in answer to Salvio's “ Apologia.” Catania, Gio. Rossi, 1635, 4to —Carrera is one of the rarest of Chess authors.I think it is Sarratt, who says he never could even see his work.

C a b r e r a . A Treatise on the Game of Chess, containing games of odds, various openings, &c., translated by W. L e w is . London, J. M. Richardson, 1822. 8vo. pp. 308.

CfiBUTTi, A bb^ G ia c in t o . Author of a poem on Chess, in the Fre^ch language, which may be fouBid prefixed to the Stra- tagemes des tehees; and is given in t. llj. Montmaruhe’s Diet.

COCHAKOVIUS, JoACH. De ludo Schaccico, carmine Polono, pp. 18, carminum Jan. Kochanowskiego.—Cracow, 1639. 4to. The life of this Pole was written by Simo Staravolssck, and^ublished with other matters in a 4to. vol., at Venice,

CocHBANE, J o h n . Treatise on the Game of Chess, &c. London, Allman, 1822. 8vo. pp. 376.—I am informed, that Mr. Cochrane has also published a pamphlet on Chess (anonj- mously) in India, though I have not been able to procure it. Mr, Cochrane was a jjlayer of the very first class, and his book deserves a place in every Chess library.

COBSO DEL C a v a l l o , La, per tutt gli Scacchi dello Scacchiere. Bologna, per Lelio dalla Volpe, 1766. 4to.

C l b b ic i , D a v , Oratio di latrunculorum ludo; v. in ejusd. Orat. Amsterdam 1687. 8vo. pp. 86.

C o b a b r u b ia , P ie t b q de. Giuco degli Scacchi, e della Palla. In Venezia, 1662. 4to.

C o tto n , C. The complete Gamester, or instructions for play­ing at Chess, Cards, &c. London, 1690, 1764, and nume­rous other editions. 12mo.

C h e ss . An easy introduction to the Game of Chess, contain­ing one hundred examples of games from Philidor, the Calabrois, &c. Land, Ogilvie, 1806, 2 vol. 12mo., re­printed several times by Baldwin & Co. in 1 vol. 12mo.

Cox, Capt. H ib a m . Essay on the Burma Game of Chess. See Asiatic Researches. Vol. 7, p. 480.

C a x t o n , W il l l ia m . The game and playe of the Chesse trans­lated by William Caxton (upon the French translation of Jehan de Vignay.) Westmonasterii, Guil. Caxton, 1474, folio, pp. 144. Second edition, 1490. This is an English version of Cesolis, made by Caxton from the French trans-

lations of Jehan de Vignay. The second edition has sevens teen prints. It was long supposed this was the first book printed in England; but there is at Cambridge a small 4to, bearing the imprint of Oxford, 1468, printed from wooden types. Caxton s is, therefore, the second book printed in this country, and the first ever printed from metsLl types. Warton says, (His, Eng. Poetry, vol. II) that Caxton pub­lished this work, thinking that the French copy, from which he took it, was an original composition, instead of a mere translation. How Mr. Warton came to be so well acquainted with Caxton's thoughts, he does not inform U s; and it seems very improbable that Caxton, who was so deeply versed in continental literature, should have been ignorant of this fact; especially as translations of Cesolis were being printed about the same time, in almost every country in Eur^e.

C e so l is , J a co bu s d b . Cessulis, Cassalis, Casulis, de Funo- lis, Tessalis de Thessalonia.—Ordinis prcedicatorum.

Cesolis is supposed to have been the earliest writer on Chess, and no author ever went through so many editions and translations. The original title of his work was “ De moribus Hominum, et Officiis Nobilium.’* Cesolis was a Dominican friar, and is presumed to have written this, before the year 1200. Verci says the original was written in either Latin or French, and that the Latin MS. is still preserved in the University of Padua.

Marchand*s account of Cessoles, quoted by Dibdin, is the most probable; that he was named Cessoles, from the place of his birth; that he was a monk and a master in theology of the convent of the Dominicans at Rheims; that he lived towards the midcTle of the 13th century, or at the commencement of the 14th; that he was neither of Casali, Florence, Thessaly, nor Thessalonica, as other writers have supposed, but of Cessoles, a village near the frontiers of Picardy and Champagne. Early manuscripts of this work are found in almost every public library in Europe, many of them on vellum. According to my original plan, I pass over these, and proceed to notice such printed editions, asI consider well authenticated.

LATIN EDITIONS.

Latin Editions of Cesolis.Liber de moribus hominum et officiis nobilium super ludo Schac-

corum. Ultrajecti, Nicol Ketelau, Gerard de Leempt. circa 1473, Folio.

The same reprinted 1479. 4ta. and 1497. Folio.Another edidoa was subsequently pmblirfied.<—VieHHSE* Job. Winterpurger, 1506. 4to. pp^^l.

German Editions of Cesolis,The first edition in Gennan was printed in folio at Aagsburg,

—1477, under the title of “ Schachzabel,” and agmnat Augsburg—1483. A third edition was printed in folio at Strasburff, by Heinrich Knoolocbzer, 14BS. The following is the title:— . / t

ott t$m do? edeln*";Getruckt und volendet von heinrico knoblochzern in der stat

Stra zhurg, MCCCCLXXXIII.Dutch Editions of Cesolis.

Cesolib, Jacopo de Heer.—Her beghint een suverlije boec van den tijverdrijf eddre heren ende vroueven als ran den Scoecspiel. Oonde by Gheroert Leeuw, 1479. Folio. 67 leaves; printed in double columns. The date is expressed in Dutch thus:—“ Vierhondert ende neghent seventich;” (fourteen hundred nine seventy.) Dibdin erroneously reads this 1497, which could not be the date, as Gerard Leeuw did not print at Gonda after 1485, when he removed to Antwerp.— The latest book known to have been printed by Gerard Leeuw is of 1493.— This work was reprinted at Delft in 1483. 4to. A very early edition of Cesolis in High Dutch, bears the imprint of Lubeck. (8vo.). I h a v e seen an extremely early and curious edition of Cesolis, in Ancient Flemish or Dutch verse; printed without date or place, in black letter, with cuts, 8vo. 120 leaves. The frontispiece represents the Chess board, supported by two lions. The title is “ Schackspele.” It is evidently o f the fifteenth century.

French. Editions of Cesolis,Le jeu des eschez moralist et Tordre de Chevalerie. Parisy

Anton. Verard. 1504, folio.—In this edition Cesolis is called “ Courcelles,” and from this copy, which was first published, accordmg to Warton and others, in 1460, Caxton made his translation.

Lb je u d e s echecs m o r a l is e , t r a d , d u L a t in en F r an §ois par J e h a n d e V io n a y . Paris, Michel le Noir, 1505. 4to.

J acob C o u r c b l l e s , Livre du jeu des echets traduit du Latin ep Francois par Jean Perron. (See Echard, vol. 1, p. 625.)

Itcdian JBdil^s ipf €^olis^Libro i>e Q iu o h o d i S ca C ch i intitolato de oostumi degli huomini

et degli offitii de* hobili, Volgarizzamento di, F. Jacopone de Cessole delF Ordine de Predic^tori.—Firenze per Antonio Miscomini, 1493. 4to.— The same work reprinted at Venice in 8vo. by Alessandro Bindoni, and Maffeo Pasini, 1634. Svo»

l or the English editions of Cesolis, see Caxton,C h e ss , A P oem o n .—Challenge from a Cavalier, who, one even­

ing being vanquished by Anna, the Amazon, and declining a second combat, was by her posted for a coward;—together with Anna’s answer, and the Cavalier’s reply to Anna. Lon­don ; Printed by James fiettenham, and sold by G. Hawkins, at the Middle Temple Gate, 1764,4to. pp. 26.— The lady here introduced was the daughter of Marshal James Keith, one of the best Chess-players of his day, who was killed in bat­tle, 1768.

C hess- p l a t e r , T h e A c c o m p l is h e d . Explaining the game as played by the London Club, &c. London: Causton, 1834. 24mo. pp. 60.

C l o d ii , H e n r ic i J o n a t h . Prim® Linese Bibliothecee Lusoriee, sive notitia Scriptorvm de Lvdis, preecipve Domesticis ac Privatis ordine Alphabetico digesta.—Lipsi e; apvd Job, Christian. Langennemivm, 1761, 8vo. pp. 166.—It is from this rare bibliographical work, that Mr. Cochrane chiefly compiled his catalogue of Chess Books.

C olo m bo , M ic h e l e .—II Giuoco degli Scacchi, renduto facile a* principianti Trattatello, tradotto dall’ Inglese con annotazioni ed aggiunte.—Stampato a Parma di Giuseppe Ps^anino,1821. 8vo. pp 130.—A translation of a conmion English book on Chess, bearing the imprint of “ Symonds.”—It is taken chiefly from Philidor. Second edition, enlarged and improved as follows :—

C o lo m b o .— 11 Giuoco degli Scacchi Trattatello tradotto dall* In­glese ; giuntavi la Biblioteca Ragionata degli Scrittori del Giuoco Stesso deir Abate Francesco Cancellieri.— Venezia; Giuseppe Orlandelli Edit. 1824. 4to. pp. 174.— The Abbe Cancellieri was the author of the bibliographical catalogue of Chess Books, &c. in the work of Don Benedetto Rocco. His task is much extended in the volume before us, to what it was in that of “ Rocco.”

C h r is t ie , J a m e s .—An inquiry into the antient Greek Game, supposed to have been invented by Palamedes antecedent to the siege of Troy, with reasons for believing the same to have been known from remote antiquity in China, and pro-

gressively improred into the Chiaese, indian, Persian, and European Chkss, &c. London i Bulmer and Co. 1801.4to. pp. 170*— This book is somewhat rare, having been printed exclusively for private circulation, and the edition not ex­tending beyond forty copies. (See Lowndes’ Catalope of Scarce E^lish Books.) The author of this learned work was Mr. Christie, the late celebrated auctioneer. It was printed anonymously, and dedicated to Dr. Goodall, of Eton College.

C hess.—Rules for playing the game of Chess en quatre. Lon­don : Leuchars, Piccadilly. 8vo. pp. 16.

C asak, J ul.— Spiel-Almanach, enth. d. neuste Anweis. zu. e. griindl. u. leichten Erlem. d. Schagh,&xs. J^erlin : Oehmighe 1797. Svo.—Reprinted with improvements by G. W. v. A b e n ste in . Berlin: Hayuy 1812. 8vo. (Seealso Duben).

CoLLiNi.—Solution du probl^me du cavalier au jeu des echecs. Par Monsr. C.—Manheim: Loffler, 1773. 8vo. pp. 62.

C hess.—Extract from the Gentleman’s Mag. for July 1807, printed as a pamphlet, together with the same matter in French, extracted from L Amlngu par M. Peltier.” Lon­don: Cox and Ba3rlis, 1809. 8vo. pp. 8.—An account of some games played in Paris, at the residence of the Hon. F.H. Efferton, by two Committees of Amateurs; the one headed by M. Carlier, the other by the equally celebrated Le Breton des Chapelles. From 20 to 30 ^mes were played in this manner, which were taken down with a view to pub­lication, by M. Calma, and the editor of “ Les Stratagemes des Echecs,” but they have never appeared, nor have I been able to find what has become of the MSS.

