CHECKERS, OR DRAUGHTS.

1P-K4P-K42Kt-KB3B-B43KtxPQ-K24P-Q4B-Kt3

1P-K4P-K4

P-K4

2Kt-KB3B-B4

Kt-KB3

B-B4

3KtxPQ-K2

KtxP

Q-K2

4P-Q4B-Kt3

P-Q4

B-Kt3

King’s Gambit:—

1P-K4P-K42P-KB4PxP3P-Q4Q-R5 ch4K-K2P-Q4

1P-K4P-K4

P-K4

2P-KB4PxP

P-KB4

PxP

3P-Q4Q-R5 ch

P-Q4

Q-R5 ch

4K-K2P-Q4

K-K2

P-Q4

1P-K4P-K42P-KB4PxP3P-KR4P-Q44PxPQxP

1P-K4P-K4

P-K4

2P-KB4PxP

P-KB4

PxP

3P-KR4P-Q4

P-KR4

P-Q4

4PxPQxP

PxP

QxP

1P-K4P-K42P-KB4PxP3Kt-KB3P-KKt44B-B4B-Kt2

1P-K4P-K4

P-K4

2P-KB4PxP

P-KB4

PxP

3Kt-KB3P-KKt4

Kt-KB3

P-KKt4

4B-B4B-Kt2

B-B4

B-Kt2

1P-K4P-K42P-KB4PxP3P-KR4B-K24Kt-KB3Kt-KB3

1P-K4P-K4

P-K4

2P-KB4PxP

P-KB4

PxP

3P-KR4B-K2

P-KR4

B-K2

4Kt-KB3Kt-KB3

Kt-KB3

King’s Gambit Declined:—

1P-K4P-K42P-KB4P-Q43PxQPQxP4Kt-QB3Q-K3

1P-K4P-K4

P-K4

2P-KB4P-Q4

P-KB4

P-Q4

3PxQPQxP

PxQP

QxP

4Kt-QB3Q-K3

Kt-QB3

Q-K3

Max Lange’s Attack:—

1P-K4P-K42Kt-KB3Kt-QB33B-B4B-B44CastlesKt-B3

1P-K4P-K4

P-K4

2Kt-KB3Kt-QB3

Kt-KB3

Kt-QB3

3B-B4B-B4

B-B4

4CastlesKt-B3

Castles

Kt-B3

Muzio Gambit:—

1P-K4P-K42P-KB4PxP3Kt-KB3P-KKt44B-B4P-Kt5

1P-K4P-K4

P-K4

2P-KB4PxP

P-KB4

PxP

3Kt-KB3P-KKt4

Kt-KB3

P-KKt4

4B-B4P-Kt5

B-B4

P-Kt5

Petroff’s Counter Attack:—

1P-K4P-K42Kt-KB3Kt-KB33KtxPP-Q34K-KB3KtxP

1P-K4P-K4

P-K4

2Kt-KB3Kt-KB3

Kt-KB3

3KtxPP-Q3

KtxP

P-Q3

4K-KB3KtxP

K-KB3

KtxP

Philidor’s Defence:—

1P-K4P-K42Kt-KB3P-Q33P-Q4PxP4KtxPP-Q4

1P-K4P-K4

P-K4

2Kt-KB3P-Q3

Kt-KB3

P-Q3

3P-Q4PxP

P-Q4

PxP

4KtxPP-Q4

KtxP

P-Q4

Pierce Gambit:—

1P-K4P-K42Kt-QB3Kt-QB33P-B4PxP4Kt-B3P-KKt4

1P-K4P-K4

P-K4

2Kt-QB3Kt-QB3

Kt-QB3

3P-B4PxP

P-B4

PxP

4Kt-B3P-KKt4

Kt-B3

P-KKt4

Queen’s Pawn Counter Gambit:—

1P-K4P-K42Kt-KB3P-Q43PxPB-Q34P-Q4P-K5

1P-K4P-K4

P-K4

2Kt-KB3P-Q4

Kt-KB3

P-Q4

3PxPB-Q3

PxP

B-Q3

4P-Q4P-K5

P-Q4

P-K5

Queen’s Gambit:—

1P-Q4P-Q42P-QB4PxP3P-K3P-K44BxPPxP

1P-Q4P-Q4

P-Q4

2P-QB4PxP

P-QB4

PxP

3P-K3P-K4

P-K3

P-K4

4BxPPxP

BxP

PxP

1P-Q4P-Q42P-QB4PxP3P-K4P-K44P-Q5P-KB4

1P-Q4P-Q4

P-Q4

2P-QB4PxP

P-QB4

PxP

3P-K4P-K4

P-K4

4P-Q5P-KB4

P-Q5

P-KB4

1P-Q4P-Q42P-QB4PxP3Kt-KB3P-K34P-K3Kt-KB3

1P-Q4P-Q4

P-Q4

2P-QB4PxP

P-QB4

PxP

3Kt-KB3P-K3

Kt-KB3

P-K3

4P-K3Kt-KB3

P-K3

Kt-KB3

Queen’s Pawn Game:—

1P-Q4P-Q42P-K3P-K33Kt-KB3Kt-KB34B-K2B-K2

