Howard Staunton is one of the most prominent chess players of the 1840s and 1850s. He greatly advanced chess in Great Britain, putting London on the map as a global chess hub.

Staunton was heavily involved in the chess community as well, making notable theory advancements in several chess openings, writing numerous newsletters, and authoring several esteemed chess books. Additionally, one of his greatest contributions to the modern chess world is that the current design of the chess pieces that are used in tournament play are named after him (“Staunton pattern”). These pieces were created by Nathaniel Cooke in 1849, but rose to great popularity due to Staunton’s endorsement of the design.

The ChessBOARD AND ITS forces

The game of Chess is played by two persons, each having at command a little army of sixteen forces, upon a board divided into sixty-four squares. The squares are usually colored white and black, or red and white, alternately; and custom has made it an indispensable regulation, that the board shall be so placed that each player has a white square at their right-hand corner.

The following diagram represents the board with all the forces arranged in proper order for the commencement of a game:—

[NO.1]

Two Rooks, or Castles

(as they are indiscriminately called)

And each of these Pieces has their Pawn or Foot-soldier

On beginning a game, these Pieces and Pawns are disposed in the manner shown on the foregoing diagram. The King and Queen occupy the centre squares of the first or "royal" line, as it is called, and each has for its supporters a Bishop, a Knight, and a Rook, while before the whole stand the Pawns or Foot-soldiers in a row. (To prevent a common error among young players, of misplacing the King and Queen on commencing a game, it is well to bear in mind that at the outset each Queen stands on its own color.) The Pieces on the King's side of the board are called the King's, as King's Bishop, King's Knight, King's Rook; and the Pawns directly in front of them, the King's Pawn, King's Bishop's Pawn, King's Knight's Pawn, and King's Rook's Pawn. The Pieces on the Queen's side are, in like manner, called the Queen's Bishop, Queen's Knight, and Queen's Rook; and the Pawns before them, Queen's Bishop's Pawn, Queen's Knight's Pawn, and Queen's Rook's Pawn.

MOVEMENT OF THE PIECES AND PAWNS,

AND MODE OF CAPTURING AN ADVERSE FORCE

A knowledge of the moves peculiar to these several forces is so difficult to describe in writing, and so comparatively easy to acquire over the chess-board, from any competent person, that the learner is strongly recommended to avail themselves of the latter means when practicable: for the use, however, of those who have no chess-playing acquaintance at command, the subjoined description will, it is hoped, suffice.

The "Pieces," by which title the eight superior officers are technically designated, in contradistinction to the "Pawns," all take in the same direction in which they move. This act consists in removing the adverse Piece or Pawn from the board, and placing the captor on the square the former occupied. To make this clear, we will begin with the King, and show its mode of moving and of capturing an adverse piece

THE KING can move one square only at a time (except in "Castling," which will be explained hereafter), but it can make this move in any direction, forwards, backwards, laterally, or diagonally. It can take any one of the adversary's piece which stands on an adjoining square to that the King occupies, provided such piece is left unprotected, and the King has the peculiar privilege of being exempt from capture. The King is not permitted,

however, to move into check, that is, on to any square which is guarded by a Piece or Pawn of the enemy, nor can it, under any circumstance, be played to an adjacent square to that on which the rival King is stationed. Like most of the other Pieces, the King’s power is greatest in the middle of the board, where, without obstruction, it has the choice of eight different squares. At the sides, it may play to any one of five, but when in the angles of the board, three squares only are at its command.

[NO.2]

Supposing diagram No. 2 to show the position of the forces towards the conclusion of a game, and it being either party's turn to play, a player could take the adverse Pawn from the board, and place their King on the square it occupied; and, by doing so, the King would not depart from the order of its march, which, as we have before said, permits it to move one step in every direction. In each of these instances we have placed the Pawn in front of the King, but it would be equally entitled to take it were it standing on any other part of the eight squares immediately surrounding it, always provided it was not sustained or guarded by some other Piece or Pawn.

The Queen is by much the most powerful of the forces.

