increases; so whenever you have gained a pawn, or any other advantage, and are not in danger of losing the move thereby, make as frequent exchanges of pieces as you can; or when you have played a piece, and your adversary opposes you, then change directly, for it is plain he wants to remove you; prevent him, therefore, and do not lose the

move.

2. Avoid, if possible, changing your king's pawn for your adversary's king's bishop's pawn; or your queen's pawn for his queen's bishop's pawn; because the king and queen's pawns occupying the centre, hinder in a great degree your adversary's pieces from hurting you.

3. If you have a knight, supported by two pawns, and your adversary has no pawn to push up to remove it, he is worth a rook, and will be so incommodious that your adversary will be forced to take it; and in retaking him, you will have the great advantage of reuniting the two pawns.

4. Do not be too much afraid of losing a rook for an inferior piece; for though the rook is better than any other, except the

queen, yet it seldom comes into play, so as to operate, till the end of the game; and it is generally better to have an inferior piece in play, than a superior out so where the rook has not moved from his place, and the latter has made some progress in your game, an exchange may be adviseable.

5. Supposing your queen and another piece are attacked at the same time, and that, by removing your queen, you must lose the piece, if you can get two pieces in exchange for your queen, it may times adviseable rather to do so than retire.

be some

(F). ON GIVING OR COVERING CHECK.

1. It is not unusual to give notice on checking the queen: and as this game ought to be won by superior skill alone, without relying upon the adversary's mistakes, the player will judge for himself, whether to do

it or not.

2. Checks that the adversary can easily elude are in general to be refrained from, as by them the move or the checking piece may be lost. There may, however, be cases in which checking is proper, although a mate

ON GIVING OR COVERING CHECK. 129

be not the immediate object-as, where it will force the adversary's king into a more exposed situation; where the move necessary to defend him will leave a capital piece unguarded; where the adversary's king not having castled it will force him by moving to forfeit that privilege; and where, having a piece of your own attacked, that you are not able otherwise to save, it will cause the removal of some piece that impedes his

escape.

3. Never cover a check with a piece that a pawn pushed upon it may take, for fear of only getting that pawn for it.

4. If you are in a situation to give checkmate should it be your move, and your adversary, who has the move, is endeavouring to keep you in continual check, observe well the pieces he can bring upon you, order to avoid the squares commanded by them. If the principal piece is a bishop, keep off the colour he goes on.

in

you are,

5. It is not impossible that while as you imagine, within a move or two of giving checkmate, and all your pieces are employed, you may have left your king in

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such a situation, as that your adversary may at a single move give you the mate with one of his pieces: this must be guarded against.

6. Checkmate with a knight and a bishop must be given in that corner which is of the colour the bishop moves on.

7. In order to give checkmate with a single rook, keep your king opposite the adversary's, previous to every check with the rook, as his king will then be forced to retrograde.

8. As you see the possibility of your adversary giving you checkmate, be doubly careful of every move; a wrong 'piece moved, or a right one into a wrong square, may be fatal, though the consequence be not immediately perceived.

(G). ON DEFENDING.

1. In the defence, you are often forced to play against the general rules, in order to break your adversary's projects, which in the attack is seldom the case.

2. After every move of the adversary, consider well what scheme he has in view by it, and whether it has affected your own;

and if it has, do not proceed till the ill cause is removed, lest, while you are intent only on the attack, you may be yourself surprised.

3. When you have a chain of pawns, following one another, in an oblique line, strive to preserve the pawn that leads.

4. Never guard an inferior piece with a better if you can do it with a pawn, because the better piece is in that case, as it were, out of play; for the same reason do not guard a pawn with a piece, if you have it in your power to guard it with a pawn.

5. When a piece is so attacked that you cannot save it, do not run the risk of losing the game by any attempt at its preservation, but rather bestow your thoughts how to annoy your enemy in another place; for it very often happens, that, while he is running madly after a piece, you either get a pawn or two, or such a situation, as ends in his destruction.

6. Sometimes when your adversary attacks you, it is the best play to offer him an exchange; which, if he refuses, and retires, you gain at least the move of him.