1P-Q4P-Q4

P-Q4

2P-K3P-K3

P-K3

3Kt-KB3Kt-KB3

Kt-KB3

4B-K2B-K2

B-K2

Ruy Lopez:—

1P-K4P-K42Kt-KB3Kt-QB33B-Kt5P-QR34B-R4Kt-B3

1P-K4P-K4

P-K4

2Kt-KB3Kt-QB3

Kt-KB3

Kt-QB3

3B-Kt5P-QR3

B-Kt5

P-QR3

4B-R4Kt-B3

B-R4

Kt-B3

Salvio Gambit:—

1P-K4P-K42P-KB4PxP3Kt-KB3P-KKt44B-B4P-Kt5

1P-K4P-K4

P-K4

2P-KB4PxP

P-KB4

PxP

3Kt-KB3P-KKt4

Kt-KB3

P-KKt4

4B-B4P-Kt5

B-B4

P-Kt5

Scotch Game:—

1P-K4P-K42Kt-KB3Kt-QB33P-Q4PxP4KtxPB-B4

1P-K4P-K4

P-K4

2Kt-KB3Kt-QB3

Kt-KB3

Kt-QB3

3P-Q4PxP

P-Q4

PxP

4KtxPB-B4

KtxP

B-B4

Sicilian Defence:—

1P-K4P-QB42Kt-QB3Kt-QB33Kt-B3P-K34P-Q4PxP

1P-K4P-QB4

P-K4

P-QB4

2Kt-QB3Kt-QB3

Kt-QB3

3Kt-B3P-K3

Kt-B3

P-K3

4P-Q4PxP

P-Q4

PxP

Staunton’s Opening:—

1P-K4P-K42Kt-KB3Kt-QB33P-B3P-B44P-Q4P-Q3

1P-K4P-K4

P-K4

2Kt-KB3Kt-QB3

Kt-KB3

Kt-QB3

3P-B3P-B4

P-B3

P-B4

4P-Q4P-Q3

P-Q4

P-Q3

Steinitz Gambit:—

1P-K4P-K42Kt-QB3Kt-QB33P-KB4PxP4P-Q4Q-R5 ch

1P-K4P-K4

P-K4

2Kt-QB3Kt-QB3

Kt-QB3

3P-KB4PxP

P-KB4

PxP

4P-Q4Q-R5 ch

P-Q4

Q-R5 ch

Three Knights’ Game:—

1P-K4P-K42Kt-KB3Kt-KB33Kt-B3P-Q34P-Q4PxP

1P-K4P-K4

P-K4

2Kt-KB3Kt-KB3

Kt-KB3

3Kt-B3P-Q3

Kt-B3

P-Q3

4P-Q4PxP

P-Q4

PxP

Two Knights’ Defence:—

1P-K4P-K42Kt-KB3Kt-QB33B-B4Kt-B34Kt-Kt5P-Q4

1P-K4P-K4

P-K4

2Kt-KB3Kt-QB3

Kt-KB3

Kt-QB3

3B-B4Kt-B3

B-B4

Kt-B3

4Kt-Kt5P-Q4

Kt-Kt5

P-Q4

Vienna Opening:—

1P-K4P-K42Kt-QB3B-B43P-B4P-Q34Kt-B3Kt-KB3

1P-K4P-K4

P-K4

2Kt-QB3B-B4

Kt-QB3

B-B4

3P-B4P-Q3

P-B4

P-Q3

4Kt-B3Kt-KB3

Kt-B3

Kt-KB3

Zukertort’s Opening:—

1Kt-KB3P-K32P-Q4Kt-KB33P-K3P-QKt34B-K2B-Kt2

1Kt-KB3P-K3

Kt-KB3

P-K3

2P-Q4Kt-KB3

P-Q4

Kt-KB3

3P-K3P-QKt3

P-K3

P-QKt3

4B-K2B-Kt2

B-K2

B-Kt2

GAMES AT ODDS.Between unequal players it is a common practice for the stronger to give the weaker some advantage. Very few are able to give a Queen, or even a Rook, but aKnightis quite common, and one who can concede a Knight to the weakest players in a club is usually spoken of as, “a Knight player.” The most common odds between nearly equal players isPawn and Move; and with a player not strong enough to give a Knight,Pawn and Two Moves. The Pawn removed in each instance is Black’s K B P, and the Knight is usually the Q Kt. Here are a few examples of the openings in games at odds:—