THE QUEEN has the advantage of moving as a Rook, in straight lines, forwards, backwards, and sideways, to the extent of the board in all directions, and as a Bishop, diagonally, with the same range.

To comprehend its scope of action, place the Queen alone in the centre of the board; it will then be seen that it has the command of no less than twenty-seven squares, besides the one it stands on. (Diagram No. 3.)

[NO.3]

Thus placed in the middle of the board, the range of the Queen is immense. It has here the option of taking any one of eight forces at the extremity of the board, the green arrows, should its line of march be unobstructed; and if these forces were nearer, on any of the intermediate squares, the Queen would be equally enabled to take any one of them at its choice. Like all the other Pieces and Pawns, the Queen’s effects the capture by removing the man from the board and stationing itself on the vacated square.

THE ROOK, or Castle, is next in power to the Queen. The Rook moves in a straight line, forwards, backwards, or sideways, having a uniform range, on a clear board, of fourteen squares, exclusive of the one it occupies.

The Rook has the same power in taking as the Queen, forwards, backwards, and sideways, but it cannot, like the Queen, take any force diagonally.

For example, place the Rook in the centre of the board, and an opposing force on each of the squares numbered, and the Rook has the power of taking any one of the four; and it has the same power if the Pieces are one or two squares closer to it, or immediately surrounding it, in the direction indicated by the four figures. (See Diagram No. 4.)

[NO.4]

THE BISHOP moves diagonally forwards or backwards, to the extent of the Board.

It follows, therefore, that it travels throughout the game only on squares of the same color as the one on which it stands when the game begins, and that each player has a Bishop running on white squares, and one on black squares.

When placed on a centre square of a clear board, it will be found to have a range of thirteen squares.

[NO.5]

The Bishop takes, as it moves, diagonally, either forwards or backwards, its range extending, on unobstructed squares, to the extent of the diagonal line on which it travels. (See Diagram No. 5.)

The action of THE KNIGHT is peculiar, and not easy to describe. It is the only one of the Pieces which has the privilege of leaping over another force. The movements of the others are all dependent on their freedom from obstruction by their own and the enemy's forces.

For example, when the forces are duly ranged in order of battle before the commencement of the game, the Knight is the only one of the eight capital Pieces which can be played before the Pawns are moved—King, Queen, Bishop, and Rook are all hemmed in by the rank of Pawns, which they cannot overleap; but the Knight, having the liberty of springing over the heads of other forces, can be brought into the field at once. The Knight’s move is one square in a straight line, and one in an oblique direction; or it may be perhaps better understood by saying that it moves two squares in a straight line, and one in a side direction.

[NO.6]

The Knight’s power and method of taking an opponent's force will be seen from the diagram (No. 6). In this situation, in the centre of the board, it would have the power of taking any one of the forces stationed on the squares numbered, by removing the force and placing itself on the vacant square.

The Pawn moves only one square at a time, and that straight forward, except in the act of capturing, when it takes one step diagonally to the right or left file on to the square occupied by the force taken, and continues on that file until it captures another force. It may, however, for its first move advance two steps, provided no hostile Pawn commands the first square over which it leaps, for, in that case, the adverse Pawn has the option of taking it in its passage, as if it had moved one step only. A Pawn is the only one of the forces which goes out of its direction to capture, and which has not the advantage of

moving backwards; but it has one remarkable privilege, by which, on occasions, it becomes invaluable, whenever it reaches the extreme square of the file on which it travels, it is invested with the title and assumes the power of any superior Piece, except the King, which the player chooses. From this circumstance it frequently happens that one party, by skillful management of their Pawns, contrives to have two, and sometimes even three Queens on the board at once, a combination of force which of course is irresistible.

As we before observed, the Pawn is the only force which captures in a direction different from its line of march.

