Levi Leonard Conant - "The Number Concept"

Guglielmo Ferrero - "The Women of the Caesars"

John S. Vaughan - "The Purpose of the Papacy"

Procopius - "History of the Wars, Books I and II (of 8)"

Books of The Times: A Media Mogul With Relentless Moxie
In this novel of the 17th century, Morrison performs her deepest excavation yet into America’s history and exhumes our twin original sins: the enslavement of Africans and the near extermination of Native Americans.

Original Sins
Malcolm Gladwell says success depends not only on brains and drive, but on where we come from — and what we do about it.

Chance and Circumstance
How McGeorge Bundy, a key architect of the Vietnam War, began an agonized search to understand himself.

Howard Staunton and Modern Authorities - The Blue Book of Chess

H >> Howard Staunton and Modern Authorities >> The Blue Book of Chess



------------------------------------------------------------
| TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE |
| |
| 1. At the end of this text, an addition has been made |
| of the translation of the eighty-five "Illustrative |
| Games" into Portable Game Notation. While every effort |
| has been made to reproduce the text of "The Blue Book |
| of Chess" exactly as published, the exception has been |
| the inclusion of identification "tags" of the form |
| "{PGN xx}", where "xx" is a two digit number. This has |
| been done to facilitate the reader in locating the PGN |
| for each game by performing a search on the |
| identifying tag. |
| |
| |
| 2. Due to the limitations of ascii art, the Knight has |
| been abbreviated as "N" on the chessboard, while it |
| appears as "Kt." in the text. The ascii convention of |
| the Black pieces being marked with an asterisk has |
| also been followed. |
------------------------------------------------------------




THE BLUE BOOK

OF CHESS


TEACHING THE RUDIMENTS OF THE GAME,
AND GIVING AN ANALYSIS OF
ALL THE RECOGNIZED OPENINGS


----ILLUSTRATED BY----

APPROPRIATE GAMES ACTUALLY PLAYED

BY MORPHY, HARRWITZ, ANDERSSEN, STAUNTON,
EVANS, MONTGOMERY, MEEK AND OTHERS

----INCLUDING----

LASKER, STEINITZ, SCHLECHTER, PILLSBURY,
AND OTHER RECENT PLAYERS



REVISED EDITION
Based on the work of Staunton and Modern Authorities




THE JOHN C. WINSTON COMPANY
PHILADELPHIA, U.S.A.




Copyright, 1910, by
THE JOHN C. WINSTON Co.

Copyright, 1870, by
PORTER & COATES




+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| R*| N*| B*| Q*| K*| B*| N*| R*|
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| P*| P*| P*| P*| P*| P*| P*| P*|
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| R | N | B | Q | K | B | N | R |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
CHESS BOARD
Showing the men properly set up
to commence play.




PREFACE TO NEW REVISED EDITION.


The following work is designed for those who are learning the noble game
of Chess.

Many persons have been confused and discouraged at the very outset of
the study by the great variety and the delicate distinctions of the
openings: and this has constituted a fault in many otherwise excellent
manuals for the learner.

The chief aim of the Editor of these pages has been to avoid this fault,
by simplifying the openings, and by giving to the student chiefly such
moves as are recognized to be the best, both in attack and defence. By
playing over carefully the illustrative games, the learner will also
see, at each opening, the variations made by experienced players in
accordance with circumstances. As great a variety of actually played
games has been given as was possible in a work of such limited scope. To
this end the games of the distinguished players of different nations
have been introduced, classified according to the different openings;
and thus the reader will find the combined genius and skill of the old
heroes like Philidor, Morphy, Staunton, Anderssen, Harrwitz, Evans,
Montgomery and Cochrane, together with such recent masters as Lasker,
Steinitz, Schlechter, Pillsbury, Marshall, Tarrasch, Janowsky,
Tchigorin, and many other players of world-wide celebrity. The basis of
this work is Staunton's "Chess Player's Handbook;" but other standard
books have been drawn upon to fit it to be a manual for the beginner of
to-day.

In order to insure perfect accuracy, all the lessons and games have been
carefully gone over on the board after being put in type.




NAMES OF PLAYERS.