Pawn and Move:—

1P-K4P-K32P-Q4P-Q43Q-R5 chP-KKt34Q-K5Kt-KB3

1P-K4P-K3

P-K4

P-K3

2P-Q4P-Q4

P-Q4

3Q-R5 chP-KKt3

Q-R5 ch

P-KKt3

4Q-K5Kt-KB3

Q-K5

Kt-KB3

1P-K4P-Q32P-Q4Kt-KB33Kt-QB3Kt-B34P-Q5Kt-K4

1P-K4P-Q3

P-K4

P-Q3

2P-Q4Kt-KB3

P-Q4

Kt-KB3

3Kt-QB3Kt-B3

Kt-QB3

Kt-B3

4P-Q5Kt-K4

P-Q5

Kt-K4

1P-K4Kt-QB32P-Q4P-Q43P-K5B-B44B-QKt5Q-Q2

1P-K4Kt-QB3

P-K4

Kt-QB3

2P-Q4P-Q4

P-Q4

3P-K5B-B4

P-K5

B-B4

4B-QKt5Q-Q2

B-QKt5

Q-Q2

1P-K4Kt-QB32P-Q4P-Q43PxPKtxP4P-KB4Kt-B2

1P-K4Kt-QB3

P-K4

Kt-QB3

2P-Q4P-Q4

P-Q4

3PxPKtxP

PxP

KtxP

4P-KB4Kt-B2

P-KB4

Kt-B2

Pawn and Two Moves:—

1P-K42P-Q4P-K33B-Q3P-B44P-Q5P-Q3

1P-K4

P-K4

2P-Q4P-K3

P-Q4

P-K3

3B-Q3P-B4

B-Q3

P-B4

4P-Q5P-Q3

P-Q5

P-Q3

1P-K42P-Q4P-Q33P-QB4P-B44P-Q5P-Q3

1P-K4

P-K4

2P-Q4P-Q3

P-Q4

P-Q3

3P-QB4P-B4

P-QB4

P-B4

4P-Q5P-Q3

P-Q5

P-Q3

1P-K42P-Q4P-Q33P-KB4P-K34B-Q3Kt-K2

1P-K4

P-K4

2P-Q4P-Q3

P-Q4

P-Q3

3P-KB4P-K3

P-KB4

P-K3

4B-Q3Kt-K2

B-Q3

Kt-K2

1P-K42P-Q4Kt-QB33P-Q5Kt-K44P-KB4Kt-B2

1P-K4

P-K4

2P-Q4Kt-QB3

P-Q4

Kt-QB3

3P-Q5Kt-K4

P-Q5

Kt-K4

4P-KB4Kt-B2

P-KB4

Kt-B2

Odds of Queen’s Knight:—

1P-K4P-K42Kt-B3P-Q43PxPP-K54Kt-K5QxP

1P-K4P-K4

P-K4

2Kt-B3P-Q4

Kt-B3

P-Q4

3PxPP-K5

PxP

P-K5

4Kt-K5QxP

Kt-K5

QxP

1P-K4P-K42P-KB4P-Q43PxQPQxP4Kt-B3P-K5

1P-K4P-K4

P-K4

2P-KB4P-Q4

P-KB4

P-Q4

3PxQPQxP

PxQP

QxP

4Kt-B3P-K5

Kt-B3

P-K5

Odds of King’s Knight:—

1P-K4P-K42B-B4P-QB33Kt-B3Kt-B34P-Q4P-Q4

1P-K4P-K4

P-K4

2B-B4P-QB3

B-B4

P-QB3

3Kt-B3Kt-B3

Kt-B3

4P-Q4P-Q4

P-Q4

1P-K4P-K42B-B2Kt-KB33P-Q2B-B440-00-0

1P-K4P-K4

P-K4

2B-B2Kt-KB3

B-B2

Kt-KB3

3P-Q2B-B4

P-Q2

B-B4

40-00-0

0-0

In order to give the student an idea of the value and popularity of the various openings, the following table of the results of 1500 games may be useful. It is from the chess columns of the New YorkSun:—

The first player won 55.2 per cent. of games played, counting drawn games as one-half.

(a).Includes Queen’s Gambits and Queen’s Gambits declined.

(b).Includes Centre and Counter Centre Gambits.

THE MIDDLE GAME.After a little experience with openings, the player will usually select one or two which he feelsthat he can handle better than others, and will make a specialty of them. Having mastered a number of variations, and learned the object of them in forming his pieces for attack or defence, he will naturally be led to the study of the middle game. In this there are a few general principles which should be steadily kept in view. For attack, the player should secure command of a wide range of the board; but for defence he should concentrate his forces as much as