Suppose, at the opening of the game, White begins by playing King's Pawn to King's fourth square (see the article on Notation), Black may reply in the same manner with King's Pawn to King's fourth square, and neither Pawn can do more than remain an obstruction to the onward march of the other, but if Black answer instead with King's Bishop's Pawn to Bishop's fourth, or as in the diagram, with Queen's Pawn to Queen's fourth, then White, if they choose, may take the adverse Pawn from the board and place their own in its stead.

[NO.7]

THE NOTATION ADOPTED TO DESCRIBE THE MOVES OF THE FORCES

There is no portion of an elementary work on Chess of so much importance to the learner, and none which requires more resolute mastering than this.

The notation may be called the language of the game and a knowledge of it is absolutely indispensable to every one who is ambitious of excelling, or who is desirous of appreciating the excellencies of other players.

Having marshalled the forces in battle order, as shown in the first diagram, you will observe that each party has two ranks of forces, on the first of which stand the superior Pieces, and on the next the eight Pawns. The eight squares which compose the first rank are each distinguished by the name of the Piece which occupies it when the forces are first arranged. There are, therefore, the King's square, the King's Bishop's square, King's Knight's square, and King's Rook's square, and in like manner, the Queen's square, Queen's Bishop's square, Queen's Knight's and Queen's Rook's squares. The files, that is, the row of squares running from top to bottom of the board, are also named by the Pieces occupying the first square in each file. Thus each of the superior officers has a file or row of eight squares running from their end of the board to the corresponding Piece of the enemy, and every one of these eight squares takes its name from such officer.

Bear in mind that White names every square on the board, in accordance with its relative position to one of their eight Pieces, and that Black does the same. Hence it follows that Black's first squares are White's eighth, and vice versâ.

Before proceeding further, it will be desirable for the student to familiarize themselves with the respective moves of the Pieces, names of the squares, etc. A very little practice will enable them to do so, especially with the aid of any friend acquainted with them. They should, in the first place, accustom themselves to the setting up the forces in order of battle; after a few repetitions of the process, and comparing their position with diagram No. 1, they will soon have no difficulty whatever in arranging the forces correctly without referring to the book. It will then be well to clear the board of all but a single Piece, and practise with that until perfect in its movements; another, and then another, may be added, until the action of every one is as familiar as the alphabet.

Suppose, as a first exercise, you begin by placing the white Queen on its starting square (d1), then play it to d5, then (diagonally, observe) to a8, then to h8, then to a1, and then home again to d1. It is proper to mention that the directions for moving a Piece are not usually printed in full, and that, according to the modern abbreviations in the present and other chess-books, these several instructions would be given thus:—

1) Qd1

2) Qd1 --→ d5

3) Qd5 --→ a8

4) Qa8 --→ h8

5) Qh8 --→ a1

6) Qa1 --→ d1

As a next exercise, put white’s dark-squared Bishop on its square, beside the Queen, and play the Bishop as follows:—

1) Bc1 → h6

2) Bh6 → f8

3) Bf8 → a3

4) Ba3 → c1

To these two Pieces now add white’s queenside knight, on its starting square, and play as follows:—

1) Nb1 → d2

2) Nd2 → e4

3) Ne4 → f6

4) Nf6 → e8

5) Ne8 → c7

6) Nc7 → b5

7) Nb5 → c3

8) Nc3 → b1

By taking all the Pieces in succession thus, you will speedily obtain sufficient knowledge of their movements to commence the opening of a game; but before attempting this, it is needful for you to be acquainted with the technical terms in use among chess-players, and the code of laws which governs the game.

TECHNICAL TERMS IN USE AMONG CHESS-PLAYERS

FOOL'S MATE

—This is the simplest of all checkmates, being accomplished in two moves in the following manner:—

White

1) g4

2) f4

Black

1) ...e5

2) ...Qh4#, giving checkmate

It cannot possibly be given by the first player.

FORCED MOVE

—When a player has one only legal move at command, it is said to be a forced move.