(D).D a k ia n , P o r t u o h b s b , Libro da imparare ^uocare a Scacchi, et

de l llissimi partiti, reuisti, e recorretti, con summa diligen- tia da molti famosissimi Giuocatori emendati. In lwga& Spagnuola, ed Italiana nouamente stampato. EomcBt per Stephanum Guillereti, et Herculem Nani, 1512. 4to. printed at Rome, by Antonio Bladi de Asula, 1524. 12mo. p p. 128, and again at Venice by Steffano Zazzara, 1564. There is another edition dated 1594, and several more, both in the Gothic and Roman letter, without date or place. The copy in my possession, which is of the same impression as that in the British Museum, reads thus :—Libro da imparare giochare k Scachi, Et de belissimi Partiti, Revisti et reco- retti, et con summa diligentia da molti famosissimi Gioca- tori emendati. In lingua Spagnola et Taliana, nouamente tampat . No date or place, ovo. 64 leaves. Som e writers

OB Bibliogmplrf supjioise ibid to beeii tlie original and earliest edition. Two other editions of Damian were pub­lished ; Bologna, di Gio Boiri, 1606, and— Venice, by Pietro Fauri, 1618, by D. Ant. Porto, who modestly prefixes his own name as tlie author. In this imposition, however, he only follows the eocample of Damian himself; the whole of whose work is taken from Lucena.—Damian’s work has been partly troBslated into English. See art, Rowbothum and Sarratt.

D b u l l e , J a o . Georgiques Fratu ises, Chant 1, & c.D e n h a m , S ir J o h n , wrote a poem of 24 lines on Chess, printed

in his works.D iv e r t iss e m e n s I n n ocen s , contenant, les regies du jeu des

Echecs, &c. A la Haye, Moetjens, 1696. 12mo.—Repub­lished under the title of N o tttb u -b A c a b e s h b des J e u x , Leide ap. Petr. Vander Aa. 1718. 2 vol. 12mo.—1721, 2 vol. Paris; Theod. le Gras, 1739, 2 vol. 8vo. &c.—Amster> dam, 1728, and 1752. 3 vol. 8vo» plates, and many subsequent editions.

D e p p b n , O tto V o n . Schach-Politik, oder Grundzuge zu der Kunst seinen G ^ e r im Schaeh bald zu besiegen ; nebst e. Anh. ub. d. Literatur. d. Geseh» u. Gnradgesetze d. Schach- spiels. Lekpzig Wilhelm Zauffer, 1826. 8vo. pp. 78.

D u cc h i, G r b o . La Seacheide overo. il Givoco de ?li Scacchi. Ridotto in poema Eroico, sotto prosppopea <M dve potenti R6, e de gli eserciti loro. Compresa in VI canti. In Vicen­za ; Appresso Perin e Giorgio Greoo, comp^i, 168 and 1607. 4to. 128 leaves.— A great part of tnis is taken from Vida. The first edition has simply these words for the title: La Scacheide di Gregorio Dvcchi, GentiU hvomo Breseiano. The poem comprises 700 stanzas, of eight lines each.

D ia l o g o G iu o c h i ch e k e l l e V e g o h ib S a n e s i si u sa n o . Vene- tia; appresso Griffio. 1692. 8vo*

D o l l in g b r , —. Ein hundert und zehen ganz neu zusammen gesezte Schach—Endspiele. Vienna; Sohaumbvrg, 1806. 8vo.

Das ScHAGHSPiBL in seiner eigenthiim— lichen und hohem Bedentung. Ein Fragment.—NUmberg, Sohuster, 1836, 4to. pp. 96.— The preface dates 1833. The work comprises various modifications of a new sort of Chess; the author would perhaps term them “ improvements.”

Duben, G. G. F. V. Der Talismann des Glucks, oder d^ Selb- stlehrer fur alle Schach, Karten, &c. Berlin SoeieL Muchh, 1816 and 1819. 8vo.

D o n a l d s o n , J a m b s . Treatise on the game of Chess, forming the article under that head, in the seventh edition of the En-

eyclopeedia Britanniea. Edmborgh, Blaek, 183*2.4to. pp. 12. A few copies printed for priyate circolalion.

D e r a l l e z e it FBRTioB B u t t s p i b l b r , Scc. Ineludmg the games of Chess, Draaghts, &c.—^Wien, Haas, 1836. 8vo. pp. 144.

D u b o is , M .L.—Historical notice of ChesB, chiefly pilla^ from Freret, in tom. 1, of the ‘ Magasin Encjclopeaiqiie.” pp. 48, 62, 1806.

D o u c b , F r a n c is , author of the paper on ChesB, given in toI. XI of the Archseologia, pp. 397—410. It is a well-known feet, that Mr. Douce wrote the greater part of Twiss’s publication on Chess.

(E.)E c h e c s , L e t t r e t o u c h a k t l e j e u DBS, dans le recueil de Pieces

curieuses et nouvelles, tant en prose, qu' en vers :-*A la Haye, 1694. 12mo.

E ssa i su r l b je u DBS E c h e c s . Hambmirg 1770. 12mo.- This is from Stamma.

E sohecs, lb jeu DBS, av6c toutes les differentes manier s de jouer. A Paris, chez Theodore le Gras, 1767, 12mo. pp. 370. Almost entirely Grreco.

E ssai su r les P r o b l e m e s d e s it u a t io n . Rouen; Racine. 17^. 8vo. pp. 74. Dedicated to the consideration of the moving the Kt. according to certain rules, over every square of the che s-board.

E ch ecs , Le jeu royal de Tombre et du piquet, augment du jeu des Eschets. A la Haye, 1700. 12mo.

E l^M BN S THfeORIQUES ET PRATIQUES DU JEU DES EcHETS, arCC des reflexions morales, politiques, histori(mes et militaires, relatives k ce jeu. Paris; chez Madame Veuve Hocquart. 1810. 8vo. pp. 266.— Translated into Spanish, as followsj

Compendio de los elementos t oricos y practicos del Jueg;o del Azedrez, publicados en Paris el Ano de 1810 ; tradocidosy compendiados poa. D. M. D. S. Barcelona: Imprenta ^ Tomas Gorchs Rajada de la CarceU 1817. 8vo. pp. 87.

E s c h e z , S b n s u it j e u x p a r t ie s DBS, composes novellementpour r creer tous nobles cueurs, et pour ^viter oysivet i ceulx qui ont voulent , desir et affection dela s avoir et aprendre; et est apelie ce livre le jeu des Princes et Damoiselles.— Nouvellement imprime d t enseigne Su Jehan Baptiste, 4to, 12 leaves, without date or place, but printed by Denis Jea®’ nat, early in the 16th century. Dr. Hoeck fixes the date at 1539, but assigns no reason for so doing. (See Catal< “® of Chess Books, by Dr. Hoeck, attached to Reinganum i Work on Chess.)

Echiscs, diiCoHection des coups d’ checsles plus briUans et ter plin/CurteiiDc, tout d&ns la partie ordi-

* saire, dan8 les diffiorCTCtesrpwties oonipos es; tiroes des meilleurs auteurs, et doat pkisMUTS a*ont point enpore et6 public. Par un aidateur. a p€oris et iStrasburg; ckez Amamd KM gy An« X (lb02;) 16mo. 2 tom. pp. 93 and 122. In the first volume we have C6rutti*s poem on Chess. Hirougfa^ this work Stattmm is shamefully pillaged. The author was M. de ‘Hontigny, A German edition was printed at the same time, entHledt-^Neuentdeekte Schachspielge- heimnisse, &c. Strasburg and Paris ; same size, plates, and publisher.

The suhaequent English and German translations are as follow:— Stratagems of Chess, or a-collection of critical and remark­

able situations, &c. taken from the French work entitled •“ Stratag^mes des Echecs.” London: Allman 1817. 8vo. pp. 220.

— Kriegslisten des Schachspiels oder der kluge Schachspieler. Aus dem Englischen, mit 121 Holzschnitten., Leipzig: in der Baumgartnerschen Buchhandlung, 1820, Bvo. pp. 256.

6chbcs.—L* art de jouer et de gagner au jeu des fechecs, rendu simple, facile, et mis k la portae de tout le monde, au moyen de tableaux synoptiques, d* apr s les dpjcumeps fournis par Mons. B., habitu6 du Cafe de la Kegence. (Signed P. L.) Paris: Terry Jeune Palais-Royal, 1828. 8vo. pp. 28, with two very large folding plates, . ,i

ENCYCLOpfeDiE MiTHODiQUB.—Dictionuaire des Jeux. AjParis, chez Panckoucke, 1792, 4to. pp. 316, and numerous platep. Second Part of the same. Paris, chez Agasse, An Vilit ,2 vol. 4to. pp. 212 and 170.— These volumes merit being recorded as the best, because most comprehensive, work ot; ,thq class. Philidor on Chess is incorporated; as also.the wo^ks/^f Blonde and Manoury on Polish Draughts. ;

Endbbi bjv, K.—Anweisung zum Vierschachspiel. Berlin, 1826. 8vo.

(F).^ * .Frbbet, N ic .— Dissertation sur 1* origine du jeu des ^hecs,

dans r Hist, de 1’ Academic Royaledeslnscrip.tom. V ., dans 1 Hist, de 1 Academie Koyaledeslnscnp. pp. 260, 264.—Amsterdam, t. 1J1, p. 375. 17 9. 4to. See No. 814, of “ The Craftsman.”

F il d in g , A b o l . J u l iu s T h e o i o b , das Schachspiel, die neueste fert es griindlich zu erlernen. Berlin, Society Buch, 1812,

'1^14, and 18f6. 8vo.—A new edition was produced by C. ’ '€k‘F. voii iteben. BerUn : C* Qi Flittner*sehe BvMumd~

1820. 8vo. pp. 65. / ; ^2 F

FiRMAs-P Hii s, M. Le Conte de.—Le jeu de Strategie, ou les Echecs Militaires. Paris: Egron, 1815. 8vo. pp. 132.— This work went through two editions, trash as it is. At the end is a huge folding plate.

F r a n k l in , B e n ja m in .—See the Morals of Chess, printed in every edition of the works of this g r e a t a n d g o o d m a n . Also Dialogue on Chess, &c., between Franklin and the Gout, first published in the Monthly Mag, Sept. 1804.

F ie l d in g , E l ia s .—Das Schach Verkchren im Brett and Tokka- tegli Spiel aus dem Englischen des Elias Fielding.—Berlin, Ochmigke, 1798. 8vo.

Funf und neunzig Sake gegen das Schachspiel. Yon einem Theologen. Leipzig, &rig, 1827, 8vo. pp. 40.

(G ).

G r a z in i , C o sm i.—Scacchi Ludus emendatus. Fhr, 1604, apud Juntas. 4to.—Consisting merely of Vida’s poem with altera­tions.

G ould , R o bert .—Ludus Scacchia, a Satire, with other Poems, by R . G . Lond. 1675. 8vo. pp. 62.

Giuoco d e l l a G u e r r a , I I . Ossia il Giuoco degli Scacchi, G c - wopa, 1802. 8vo.