possible. He should be careful not to get his pieces in one another’s way, and not to leave pieces where they can be attacked and driven back by inferior pieces, because that entails a loss of valuable time. A player should never exchange a man in active service for one that is doing nothing. If several lines of play are open, the one offering the most numerous good continuations should be selected. When a player is not ready for attack, he should develop his pieces, and remember that the more of them he can get to bear on the enemy’s King, the better. Supporting pieces should be placed where they are not easily attacked, because good players attack the supports first, so as to isolate the advance guard. Beginners are usually in too great a hurry to give check; the best players do not check until they are ready to follow it up with a mate, or a winning position, or can gain time in developing their pieces.

END GAMES.There are certain positions in which apparently equal games are not necessarily drawn, and there are others in which a player with a decided advantage cannot win, within the fifty moves which are allowed him, unless he knows exactly how to proceed. If a player is not well up in endings he may lose many a game which could be won if he only knew how to win it. The following games may be abandoned asdrawn:—

The following games can bewon:—

In order to master all these endings, the student should take up Staunton’s Handbook, or the Lehrbuch des Schachspiels, in which they are given very fully. For the beginner only one or two of the most common and important are necessary.

K and Q, or K and R, against K. All that is necessary is to drive the King to the edge of the board, which may be done by holding him below a certain parallel with the Q or R, and then getting your own King in front of him; a check will then drive him one line further back, and when he arrives at the edge of the board, and can no longer go back, he is mated.

K and Q against K and R. Freeborough has devoted an entire volume to this ending, which may be very much prolonged by a skilful player. The object is to drive the King to the edge of the board, and then to get the Rook in such a position that it must be sacrificed to save the mate, or that the mate can be accomplished with the Rook on the board. The player with the Queen must be on his guard against stale-mate in this ending.

K and Q against K and B, K and Kt, or K and P. This is easy enough for the Queen if the player is careful to avoid stale-mate.

K and two R’s against K and R. This can be won easily by forcing an exchange of Rooks.