GAMBIT

—This word is derived from an Italian phrase in wrestling, and signifies a movement by which the adversary is tripped up. In chess, this is attempted by the first player putting a Pawn en prise of the enemy early in the game, by which they are enabled more rapidly and effectually to develop their superior Pieces. There are several gambits, but the most important, and one which includes many others, is the King's gambit, commenced as follows:—

White

1) e4

2) f4

Black

1) ...e5

2) ...exf4

The Pawn offered by the first player here at their second move is called the Gambit Pawn, and when taken by the adversary the opening becomes a gambit.

The varieties of the gambits are often designated by the names of the players who invented or first brought them into vogue—as the Muzio gambit, the Salvio gambit, the Allgaier gambit, the Lopez gambit; while others obtain their names from the opening moves of the first player, as the King's Bishop's gambit, which begins thus:—

White

1) e4

2) f4

3) Bc4

Black

1) ...e5

2) ...exf4

and is so called because the K's Bishop is played out at the 3rd move instead of the kingside Knight.

There is also the Queen's gambit, of which the opening moves are—

White

1) d4

2) c4

Black

1) …d5

2) ...dxc4

The gambits are the most brilliant and animated of all the openings, full of hair-breadth 'scapes and perilous vicissitudes, but affording an infinitude of beautiful and daring combinations.

"GIUOCO PLANO"

A solid and instructive modification of the King's Knight's game, is safe and for drawing games generally practised by the leading players. The opening moves are:

White

1) e4

2) Nf3

3) Bc4

Black

1) ...e5

2) ...Nc6

3) ...Bc5

TO INTERPOSE

—When the King is checked, or any valuable Piece in danger from the attack of an enemy, you are said to interpose a force when you play it between the attacked and attacking Piece.

ISOLATED PAWN

—A Pawn which stands alone, without the support and protection of other Pawns, is termed an isolated Pawn.

J'ADOUBE

—A French expression, signifying "I arrange," or "I replace," which is used by a player when they touch a force merely to adjust its position on the board, without intending to play it. (See the 7th law.)

MINOR PIECES

—The Bishop and Knight, in contradistinction to the Queen and Rook, are called Minor Pieces.

THE OPPOSITION

—A player is said to have the opposition when they can place their King directly in front of the adverse King, with only one square between them. This is often an important advantage in ending games.

PARTY

—From the French partie. Frequently used by modern writers instead of the word "game."

PASSED PAWN

—A Pawn is said to be a passed one when the adversary has no Pawn to obstruct its march on the same file, or on either of the next files to the right or left.

PION COIFFÉ, OR MARKED PAWN.

—This is a description of odds but rarely given, and only when there is a vast disparity between the skill of the players. It consists in one party placing a cap or ring on one of their Pawns, and undertaking to checkmate their opponent with that particular Pawn. They are not allowed to Queen the Pawn, and if they lose it, or happen to checkmate their opponent with any other piece, they forfeit the game. The Pawn usually capped is the King's Knight's, because it can be more readily and effectually surrounded by protecting Pieces.

TO QUEEN A PAWN, OR TO ADVANCE A PAWN TO A QUEEN

—When a player has contrived to advance a Pawn to the eighth or last square of the file, it assumes the rank and power of a Queen, or of any other Piece they chooses, and they are then said to have queened their Pawn. (See the 21st law.)

SCHOLAR'S MATE

—A checkmate occasionally given at the opening of a game by a practised player to one but little tutored in the science. The following are the moves:—

SMOTHERED MATE

—A checkmate which is sometimes given by the Knight when the adverse King is hemmed in, or smothered, by its own forces. (See diagram No. 12.)

STALEMATE

—When one party has their King so circumstanced that, not being at the moment in check, they cannot play it without going into check, and at the same time has no other Piece or Pawn to move instead, it is said to be stalemated, and the game is considered drawn. (See diagram No. 13.)

TAKING A PAWN EN PASSANT, OR IN PASSING

—It has been shown before, in speaking of the action of the Pawn, that It is limited in its march to one square forward at a time, when not capturing, and one square forward diagonally, either to the right or left, when it takes an adversary, but that it has the privilege, on being first played in the game, to advance two squares, unless in so doing it passes a square which is attacked by a hostile Pawn; in which case the opponent may, at their option, permit it to make the two steps forward, and there remain, or may capture it in its passage in the same way as if it had moved but one step.