In this variety of Chess, the pieces are augmented in number, from 32 to 50. The author introduces fusils, can­nons, mortars, bridges, and bag^ge-waggons.

G am e op W a r , T h e ; or Improved Game of Chess, translated from the German, and rectified by a Dutch Notary Publick. London,, 1798. 8vo. pp. 16.

G e st is Romanorum, Ex.—Hystorie notabiles de uiciis uirtuti- busq, tractantes, &c.—^Warton gives an account of this book in his history of English Poetry ; but in enumerating the Chapters has omitted “ Cap CLXVI.—De Ludo Scaccho- RUM.*’— This Chapter, in the edition printed by John of Westphalia (between 1470 and 1480,4to), consists of eight pages.

G e r v a s iu b , T il b e r ie n s is , in libro Scaccarii, s. de curia Scaccha- ria, 1, Cap. 4.

Games mostly played in England, France, Italy, and Germany, comprising Chess. London: 1787. 12mo.

G r u g e t .—Le plaisant jev des eschez, renouell6 auec instrvction pour facilement V apprendre, et le bien iouer. Nagu res traduit d' Italien en Frangois, par feu Claude Gruget, Pari- sien. Paris: Vincent Settenas, 1560. 8vo. pp. 92; and London, 1752. 12mo.—Six lines of poetry, on the title page of the original edition, conclude witn the name of Jan Gen- til.

G ia c o m e t t i.—Nouveau jeu d’ Echecs, ou le jeu de la guerre, invention du Citoyen Francois Giacometti. A Gen s, Jean Barthelemy Como, 1801, An 4 de la Republique Ligurienne; printed at the same time in Italian)* Also, Paris, &c. 1803. Dedicated to Napoleon Bonaparte. 8vo. pp. 115, with fold­ing plates. In his preface, (Giacometti says he had previously printed a less perfect edition of this new game, in 1773, and subsequently reprinted that edition at Turin.

G ia n u t io , H o r a t io .—Libro nel quale si tratta della maniera di guocar a* Scacchi; con alcuni sottilissimi partiti. Turino: Antonio de' Bianchi, 1597. 4to. pp. 104.The omission of Gianutio’s name in the list of Chess-players given by Carrera, is difficult to be accounted for, as this work had been out 20 years, when Carrera published his Treatise. Gianutio has been translated into French, and again into English. Vid. art. Sa r r a t t .

G r e c o , G io a c h in o , C a l a b r e s e .— Trattato del nobilissimo e mili- tare essercitio de’ Scacchi, MS. — This work, although written in Italian, was never published iu that language; but many MS. copies are in existence. The following* are the most known editions, but there must be many others, with which I have never met.

— Le jeu des Echecs, traduits de 1* Italien de Gioachino Greco, Calabrois. Paris: Nic, Pepingue, 1669 and 1726. 12mo. and Paris, chez Denis Mouchet, 1714. 12mo. Paris, chez les libraires associ s, 1774. 12mo. pp. 244.

— Le royale jeu des Echecs, par G. G. Calabrois, traduit de 1* Italien. Londres (Hollande),\162» 8vo.

— Chess made easy ; or the games of Gioachino Greco the Ca­labrian, with additional games and openings; illustrated with remarks and general rules. The whole so contrived, that any person may learn to play in a few days without any farther assistance. (!!) London : Knapton 1750. 24mo.

~ Essai sur le royal jeu des Echecs. Paris, 1615, 1635,1674, 1688, 1696, 1713, 1728, 1735, 1756, ka,—Bruxelles, 1698, 1713, and 1782.—X%e, 1740, 1742.—A Za JJcyc, 1700, and 1743.—Amsterdam, 1752, 1763, and 1791.—For German and English translations, see Art. H ir s c h e l , and B u d d e n .

— Le jeu des Echecs, Amsterdam, 1792, in which Phil;dor*s Treatise is partly incorporated. 12mo. p. 215.

G r e c o , G io a c h in o , on the game of Chess, translated from the French; to which are added numerous remarks, &c. By W m . L e w is . London: Longman and Co, 1819. 8vo. p p . 160. The best edition of Greco extant; forming a most useful volume.

G u t o t .—Nouvelles Recreations Physiques et Mathematiquei.—

See Vol. HI. third edition, Paris, Guefficr, 1786. 8vo. p. 94 to 105, including four Chess problems from Salyio.

(fl).H b l l w io . Joh. Christ. Ludw.—Versuch eines aufs Schachspiel

^baueten Tacktischen Spiels, &c. Leipzig, Crusius, 1780. 8vo. pp. 200, with twelve larnje folding plates. A second part of this work was printed by Crusius, Leipzig, 1782, 8vo. pj). 192, with ten large folded plates.—Hell wig treats exclusivel] of a new species of Chess, founded on what he terms “ military tactics.’*

H e a d , W . G.—The new game of Social Chess. London : Hous­ton, Fleet*street, 1834. sm. 8vo. pp. 16, and folding plate. This consists of a new species of Chess for four players.

H o b n y , J o h a n n . Anweisungdas Schachspiel griindlich zu erler- nen. Cassel; im Ver&g der Luckhardt *schen Hofbuch- handlung, 1828. 8vo. pp. 176.—Second edition.

H o y e r b b c k , C. E. B. F r e y h e r r n V o n .—Das preussische Na­tional—Schach. Breslau; Friedrich Barth, 1806. 8vo. pp. 160. — Like all other new modifications of Chess—utter trash. It is accompanied by numerous coloured plates, and is dedicated to Frederic William, crown prince of Prussia, by the editor, who signs himself E. K. Hoheit.

H o y l e , E d m o n d .—An essay towards making the game of Chess easily learned by those who know 'the moves only, without the assistance of a master. London; T. Osborne, 1761. 8vo. pp. 64.—From the preface to this book, we learn that Hoyle had recently given a course of public lectures on Chess.—In the popular compilation known as “ Hoyle’s Games,” of whicn the various editions could only be computed by do­zens, Chess is always treated on; and a few games from Philidor usually appended.

H e r b e l o t , B a r t . D\—See Bibliotheque Orientale. Paris: 1697. Folio, p. 383, p. 797, &c.

H o l c r o t , R. de ludo latrunculorum. Vid. Altamura* Biblioth. Dominic, p. 123,—Fabricii Bibl. med. Lat, lib. 8, p. 799.

H o e st s .—See “ Efterretninger om Marokos og Fes. Kiobenh, 1779. 4to. p. 105,” and also, “ Nachrichten von Maroko und Fes. Kopenh. 1781. 4to. pp. 111.

H ir s c h e l , M oses , Uber den Ruzen, Gebrauch und Missbrauch dvCS Schachspiels. 2 band. Leipzig : Sommer. 1791. 8yo.

H ir s c h e l , M oses , das Schach des fierrn G io a c h in o G e e c o , CalabroU, und die Schachspiel geheimnisse des Arabers P h il ip p S t a m m a , verbessert und nach einer ganz neuen Methode zur Erleichterung der Spielenden umgearheitet. Breslau, 1784. 8vo.—Repnnted Leipzig; InderCommer* ■chen Buchhandlung, 1795. 8vo. pp.221.

H a r v b y . L ord J ohn.—Essay on Chess, published in the Crafts­man—No. 376,

H y d e , T homas, S. T . D., De Ludis Orientalibus, libri duo auorumSrtor est duabus partibus, viz. 1. Historia Sbahiludii Latini; einde, 2. Historia Sbahiludii Hib. Lat. per tres Judceos.

Liber posterior continet Historiam Reliquum Ludorum Orien- tis.—Oxonii,eTheatro Sheldoniano, 1694, 8vo. 2 vol. pp. 560. Reprinted at Oxford, with the rest of Dr. Hyde’s works, in two large 4tos. by Gregory Sharpe, 1767. The three Hebraic com- ^sitions mentioned above, are, 1. a poem of 76 lines by Aben Ben Ezra;—2, a prose oration by Rabbi Bonsenior Aben- jachia; and—3. an anonymous essay of 14 pages.

H ofpmann , Job. Jos. Ign.—Beitrage zum Schachspiel; Mainz, Florian Kupferberg, 1833. 16mo. pp. 112.—Chiefly compiled from the Italian masters, but containing some original positions by the author’s brother, Philip Carl Hoffmann of Frankfurt.

H offmann , Job. Jos. Ign.—Vida, M. H ., Lehrgedicht vom Schachspiel, herausgegeben und metrisch iibersetzt, Mainz, Kupferberg, 1826. 8vo

H(e c k , Dr., author of the Catalogue of Chess-books appended to Reinganum’s Treatise.

H a i-P ie n , Chinese Dictionary, in which the game of Chess is introduced under the title of “ The game of the Elephant.”— See Rocco.

H e io ii P e t r i, Qucestiones Juris Civiles ; et Sax Witteb. 1601. 4 par post, Quoest. X. 96, in which he treats of Chess.

Hoyle,—II Giuoco degli Scacchi, con alcune regple, ed psserva- zioni, per ben giocarlo, del Sig. Hoyle, Inglese, tradotto nel nostro idioma, e dedicate al merito imparreggiabile del Sig. Dudlej Digges, Cav. Inglese.—Fir. 1760, per Gio. Batt. Stecchi, e Ant Gius. Pagani. 12mo,

(I).I r w in , E yles —Essay on the origin of Chess, &c.,. in a letter to

the Royal Irish Academy, addressed to the Harl of'Cbarleinont. Dated, Canton, 1793. rublished in the Transaciions of the Royal Irish Academy, Vol. 6, Dublin, 1795. 4to.

J).J aucourt, Chevalier de, Author of the article on Chess published

in the French Encyclopedia, 1750.J oseph , Angelus a St.— Gazophyl. Ling. Pers. Amsterdimi,

1684. Seep. 370 and 371.J ones, Sir Wm., in 1763, at the early age of 16, wrote Cai’ssa, a

poem of 334 lines. The idea is taken from Vida, and firom

Marino, one of Vida’s numerous translators.—See Marino's poem of “ A donb,” Canto 15.—Sir Wm. Jones was also the author of an Essay on the Antiquity and Origin of Chess, first published in the Asiatic Researches.

J a n is c h , Charles F. de, D6couvertes sur le Cavalier aux 6checs, par C. F. J .—St. Petersbourg, imprimerie de C. Wienhoeber, 1837, 8vo. pp. 68.

(K.)K umst, d ie , im Schachspiel ein Meister zu werden, &c. Bei

A. D. Philidor. Strasburg, 1754—1759—1771. 8vo.K b u m io , J. G., okonomisch—technologische Encyclopadie. 138.

Th. Berlin, 1824. Bvo. art. Schach. 221—366.K inderm anns , Jos. K., vollstandige Anweisung das Schach­

spiel. Gratz; Franz Ferstl. 1795, 1799, 1801, and 1819. 8vo. pp. 252.— This work includes Stamma’s hundred critical situations.

K r ie g sp ie l , neues, oder verbessertes Schachspiel, &c. Prague, 1770. 8vo. pp. 77.—Published at the same time in French, under the title of “ Le ieu de la guerre, ou rafinement du jeu des 6checs, par M. M. «c.'*

K en ny , W. S., Practical Chess Grammar. Lond. Allman.1817, &c. 4to. 57. Fifth edition, 1823, with ten plates.

