Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 5.djvu/604

CHESS, simply defined, is an intellectual pastime. It recreates not so much by way of amusement properly so termed, as by taking possession of the mental faculties and diverting them from their accustomed grooves. The cerebral organ, after being much occupied in business, or greatly worried by cares, or in any way beset by painful reflections, finds in the absorbing and abstracting properties of chess that temporary relief which lighter pastimes will not always afford. The reason of this is not far to seek. Cares are caused by looking forward to or apprehending things to come, and, as such, are neutralized by that fore sight which the conduct of a game of chess demands. Again, mental perturbations, however much varied, can but be the employment of the imagining and reasoning facul ties in the digestion of the particular cause of annoyance or pain ; but these same faculties are required, and their exclusive exercise demanded, in providing for the emergen cies of the intellectual combat, and in solving the ever varying problems that arise in the course thereof. It is very commonly supposed that chess is a difficult game, whether to acquire or practise. This, however, is a mistake. The moves may be learned in half an hour, and a week s practice will evoke a sufficient amount of skill to afford pleasure both to the learner and his tutor. The intelligent novice will soon be convinced that an ignorant manipulation of the pieces does not conduce to success, and he will seek for instruction in the right manner of opening the game ; the various debuts are after all simple, and he will find no difficulty in acquiring them one after the other. Six months will suffice for this purpose if his understanding be not enslaved by obstinacy, indolence, or self-esteem, and the rest goes with his natural capacity. A. merely average in telligence is sufficient for a very fair amount of proficiency and strength : while intellect not much above the common mean will suffice (assuming here natural aptitude) to lead right up to the second class of players, viz., those to whom the masters of the game can only concede the small odds of " pawn and move." Those wishing to improve will find it very beneficial to play upon even terms with players stronger than themselves ; for a persistence in taking odds, besides having a discouraging and debilitating effect upon the weaker player, takes the game out of its proper grooves, and tends to produce positions not naturally arising in the ordinary course of the game as developed from the recog nized openings. In fact, the reception of odds incapacitates a player from acquiring an insight into the principles of the science of chess, and from comprehending the latent meanings and conceptions upon which combinations and a proper plan of warfare are founded ; while, upon the con trary, playing on even terms throws the combatant at once upon his own judgment, and by causing him to study his opponent s play, leads necessarily to a material improvement in his own style.

To turn now to the elements of the game. The accom panying diagrams represent chess boards, and it will be perceived that they respectively consist of sixty four checkered squares.

In diagram 1 the chessmen are arranged as they should be at the commencement of the battle, while diagram 2 shows the denomination of the squares according to the English and German systems of notation, to be explained hereafter. Under diagram 1 are the names of the various "JPieces," for so the superior officers are termed each side, white and black, having a king, a queen, two rooks, two knights, and two bishops. The eight common men in front are called Pawns.

Moves of the different Chessmen.—Briefly described, the powers of the various pieces and of the pawns are as follows.

The king may move in any direction—forward, back ward, laterally, or diagonally ; but he can move only one square at a time. Under certain conditions he has once in the game a peculiar privilege called castling, which will be explained further on.

black.

Rook. Knight. Bishop. Queen. King. Bishop. Knight. Rook.
white.
Diagram 1.—Showing the arrangement of the pieces at the commencement of a game.

The queen moves in any straight or diagonal direction, whether forward, backward, or laterally. There is no limit to her range, except when her progress is stopped by any piece or pawn. She is the most powerful piece on the board, for her action is a union of those of the rook and bishop. At the commencement of the game the queen always stands upon a square of her own colour.

Diagram 2.—Showing English and German Methods of Notation.

The rooks move in straight lines forward, backward, or laterally ; they cannot move diagonally. Their range is, like the queen s, unlimited.

The bishops move diagonally in any direction whether

backward or forward. They have an unlimited range,

with the same exception as before. It is evident that