K and two B’s against K. In this position the King must be ruled off into a corner by getting the Bishops together, protected by their King. Start with the men in the following position:—

Black K on his own square. White King on K B 6; white Bishops on K B 4 and K B 5. White to move and win. The mate can be accomplished in six moves, as follows:—

1B-B7K-B sq2B-Q7K-Kt sq3K-Kt6K-B sq4B-Q6 chK-Kt sq5B-K6 chK-R sq6B-K5 mate

1B-B7K-B sq

B-B7

K-B sq

2B-Q7K-Kt sq

B-Q7

K-Kt sq

3K-Kt6K-B sq

K-Kt6

K-B sq

4B-Q6 chK-Kt sq

B-Q6 ch

K-Kt sq

5B-K6 chK-R sq

B-K6 ch

K-R sq

6B-K5 mate

B-K5 mate

K, B and Kt against K. This is one of the most difficult endings for a beginner, but is very instructive, and should be carefully studied. Set up the men as follows:—

Black King on K R sq. White King on K B 6, white Bishop on K B 5, and white Knight on K Kt 5; White to move and win. The object is to drive the King into a corner of the board which is commanded by the Bishop, as he cannot otherwise be mated.

1Kt-B7 chK-Kt sq2B-K4K-B sq3B-R7K-K sq4Kt-K5K-B sq5Kt-Q7 chK-K sq6K-K6K-Q sq7K-Q6K-K sq8B-K6 chK-Q sq9K-B6K-B sq10B-B7K-Q sq11Kt-Kt7 chK-B sq12K-B6K-Kt sq13K-Kt6K-B sq14B-K6 chK-Kt sq15Kt-B5K-R sq16B-Q7K-Kt sq17Kt-R6 chK-R sq18B-B6 mate

1Kt-B7 chK-Kt sq

Kt-B7 ch

K-Kt sq

2B-K4K-B sq

B-K4

K-B sq

3B-R7K-K sq

B-R7

K-K sq

4Kt-K5K-B sq

Kt-K5

K-B sq

5Kt-Q7 chK-K sq

Kt-Q7 ch

K-K sq

6K-K6K-Q sq

K-K6

K-Q sq

7K-Q6K-K sq

K-Q6

K-K sq

8B-K6 chK-Q sq

B-K6 ch

K-Q sq

9K-B6K-B sq

K-B6

K-B sq

10B-B7K-Q sq

B-B7

K-Q sq

11Kt-Kt7 chK-B sq

Kt-Kt7 ch

K-B sq

12K-B6K-Kt sq

K-B6

K-Kt sq

13K-Kt6K-B sq

K-Kt6

K-B sq

14B-K6 chK-Kt sq

B-K6 ch

K-Kt sq

15Kt-B5K-R sq

Kt-B5

K-R sq

16B-Q7K-Kt sq

B-Q7

K-Kt sq

17Kt-R6 chK-R sq

Kt-R6 ch

K-R sq

18B-B6 mate

B-B6 mate

If, at the fourth move, the black King does not go back to the Bishop’s square, but goes on to the Queen’s square, hoping to cut across to the other black corner of the board, the continuation will be as follows, beginning at White’s fifth move:—

5K-K6K-B26Kt-Q7K-B37B-Q3K-B28B-Kt5K-Q sq9Kt-K5K-B210Kt-B4K-Q sq11K-Q6K-B sq12Kt-R5K-Q sq13Kt-Kt7 chK-B sq14K-B6K-Kt sq15Kt-Q6K-R216K-B7K-R sq17B-B4K-R218Kt-B8 chK-R sq19B-Q5 mate

5K-K6K-B2

K-K6

K-B2

6Kt-Q7K-B3

Kt-Q7

K-B3

7B-Q3K-B2

B-Q3

K-B2

8B-Kt5K-Q sq

B-Kt5

K-Q sq

9Kt-K5K-B2

Kt-K5

K-B2

10Kt-B4K-Q sq

Kt-B4

K-Q sq

11K-Q6K-B sq

K-Q6

K-B sq

12Kt-R5K-Q sq

Kt-R5

K-Q sq

13Kt-Kt7 chK-B sq

Kt-Kt7 ch

K-B sq

14K-B6K-Kt sq

K-B6

K-Kt sq

15Kt-Q6K-R2

Kt-Q6

K-R2

16K-B7K-R sq

K-B7

K-R sq

17B-B4K-R2

B-B4

K-R2

18Kt-B8 chK-R sq

Kt-B8 ch

K-R sq

19B-Q5 mate

B-Q5 mate

PAWN ENDINGS.There are a great number of these, many being complicated by the addition of Pawns to other pieces. The following example, which is a position that often occurs, should be understood by the beginner:—