K en n y , W. S. d. Schachgrammatik. a. d. Engl. Leipzig, 1821.8 VO.

K en ny , W. S., Practical Chess Exercises. London; Allman,1818. sm. 8vo. pp. 240.

K enny , W. S., Analysis of Chess. London; Allman, 1819.sm. 8vo. pp. 264.—A translation of Philidor.

K och , J o h an n F r ie d r ic h W il h e l m . C o d e x der S ch ach sp ie l- k u n st, & c. M a g d e b u rg , W ilh e lm H ein rich sh ofen . 8 v o . p art L 1813. p p . 390. P a rt II. 1814. p p . 412. P a rt III.1834. p p . 200. T h is w o rk w as first {published in 1801, an d 1803, oy K e i l ; th e e lem en tary pa rt is ch ie fly b y V o n N ib* VELD, au th or o f “ La Superiorite aux Echecs mise ot la ported, fpc"' T h e secon d v o lu m e w as n ot prin ted u n til a year a fter v o l I, on a ccou n t o f the w ar then ra g m g in G erm an y . Z o e g a d e M a n t e u f e l and oth ers, con trib u ted la rg e ly to K och*s v o lu m in ou s w o rk . A t th e en d o f the secon d v o lu m e is a G erm an translation o f Vida*s p o e m . T h e th ird and last part o f K o c h ’s treatise has been pu blish ed since his dea th , ed ited b y his son , D r . C. F . K o c h , c o m p r b in g n o few er than six h u n d red crit ica l position s b y various authors.

K o c h , J. F. W. Elementarbuch der Scachspielkunst. Mag- deburg» in der Greuzschen Buchhandlung. 1828. 12mo. pp. 192.

(L.)L a l l e m b n t . J. C. Les trois nouyeaux jeuz de dames;

tien, echecs, et a trois personnes. Metz. 2 tom. fig, jl 8vo. Relative to a game compounded of Chess and Draughts.

L a m b e , R e v . R . The history of Chess, together with short and plain instructions, by which any one may easily play at it without the help of a teacher. London; printed for J. Wil­kie, 1764, and second edition, 1765. 8vo. pp. 148. A curious volume.

L e ib n it i i, G o d o f r . G u i l . Annotatio de quibusdam ludis, &c. vid. in Misc. Soc. Reg. Berol. t. 1. an. 1710. p. 22, et in Leibnitii Epistol. a Kortholto editis t. IL p. 278, et in Fillerii Monum, inedit, p. 642.

L e t t e r from a minister to his friend, concerning the game of Chess. A broadside; printed at London in 1680.

Les Maisons des jeux academiques; ou, Recueil de tous les jeux divertissans. Paris; Loison, 1665. 12mo. Reprinted in 1668, &c.

Ludus latrunculorum, Stein-oder Schachspiel. Francof, 1647. 12mo.—For another edit, see Art. Wielius.

L y d g a t e , J o h n , Monk of St. Edmondsbury, wrote a poem on love, about the year 1408, dedicated to the admirers of the “ Game Royal of C h e s s a n extract from which is given by Hyde. Lydgate introduces eighteen lines on Chess, in his “ History of the Siege of Troy translated from the Latin of Guido Columna, who wrote it, in quite the beginning of the 16th century. See Warton.

Literary Panorama. Vol. VIIL p. 14, contains a foolish tale of Dr. Franklin playing Chess.

E. W. L u d u s Scacchico mathematicus, ubi Scacchi tabul® ma- thematicse aptati, quasvis propositiones arithmeticas et geo« metricas resolvunt. Londini, 1654, 12mo.

L o l l i . Osservazioni Teorico-pratiche sopra il Giuoco de li Scacchi; ossia II Giuoco degli Scacchi esposto nel suo miglior lume da Giambatista Lolli, Modonese. In Bologna; Nella Stamperia di S. Tommaso d’ Aquino, 1763. FoUo. pp. 632. The most classical work on chess extant.

L u d u s S c ac c h ije , or Chesse Playe. A game both pleasant, wittie, and politicke, &c. Written by G. B. Printed at London by H. Jackson, dwelling beneath the conduite in Fleet Street, 1597. 4t9- pp. 48. Reprinted a few years back, verb, et lit. by Harding and Wright, St. John’s Square, London,,for Mr, Tnphook.

L o p e z , R u y . Libro de la invencion liberal y arte del juego del Axedrez, muy vtil y prouechosa: assi para los que de nneuo quisieren deprender a jugarlo, como para los que lo saben

jugar.—Compuesta aora nueuamente Rujlopez de Sigiii;!a Clerigo, vezino dda villa Cafht. Dirigada al muj Ulustre Senor Don Gkircia de Toledo, ayo y mayordomo mayor del Serenissimo Principe Don Carlos naestro Senor. ^ Aloald en casa de Andres de Anauelo*, 1561. 4to. 160 leaves. Lopez has been partly translated into English. Vid. Art. S a b r jjt t . Clodius designates Lopez as “ Liber Rarissimus/’

L o p e z , R u y . II givoco de gli Scacchi di Rui Lopez, Spagnuolo; nuouamente tradotto in lingua Italiana da iHf. ( ^ . Domenico Tarsia, In Vej.etia, presso Cornelio Arriuabene, 1684. 4to. pp. 214. This translation is as rare as the original itself, which is here in some measure abbreviated. It is dedicated with much flourishing of trumpets, Air Ezcellentissimo S. Jacopo Bvoncompagni, Dvca di Sora, e D’Arce, &c.”

L o p e z , R u y . Le jeu des Echecs, avec son invention, science, et practique, ou par un tr s docte et intelligible discours sont amplement descrits les moyens d’ordonner son jeu tant pour Toffensive que la defensive; traduict d’ Espagnol en Frangois. Paris; Micard, 1609. 4to. pp. 88. This book was again re­printed at Paris, by Robinet, 1616. pp. 227 ; and at Brussels, 1665.

Letter to the Craftsman on the game of Chess, &c. London; printed by E. Peele, at the Locke’s Head, Amen Comer, 1733. 8vo. pp. 30.

Lucena. Repeticion de amores, y Arte de Alxedrez con CL juegos.—4to. Without place or date, but assumed to have been in the year 1495, and consequently the earliest practical work on the subject, with the single exception of V ic e n t . On the reverse of the title of this volume, is a Latin poem o f nine dis- tichs, In laudem operis, de Franc. Quiros; this sopnet is

. followed by another of 18 distichs, on the recto of the second leaf, headed “ Lucena in suo opere.” On the reverse of the second leaf, the first part of the title is repeated: “ Repiticion de amores compuesta por Lucena,” &c. This division of the work only fills a couple of pages, and then we come to the Treatise on Chess, consisting of 87 leaves, beginning with the title “ Afte,” &c ; and comprising 150 critical positions, illus­trated by 164 wood-cuts. Of these positions, Damiano appears to have taken 120. Lucena is exceedingly rare.

L e w is , William.—Oriental Chess; or specimens of Hindoostanee excellence in that celebrated game. London, J. M. Richard­son, 1817. 2 vol. 24mo. pocket size, pp. 150 and 141.—See Art. T r e y ANGADACHARYA.

L e w is , Wm.—Elements of the Game of Chess. London: Long­man and Co. 1822. l2mo. pp. 240.—Reprinted in America by Carvill, New York, 1827. 12mo. pp. 240.

Lbwib, Wm.—Chess Problems; being a selection of original ntions, &e. London: Sampson Lowe, 1827. 12mo. pp.

[64.L e w is , Wm.—The Games of the Match at Chess, played by the

London and Edinburgh Clubs, between 1824 and 1828; with variations and remarks. London: Setchel, 1828. 8vo. pp. 131. Two lively articles appeared relative to this match, in the Lon­don Magazine of 1835, pp. 97—102, and 319—320.

L e w is , Wm.—Remarks on the. Report of the Committee of the Edinburgh Chess-club. London: Setchel, 1829. 8vo. pp. 11.

L e w is , W m . A series of progressive lessons on the game o f Chess, &c. London; Fraser, 1831. 8vo. pp. 320.

L e w is , W m . A second series of lessons on the game o f Chess, &c. London; Simpkin and Co., 1832. 8vo. pp. 424.

L e w is , W m . A selection of games at Chess, played at the Westminster Chess Club, between M. L. C. de la Bourdonnais and an English amateur of first-rate skill, London; Simpkin and Marshall, 1835, 8vo. pp. 132.

L e w is , W.—50 Schachpartien in dem Westminster Schach-Klub zu London wahrend des Sommers 1834 gespielt zwischen Herrn L. C. de la Bourdonnais und einem englischen Sehach- spieler. Aus d. Engl, iibersetzt von L . Bledov, Berlin, Fincke,1835, 8vo.

L e w is , Wm.—Chess for Beginners, &c. London; Chapman and Hall, 1835. 16mo pp. 149.

L e w is , Wm.—Chess Board Companion. London: Baily and Co. 1838. 32mo. pp. 112.

La B o u r d o n n a is , L, C. De.—Nouveau Trait6 du jeu des Echecs. Paris: Au Caf6 de laRegence. 8vo. Part I. pp. 167. Part II. pp. 204.— The second part of this work, containhig positions, was published in 1833, but the first part, containing openings, &c. was not published till March, 1834.

L tjdijs ^UDENtiUM F r ib u r o e n s iu m .—A curious quarto tract of 11 leaves only; the following is the imprintbeatus Mumer Argentinensis Francphudie imprimebat anno 1511.*' There are about half a dozen cuts: one representing a board of 225 squares, relating to a certain variety of Chess; another, a circular board, and various figures. In the title impears an outline of a priest in the attitude of preaching. He holds a large bible, the print of which lifts up, and discovers a back­gammon table, with dice, underneath!

(M.)MANiifeaE, La, d’ apprendre le jeu d’Echecs. Amsterdam, 1759.

8 v o .2 G

Maainelli, Don FiLfPt’o H. Inrenzione di del Scaechi fra tr6. In Napoli, p»er Fel5de Mosca,The same w(ipk was published at Vienna, and Ratishlifn.^ f^o. 1765.—Marinelli’s Chess is played on a board of I36^qna^s.

M arinelli. Triple Chess, invented by P. H. MapTnelli. ' Lbn- don; Valpv, 1826. 8vo. pp. 112. r -

MiBWNELii, Jac., de Lndo latmnculorum seu «c«ch W i«t UA Bibl. Cesarea, Vindob. M. S.—Aqslejung ^piek wohner fenn Anfang» Costan*, 1507. 4to^.-^Rfe]iriti^ at Oppenheim, 1520. 4to. '• ' ii <i i

M orals op Chess, a Poem, See Ma^i AprifThis “ Poem*' consists o f a hundred * lines t I cinndt «eM them verses. ■ . ■ , . . ‘

Mohammed, Ibn ^ eiph CLirRENEitslft; Oratium^kila^AMdca de laude vituperio Shahulidii. Vid. Hyde 1. 35 '

MARt;fitisELLi. Translator o f Vida’s Poem oil ‘Ch^ss itito Spaiiish. ‘

MoNTFAtJCow, Berit. Antiquite expliqdee, et represent^e en figures. Paris, 1722; folio, t. 111. 334, where he tveats of Ghfess among various other sports.