The Operation of "Castling;" and "Discovered Check"

[NO.8]

In this situation the white King is threatened with what is called "a discovered check," that is, their opponent, by removing the Bishop, would discover check from the Queen, a proceeding in the present instance, which would speedily involve the loss of the game to White. Not being at the moment in check, however, and having moved neither King nor Rook, and there being no intervening Piece between the King and its own Rook, White is enabled to castle, giving check to the adverse King at the same time, and win the game easily, for Black has no square to which they can move their King without going into check, and is consequently obliged to interpose their Queen on f7 or f6, in either case being checkmated in two more moves, as you will soon be able to see.

Checkmate

[NO.9]

The above position represents the appearance of the forces on each side towards the end of a game, and will assist to explain the application of two or three of the technical terms described in the present section, as well as to exhibit the King in a situation of checkmate.

You already understand that the moves at chess are played by each party alternately; in this case it is White's turn to play, and they will checkmate their antagonist in two moves. Place the chess units on your board exactly in the order they stand in the diagram; having done this, suppose yourself to be playing the White forces, and take Black’s e6 pawn with your Queen, in the manner before shown, i.e., by taking the Pawn from the board and stationing your Queen on the square it occupied. By this act, you not only take their Pawn, but you attack their King, and must apprise them of their danger by calling "check."

They have now two ways only of parrying this check. It is clear they cannot move their King, because the only two squares to which they could move without going into check are occupied by their own men; they are forced then either to take the Queen with the f7 Pawn, or to interpose the check with Be7. If they take the Queen with the f7 pawn, you must reply by playing your light-squared Bishop to g6, crying "check."

Examine the position attentively, and you will find that Black has no square to which they can move their King, the only vacant one being attacked by your dark-squared Bishop, that they have nothing wherewith to take the Bishop that has given check, and neither Piece nor Pawn with which to interpose between it and its King, and that consequently, they are not only checked, but checkmated. In like manner, if, at their first move, instead of capturing your Queen, they interpose their Bishop on e7, you immediately take the Bishop with your Queen, who is protected by the dark-squared Bishop, and say "checkmate." [A]

[A]

We append a diagram here, showing a position which has frequently been misapprehended by unpractised players.

By inspecting the diagram it will be seen that the White King is in check of the Black Queen. By the simple move of the White Rook to g5, checking the Black King, and at the same time discovering check by the White Queen, Black is checkmated, although having by far the strongest forces. We give the position to show that any Piece or Pawn, although employed in covering a check of its own King, has nevertheless the power to check the adverse King.

[NO.10]

Perpetual Check

The diagram No.11 will enable you to understand what is meant by perpetual check as well as the most elaborate arrangement of the pieces could do.

Place the units on your chess-board according to the diagram, suppose yourself to be playing the white Pieces, and that it is your turn to move. Your adversary, you will observe, has the advantage in point of force, but this is counterbalanced by the situation, which enables you to draw the game. To do this, you must first play your Queen to one of the three squares where it will check the King, i.e., to e4, d5, or c6; it is indifferent which, say, therefore, Qe4. Black has no option, their King cannot move, they must interpose their Queen. If now you were to take the Queen you would lose the game, on account of their two Pawns; but instead of doing so, you play the Queen to e8, giving check. The black Queen must again interpose; you repeat the check on e4, Black can only parry it with their Queen, and you may persist in giving the same two checks, ad infinitum. In such cases, the game is resigned as "drawn by perpetual check."

[NO.11]

Smothered Mate

This is a familiar example of smothered mate, which you will find can be effected by no other Piece than the Knight.

