The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-02-24

"A few thousand years ago there must
have been somewhere in India or Per-
STA a great. man who was wise, bene-
violent and clever, and who invented a
game to initiate war, in order to have
the pleasure of the war sport without its
cruelties. The war was, of course, the
war of that time, the fight with ele-
plants and horses, and shooting of ar
rows, and the masses of helpless infantry.
That method of warfare has long ago
ceased to exist but the game is still al
most unchanged. 1t conquered the world,
and is now known in all countries, civ
ilized or half civilized, as the famous
game of chess.
Many men of science have tried to find
out the exact date OF its invention, the
man who invented it. his birthplace or
nationality. But all have failed. and little
indeed is known of the early history of
chess. 1t must have been an old game
when it reached Europe, and that was
somewhere in the period of the Crusades.
in a short time it conquered all Europe,
and became a great favorite with the
Spaniards and Italians of the renaissance
period and later. Then kings and queens
and nobility played it, wherefore it re-
ceired the proud title of the Royal
game IN the beginning of the century
France usurped the interest in chess; but
taken as a whole, the interest must have
largely decreased. until in 1851 the first
International Chess Tournament was held
in London. 1t was this event that gave
fresh and mighty impetus to chess
development, an impetus which is still
acting. and which has caused the pres
ent wide extension Of the love for the
royal game.
THE RULES OF CHESS.
Considered in the light of old military.
strategy. the rules of chess are easy to
understand. II is played on a board di-
Nided into times squares. The squares
are colored black and white but unlike
The later invention, draughts, the color
OF square does not make any difference
IN the application of the rules, the coll
oring probably having been devised only
in order TO assist the eyesisht. According
to an old custom. the board is always
placed SO that a white corner square is
at the right hand of the player. Two
players play the game. or. as sometimes
is done, two parties consulting with each
other. Each PLAYER has l6 pieces at his
disposal. which he places on the board in
n deterTninate manner, and then moves
according to certain rules and with
certain purpose, The 16 pieces. or men.
are the king. queen, . rocks. 9 bishops,
knights. and pawns-their initial pos
stion being rock. knight. bishop. queen,
king. bishop. knight. rock. in the first
row, the S pawns being placed in the sec
ond ROW. The Two sets of pieces are col
orcd respectively black and white. and
the above arrangement is for the white
men from left to right. for the black
men from right to left
THE MOVES
The rock. fcrmerly the elephant, may
be moved from his pos. ton to any other
sq..are in the same line Or row. but
may not jump over any obstacle in the
shape Of a friendly or hostile man. If the
player ckcos.s he may place his rock on
the square of any ohstructing hostile
piece and remove the same. take or
capture It. This right of capture is
common to all men. from the king and
queen down to the humble pawn. The
bishop moves only dtagonally the knight
makes the shortest move not In a straight
iins thus the British Chess Code de.
sc4sb 10. the queen combines the