M o rali^atio ScAccfHARii. Shahiludio Poema. Oxford,1667. Svo.-^The work of an English monk, named Innocent, but falsely attributed to pope Innocent.

Moist^R, V., das Schachspiel, nach dem Italieniechein d s AtitOre Modenese dargestellt. Coblenz, bei H. J. Hblscher,1822, 8vo. pp. 108.—A translation of the first edition of Poniiani.

M id dleto n , T homas. “ The comedy of” A game at Chee , 'is it was acted nine days together at the Globe on the btitkV iide.(Engraved frontispiece, containing portraits of Lo rtdla ■Sittd’^bnd'omar.) London, 1624 and 1628. 4to. 381'eavesk J

M ouret, J acques F rancois. Trait6 l mentaire et eofinpltttidu '' J6u Echecd, Sec, Paris, Lamotte, 1838. 12mo. pp. 246,*'200 diagrams. A compilation from Zuylen Von with the name of Mouret affixed as the author. J

M^ijviLtoN, F : W. VON. Anweisung zur Erlernung des SehaisE* ■flJiieU, rtiit besonderer Riicksieht auf diejenigen d nen ‘ das spiel durchans unbekaimt ist von F. W. von Mjauvilkb. Essen ; B'adeker, 1827. 8vo, pp. 382.— Translated into Dutch tKud‘---Handleidung tot hetleerenvan het Schaak^pel hoqgdrritsch Van Mauvillon— er J. de Quack^—’Rotte rdain Mensin arid Westrenen, 1828. 2 vol. 8vo. . . '

Mauvillon, I . W. von. Die w’ahrend der Jahre, 1824 Bis "*>8ii8 Von den Londoner tind fedinburger Schachklubbs gespiett«rt fUhf Schaehpartien mit Variaaten und' Afntoericunjgen ttiiiilh deift Englischen beferbeitet, &c. Essen; ~ €k D; Bid#kbr.^^< . pp. 84. ;' ■' "

F* W. von, BeWlirei|4e Uot rlialtmug fiir0 Sch ehspields, liiest band in hundert Auageuucho i*??n (Sjt lwngen, in velcijen deijenige, wdcher am Zuge ist,

igewinneijk Muss., Essen; G. D. 3*adeker. 5 :to1.1833, 1834, and 1836. 16mo- popket size, to

continued in volumes.Revanche de Waterloo, ou une partie d’ eche^s;

PaiiB, au Club des P norama , No. b/4$v)Rii ViYjenaei, J836, 8vo* pp. 20.—The theme of thi3 jeu

d* esprit is a game o Chess actually played between M*.<le >;;|5 iWttrfojinaW Mr, WcM.vI0'QIImA? >C9E68«(. Tbe .games of the match playeii b tyrfien

the London and Edinburgh Chess Clubs; with note .-and >bftcJ g«i|iie«vM wportied by the Committee of tjie Edinbwrgll Chess-Club*^Edinburgh; Blackwood. London; Cad U, ro^al

)8vo 18^ . pp. 7U Also, Appendix to the Report of tb mittee of the Edinburgh Chess*Club, containing obseJ v tieins in answer to Mr, Lewis’s “ Remarks.”—Edinburgh, 183^ Bvq* pp. 6. . !

M atch a t C h ess , P a r t ic u l a b s op a , played in March, 1831. Cambridge ; Hatfield, 1831. 8va pp .B

M sndsbim, Jui ius. Taschenbuch fur Schachfreunde. Berlin;Alex Mosar, 1814. 24mo. pp. 60. , t

M ^ n d h e im , J u l iu s . Aufgaben fur Schachspieler npbst;4jifl^ ; sungen* Als Fortsekung des Taschenbuchs fur Scbachfreun4e. Berlin ; Trautwein, 1832. 8vo. pp. 73. :

M o n t a n o , B e r n a r d in o . Three games of Chess on a l ji e folding sheet. Padova, 1618. i ? tii-

M a d d e n , S ir F r e d e r ic . Historical remarks on the.intrpdi^- . tion into Europe of the ^me of Chess, &c. London i; Nicfeflis,

1832. 4to. pp. 91.—A few copies printed for private dista ibu- tion; but published in the Archcelogia; vol. xxiv. ; !/

Mopo facile per intendere il vago, e dilettevole gic oco 4egli Scacchi; per un Anonimo Veneziano.—Venez. per Ppm qj so Lovisa, 1817. 8vo. : . f

MOBoeiHi, Ascanio.—II Giuoco degli Scacchi, tradotto in ott ypfi rima. Nel TomoV. della Racolta di Poematti Italian!. T prino,1797. 12mo.

(N). . INam«^, der Schachstein, s. Allegemeinen literariscli^n

Attzeiger 1798. No. 103, p. 545. sNouvbllb Notation pour les parties, ou les ooups d’ Echf^s.

: Par P. P. E. F, Commercy, 1836. 12mo. pp. 32. , r/;Br.-^Das Schaohspiel unter Zweien und dessen Gebfw-

iiwwe ; fepoer das Cowri r- ppiele,. Rundi hach des iuid das Krieges»'0pielr Berlins In 4^ Pauli *achen» handlung, 1827. Bvo. pp. 212. ^

Nimo, Dr.—-R^aension des Vorigen in No. 15, der post. ' » *

Nieybld, Zuilen Van. La Superiority au jeu Edieos, raise ^la port^ de tout le monde, et particnH rement desiDimits, &c. ACanipen; chez 1. A. De Chalmonty 1792,9j. 166. Translated into Dutch as followB;—

et Scfaaakspiel veel gemahlyker om te leeren of enderright op wat, kc. 2 vol. Campen, Chalmont, 1792. 8to.— Zuylen's book is the best ever published as to the elementi of the game.

N oitvblle Notation des Parties et coups d' 6checs, compmdam les Tmites faits sur ce jeu; par vne S»ei t6 d Amateurs et par Philtdor, &c. Paris: Ev rat, 1823. 8vo. pp. 466*-* Theiiw method of notation consists simply of numbering the squaores of the Chess-board, from 1 to 64.

Nbue Theorie der Schachspielkunst, &c. Von A. B. Konigsbttg, Unzer, 1827. 8vo.

(O).Olbarius, Adam, in notis ad Schich Saadi Rosarium Persicum.

1. 7, c. 13, p. 84. Hamb. 1696. fol.

(P).Pratt, Peter.— The Theory of Chess, &c. London; Bagfster,

1799, 8vo. pp. 107.—The quaintness of Mr. Pratt’s style is by < no means its minor merit.Peatt, P,—Studies of Chess; containing a systematic introduc­

tion to the ^me, and the analysis of Chess by Mr. A. D. Pbi- lidor, &c. London: Samuel Bagster, 1825. 8 y o . pp . 536.^

’ This work was originally published in two volumes, and hw ‘ gone through several editions. It was first printed in 1802. Pbtbat, Dv.—La Philosophie Royale dv jev des Eschets, jwvr ' Monseignevr le Davfin. Par G. Dv. Peyrat. Paris: Met-

tayer, 1608. 8vo. pp. 148.Pohlaav, I. O.—Chess rendered familiar by tabular demoo$tnr

tions, &c. London: Baldwin and Co. 1819. Royid 8vo. pp- ' 449 .^PbjttiANi Avvocato D om enico Canonico.—II Giuoco incompers-

bile dcgli Scacchi sviluppato con nuovo metodo, per con rre chiunque colla maggiore iaciliti dai primi elementi; sino finezze piu magistrali. Opera d’ Autore Modenese, dirisain tre parti. Modena, per gli Eredi di Bartolomeo SoHani,4to. pp. 380.— The second and best edition recapitulates the above title, but concludes thus;—Seconda Edizione pui ate et arricchita di nuovi moltissimi Lumi e Scoperte. Modena» P®

Sdiftnii 17$®i 4^. — Tiye edUion wai pij - lished anonymously, and the author was consequently descri­bed tihe “ Second (Anonywoust; Modenese.” The third and fowth editions, published «t V#»iQe, hy Simone Occhii, in 1801,«nd “ nella Stamperia Negri,’* 1812> were merely reprmts of the first; but the mth editioa ia taken from the second, andI th«j?efore subjoin the title,;—

PoKSiAKi* 11 Giuoco ineomparabile degli Scacchi, &c. Prima MdMom Romanay eseguita su quella di Modena del 1782.

Roma: per Domenico Ercole, 1829. 4to. pp, 242.P iacen za , Doctor Franceauo.'—I Gampeggiamenti degli Scaechi

.0 sia nuovadisciplina d* attachi, difesa, e partiti del giuoco degli Scacchi si nello stile antico che nel nuovo Arci-Scacchiere. In Torino ; per Antonio Beltrandi, 1683. 4to, pp, 136.

PoLiPHiLi Hypnerotomachia, Venice, 1499. Folio.—Chess is described as a Tournament.

P a c io t t a , F e l i x , de ludo Scacchorum. Vid, Hyde, L. I. 183,P a l a m e p e s Rediuiuus. Unterricht von Stein oder Schachspiel

&c. Leipzig: Joh. Gottfr. Ayck, 1679. 12mo.—I am ac­quainted with four other editions of this book, yiz. 1722, 1733, 1749, and 1755.

Paridis db Puteo, Joh.— Tractatus aureus in materia ludi. Neapoli: Sixt. Russinger, 1485. Fol.—Venetiis: B^t. de Cortis, 1489. Fol.—Mediolani, 1493. Fol,—Papioe: Burgo- fhmcho, 1511. Fol.

Palam de, Le. a Monthly Magazine of Cha»», publidwd at Paris in the French language. Two volumes, of twelve num­bers each, are complete, and a third has just commenced , lls Editor is M. de la Bourdonnais, and the o^ce of publication, No, 1, Rue de Menars.

Pbeu sleiw, I. P. C.—Auseinander-setzung der Schachstpkl geheimnisse des Arabers P. Stamma. Berlin; Enslis J817 and 1823. 8vo. , .

Pbxlix>or.—Bekwame handleidung tot bet edtte Sohaakapel:— gevolge naar bet Fransch van den Heere A. D. Philidw, door Petrus Lievens Kerstemen. Amsterdam, Elwe, 1808. 8vo. pp. 248, with plates.

PmLiDOR, Andr6 Danican.—L’ Analyze des Echecs, A Ixindres, L’ An 1749. 8vo. pp. 170.— The following ase a only of the different editions I have met with;—In French, Amsterdam and Leipzig; chez Arkst^e, et Merkut* 1762. 8vo. London: 1767. 8vo. pp. 308,— Reprinted in l^don,1777, with fine portrait by Bartolozzi. Royal 8vo, pp. 310,-^ and again, 1790, EJmsly, Strand, London, 2 vol. royal 8vo.— Leipzig, J754, 8vo,^Paris, 1762, &c. 8vo.—also in 1803. 4to.—Philadelphia, 1821, 8vo.—Paris, 1835, pock«t size, by Causette, &c.