White first move is, Queen to d5 checking. Black is obliged to retreat their King to h8, because, were they to play it to f8, the Queen would checkmate at once. Upon the King retiring, White gives check with Nf7; this brings the King back again to g8, and affords to White an opportunity of giving double check, which they do by moving the Knight to h6, checking with both Queen and Knight; as before, the King must go to h8; and now follows a beautiful move—White plays their Queen down to g8 (next square to the Black King), giving check; the King cannot take on account of the Knight; they are compelled, therefore, to capture with their Rook, and the Knight then gives the smothered mate on f7.

[NO.12]

Stalemate

(See Diagram No.13)

Here you observe that White has the great advantage of a Queen against a Rook; but with all this, and the move to boot, it is impossible for them to do more than draw the game. It is evident that they cannot move their Queen from the front of their King on account of exposing it to check with the Rook. If they move their King, Black takes the Queen, and the game is drawn. And lastly, if they take the Rook with their Queen, they place the adverse King in the position before described of stalemate.

[NO.13]

An attempt to establish a scale of powers whereby the relative values of the several units could be estimated with mathematical exactitude, although it has frequently engaged the attention of scientific minds, appears to be an expenditure of ingenuity and research upon an unattainable object. So ever varying, so much dependent on the mutations of position which every move occasions, and on the augmented power which it acquires when combined with other forces, is the proportionate worth of this with that particular unit, that it would seem to be beyond the reach of computation to devise a formula by which it can be reckoned with precision. But still an approximation to correctness has been made, and the result arrived at gives the following as the ultimate respective values:—

The KING, from the nature of the game, which does not admit of its being exchanged or captured, is invaluable, and it is not, therefore, included in the calculations.

The PAWN, it is seen, is the least valuable of all the units, the Knight being worth at least three Pawns.

The BISHOPS and KNIGHTS are practically considered of equal value, although there is a difference in the estimate here given.

A ROOK is of the value of five Pawns and a fraction, and may be exchanged for a minor Piece and two Pawns. Two Rooks may be exchanged for three minor Pieces.

The QUEEN is usually reckoned equal, in average situations, to two Rooks and a Pawn, but towards the end of a game it is hardly so valuable as two Rooks.

These comparative values may be of service to the student in general cases of exchanging pieces, but they will find in practice the relative worth of their soldiers is modified by so many circumstances of time, opportunity, and position, that nothing but experience can ever teach them to determine accurately in every case "which to give up and which to keep."

_ADJOURNED GAME_

Upon a game being adjourned, the player whose turn it is to move shall seal their move. Sealing a move consists in writing it legibly on a piece of paper which shall remain in the keeping of a third party during the adjournment.

Upon the resumption of an adjourned game the position existing at the time of adjournment shall be set up and the sealed move made on the board.

If the position existing at the time of adjournment cannot be ascertained the game shall be annulled.

If upon opening a sealed move the record cannot be interpreted as expressing a legal move, the offending player may be required to move their King, or, if the King cannot legally be moved, a piece designated by their opponent. If the record can be interpreted as expressing either of two moves, the offender shall make the one selected by their opponent.

DRAWN GAMES

A game is drawn—

(a) When the players agree to treat it as drawn.

(b) Upon the proof by either player that fifty moves have been made on each side without a piece being captured.

(c) When either player claims a draw upon their turn to play, and proves that the existing position has occurred at least twice before during the game.

(d) When either player claims a draw and demonstrates that they can subject the opposing King to an endless series of checks.

(e) When a stale-mate occurs.

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 their move be made, to stop their own register of time and start that of their opponent, whether the time be taken by clocks, sand-glass, 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 an 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 them.

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

_DISTURBANCE_

Any player wilfully disturbing their 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 them according to these laws, when they apply, and according to their 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.

_RULES FOR PLAYING THE GAME AT ODDS_

I. In games where one player gives the odds of a piece, or "the exchange," or allows their opponent to count drawn games as won, or agrees to check-mate with a particular piece, or on a particular square, they have the right to choose the piece, 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 f2 Pawn when not otherwise previously agreed on.

III. When the odds of two or more moves are given, the player receiving the odds shall begin the game with these moves, but may not, in making them, advance any piece beyond their fourth rank.