ANDERSSEN, 91, 93, 98, 165, | MARACHE, 94, 110.
206, 207, 212, 214. | MARSHALL, 190.
BIERWIRTH, 200. | MEAD, 92.
BLEDOW, 132, 140. | MEEK, 110.
BOUCHER, 57. | MONTGOMERY, 80, 184, 201, 206,
BUCKLE, 86. | 208, 209.
CAPDEBO, 79. | MORPHY, 57, 58, 59, 60, 65, 91,
CHENEY, 85. | 94, 98, 200, 203, 206,
CLEMENTS, 204. | 207, 210, 211, 212, 214.
COCHRANE, 72, 111, 125, 166. | NEW YORK, 108, 109, 202.
DANIELS, 126. | PERIGAL, 178.
DER LAZA, 96, 140, 141, 159. | PETROFF, 66, 73.
DESCHAPELLES, 111. | PHILADELPHIA, 108, 109, 202.
DESLOGES, 180. | PHILIDOR, 60.
EVANS, 114, 135, 136, 166. | PILLSBURY, 67, 188.
GHULAM CASSIM, 161. | PINDAR, 201.
HARRWITZ, 58, 59, 79, 86, 113, | POPERT, 85, 122, 141.
210, 211. | POTIER, 65.
HENDERSON, 114. | PRETI, 203.
HILLEL, 93. | ROUSSEAU, 131.
HORWITZ, 80, 83, 114, 132. | SCHLECHTER, 188.
JAENISCH, 73. | SCHULTEN, 132.
JANOWSKY, 190. | ST. AMANT, 84, 136, 137.
JONES, Dr., 208, 209. | STANLEY, 131.
KIESERITZKY, 180. | STAUNTON, 72, 80, 83, 84, 113,
KIPPING, 165. | 122, 125, 162, 179.
LA BOURDONNAIS, 124, 161, 177, | STEINITZ, 99, 213.
178. | SZEN, 159.
LASKER, 99, 199. | TARRASCH, 199.
LEWIS, Dr., 204. | TCHIGORIN, 67.
LEWIS, Mr., 158. | THOMPSON, 206.
McADAM, 184. | VON BILGUER, 132.
McCABE, 80. | WALKER, 126, 137.
McDONNELL, 124, 161, 177, 178. | ZUKERTORT, 213.




CONTENTS.


CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION Page 7
The Chess-Board and Men--Moves and Powers of
the Pieces and Pawns--Notation Used to
Describe their Movements--Technical Terms of
Chess--Illustrations of Technical
Terms--Relative Value of the Chess
Forces--The Chess Code, or, Laws of the
Game--General Rules and Observations--Maxims
and Advice for an Inexperienced
Player--Preliminary Game.


II. KING'S KNIGHT'S OPENING 51-115
Damiano Gambit, 52; Philidor's Defence, 54;
Petroff's Defence, 61; Counter Gambit in the
Knight's Opening, 68; The Giuoco Piano, 74;
Captain Evans's Gambit, 88; The Two Knights'
Defence, 95; The Knight's Game of Ruy Lopez,
97; The Queen's Pawn Game, or Scotch Gambit,
101; The Queen's Bishop's Pawn Game in the
King's Knight's Opening, 116.


III. THE KING'S BISHOP'S OPENING 116-137
The Two Kings' Bishops' Game, 116;
McDonnell's Double Gambit, 120; The Lopez
Gambit, 121; The King's Knight's Defence in
King's Bishop's Opening, 127; Counter Gambit
in the King's Bishop's Opening, 128; The
Queen's Bishop's Pawn's Defence in the King's
Bishop's Opening, 130; Queen's Bishop's
Pawn's Opening, 134.


IV. THE KING'S GAMBIT 138-184
The King's Gambit proper, or King's Knight's
Gambit, 138; The Cunningham Gambit, 142; The
Salvio Gambit, 144; The Cochrane Gambit,
146; The Muzio Gambit 152; The Allgaier
Gambit, 162; The King's Rook's Pawn Gambit,
164; The King's Bishop's Gambit, 166; The
Gambit Declined, 180.


V. THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT 185-191
The Gambit refused, 188.


VI. IRREGULAR OPENINGS 192-214
The French Game, 192; The Sicilian Game, 193;
The Wing Gambit, 194; The Centre Counter
Gambit, 195; The Fianchetto, 196, Steinitz
Gambit, 213.

VII. ENDINGS OF GAMES 215

CHESS PROBLEMS 248




THE CHESS HANDBOOK.

CHAPTER I.

INTRODUCTION.

DESCRIPTION OF THE CHESS-BOARD AND MEN--ARRANGEMENT OF
THE MEN--THE KING--THE QUEEN--THE ROOKS OR CASTLES--THE
BISHOPS--THE KNIGHTS--AND THE PAWNS--THEIR MOVEMENTS,
POWERS, METHOD OF CAPTURING AN ADVERSE MAN, ETC.