PHiLiDO^^Prakt. Aoiv eisuog c.Scback. Hm. Ewald. Ooth , pttUger, 1779 an4,i797^T^©irft Strasburg, 1771, (3d edit ) &c. &c.—For another,j rn E gi di- tion of Phdlidor, the article RysT.” (

P h il id o r .— De KuDst van Sch al gpels, 4cc. Te; Ai^^tiEHfdji^ Jbij H. G artm an , 1819. 8yo. pp. 248; w ith fbl^ijog ()|latei|.. (,

P en n , Richard.— MaxiniR and Hints for An®l r attdiChe s toy- ers. London: John Murray, 1833. 8vo. pp. 6ft. .[ q,j .ovy

PnuBN, R e v . T^OMA^. An introduction tp; Jiie tfsi^ryTtpi study of Chess, &c. To which is addied Philidp?-*l^aii^|^s f Chess. Cheltenham, H. Rpff, 1804* Byo i iH

. ; : , . . i.Kr! ?hiTR o m a n . Les Echecs, Poeme en quatre chants,

Leopold Collin, 1807. 18mo, pp. J80. :/Thie Mstpricai research is by Auguste Couvret, ana contains an accoimt^f the Automaton Chess-player, &c.

R e MGR, P a d r e A lo n zo . Entretinimientos y juegos Honestos.Madrid 16 3. 12mo. r > -

liocco. Dissertazione del Ch. Signore, D. Benedetto RocijQio, Napoletanp, qvl. Giyco degli Scacchi, ristampata da Francesca Ci^cellieri Romano. Con la Biblioteca Raeionata degli Scrittori su lo stesso givoco. Roma; Francesco Bovrlie, JB17. 12mp. pp. 58.

I ^ in q a n u m , Aaron. Ben Oni, oderdie Vertheidigunzen gegi n die Gambitzuge im Schache, nach bestimneten arten clasaifi- cirt. Franklort; Hermann, 1825. 8vo. pp. 176.

Die Schachspieler, Zeichnrung von Moritz Retzsc , Ns^h dessen Andentungen erlautert von C. Borr. von Miltilz,

' Leipzig, in Commission bei Ernst Fleischer, 1831; consisting of Retzsch’s engraving, with three folio leaves of explanatioii in the three languages—German, French, and English.

R o w b o t s u ^ , J a m e s . The pleasaunt and wittie playe of tl|e Cheats renewed (reviewed), with instructions both to leaame it easety, and to playe it well. Printed at London by lloe- lande Hall, for James Rowbothum, and are to be sold at hys shoppe vxuier Bowe Churche in Cheapesyde. Black lettek*. ^156 8vo. 65 leaves.— This book is a translation from IDaBUr " ano« ai d was the first practical work ever printed on the sub­ject, in England. A second edition was printed by Thomas 'Marshe, London, 1569. Same size as before. The first editlofn is the rarer, though both are extremely scarce. ; j

Rj[0, JErcx i e Del., Osservazioni pratiche sopra il giuco>d(eg}i r^acchi deir.Anonimo Autor Modonese. In Mod^4>; c e p co Torri 1750 4to, pp. 100.—Ercole del; Rioi TOsj-lf^ ' Qq wn to ^ Chess-wwpid as “ The anooyoH^s Mi dezHSe.crq

De! L^do Afe®• 'Ludorum Sdieiitfa. Venet,— Aloys. Pavinas,

' ■ . '■' •Roesselspsung, Der, mii Vamtibnen Mittweyda; bei Ed- I' KlHg, 1831. 24mo. pp. 64.Rust J. F, Da» Schackspiel der Pbrlidor, oder Saramlttiig iiv? Vtitled^Wp^iele desselben, &c.—Leipzig, Gottfr, Basse, 1834. Bvo. pp. 106L’ ,.

Ankittitig zuf grundichen erlemnng des Schach- ^'^pteJk'^Maigdebuig, Fe^dhiand Rnbach, 1834. 8vo. pp. 212. Ringhibri, taoCEiJTlo.' Cento Oivochi liberali, 6t d’ ihpgrio.

In Bologna; per Anselmo Giaccarelli, 1561. 4to. 163 leaves. This rare book comprises Chess among the hundred gamea

oil*" r ' " f \ wiFi A K. Di« Deutsche Fecht-Kunst. Leipzig, 1817.

(S. , 'Sagittarh, Pauli. Mart. Programma de Ltido ‘ Scacchico^

Altenburg, 1676. 4to. ,Sarratt, J. H. The works of Damiano, Ruy—Lopez, and Sil­

vio, on the game of Chess; translated, &c. London; Bop- sey, 18l3, 8vo. pp. 382. * .

Sarratt, J . H. Treatise on the game of Chess, &c. ' Lbhdon j Miller, 1808. 2 vol. 8vo. pp. 27J and 360. Reprfrited fti one vol. with notes by Mr. W. Lewis. London ; Lohgriian and Co., 1822. 8vo. pp. 361. Seventy-eight critical positfbns. are given in this work by Sarratt, more than tV^o-^lifds^ir which are from Lolli, Salvio, &c.; the dbligatfotf unacknowledged by the liberal borrower. ;

SARRAtT, J. H. The works of Gianutio and Gu^tavuS S' ieA'ds on the game of Chess, translated and arrange, id . LbiiddH; J: iBbers, 1817. 2 vol. 8vo. pp. 233, and 240. 'Hlfe WdW^

%rtoslate and arrange” signify in Mr. Sarratfs tockhVilArJ^^o ^ mutilate and abridge.** : . ? ?

SAdRAtT, J. H. A new treatise on the of Ctesi; 'Sc.Lohdon; Moore, 1821. 2 vol. 8vo.pp. 213, aid 395; ^

Sa^ io, Drij Aiessakdro, of Naples. Tratiato delF i^ventibiie ^t arte liberale del Gioco di Scacchi. In-NaboK ; bfttista Sottile 1604, 1612,1618, and by Gio. Dom. Mo tariar(>, 1634. 4to.pp. 64. i

Salvio, Dr. A. II Puttino, altramente dtetto al Cavidlieifb ei - , del Salvio; Discorsa sopra il gioco de*Scf^^chl, cbnl^'^'

4pok>gia contra il C arr^ . In NapoH; p if Gidihb. Sbft®e ^I6d4f 161^ 1618, a®d By Gib.' Dbm. MonWaro, 1634; 4t4. pp.5^?2juiThis'^totl :tKtt foi^goin^ are always ineV wilh,

bound together. Tliere is ancAherSconiggio, 1634.4to. I sabjoin the title of the last editi h of Salrio, which includes the whole of his writinffs. "

Salvio. 11 Giuoco degli Scacchi del Dottor Alessandro Slilvio, diviso in IV libri, ed in questa ristampata acereseiuto di al unifiuochi dello stesso Autore, &c. In Napoli; nella stainp^m

i Felice Mosca, 1723, 4to. pp. 160.Sarasin, Jean Francois.—Les (Evvres de Monsievf Sarasini A

Paris, chez Avgvstin Covrb , 1666. 4to. pp. 600. Contait^^ Opinions dv nom et dv jev des eschets, pp. 20. Sar« in*s works were reprinted as follow:—Les Oevvres de Moti^i^r Sarasin. Iniprim6 a Rouvn, et se vend h Paris chez Atigtistin Covrb6, 1668. 12mo. pp. prose 369, poetry 380. Again reprinted in 12mo. 1683, 1694, &c.

Saul , Arthur.— The famous Game of Ghesse-play» truely disco- uered, and all doubts resolued. So that by reading this small Booke thou shalt profit more than by the playing a thousand Mates. London : Roger Jackson, 1614. 8vo. 30 leaves.

SCACCHORUM, Incipit libellus de ludo, Black letter. 4to. date about 1480. See Xavier Laire, Mendez, &c.

SCHACHSPIBL, Das. Ein Heldengedicht, 1763. 4tb.Sbtmour ’s Complete Gamester, containing instructions for play­

ing Chess and other Games. Lond. 1734, 1766, See, I2mo.Sbybrino , Marco Aurelio. La Filosofia overo il Perche degli

Scacchi, kc. In Na]»oli, Antonio Bulifon, 1690. 4to. pp. 120. This book is scarce; it includes some description of Uie “ Phi­losopher s Game ”—Rythmomachia.

Sbveriko, M. a. del Giuoco degli Scacchi, Dell* antica Pettia overo che Palamede non h stato V inventor degli Scacchi, &c. Naples: Bulifon, 1690. 4to. pp. 82.

SxvERiNO, M. A. Modo facile j>er intendere il vago e dilettevole Giuoco degli Scacchi. Veneiia; Valentin Mortadi, 1674.8vo. Reprinted at the end of Salvio (edit. 1723).

S erph , Ibn M ohammed. Oratio Arabica de Laude et vftapeno Shahiludii pro et contra illud.—In commentariis Sephadii.

SCHACHSPIEL, DAS. Ein Bild des Menschlichen Levens, in dreikj philosophischen slizzen. Dessau, 1784. 8vo.

60HACHSPIEL, USER DAS. See Morgenblatt siir gebildete stande, 1813. No. 96--^d Zeitung siir d. eleg. Welcfii, 1821. No. 33.

SCHACHSPIEL, und andere Spiele. Leipzig, 1713. 8vo.—Merely a book like Hoyle’s games.

SCHACHSPIBL, T7BER DAS, und dessen Erlemung aus Buchem.— SeeAnalekten siir Politik, Philosophie und Literatar. ' Leip­zig, 1717, 8vo, *

ScBAcaspiBL, x>A8, und der Krieg —See Neuye Jugendzeitung von. J. C, Dolz, 1820. See p. 97.

SiKGBR.—In the work on the or^in of playing cards, (London, 1816. 4to.), mention is made of Chess, and there is a letter on Chess from Dr. Buchan.

S e k f f t von P ilfach, C., das Belagerungs-Schach mit einer Anweisung Zum Schach unter drei und vier Spielern. Ham- buu’g ; Johann Gottlieb Herold, 1820. 8vo. pp. 20.

Sbnfft von P ilfach, C. Festungskrug, ein amiisantes Schach- spiel. Berlin; Manrers. 8vo. 1820.

S s le n x t s , GusTAvrs. Das Schachoder Koenig-Spiel. In vier unterschiedene Biicher, mit besonderm fleiss, grund-und or- dentlich abgefasset. Auch mit dienlichen Kupfer-stichen gezieret. Desgleichen vorhin nicht auszegangen. Lipsise, 1616. large 4to. pp. 500. The author of this work was Au­gustus, duke of Brunswick Luneburgh, who wrote under the name of Selenus. The book is very rare.

SoKEiKERi Damasceni, Liber Arabicus de excellentia Shahiludii prae Nerdiludio. Vid. Hyde t. 1. 182.

Scacchia depicta; or A System of Characters for Chess; by an amateur. Part L London; Masters, 1829. royal8vo. pp. 9.

Stamma, P h ilippe . Essai sur le jeu des Echecs. Paris, Paul Emery, 1737. 12mo. pp, 146. A la Haye, 1741, 12mo. &c.

