Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-09-24
For the Free Press and Times.
The Game Of Chess.

WV suoJSS- VI PlEfinS Guess uilnuiOlu, that
appears to be going the rounds Of the press,
: may not be without merit, and is, perhaps.
7 worth the space it occupies; yet there are
o several points on which the writer is evi-
# IDENTIFY at fault. two of which | specify. viz ::
First His magnifying the difficulties of
o playing chess blindlold and,
Second: To quote the final clause Of his
J last sentence, whereas the skill shown by
' the chess-player can afford no results CORES
ponding to the labor required in attaining
: such skill" Harken to the oracle
As to the difficulty of playing chess blind
fold. 1t is more apparent than real In proof
Of which positively affirm that the chess
player does not live who ever played game
/, of any note without being Uirtualiy blinilold
for. at least. one quarter, and upwards, of
the gamel To explain let US consider hat
, powers a game Of chess calls into operation
during its progress 1t is evident that be-
fore making a move player has 10 analyzs
the conseq uences Of several moves he NAV
make, the possibility of his adversary reply
ing TO each in many different ways, aud the
probable resul. Of each OF the modes OF play
which may be adopted. But in playing
over the board the men are not allowed 10 be
moved until decision has been arrived at,
and move cannot be recalled when once
made. lt follows, conseq uently. that at
every move the player Is compelled TO exam
Inc several variations. each involving dis
tnct series of moves IN has head Add il is |
the faculty of carrying on tlIs examination
to a greater extent and withinOre correct |
ness whish gives the victory TO one PLAYER |
over his opponent. We thus see that every |
one. when contesting game over the board, |
must necessarily in sOme measure play blind |
iold. for the sight of the board and men as |
! the game stands at the time OF Consideration |
Is OF little asslstance-in fact. il may almost
be said 70 be an obstruction it the anaiysis
is continued very tar, or embraces many
series of combinations. because in the men,
tai analysis many of the pieces change their
positions. and the fact of their remaining
on the squares they occupy on the board
tends TO confusion and disturbance OF the
/ train of thought which Is being pursued
/ The player over the board has this great ad-
vantage, howeyer-the position of the pieces
at the cOmmenceTent of every analysis is
/ before him, and can, in case of doubt or
confusion. be referred to at any time
whereas the blindiold player is compelled
accurately to remember the various siiua-
tions of the men at each move, for if he make
| single mistake his correctness Is at an end,
and, in all probability, he will either lose
the game or break down altogether. From
the foregoing think it is evident that blind
fold play Is only continuing the same powers
that are required for play over the board
But, says the oracle, some of the strong
est chess-plaYers nave been unable to pav
hlindfold." reply that they are able and
do play so in reality though not apparently.
They do nor try else they would succeed
for by practice tacy would overcome the
difficulty Of separsting the variations they
had examined ard rejected from the moves
really adopted. r. Is the great difficulty
The second .s- : a most gratuitOus
fling at the NO.. lame. to repeat-"where-
as the skill shown BY the chess-player can
afford no results corresponding to the
labor required in attaining such skill -
and was evidently conceived in ignorance
and brought forth IN spirit OF hateful
ness. As well might he say the same q
of the proficiency displayed by the school {
boy at examination. Qaite likely the youth q
Will forget much Of his school learning, but i
the beneficial results of the mental disci- q
pline and exertion put forth to master his ,
studies is intellectually great. Besides. have q
we not the eleyatlng pleasure OF vigorous I
and healthy action OF the intellect derived J
from participation III the royal game, u
thereby attaining TO one of the chiet aims 5
of human existence on this earth? Again. c
are We not indebted 10 a game OF chess for II
the discovery of this our country? If | re- (,
member the story. il Is sOmew hat as follows: {
At noontide, on the third day of Febru- il
ary. 1892. Ferdinand. King of Spain, instead Ii
OF indulging in his usual sie-ta. challenged L
FOnseca, one OF his daily victims. TO game p
OF chess. The game WAS decidedly in the a
kings favor till ais attention became divert 4
ed by loud taking on the part of those pres 81
ent. about Columbus. and the e1rravagant
notions he entertained, that there existed I
countries in a straight line under their feet, n
where men walked with their heads down. n
ward, As flies upon the ceiling. The king S a
adversary, adroitly taking advantage Of his :,
abstraction. rapidly retrieved his game and :
even gained preponderance of iorce. AT n
every move the king position became more :
critical and his brow more overcast. lie n
raised his hand to make q move that would Il
have resulted in an inevitable defeat, when II
Queen Isabella withheld his arm saying, r,
= Do you not win. nv LOrd?" n
Win" repeated Ferdinand reslming .,
his meditatiOns. Al this juncture, catching h
the eye of a cOurtier whose expression a,
plainly said, lyon should win." be again >,
began to calculate. then suddenly a smile n
PLAYED over his lips with patronIZing m
tone be mildly exclaimed. ''Funseca, my al
friend. EstGs maio." (rhou art sick). a,
Here, wisely, in the hour Of victory. the n
Queen, who had before desired Ferdinand ei
10 bestow the title of admiral upon Colum- n
bus, and been rebuffed, rene wed her request \,
which was now granted. Hardly had the 4.