DESCRIPTION OF THE CHESS-BOARD AND MEN.

The game of Chess is played by two persons, each having at command a
little army of sixteen men, upon a board divided into sixty-four
squares. The squares are usually colored white and black, or red and
white, alternately; and custom has made it an indispensable regulation,
that the board shall be so placed that each player has a white square at
his right-hand corner.

The following diagram represents the board with all the men arranged in
proper order for the commencement of a game:--

No. 1.

BLACK.
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| R*| N*| B*| Q*| K*| B*| N*| R*|
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| P*| P*| P*| P*| P*| P*| P*| P*|
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| R | N | B | Q | K | B | N | R |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
WHITE.

Each player, it will be observed, has eight superior Pieces or officers,
and eight minor ones which are called Pawns; and, for the purpose of
distinction, the Pieces and Pawns of one party are of a different color
from those of the other.

A King [Illustration: Chess Pieces, White and Black Kings.]

A Queen [Illustration: Chess Pieces, White and Black Queens.]

Two Rooks, [Illustration: Chess Pieces, White and Black Rooks.]
or Castles (as they are indiscriminately called)

Two Bishops [Illustration: Chess Pieces, White and Black Bishops.]

Two Knights [Illustration: Chess Pieces, White and Black Knights.]

And each of these Pieces has his Pawn or
Foot-soldier [Illustration: Chess Pieces, White and Black Pawns.]

making in all an array of sixteen men on each side.

On beginning a game, these Pieces and Pawns are disposed in the manner
shown on the foregoing diagram. The King and Queen occupy the centre
squares of the first or "royal" line, as it is called, and each has for
its supporters a Bishop, a Knight, and a Rook, while before the whole
stand the Pawns or Foot-soldiers in a row. (To prevent a common error
among young players, of misplacing the King and Queen on commencing a
game, it is well to bear in mind that at the outset each Queen stands on
her own color.) The Pieces on the King's side of the board are called
the King's, as King's Bishop, King's Knight, King's Rook; and the Pawns
directly in front of them, the King's Pawn, King's Bishop's Pawn, King's
Knight's Pawn, and King's Rook's Pawn. The Pieces on the Queen's side
are, in like manner, called the Queen's Bishop, Queen's Knight, and
Queen's Rook; and the Pawns before them, Queen's Bishop's Pawn, Queen's
Knight's Pawn, and Queen's Rook's Pawn.


MOVEMENT OF THE PIECES AND PAWNS,
AND MODE OF CAPTURING AN ADVERSE MAN.

A knowledge of the moves peculiar to these several men is so difficult
to describe in writing, and so comparatively easy to acquire over the
chess-board, from any competent person, that the learner is strongly
recommended to avail himself of the latter means when practicable: for
the use, however, of those who have no chess-playing acquaintance at
command, the subjoined description will, it is hoped, suffice.

The "Pieces," by which title the eight superior officers are technically
designated, in contradistinction to the "Pawns," all take in the same
direction in which they move. This act consists in removing the adverse
Piece or Pawn from the board, and placing the captor on the square the
former occupied. To make this clear, we will begin with the King, and
show his mode of moving and of capturing an adverse man.


THE KING.

The King can move one square only at a time (except in "Castling," which
will be explained hereafter), but he can make this move in any
direction, forwards, backwards, laterally, or diagonally. He can take
any one of the adversary's men which stands on an adjoining square to
that he occupies, provided such man is left unprotected, and he has the
peculiar privilege of being himself exempt from capture. He is not
permitted, however, to move into check, that is, on to any square which
is guarded by a Piece or Pawn of the enemy, nor can he, under any
circumstance, be played to an adjacent square to that on which the rival
King is stationed. Like most of the other Pieces, his power is greatest
in the middle of the board, where, without obstruction, he has the
choice of eight different squares. At the sides, he may play to any one
of five, but when in the angles of the board, three squares only are at
his command.

No. 2.

BLACK.
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | K*| | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | P | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | P*| | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | K | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
WHITE.

Supposing diagram No. 2 to show the position of the men towards the
conclusion of a game, and it being either party's turn to play, he could
take the adverse Pawn from the board, and place his King on the square
it occupied; and, by doing so, the King would not depart from the order
of his march, which, as we have before said, permits him to move _one
step_ in every direction. In each of these instances we have placed the
Pawn in _front_ of the King, but he would be equally entitled to take it
were it standing on any other part of the eight squares immediately
surrounding him, _always provided it was not sustained or guarded by
some other Piece or Pawn_.