Stamma, P. Essai sur le jeu des Echecs, &c. A la Haye, 1741, 12mo. pp. 160.—First printed at Paris by Molieres, in 1737. Reprinted at Amsterdam and Leipzig by Arkstee and Merkus, in 1752.

Stamma, P . Nouvelle maniere d’ apprendre les Echecs, &c. Utrecht; T. V. Schoonhoven, 1777, 12mo. pp. 160.

Stamma, P. Schachspielgeheimnbse, &c. Von W. C. Wien, 1806.8vo

Stamma, P. The game of Chess. London; J. Brindley, 1745, 16nio., two parts, pp. 74 and 115.

Stamma, P., on the game of Chess; with notes by W. Lewis. London; T. & J. Allman, 1819. sm. 8vo. pp. 350.

Stamma.—Proeven van bet Schaakspel, &c. Amsterdam; Ged- rukt by de Erven de Weduwe Jacobus van Egmont, 1824. 24mo. pp. 140.

Stein , E lias. Nouvel essai sur le jeu des Echecs. A la Haye, 1789. 8vo. pp. 254.

SCHACHSPIEL. Neu entdeckte Schachspiel, &c. Ling and Leipzig; Schmidt. Second edition, 1S18. two vol. I8mo. pp. 80 and 122.— The first edition was in one vol.

Schachspiel, Ein theoretisch practisches Spielbuch aller bis jetzt bekannten 'altiren und neuesten und erlaubten Karte- numterhatlnngen, &c. Wien; Tendler, 1830. 8vo. pp. 348.

2 H

ScHAcaspiBL, Dav histor. erlaurt, m. e. JCuwem ver-schen nebst Fiffuren. y. Zinn. , Halle, 1812, 8vo,

ScHAAKSPEL. Haodleidung ter oefeniog in bet Schaakspel:; Ti Rotterdam, bij T. J, Wijnhoven Heodriksen» 1834, 24ino. pp. 18.

SCHAGHSPIELS, Krieoslisten d. od. d. Kluge Schachspieler; prakt. Anleit. Dach d. Werken d. besten Meister, &c. Leipzig; Baumgartner, 1820. 8vo. ,

SCHACHSPIEL d. Klein, oder selbstlehrender Uuterricht. Elb^f. Mannes, 1811. 8vo. . .

Speblin. Essai sur le jeu des Ecbets, compose par M. De Sperlin. Lausanne, 1695, 12mo. pp. 190. .

SiLBERSCHMiDT, Hirsch. Die neu entdeckten Geheimnisse im Gebiete des Scbacbspiels, &c. Braunschweig; G. C. E. Meyer, 1826.8vo. pp. 192.

SiLBERSCHMiDT, Hirsch. Das Gambit, oder Angriff uud Ver- tbeidigung gegen G^mbitzuge, &c. Braunschweig; Vogler, 1829, 8vo. p ^ 222.

Sardenbeim, Ein Bild des mensclilichen Lebens, in dreyasig Philosophischen Skizzen. Dessau, 1784. 8vo. pp. 110.

Sious, Fred . Louis. The game of Chess in verse. London; Wallis, 1823. 12mo. pp. J2.

Kaii Friedrich.—Hundert und zwanzig Schach-Rath- sel. Breslau; Edward Philipp, 1829. 8vo. pp. 36.

Sbkptlbbhjs, Andreas.—De Alea Veterum, &c. Lipsiae; apad •PMlipjHinB Fuhrmann, 1667. 8vo. pp. 246.

91HT&, Horatio.— Festivals, Games> &c. London; Colburn,1831. Post 8vo. pp. 382.

SijaAAKS^BL.—^Algemeine Regels van het Schaakspel. Te Eot- teffkbn, bg A. May van Vollenhoven. 8vo. J830, pp.O*

Schaakspel.—Beknopte Handeidung tot her Schaakspel. Te *s- Gravenhage^ bij A. Kloots, 1834. 12mo. pp. 92. [STBii ,,iBIiaa.— Nieuwe proeve van handleiding tot het Schatk-

'Spel. Naar het Frensch door D. Broedelet, Dz. Te porro0- jr^de, bij Broedelt en Rijkenberg, 1834. 8vo pp. 198.

Strutt, Joseph.— The Sports and Pastimes of the People o f England.—This well-known book includes a short notice of Chess ; from which it is easy to see the author himself was no player; since in describing a MS. in the King’s Library, he commits the error of saying it treats on Forty-four different sorts of Chess, when, in fact, these are but Forty-four critical positions. There is a new edition lately printed, edited' by Mr. Hone. London: Tegg, 1833. 8vo. pp. 420.

Schachspiel.— Eine Trias neuer Erfindungen im Gebiete feiegskunst. Grundzlige einer Variation iiber das $chachsjplel

ita GeiMe Europais ehen Kriegsfah^Uiig. Niirmberg; Johann Adam Stein* TB33. 4to. pp. 48, and 80.

SdHAAKSPBL, R^gels van heU Tfe Am^l’dAm, bij I. S. van Es- Veldt-*-hbltrop, 18H. 32mo. pp .^ .

(T).

IVi^s, Richard.—C h e s s ; Part I. London: Robinson and Egerton, 1787. Syo. pp. 194.

Twiss, Rich.—C h e ss ; Part II. London : Robinson and Eger- tor 1789. 8vo. pp. 272.

T wiss, Rich.—Miscellanies; including additions to his C h e s s .2 vols. London : Egerton, 1805. pp. 391, and 242.

TSftEVANGADACHARYA S h a s t r e e . Essays OH Chess adapted to the" European mode of play: translated from the original Sanscrit, Bombay: printed for the author by M. B. Cruz 1 14. 4tb. .pp. 178. From this work the Eastern positions given by Mr. Lewis in his Oriental Chess were aken.

T h u r s t o n , Joseph.—Poems ; including one entitled “ Chess.** London: Motte and Bathurst, Middle Temple Gate, Fleetest. 1737. 12mo.

Trait6 dv jev royal des Echets, &c. Par B. A. Dv R .^ . Sr* A Lavsanne ; par David Gentil, 1698. 8vo. pp 111.

T a r s i a , Dom.— Deli* Invenzione degli Seacchi. 12mo; Bolo&nir: 1763. H

T h i e r s , Jean Bapt.— Trait6 des Jeux et des divertissemens qtrf peuvent tre permis. Paris; Dezallier, 1686. 2

T r e m b l e .—Conuersations morales sur les jeux, &c. Paris, 1684;12mo. ' ’ ^'

T h b o r .—Prakt. Unterr. im Schachspiel v. e. Ge8ell8eh.-tr/Lieb& habern; a. d Franz, m. d. 100 Spieleu d. Pb.n&rj£MMA vermehrt. Berlin; Nicolai, 1780. 8vo. m i .

T h e N e w G a m e o f C h e s s for four persons, Con^lete' Roles for playing. London; Sherwin, 1837. Pocket size, pfp, 4

T h e Match at Chess by Correspondence, recently placed by the Chess Clubs of Paris and Westminster; with Notes, Lon­don; Sherwin, 1837. Pocket size. , i , -

U f l a e c k e r , F. C. iiber den Geist des Schacbspiels. Hildeph im, 1799. 8vo. ' :

U n t e r r ic h t Theqretisch.—Praecktischen, im Schachspiel unter . Vuren, von einer Gesellschaft Liebhabern: Dessau, 1784. ^vo.

Another edition was printed by Bavth, Leipzig.U n t e r r ic h t , Kurzer, vom Schachspiel. Ulm. 1722. 12mo. U n t e r r ic h t im Schachspiele, mit lOO Spiel d. Stamma. Leipz.;

Kummer. 8vo. 1797.

Uktbrricht im Schtchi fei 'Einepii JtetaBeidie».Pressburff, 180^ ^(fe[ v t h r : f i ? I Aia;o>D —

UpTONiAW,%e.—A Magazine in 8vo. printed for private circu­lation only, at Upton-oft»8»r i>, by Mr. George Sheward. Complete m four parts. See No* 2, for May» ArticWintitled Chess Musings,’* p. 90 to 96, ^

- ' - ' . (V). ' • ' 'd- • * ■Verci, Giambatista.—Lettere di Giambatista Verci Sppra lL

f Giiroco DEGLi ScACcm, Venezia, appress Giovanni1778.;8vo; pp. 120.—Verci’s volume is one of the r iest on

r the ^u^eqt; though compfiratively of so modem,&4atev^ i V ciTTO, Francesch.—Libre dels Jochs partitis del 3chai^ en

nombre de 100; ordenat e compost per mi Fra iqes * Vice^t . em la ciotat de Segorb e criat de la insigne e valcrosa oiatat . de Valencia.—Valencia; estampat per mans de X*ope de Roca ..Alemany e Pere Trinchet librere a XV de May, del any

M.CCCCLXXXXV.(1495). 4to.Y iH -o t , Ftai^^ois.^Origine astronomique du jeu des Ecbecs,

,e3 pliqi^ ,per le, calendrier Egyptien. A Paris, chez Trcuttel ):-et Bossange, &c. 1825. 8vo. pp. 84, with one large

folding plate. This is a learned work, and, probably, eqiiailj ,<;le^rM Jearoed* to such as can understand it; in wluchh^py

not ashamed to own that my name may not befound.

\^^9VPK. iibei* das Schachspiel. Elberfield, Mit Mannesfchen f'lP^rUten, 1812 and 1813. 12mo. pp. 76.ViDA Marcus Hieronymus, of Cremona, Ifishop of Alba, author _pQf a,l|itin jioem on Chess, ealled Scacchia Ludus.’’ Romoe;

1527. 4to.—The following is a list of some of the editions :—' ~ Latin Editions:

— Romce ; Lud. Vincentinus, 1527, 1544, &c. 4to.— Basilea ; ------ 1534, 4to.— Cremqmce ; Mutius et Bern. Locheta, 1550. 2 vol. 8vo. re-

printed in 1567, &c.Veketiis; Aldine Press, Apud Christophorum Zanettum, 1671; 16mb.

— L ugd. ApudSebast. Gryph. 1536, 1541, 1547,1554,1559,arid 1581. 16mo.

— OxoNii ‘ . . . . . 1723. 16mo. - fFjL%AVii,'Jos. Cdmlnus . . . 'i781v 4to. •^‘ X oW don i . ' . . . 17 2. 2 Toli>8vo.

Blatibbdm . . . . * <Iiftd9i-8vo.Aut; ap Plantin . . ^ iSmo.

— Eum Commentar, L. Wielii Argent, 1605. 8ib.-

typi. Goskiii 1004* 8i o.— SCACCHIA Ludus. Lond. Bensley, 1813. 8to.. - . r Italian EdiHons:

La Vaga 6 dilettevbl* Querra, del Giuoco degli Scacchi, deir iDgenioso e Leggiadro Poeta Mar, Hieronymo Vida, vol- tata d’ Heroici Latmi, in Versi Toschi Sciolti da M. Nicolas Mutoni. Roma, per Antonio Bladi, 1644. 12mo, 28 leaves;

— witli: wood cut portrait of Mutoni.ViDA.^Batti^lia d* Scacchi di Mbnsig. Vida, ridotta in Ottana

Rima da Girolatno Zanucehi da Conigliano;, In Trevigi; Presso Atigelo Matzolini, 1689. 4to, 36 leaves. Followed by

" a Poem called Dvello de Scacchi tratto da vn* ode del Tuc- cio;'” dair iexcellente Bartholomeo Burchelato.