Put the black King on K B square; the white King on K B 6, and a white Pawn on K 6. If it is Black’s move, White can win easily; but if it is White’s move it is impossible to win, because whether he checks or not the black King gets in front of the Pawn and either wins it or secures a stale-mate.

Put the Pawn behind the King, on K B 5, and White wins, no matter which moves first, for if Black moves he allows the white King to advance to the seventh file, which will queen the Pawn. If White moves first, and the black King keeps opposite him, the Pawn advances. If Black goes in the other direction, the white King goes to the seventh file and wins by queening the Pawn.

If the white King and Pawn are both moved one square further back, the King on K B 5, and the Pawn on K B 4. the win will depend on the move. If it is White’s move he can win by advancing the King; but if it is Black’s move he can draw by keeping his King always opposite the white King. If the Pawn advances, hewill get in front of it, and if the King is afterward advanced, he will get in front of it; winning the Pawn or securing a stale-mate.

THE KNIGHT’S TOUR.Owing to the peculiarity of the Knight’s move, many persons have amused themselves in trying to cover the entire chess board with a Knight, touching the same square once only, and returning to the starting-point again. There are several ways of doing this, one of the simplest being the following:—

Chessboard with the squares numbered in the order the Knight should jump on them

TEXT BOOKS.Among the very large number of works on Chess there is abundant room for choice, but the following works are considered standard authorities on the game:—

Of these works, “Minor Tactics” will be found most useful to the beginner, as it simplifies the openings by grouping them, and concentrates the attention on the essential points of chess strategy.

Definitions of Terms Used.Whenever the word “Umpire” is used herein, it stands for any Committee having charge of Matches or Tournaments, with power to determine questions of chess-law and rules; or for any duly appointed Referee, or Umpire; for the bystanders, when properly appealed to; or for any person, present or absent, to whom may be referred any disputed questions; or for any other authority whomsoever having power to determine such questions.

When the word “move” is used it is understood to mean a legal move or a move to be legally made according to these laws.

When the word “man” or “men” is used, it is understood that it embraces both Pieces and Pawns.

The Chess-Board and Men.The Chess-board must be placed with a white square at the right-hand corner.

If the Chess-board be wrongly placed, it cannot be changed during the game in progress after a move shall have been made by each player, provided the men were correctly placed upon the board at the beginning,i.e., the Queens upon their own colours.

A deficiency in number, or a misplacement of the men, at the beginning of the game, when discovered, annuls the game.

The field of the Standard Chess-board shall be twenty-two inches square.

The Standard Chess-men shall be of the improved Staunton Club size and pattern.

First Move and Colour.The right of first move must be determined by lot.

The player having the first move must always play with the white men.

The right of move shall alternate, whether the game be won, lost or drawn.

The game is legally begun when each player shall have made his first move.

Whenever a game shall be annulled, the party having the move in that game shall have it in the next game. An annulled game must be considered, in every respect, the same as if it had never been begun.

Concessions.The concession of an indulgence by one player does not give him the right of a similar, or other, indulgence from his opponent.

Errors.If, during the course of the game, it be discovered that any error or illegality has been committed, the moves must be retraced and the necessary correction made, without penalty. If the moves cannot be correctly retraced, the game must be annulled.

If a man be dropped from the board and moves made during its absence, such moves must be retraced and the man restored. If this cannot be done, to the satisfaction of the Umpire, the game must be annulled.

Castling.The King can be Castled only:

When neither the King nor the Castling Rook has been moved, and

When the King is not in check, and

When all the squares between the King and Rook are unoccupied, and

When no hostile man attacks the square on which the King is to be placed, or the square he crosses.

In Castling, the King must be first moved.

