for. There have been, indeed, persons, who seem to have possesed a peculiar talent herein, as wonderful as it is uncommon, and on which, therefore, no arguments can be founded. One thing is clear, that, (independent of that carelessness or abstraction of mind, which even the most sublime pursuits cannot wholly conquer, and the influence or extent of which may be considered matter of uncertainty, chance or luck has no share in the victory; skill, and a consummate knowledge of the game, will alone be uniformly victorious. We must not, however, yield entirely to the idea, that the best chess-player is of necessity one of superior intellect and capacity, since every day's experience will shew us, that persons of otherwise very moderate talents have, and that even with an equal degree of practice, excelled others either of greater genius, or more sound penetration. We may therefore conclude, as has been in another place remarked, that in this, as well as in other cases, perpetual exercise, limited in its object-mechanical recollection of similar combinations aptitude to seize on errors or want of skill an し in the opponent and though last, not least, an unabstracted attention, and unshaken command of temper, during play, are the principal causes of the knowledge of the game, and that excellence in it cannot fairly be taken as a criterion either of other faculties, or of other acquirements. In order to place them in the most conspicuous light, and as containing the very essence of what this chapter is intended to convey, we may close it with these cautions, which may be considered, as well by the most experienced as the learner, the golden rules of Chess: 1. BEWARE OF OVERSIGHTS. 2. KEEP YOUR TEMPER; AND IF YOU CANNOT GAIN A VICTORY OVER YOUR ADVERSARY GAIN ONE OVER YOURSELF. 139 CHAP. IX. PRACTICAL EXAMPLES, INTRODUCTORY TO PHILIDOR'S ANALYSIS. FROM ROM an attentive examination of Philidor's mode of beginning a game, we may observe the following to be his general rules. His FIRST MOVE was invariably the king's pawn two squares, and the defence the same, unless in cases where he gave up the king's bishop's pawn, when he would move either the king's knight to his rook's third square, or his queen's bishop's pawn two squares. His SECOND MOVE was almost as invariably the king's bishop to his queen's bishop's fourth square, in order to batter the adverse king's bishop's pawn, against which, in general, the serious attack was made. Wh. K. Bishop at his Q. B. 4th sq. 2. Q. B. Pawn 1 sq. Or 3. K. Knight at his B. 3d. The THIRD MOVE was according to the second move of the black; if that was the first of the above three, then Philidor's was Wh. Q. B. Pawn 1 sq. Wh. Q. Pawn 2 sq. If the 2d. If the 3d, His FOURTH MOVE was also depending on his adversary's third move: if, after Philidor's playing the first of the above three, he played his king's knight at his bishop's third square, Philidor's was Wh. Q. Pawn 2 sq. This was generally followed by a mutual capture of the king's and queen's pawns, by which means the white was left with two pawns in the centre. But if instead of the knight he brought out his queen, then Wh. K. Knight at K. B. 3d sq. If the moves went according to Philidor's second kind of third move, and the black king's pawn took his pawn, his queen would retaliate, and his king's pawn remain alone in the centre. It is impossible to trace this farther with any degree of clearness, the learner must now, therefore, proceed with his own deductions and conclusions: he will, however, find several beginnings of games, a few pages hence, so classed, as to render the difference in them obvious, and his future progress will be founded on an attentive study of Philidor's parties. FOOL'S MATE. This mate is given in two moves only. It is so called because the mode of playing in the party who begins is highly absurd. Nevertheless, it is thought necessary to give it, to put the young player on his guard. .1. Bl. The K. Kt. Pawn 2 : Wh. The K. Pawn 1 sq. 2. sq. Bl. The K. B. Pawn 2 sq. Wh. The Queen at the bl. K. R. 4th sq. and gives checkmate, the black king being able neither to move |