Kenosha tribune & telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1856-1859, 1859-03-31
Etterarp Mistellanp.
The Game of Chess-Chess Players and
Chess Science.

Inc game of chess, which is sudden.
~ invested with new interest. by the
performance of Mr.. Morpiiy, is one OF
the most remarkable of human inven-
TONS. AS scientific game, it has new,
er been fully valued, even by its vota,
RES: The treatiSes on chess have gen
erally exhibited varieties of the game.
with technical criticisms on their respec-
tive merits, without entering into what
may be called the pO,cers of the pieces,
or the nature Of their combinations
In tins consists the wonderful nature of
the invention. Since, this beautiful
game has been playe by divines, schoI-
arS, warriors, statesmen, and is conse-
eraCed by time and genius, few words
VI explanation and comments may be in
terestlng, L will give the reader some
insight into the value and fascination of
chess. The reason qohv chess has such
an interest for intellectual people, is that
no game, no machine, yet invented is so
va complicated and perfect as this.
MS may seem a startling proposition,
as 1t Is certainly broad. But it is true,
ana may be proved by a simple exam
pie: thousands of games are recorded
ana tens OF millions will be played and
yet no two games having thirty moves,
VIII ever be alike! Each player sits
down. not only to new game, but to a
new game among all that were ever
played. 49,
Inc prt'aciple on which this depends
Is purely mathematical one, and arises
rom the number of changes which may
De made out of a given number of pie
ces, given number of moves, and oil
ven number of places. Let us try now
10 get very slight idea, for it is only a
eilgnt one, Of the variety which chess
involves. If person had before him a
ooafd with ten squares, and in each
square hole, with peg in it, in how
many ways can he change those pegs !?
he could change hem more than three
millions six hundred thousand times =
II now he can change ten pegs nearly
tour millions of times, how many times
can he change the men of chess? There
are sixty-four squares in the chess; there
are sixteen men with one or two moves
IN two directions; there are four that
can make fourteenmoves each from their
stand point, and from each new stand
point make fourteen more; there are
pieces that can make at least fourteen
moves from any one point on lines dia-
gonal to the other four there is one
piece which has all the moves of these
last two, and there is one of which the
moves are regularly irregular, and from
the center of the board, can make thou
sands of moves different from each 9th
er. After this enumeration of chess
moves, we think no mathematician in his
senses will undertake to solve the mum
Der combinations which may be made.
Suffice to say that the changes which
may be made on pegs, in their holes,
would require row of twenty figures to
enumerate! Take sixty-fve sqnares
and thousands of moves, and the com
putation Of changes becomes impossible
by any ordinary exertion or skill. The
combination of billiards, dice or cards.
are nothing i'll compressor with chess.
Such is the variety and completely of
this great and wonderful game.
It's perfection is almost as remarka-
bic. For a thousand years numerous
minds have tried to improve this game.
But it has never been done.
We believe the pieces and moves re-
main the same as they were hundreds Of
years ago. The present names of the
pieces are significant of the feudal ages.
But the names have varied, and how old
the game of chess is we cannot pretend
to say. 1t is claimed by the Arabians,
and generally believed to have origina-
ted in Persia or India, and is without
doubt, of great antiquity. 1t would be
a curious scene to look down upon Jo-
seph and Pharaoh playing chess Yet
they may have done so. More proba-
bly,, however, the game really owes its
origin to the brilliant court of Persia,
whose art, luxuries, and magnifcence,
were typical of the ancient mind.
The Knight is by far the most bril-
liant and interesting piece of the chess
board.
He Is so representative in his move
ments of the true knight of the middle
ages, that we might easily believe he
was invented in the time of Richard
CGur De Lion. He has not the power
of the Queen, the dignity of the King,
tbs strength of the Castle, or the iuris-
dictlon of the Bishop; but he exceeds
them all in his various and gallant move
ments. He is agile, quick and cavort-
ing, like the trained warrior on a call
ant steed. Mr.. Morphy, and all other
great chess players: have made great
use of the Knight, and the most brilliant
positions and strategies in chess have
been achieved by the Knight.
In playing chess there have been
great many remarkable players and
teachers.
There have also been what may be
called schools of chess. which are fur
nished by the openings. The most re-
markable, and perhaps the best is that of
Phildor, whose reputation has not been
obscured, even by the more remarkable
players. His opening is the common
one OF the pawn and Bishop, which
opens fair field for movements. The
most noted Italian schools bring out the
Knight the second move, attacking the
opposite person and compelling his de-
fence with the Knight. The Ganabits
so much celebrated, land for the pur-
pose OF amusement only, the best,) de-
ponds solely on the principle of sacrifi-
cling person for position, in which
these games are precisely similar to the
battles of some great gnerals. But the
success of this game depends wholly
on the fact of surprising and disoncert-
ing your adversary by the vigor ofyOur
attack. Hence, this is not safe against
a great player. We learn that Mr. Nor
ply has beaten all the gambit players,
i uhila he Lest ro-oral crannos nj Iii, cr