al ho ! '
Isabella beckOned to page-"Isldro,' IN
said she, "to horse instantly. Chrstoval h,
Colon is on the road to Palos de Maguer. He "a
cannot have j0urneyed much further than n,
the bridge OF Pinos. Make all speed, over {
take him and tell him We create him,Admir- :
al of the 0cean-sea. :,
1t appears that the necessary funds for IA
the expedition had been advanced by Luis
de San Angel, receiver of the ecclesiastical -
revenue in Aragon, but Columbus had re- - y.
fused to take charge unless created admiral "a
and viceroy over the countries he might dis ~ ~
cover. This title had been refused him and al
be had taken hi, departure with the ilten- a.
tion of Offering his servics TO some other ?
sovereign. y.
Above all, what moral instruction there o.
is in the game. whsn compared to that Of " y.
life, to which Franklin, that noble phil0so- y
pher most ftly likens 1t in his essay entitled, &c
The Morals of Chess" from which, in con- 81
,lusion, quote few passages: =
The game Of chess Is not merely an idle amuse- "
ne1t; several very valuable gualtis: Of the mind
ready on all occasions; for life is rind Of chess in
which have often points to ga and competitors a"
" adversares to contend with and in which there
variety OF good and il events that In to
'ome degree the effect Of prudence. or Of the want su
,f II. BY playing chess then, we may learn -
"First-Foresght, vhich looks tile into futur- AZ
y and considers the consequences that may attend al
In action for 1t continually occurring to the or
playe II move 'h piece, what Will be the ad-
vantage or disaIvs - . my new stuaton' What
use can my advcrs rl-ke OF it, to annoy ne, th
What other moves IKE TO support II, and to 6i
defend my self fr III b stsckr =
''oecond-circunsy efOa, which surveysthe whole ~
or Scene vi action the relation OF the Ou
several fpieces, and their stustons the dangers 10
they repeatedly exposed to; the several poss .,
,ilites Of their aiding eseh Others the probabilities "
hat the adversary may make this or that moveand pr
sttack this that piece and what different means Be
,an be used to avoid his stroke turn its conse-
luepces against him. n,
'Third-caufion, not to make moves too hast- Ii
y. This habit Is bestecqursd by oDservn. strict 20
y the laws Of the garAs; such as. II you touch Of
Town you must let it stand. y.
Therefore never deviAts from strict play; as tr
nan life, and particularly OF var; in which, il you a,
rave incsutiousy put yourself into bad and aan- -
,erous position, you cannot obtain your eneinys III
ecursly but you must abide all the consequences ve
II your rashness. ~
And lastly, We learn by chess the habit Of not az
being discouraged by present bad Appearances in 10
he state o. our affairs the habit OF hoping for mi
vorable chance, and that OF psrseveriog In the be
carch OF The game 10 full Of events. "
hero is such variety OF turns IT, the fortune Of as
Is 90 Sudden to vcisstudes and frequently sy
Lfter contemplation discovers the means of e1tr-
ating oneself from = supposed insurmountsble dif-
lculty. that 10 encouraged 70 continue the con
70 the last in hopes Of victory from our skill G.
" at least from the nsgiigsnce OF our sdyersafy
1 nd ~ nat n
nsanoee o. that 10 apt 70 produces presump-
on and its consequent inatssntion BY which more IL
aftsrvArds lost thsn gained By the prseeding Al
ldvantags. while misfortunes producs more care =,
ma sttsntion, BY which the loe nay b reeossrsd.