IV. When a player gives the odds of a Rook they may move their King as though to castle with the Rook given, provided the square of the missing Rook has been unoccupied throughout the game, and provided the ordinary conditions as to squares and the King are complied with.

V. When the odds of a Pawn, Knight, Bishop, or Rook, are given, it is understood that the f2 Pawn, or the b1 Knight, c1 Bishop or a1 Rook, is intended unless special agreement to the contrary is made.

It is mostly advisable to castle the King pretty early in the game, and to do so on the King's side, because it is less subject to an attack, and better able to repel one on that side than the other.

Be fearful, when castled on the King's side, of permitting an adverse Knight to gain safe possession of the f4 square, and remember that it is seldom prudent in an inexperienced player to advance the Pawns on the side their King has castled.

Be cautious of playing your Queen in front of your King and in subjecting yourself to a discovered check. It is better when check is given to your King to interpose a piece that attacks the checking Piece than with one that does not. Beware of giving useless checks to your adversary's King, but when, by checking, you can oblige it to move, and thus deprive it of the right to castle, it is generally good play to do so. It is sometimes useful to give a series of checks, and even sacrifice a Piece, to force the King into the middle of the board, where it may be subjected to the attacks of your other pieces.

Do not in all cases take an enemy's Pawn which stands before your King,—it may serve sometimes as a protection to it; and bear in mind that towards the termination of a game, especially when the superior Pieces have been taken off the field, the King should be made to compensate for its previous inactivity, by being busily engaged. The fate of the game is then dependent for the most part on the skill displayed in the management of the King.

The Queen is so powerful and important a Piece at chess that it should rarely be employed to defend or attack any point if you can do it as well with a subordinate.

It is not good to play the Queen out in the game at the beginning, because it can be attacked by inferior Pieces, and is compelled to retire with the loss of many moves.

Be careful, too, when about to capture a distant Pawn or Piece, that you do not remove your Queen too far from the immediate point of action. A skilful player will often permit you to win a Pawn with the Queen, that they may prevent it from returning in time to rescue your King from their attack. The power of the Queen is wonderfully greater when it is aided and protected by other Pieces than when it goes forth unsupported; it is generally injudicious, therefore, to make an attack with it unless in combination with some other of your forces.

Concerning the Rook

The Rook is a most important officer, yet few players even amongst the best avail themselves sufficiently of its power. It has seldom much scope for action in the early part of the engagement, but when the field is thinned no time should be lost in bringing it into action. You should then endeavor to double your Rooks, that is, to place them one before the other on the same file: in this situation, mutually sustaining one another, their potency on a clear field is equal to the Queen's.

It is usually good play to get command of an open file,that is to say, a file which is occupied by no other piece, by stationing a Rook at one end of it. When you have thus gained possession of the file, should your opponent try to dispossess you of it, by playing one of their Rooks on the same file, it is frequently better to defend with your other Rook than to take theirs or remove your own. You will often embarrass your adversary, too, if you can manage to post a Rook on their second rank, say at your King's 7th or Queen's 7th square. In this position it generally makes an attack on the Pawns unmoved, and compels the enemy to lose time in defending them, while you can bring more forces into action.

One of the strongest reasons for playing out your Pieces early in the battle, is, that while at home they are not only themselves inactive, but they utterly retard the movements of your Rooks. In an unskillfully developed game it is a common occurrence to see the victory won before the defeated player's Rooks have ever moved.

When the game is opened by each party with 1. e4 e5, the kingside Bishop is somewhat superior to the queenside Bishop, because it can be sooner brought into play, and may be made to bear immediately on the King's weak point, the f2 Pawn. It is desirable therefore generally to exchange your queenside Bishop or queenside Knight for the adversary's kingside Bishop. The kingside Bishop should rarely or never be played to the d3 or d6 before the Pawn in front of the Queen is moved. Its best position, as we have remarked above, is to c4 or c5, where it attacks the opponent's f2 or f7 Pawn. If your antagonist then challenges an exchange of Bishops by moving their queenside Bishop to e3 or e6, it is not always prudent to accept it, because although you may double the Pawns on their King's file, you at the same time afford them an open range for their kingside Rook when they have castled. The best play in such a case is, therefore, to retreat your kingside Bishop to b3 or b6.