The penalty of moving the King prohibits Castling.

En Passant.Taking the Pawn “en passant,” when the only possible move, is compulsory.

Queening the Pawn.A pawn reaching the eighth square must be at once exchanged for any piece (except the King) that the player of the Pawn may elect.

Check.A player falsely announcing “check,” must retract the move upon which the announcement was based and make some other move, or the move made must stand at the option of the opponent.

No penalty can be enforced for any offence committed against these rules in consequence of a false announcement of “check,” nor in consequence of the omission of such announcement, when legal “check” be given.

“J’adoube.”“J’adoube,” “I adjust,” or words to that effect, cannot protect a player from any of the penalties imposed by these laws, unless the man or men touched, obviouslyneedadjustment, and unless such notification be distinctly utteredbeforethe man, or men, be touched, and only the player whose turn it is to move is allowed so to adjust.

The hand having once quitted the man, but for an instant, the move must stand.

Men overturned or displaced accidentally may be replaced by either player, without notice.

A wilful displacement, or overturning of any of the men, forfeits the game.

Penalties.Penalties can be enforced only at the time an offence is committed, and before any move is made thereafter.

A player touching one of his men, when it is his turn to play, must move it. If it cannot be moved he must move his King. If the King cannot move, no penalty can be enforced.

For playing two moves in succession, the adversary may elect which move shall stand.

For touching an adversary’s man, when it cannot be captured, the offender must move his King. If the King cannot move, no other penalty can be enforced. But if the man touched can be legally taken, it must be captured.

For playing a man to a square to which it cannot be legally moved, the adversary, at his option, may require him to move the man legally, or to move the King.

For illegally capturing an adversary’s man, the offender must move his King, or legally capture the man, as his opponent may elect.

For attempting to Castle illegally, the player doing so must move either the King or Rook, as his adversary may dictate.

For touching more than one of the player’s own men, he must move either man that his opponent may name.

For touching more than one of the adversary’s men, the offender must capture the one named by his opponent, or ifeithercannot be captured, he may be required to move the King or capture the man which can be taken, at the adversary’s option; or, ifneithercan be captured, then the King must be moved.

A player moving into check may be required, by the opposing player, either to move the King elsewhere, or replace the King and make some other move—but such other move shall not be selected by the player imposing the penalty.

For discovering check on his own King, the player must either legally move the man touched, or move the King at his adversary’s option. In case neither move can be made, there shall be no penalty.

While in check, for touching or moving a man which does not cover the check, the player may be required to cover with another piece, or move the King, as the opposing player may elect.

Touching the Squares.While the hand remains upon a man, it may be moved to any square that it commands, except such squares as may have been touched by it during the deliberation on the move; but if all the squares which it commands have been so touched, then the man must be played to such of the squares as the adversary may elect.

Counting Fifty Moves.If, at any period during a game, either player persist in repeating a particular check, or series of checks, or persist in repeating any particular line of play whichdoes not advance the game; or if “a game-ending” be of doubtful character as to its being a win or a draw, or if a win be possible, but the skill to force the game questionable, then either player may demand judgment of the Umpire as to its being a proper game to be determined as drawn at the end of fifty additional moves, on each side; or the question: “Is, or is not the game a draw?” may be, by mutual consent of the players, submitted to the Umpire at any time. The decision of the Umpire, in either case, to be final.

And whenever fifty moves are demanded and accorded, the party demanding it may, when the fifty moves have been made, claim the right to go on with the game, and thereupon the other party may claim the fifty move rule, at the end of which, unless mate be effected, the game shall be decided a draw.

Stale-Mate.A stale-mate is a drawn game.

Time Limit.The penalty for exceeding the time limit is the forfeiture of the game.

It shall be the duty of each player, as soon as his move be made, to stop his own register of time and start that of his opponent, whether the time be taken by clocks, sand-glasses, or otherwise. No complaint respecting an adversary’s time can be considered, unless this rule be strictly complied with. But nothing herein is intended to affect the penalty for exceeding the time limit as registered.

