him first, and before beginning to play determine how he is to be handled. Formerly, it was the custom for skilled players to keep this Royal Force in a corner out of harm's way, but the modern tendency is to develop him as a fighting Piece and bring him into the field. The beginner must remember that the King cannot be castled after he has been moved and that it is advantageous to retain the privilege of castling as long as possible, if it does not interfere with the development of the game.
When attack is made on the Queen's wing, it is well to castle with the King's Rook and vice versa. Ordinarily, the King is safest in his own file or in the Queen's file, for then he cannot be driven into a corner from which he has no means of escape.
The Queen. After the King, the Queen is next in importance; and as the student has already learned, she commands more squares than any of the other Pieces. By comparing her strength with that of the
