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"Show me the move," said I, with anxious curiosity, "for

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"Here it is," interrupted my grandfather, with some solemnity of tone:-"I played K. Kt. P. one sq.

"If he take my B. with Kt., thought I, I will take Kt. with Pawn, opening Queen upon him, and leaving him no respite until the advance of my Knight's Pawn, which I judged would prove fatal. In case of his not capturing my Bishop with Knight, I did not exactly see how he was to escape the deadly effect of this same Pawn, or of the Queen's replacing it, in the event of its capture by the Bishop."

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True," said I, "the Knight's Pawn pushed on at this juncture, seems to me a capital move."

"I little dreamed of the consequences, though,” replied my grandfather." No sooner had I committed the move, than my dark opponent began counting on his fingers; then after a short pause, and with the utmost coolness:- My excellent friend, Artamone Alexeitch,' said he, 'I shall checkmate you in exactly twenty-two moves!' As he spoke, he lifted off the Knight at his K. R. 3d square, touched my K. Bishop, but hesitated a moment before completing the capture.'

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"Nonsense!. Nonsense! My dear sir,' I took occasion to exclaim; Who ever heard of a mate being announced in twenty-two moves! Why that is a whole game. Meanwhile, before you execute your twenty-two move mate, you will have the goodness to take my Bishop with your Knight. In our Russian clubs we never violate the golden rule, ' Touch, and move.' No taking back, sir, and if I mistake not you will soon find yourself under some pressure.'

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Scarcely had I spoken, when the African uttered a laugh so loud that the very panes rattled again Then completing his meditated capture of Bishop, by a most unexpected series of moves, he confined me to the corner, and, to my utter amazement, finally checkmated me as he had predicted in exactly twenty-two moves.

"Schakh Koroliou y Schakh Matt!' cried my terrible adversary, in very good Russian, at the same time rising and taking 'rom his finger a ring with which he crowned the mating piece.—

'You have played this game well, Artamone Alexeitch,' he contin ed, ‘and although unfortunate, you deserve the pledge I leave you.'

"While he spoke my eyes had remained riveted on this astonishing mate. When I raised them he had vanished from the room. I looked around for Oska. He had yielded to drowsiness, and was snoring in a corner of the apartment.

"Struck with amazement and stupor, I remained long in contemplation of this extraordinary position, and the gray dawn still found me pondering over the mated king.'

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My grandfather was scrupulous in the observance of the conditions of this mysterious challenge. During three years he abstained entirely from chess, and spoke to none of the adventure until the thirty years had completely elapsed.

Many among his chess-playing friends, to whom he recounted the strange occurrence after this time of probation, seemed inclined to consider the whole affair as the effect of a heated imagination or a troubled dream. This, however, my grandfather would never admit.

The ring has fallen to me, a bequest from my much honored grandsire. I sometimes fancy it a talisman against my chess-adversaries. It is a signet, and bears graven in miniature on its broad bezel the following position.

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BOOK V.

THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT ACCEPTED.—THE QUEEN'S GAM.
BIT REFUSED.-PROBLEMS IN FIVE MOVES.-
EXAMPLES OF INCAUTIOUS PLAY.—
THE FATAL MATE.

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