^ M a sd eu , Sig. Abb. Sig. Gio. Francesco Masdeu.—La Scac- cheide, o sia il Giuoco degli Scacchi, Poema Latino di Giro­lamo Vida, Cremonese, volgarrizzato in ottava rima. In Venezia, per Antonio Zatta, 1744. 4to.

— Perrone, Tommaso.—La Scaccheide di Gir. Vida, trad, inversi sciolti. Napoli, per Genn. Musio, 1733 and 173 . 4to.

— PiNDEMONTE, Carlo.—La Scaccheide di Gir. Vida, in Versisciolti. Verona, 1763. 4to.

— M a r tin i, Sebastian.— La Scaccheide di Girolamo VJda, ri­dotta in ottava rima. In Faenza, per Giouanni Sibi^hi, 1616. 4to. pp. 34. \

— SiTONis, Cammillo de.— Traduzione della Scaccheide del Vi­da, 1690. MS. vid. Arisii Crem. Lit. p. II. 199. Aj gelati Bibl. Script. Med. t. II. I4l4, Med. 1742. F. ' '

^ G iuoco de* Scacchi tradotto in Lingua Spagnuolo e lialiana. Ven. Stef, Zazzara, 1664. 8vo.

— G iuoco degli Scacchi ridotto in Poema Eroico, Vicenza, 16Q7.4to.

French Editions:

— M asures , Louis De. Livre des Echets de Hierome Vida, tra-dttit du Latin en Francois. Paris; Vincent Sertena , 16 Q« 4to. Also at Paris and Lyons, 1667. 4to. Tr^lated also by Vasquino (Filicolo).

— N e r v io , Rud. Masturio. Translated Vida into French* V.Cruciman Bibl. GalL 296. Arisi Cremona Litt. II11*

Leb vers ^ soie, poeme de Jerome Vida, de Cr^mone, evej ue d* Albe; imivi du poeme des Echecs, et piew fugitives du m^me auteur, &c. Par J. B. Levle. Parif, ^ la Lil^trie Btei^Olypet chez U. Nicolle, Rue de Sein^ No. 12, I^Q9. Svo.pp. 410.

— E rs k in e , Win. Scacc^ia''tudus ; or the Game ipf jCl^s.London; A. Millar ]W. 219. ’ ■

— Translated by James Kowbothum, 1662. *: j Anonymous, Eton, 1769. , ; , j /

— Arthur Murphy, 1786. , , . >. t j,’ >;j- - G. Jeffreys, 1736. / i ^ ’ //

Anqiympus, Oxford, 1778. . ; . , .— PujiLEiN, Rev. Samuel. Scacchia Ludu^ } a. Poem o . be

Game of Chess, written by M. H. Vida, and translated into ', !l^glish Verse. Dublin; I owell, 17-60 JEfoyal 3yO tj:^ ,;^5.

Other translations of Vida have been piiblishled by CdisMo GifcAMiiri, FiRtNZB, no date, but early printed. IW Lttca VifitW* Cremona, 1590. 4to—See Mazzucchelli Scritt. fel. p. I. ind II. K)86 ; also Calogera Opusc. t. Sl.—Giorn. de letter d’ Italia yL. and XV. Stef. Marcheselli, 1. III. della Collezion Wsaresej 22. Calogera 78.—Th. Aug. Vair. Monum. Cremonen. Roms , 1778. p.-25, German translation of Vida is given in Koch’sCodex der Schachspielkunst.

(W).Wa|.&sr, eiDi*g ,- New Variations on the Muzio Gambit. Lori-

don.j Flook, 1831. 12mo, pp. 24.W a l k e r , George.—Analysis of Chess, translated from thei Frenclk of A . D. Ph il id o r ; including Fifty-six new Chess *Prcfelertid. London; Whittaker and Co. 1832. Royal l8mo.

pp. 26 2 .W a l k e r , George.—-New Treatise on Chess. First edition Lon- : 4lon; 1832. 12mo. pp, 80. Second edition, London; Sherwood '«nd Co. ^roall 8vo. pp. 160.—The first edition translated into : German as follows :—

A nw eisung zum Schachspieler, &c. Von Georg Walker. Apis dem Englischen ubersezt und mit Ammerkungen begleitet vonI. F. Schiereck. Frankfurt, Johann David Sauerlamer, 1833* 8yo. pp. 186.

W a l k e r , George.—A selection of Games at Chess, actually played by Phuidor and his contemporaries ; now first pub- ished from the original manuscripts, &c. London; Sherwood

and Co. 1836. Sm. 8vo. pp. 112.W a l k e r , George.—Chess made Easy; a new introduction to

that scientific and popular game; written exclusively for beginners. London; bhcrwood and Co. Paternoster Row, 183/. Pocket size.—Reprinted by Carey and Hart, Phila4fjl'' phia, 1837.—For other matter of mine, relative .to Chess, 8|ee the Philidorian, the PalamMe, &c. &c.

WiiftLivXtojB. Isftgoge in Soaeehiaia ludiun Argc^f ap Paul Lederoy, 1650. Syo.—consisting chiefly o f Vida— Vid, Arisi

'tlJrelnoriaL'ett^r. ' \ * VW o od , R e v . H e n r y . A new Guide to Cbess. London ; Sher-

win, 1834. Pocket size.W a l k e r , D o n ald , introduces Chess in his little manual termed

the Book of Games. London; Hurst, 1836.W alker, W illiam Greenwood. A selection of games at Gtess

actually played in Loi^don,, by the late Alexander Me Doi?neII, £sa., the best English player, with his principal (iontlenipora-

’ j?es; inclnding the whole of the games played by M^de la ' j&biii’donnais, and Mr. Me Donnell, kc, Londdn ; Hurst,

133^, pp. 2^0. . , r.Waqhter, JojH, G eo. Glbssarium Germanicum, p. 1-364, u,n4^

the head “ Schachspier* and “ Schachmatt.” . , >W abl, Sm, F. GtJNTHEB. Der Geist und die Geschiehte de

Schachsj)iels bey den Indiem, Persern, Tiirken> Sii>eseB und ubrigen Morgenlandern, Deutchen und andero paem von S. F. G. Wahl.— Halle, inder Curtschep Buchhaodrr lung, 1798, 8vo.— Berlin; Laue, 1798, 8vo. ,

W allisiu s , J o h an . De Progressione Geometrica. Oxon, 1699.4to, t. I, p. 159.

W eick m an n , C h risto ph . Neu erfunden^ grosses Konigspi^I^ &c, Ulm ; bei Balthasar Kuhnen, 1664. pp. 257, fojip, with folding plates. < n

W arn sdo rf , H. C . von. Des Rosselsprunges eidfacjbst^ itnd allgemeinste Losung, &c. Schmalkalden ; in dey Th Gk^r. Varnhagenschen Buchhandlung, 1823. 4to. pp. 68. ^

Wits In terpreter , 1662, contains 16 pages on Che9$i >: i t; v / W a id d e r , s. Das Schachspiel, in Seinem ganzen . nach alien Schriftstellern auf eine leichtfakliche W«i$q 4»r-

gestellt von S. Waidder, Wien, 1837, Lechner, 4/fol| 8lro. pp. 224, 338, 236, and 208.

(X. Y. Z.) ;j ^Z e il e r i, M a r t . Itinerar. German. I. c. XL. 254. K w olp Schacht— Parthien des grossen Kampfes um Europa!f

Freheit, Friede und Gliick. Auf dem Schachbret dargestellt von B. v. L. Wien ; Gerold, 1815, 8vo. pp. 74.

[N o te .— It will be found that the first part of this Bibliographi-: cal sketch of books and writers on Chess,—up to about letters G— H—is carried out at greater length than the remainder.

J Confined by limits, necessarily restricted in a work like the Philidorian, the author has been unwillingly compelled thus io'coridense his comments and notices. He append j a list of the chief works on Dratiglits.] '

B lokdb . Traits complet du Jeu des Dames, (Polish.) Paris ; Guillaume, 1824. 2 vol. l2mo.

B londe. Recueil de coups des Dames. Paris; 1789, 8vo. p p . 40. (Polish Draughts.)

C a n a l e ja s . Libro del jvego de las Damas, Compvesto por Jvan Garcia Canalejas. En Caragoca, por Jvan Nogves, Ano 1660, 4to. pp. 144.—An extremely rare book.

CoMMARD, L a u r e n t . Deux Cents nouveaux probl^mes r^cr^- tifs du Jeu des Dames kla Polonaise, &c. Paris; Guillaume,1823, sm. 8vo, pp, 220.

E m bden , Ephraim Van. Verhandeling over het Damspel, &c. (Polish.) Amsteldam, Crajenschot, 1785, Svo. pp. 280.

K och, J. F, K. Das. Damenspiel, &c. Magdeburg, Heinrich- shofen, 1811, l6mo. pp. 260,

L allem ent . See Art. Lallement,’' in the foregoing catalogue of writers on Chess.

P ay n e , W m . Introduction to Draughts. Lond. 1766,8vo. pp. 68.L ’ E g id e de Pallas, ov Theorie et Pratique dv jev de Dames.

A Paris; chezRebuffe, 1727, 8vo. pp. 98.M ontero, Petr. Roder.—Cordubens. Del Juego de las Damas,

vulgarmente el Marro. V|ient. 1690. 4to.apud Gabr.de Ribas.T o r q v e m a d a , Anton.—El Ingenio, 5 Juego de Marco, de'Punta,

b Damas. Valent. 1547. 4to.M a l l e t , Pierre, Le jeu des Dames. Paris, 1668. 4to.PoHLMAN, I. G.— The Game of Draughts. Lond. 1823 l2mo.

pp. 70. Pohlman also wrote a work on Polish Draughts.P a in t e r , Wm.—Companion for the Draught Player. London,

1787. 8vo. pp. 20.Stu rges , Josnua.—Guide to Draughts. London, 1800. Svo.

pp. 60.—New edit, of Sturges on Draughts, by George Walker, Lond. Sherwood & Co. 1835. Pock, size, pp. 88.

Twiss.—In Twiss’ Miscellanies occur some notices of Draughts.D u fo u r .—Recueil de couj>s des Dames; (Polish). Paris, Everat,

1808, 2 vol. 8VO.M an o u ry .—Essai sur le jeu des dames. (Polish). Paris;

1770, l2mo. pp. 180. Second edit. Paris, l787,8vo. pp. 272.V a l l s . l.ibro del ivego de las Damas, por otro uombre el* marro de puuta, diuidido en tres tratados, &c. Compuesto

por Lorenco Valls, vezino de la ciudad de Alicante en el reyno de Valencia. Impresso in Valencia, en casade Pedro Patricio, Ano 1597, a costa de Angelo Tabano. 4to. 53 leaves.— Tbis work is very scarce.

F I N I S .

London : Geo. Nichols, Printer, Ewrs Court, CraaWvm Street, Soho.

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