vantage; for there can be no pleasure in playing with a person once detected in such unfair practices.

Fourthly, If your adversary is long in playing, you ought not to hurry him, or express any uneasiness at his delay; you should not sing, nor whistle, nor look at your watch, nor take up a book to read, nor make a tapping with your feet on the floor, or with your fingers upon the table, nor do any thing that may distract his attention. For all these things displease, and they do not shew your skill in playing, but your craftiness or your rudeness.

Fifthly, You ought not to endeavour to amuse and deceive your adversary, by pretending to have made bad moves, and saying that you have now lost the game, in order to make him secure and careless, and inattentive to your schemes: for this is fraud and deceit, not skill in the game of Chess.

Sixthly, You must not, when you have gained a victory, use any triumphing or insulting expression, nor show too much of the pleasure you feel; but endeavour to console your adversary, and make him less dissatisfied with himself, by every kind and civil expression that may be used with truth, such as, "You understand the game better than I, but you 66 were a little inattentive;" or, "You had the best "of the game, but something happened to divert (6 your thoughts, and that turned it in my favour."

Seventhly, If you are a spectator while others play, observe the most perfect silence; for if you give ad, vice you offend both parties; him against whom you give it, because it may cause the loss of his game; him in whose favour you give it, because, though it

THE MORALS OF CHESS.

XV

be good, and he follows it, he loses the pleasure he might have had, if you had permitted him to think until that had occurred to himself. Even after a move or moves, you must not, by replacing the pieces, shew how they might have been placed better: for that displeases, and may occasion disputes or doubts about their true situation. All talking to the players lessens or diverts their attention, and is therefore unpleasing: nor should you give the least hint to either party, by any kind of noise or motion; if you do, you are unworthy to be a spectator. Should you have a mind to exercise or shew your judgment, do it in playing your own game, when you have an opportunity, not in criticising, or meddling with, or counselling the play of others.

Lastly, if the game is not to be played rigorously according to the rules as afore-mentioned, then moderate your desire of victory over your adversary, and be pleased with one over yourself. Snatch not eagerly at every advantage offered by his unskilfulness or inattention; but point out to him kindly, that by such a move he places or leaves a piece exposed and unsupported; that by another he will put his king in a dangerous situation, &c. By this generous civility (so opposite to the unfairness before forbidden) you may, indeed, happen to lose the game to your opponent, but you will win what is better, his esteem, his respect, and his affection; together with the silent approbation and good-will of impartial spectators.

When a vanquished player is guilty of an untruth to cover his disgrace, as "I have not played so "long-his method of opening the game confused "me-the men were of an unusual size," &c, all

xvi

THE MORALS OF CHESS.

such apologies (to call them no worse) must lower him in a wise person's eyes, both as a man and as a Chess-player; and who will not suspect that he who endeavours to shelter himself under such untruths in trifling matters, is no very sturdy moralist in affairs of greater consequence, where his fame and honour are at a stake? A man of proper pride would scorn to account for being beaten, by one of these excuses, even were it true; because they all at the moment have the appearance of being untrue.

CONTENTS.

An Amateur's Directions for Chess. Pa. 18 to 22 inclusive

THIS

game,

HIS very ancient and scientific from time immemorial, known in Hindôstan by the name of Chaturanga, or the four members of an army, (elephants, horsemen, chariots, and foot-soldiers), afterwards in Persia, stiled Chatrang (the game of king), and Shatranj (the king's distress) by the Arabians; which word undergoing various other changes in different languages, ultimately formed the English appellation of Chess; is played on a board with thirty-two pieces, of different forms, denominations, and powers, divided into two colours or parties. The chess-board, like the draught-table, contains sixty-four squares chequered black and white. The king and his officers, being eight pieces, are ranged at different ends apon the first lines of the board, a white corner of

B

which, numbered 1 or 64, is to be placed towards the right-hand of each player.

The white king must be upon the fourth a black square, (marked 61), at one end of the board, reckoning from the right: the black or red king upon the fifth (5) a white square, at the other end of the board; opposite to each other. The white queen must be upon the fifth (60) a white square, on the left of her king. The black queen upon the fourth (4) a black square, on the right of her king. The bishops must be placed on each side of their king and queen; 59 and 62 for the white, 3 and 6 for the black. The knights on each side of the bishops; the white on 58 and 63, the black on 2 and 7. The rooks, in the two corners of the board, next to the knights, 57 and 64 of the white, 1 and 8 of the black; and the eight pawns, or common men, upon the eight squares of the second line; the white on 49 to 56, and the black on 9 to to 16, inclusive.

The pieces, and pawns, on the side of each king, take their names from him, as those on the side of the queen do from her, and are called the black or white king's bishop (6 and 62); the king's knights (7 and 63); the king's rooks (8 and 64); the king's pawns (13 and 53); the king's bishop's pawns (14 and 54); the king's knight's pawns (15 and 55); the king's rook's pawns (16 and 56); the black or white queen's bishops (3 and 59); the queen's knights (2 and 58); the queen's rooks (1 and 57); the queen's pawns (12 and 52); the queen's bishop's pawns (11 and 51); the queen's knight's pawns (10 and 50); and the queen's rook's pawns (9 and 49). The squares are named from the pieces, viz. where the king stands, is