THE QUEEN.

The Queen is by much the most powerful of the forces.

No. 3.

BLACK.
2
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
1 | | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | | 3
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
8 | | | | | Q*| | | | 4
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | | 5
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
7 6
WHITE.

She has the advantage of moving as a Rook, in straight lines, forwards,
backwards, and sideways, to the extent of the board in all directions,
and as a Bishop, diagonally, with the same range. To comprehend her
scope of action, place her alone in the centre of the board; it will
then be seen that she has the command of no less than twenty-seven
squares, besides the one she stands on. (Diagram No. 3.)

Thus placed in the middle of the board, the range of the Queen is
immense. She has here the option of taking any one of eight men at the
extremity of the board, on the squares respectively numbered 1, 2, 3, 4,
5, 6, 7, and 8, should her line of march be unobstructed; and if these
men were nearer, on any of the intermediate squares, she would be
equally enabled to take any one of them at her choice. Like all the
other Pieces and Pawns, she effects the capture by removing the man from
the board and stationing herself on the vacated square.


THE ROOK.

No. 4.

BLACK.
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | 1 | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| 4 | | | | R*| | | 2 |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | 3 | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
WHITE.

The Rook, or Castle, is next in power to the Queen. He moves in a
straight line, forwards, backwards, or sideways, having a uniform range,
on a clear board, of fourteen squares, exclusive of the one he occupies.

The Rook has the same power in taking as the Queen, forwards, backwards,
and sideways, but he cannot, like her, take any man diagonally.

For example, place the Rook in the centre of the board, and an opposing
man on each of the squares numbered, and the Rook has the power of
taking any one of the four; and he has the same power if the Pieces are
one or two squares closer to him, or immediately surrounding him, in the
direction indicated by the four figures. (See Diagram No. 4.)


THE BISHOP.

The Bishop moves diagonally forwards or backwards, to the extent of the
Board. It follows, therefore, that he travels throughout the game only
on squares of the same color as the one on which he stands when the game
begins, and that each player has a Bishop running on white squares, and
one on black squares. When placed on a centre square of a clear board,
he will be found to have a range of thirteen squares.

No. 5.

1 BLACK. 2
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | B*| | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
4 | | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | | 3
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
WHITE.

The Bishop takes, as he moves, diagonally, either forwards or backwards,
his range extending, on unobstructed squares, to the extent of the
diagonal line on which he travels. (See Diagram No. 5.)


THE KNIGHT.

The action of the Knight is peculiar, and not easy to describe. He is
the only one of the Pieces which has the privilege of leaping over
another man. The movements of the others are all dependent on their
freedom from obstruction by their own and the enemy's men. For example,
when the forces are duly ranged in order of battle before the
commencement of the game, the Knight is the only one of the eight
capital Pieces which can be played before the Pawns are moved--King,
Queen, Bishop, and Rook are all hemmed in by the rank of Pawns, which
they cannot overleap; but the Knight, having the liberty of springing
over the heads of other men, can be brought into the field at once. His
move is one square _in a straight line_, and _one in an oblique
direction_; or it may be perhaps better understood by saying that he
moves two squares _in a straight line_, and _one in a side direction_.

No. 6.

BLACK.
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | 2 | | 3 | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | 1 | | | | 4 | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | N*| | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | 8 | | | | 5 | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | 7 | | 6 | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
WHITE.

His power and method of taking an opponent's man will be seen from the
diagram (No. 6) on page 14.

In this situation, in the centre of the board, he would have the power
of taking any one of the men stationed on the squares numbered, by
removing the man and placing himself on the vacant square.


THE PAWN.

The Pawn moves only one square at a time, and that _straight forward_,
except in the act of capturing, when it takes one step diagonally to the
right or left file on to the square occupied by the man taken, and
continues on that file until it captures another man. It may, however,
for its _first_ move advance _two_ steps, _provided no hostile Pawn
commands the first square over which he leaps_, for, in that case, the
adverse Pawn has the option of taking him in his passage, _as if he had
moved one step only_. A Pawn is the only one of the forces _which goes
out of his direction to capture_, and which has not the advantage of
moving backwards; but it has one remarkable privilege, by which, on
occasions, it becomes invaluable, _whenever it reaches the extreme
square of the file on which it travels, it is invested with the title
and assumes the power of any superior Piece, except the King, which the
player chooses_. From this circumstance it frequently happens that one
party, by skilful management of his Pawns, contrives to have two, and
sometimes even three Queens on the board at once, a combination of force
which of course is irresistible.

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