Abandoning the Game.If either player abandon the game by quitting the table in anger, or in any otherwise offensive manner; or by momentarily resigning the game; or refuses to abide by the decision of the Umpire, the game must be scored against him.

If a player absent himself from the table, or manifestly ceases to consider his game, when it is his turn to move, the time so consumed shall, in every case, be registered against him.

Disturbance.Any player wilfully disturbing his adversary shall be admonished; and if such disturbance be repeated, the game shall be declared lost by the player so offending, provided the player disturbed then appeals to the Umpire.

The Umpire.It is the duty of the Umpire to determine all questions submitted to him according to these laws, when they apply, and according to his best judgment when they do not apply.

No deviation from these laws can be permitted by an Umpire, even by mutual or general consent of the players, after a match or tournament shall have been commenced.

The decision of the Umpire is final, and binds both and all the players.

I. In games where one player gives the odds of a piece, or “the exchange,” or allows his opponent to count drawn games as won, or agrees to check-mate with a particular man, or on a particular square, he has the right to choose the men, and to move first, unless an arrangement to the contrary is agreed to between the combatants.

II. When the odds of Pawn and one move, or Pawn and more than one move are given, the Pawn given must be the King’s Bishop’s Pawn when not otherwise previously agreed on.

III. When a player gives the odds of his King’s or Queen’s Rook, he must not Castle (or more properly speaking leap his King) on the side from which the Rook is removed, unless before commencing the game or match he stipulates to have the privilege of so doing.

IV. When a player undertakes to give check-mate with one of his Pawns, or with a particular Pawn, the said Pawn must not be converted into a piece.

V. When a player accepts the odds of two or more moves, he must not play any man beyond the fourth square,i.e., he must not cross the middle line of the board, before his adversary makes his first move. Such several moves are to be collectively considered as the first move of the player accepting the odds.

VI. In the odds of check-mating on a particular square it must be the square occupied by the King mated, not by the man giving the mate.

VII. The player who undertakes to win in a particular manner, and either draws the game, or wins in some other manner, must be adjudged to be the loser.

In all other respects, the play in games at odds must be governed by the regulations before laid down.

I. In playing a game by correspondence or in consultation, the two parties shall always agree beforehand in writing or otherwise as to the persons who are to take part in the contest, as to the time and mode of transmitting the moves, as to the penalties to be inflicted for any breach of the contract, and as to the umpire or referee.

II. In games of this description each party is bound by the move dispatched; and in this connection the word move refers to what is intelligibly written, or deliveredviva voce.

In any game the announcement of a move which does not include the actual transfer of a man from one square to another,shall be considered as a move not intelligibly described within the meaning of this section.

III. Each party must be bound by the move communicated in writing, or by word of mouth, to the adversary whether or not it be made on the adversary’s board. If the move so communicated should prove to be different from that actually made on the party’s own board, the latter must be altered to accord with the former.

IV. If either party be detected in moving the men when it is not their turn to play, or in moving more than one man (except in castling) when it is their turn to play, they shall forfeit the game, unless they can show that the man was moved for the purpose of adjusting or replacing it.

V. If either party has, accidentally or otherwise, removed a man from the board, which has not been captured in the course of the game, and made certain moves under the impression that such man was no longer in play, the moves must stand, but the man may be replaced whenever the error is discovered.

VI. If either party permit a bystander to take part in the contest, that party shall forfeit the game.

The foregoing laws differ very slightly from those of the British Chess Association, and it is to be hoped that an international code will be agreed upon before a second edition of this work is issued.

The Board.Checkers is played upon a board which is not more than sixteen, nor less than fourteen inches square, and is divided into sixty-four smaller squares of equal size. These squares are of different colours, alternately light and dark, and the board must be so placed that each player shall have a light square at his right on the side nearer him.

The Men.Each player is provided with twelve men, which are circular in form, one inch in diameter, and three eighths thick. The men on one side are red or black; those on the other white or yellow. The men must be placed on theblacksquares.

Diagrams.For convenience in illustrating games and problems the men are always shown as placed on the white squares, type made in that manner being more easily read. The following diagram will show the proper arrangement of the men at the beginning of the game, if the white squares are supposed to be black ones:—

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