Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1858-11-24

he because an exception TO the genera
run of players. Perhaps rule requir
ing moves to be made in specified tint
might correct the evil of hes;tancy, anC
thus the game be made TO teach prompt
ness.
Il is said that military men make iht
best chess players, and that may be true
but it does not follow that good ches'
players would make good soldiers, a.
lpromptness and decision are absolute
essentials for general. Napolean wa.
not good chess player, possibly owing
10 his passion for that peculiar system o
military tactics by which he threw ter
ror into his foes, and which have become
a pattern for later generals. HIS granc
movement in bearing down in a mass OF
his foe and breaking the center, is totally
at variance with the skirmi>hing of the
chess board.
| Among the famous bold players was
Charles XII Of Sweden, who was not &
successful player because he made the
king too active in the game, hence, tc
this day, chess king who advances toe
boldly is called Charles XII.
The origin of chess is lost in the din
past. It's first existence is claimed ic
have dated even $50 years before The
birth Of the Savior. The best authority
makes it Of Persian origin, in which Ian.
guage its name signifies "King is
dead"
Ii is related Of Benjamin Franklin,
that once, playing chess in France anc
being check mated, he said "Take the
king; am a republican and don't care
for him.
From an article on chess, found 10 the
B ,liimore american, we extract the fol
lowing:
THE famous Philidef, who ffourished
about the middle and close of the las
century, has left behind him an unriyal-
led name was chess player Toward
The end of his life, finding no antagonist
worthy of coniending against singly, he
undertook and accomplished The e=traor.
Ginary feat of playing three games blind
folded, simultaneously. This per;or-
nance, which had ever been regarded
as one of the most wonderful exhibitions
of human skill and memory on record,
has never been rivalled until year or
Two past. But no player that ever lived
excited in his day half so much curiosity
and wonder as that famous au,omaien
which was first exhibited at the court oI
Maria Theresa in the year I119, and
which, for forty or fifty years, amazsd
and perplexed the curious in all parts ol
Europe and America. This was an
efigy of Turk seated at table or box.
which played with and generally van.
quished all who were disposed 10 try
their skill The solution of The mystery
is very simple; skilIful player was con-
cealed in the box, who watched the
game and and moved tine automaton as
it became necessary; and although the
visible parts of the box and The figure
were full of cog wheels and springs,
these had no use except 10 delude the
spectator and 10 hide the concealed ope.
rator. The automaton was regarded a.
a miracle Of invention, but the Creates
proof of ingenuity in its proprietor is the
fact of his being able for so many years
to baffle the curiosity of The crowds who
thronged TO inspect so wonderful a piece
of mechanism, and were intent on di,cov-
ering the mystery. II was CONSTRUCTED
BY NJ. de Kempilen, an Austrian cour.
! tier, who really possessed great mechan.
icsl ingenuity, and contrived many ma
chimes displaying high inventive facul-
ty.
The Newark N. ] } AdUertissr has
some very sensible remarks upon the
game. Il says:
Chess as n study. and chess as a di.
version are two different things. There
are some weeds, which if once allowed to
take root in well cultivated felI, speed.
lily propagate and spread until The origi-
Nal productions are completely rooted
out. Chess, in like manner, is a great
monopol zer of The mind, and there ave
few players but can acknowledge that ia
spite Of their best endeavors, they carry
chess Openings" to their business
"sambits" into church, and find them
selves in every awkward "Posilions" il
their sleep. This is especially the case
with beginners and with those who aim
to be prcfcients and noted players.
Chess is eminenriy domestic. Darby anC
and Joan eau erjov il together befnre The