Be careful, as a general rule, in an open game, not to move the Pawn in front of your Queen one square before you bring out the kingside Bishop, as by so doing you leave them but the e2 or e7 square on which to move, and there its position is defensive rather than attacking.

If strong in Pawns towards the conclusion of the game, endeavor to get rid of the enemy's Bishops, because they can impede the march of your Pawns more readily than either the Rooks or Knights.

When the other units are exchanged off, and you remain with a Bishop and two or three Pawns, it is often proper to keep your Pawns on squares of a different color from those on which your Bishop travels, as it can then prevent the opposing King from approaching them. If, however, you have the worst of the game, it is mostly better then to keep them on the same color as the Bishop, that it may defend them.

Supposing you have Pawns only at the end of a game, and the adversary has a Bishop, it is generally advisable to move the Pawns as soon as possible to squares of a different color from the diagonals on which it moves.

Do not indiscriminately exchange your Bishops for Knights, or vice versâ. Two Bishops at the finish of a game are stronger than two Knights, and one Knight generally more useful than a single Bishop.

The Knight is at once the most striking and most beautiful of all the Pieces. The singularity of its evolutions, by which it is enabled to overleap the other units and wind its way into the penetralia of the adverse ranks, and if attacked leap back again within the boundary of its own, has rendered it the favorite Piece of leading players in every country.

The assault of the Knight is more subtle and dangerous than that of any other Piece, because it attacks without putting itself en prise, and its attack can never be resisted by the interposition of another unit.

At the commencement of a game, the best place for the kingside Knight is at f3; it there attacks your adversary's e5, if it has been moved two squares, and offers no impediment to the playing out your kingside Bishop, and prevents the adversary from placing their Queen on the h4 square, where it would often be a source of restraint and danger to your King. Many persons prefer playing Ne2 at the second move, from the mistaken notion that the f2 should be moved before the Knight is played to f3; this is an error, and generally leads to a very bad game.

When you have brought out your Knight to c3, it is frequently advisable, at a proper opportunity, to get it round by e2 to the g3 square, where it exercises a very important influence, by threatening, whenever the square is left unguarded, to post itself on f5.

A Knight with three or four Pawns, at the end of a game, has an advantage over a Bishop with an equal number of Pawns, because it can leap from white to black, and thus attack the Pawns on either colored squares, whereas the Bishop can attack them only when they move on squares of the color of its diagonals. In similar circumstances, however, it is not so useful in defending as a Bishop or a Rook, since if forced to remove it ceases to defend, while the Rook or Bishop may retreat and still protect.

Struck by the scope and power of the higher Pieces, young players commonly overlook the homely Pawns, or deem them scarcely worthy of regard, and are amazed to learn that the combinations of these simple elements are among the most refined and arduous studies of the science. Yet such is the fact, and without a thorough comprehension of their quiet but remarkable predominance in almost every circumstance of the game, it is impossible for any one to attain a high degree of excellence.

It is generally advantageous for your Pawns to occupy the middle of the board, because when there they greatly slow the movements of the opposing forces. The e and d Pawns, at their fourth squares, are well posted, but it is not easy to maintain them in that position, and if you are driven to advance one of them, the power of both is much diminished. It is well, therefore, not to be too eager to establish two Pawns abreast in the centre until you are fully able to sustain them there.

When you have two Pawns abreast, the e and d Pawns, for instance, at their fourth squares, should the adversary attack one of them with a Pawn, it is occasionally better to advance the Pawn that is attacked another step, than to take the Pawn.

The Pawns, however, should seldom be far advanced, unless they can be properly sustained by the Pieces. Pawns at their fourth squares are therefore mostly more powerful than at their sixth.

The f2 Pawn having no support but that of the King, is usually the point to which the first attack is directed, and more than ordinary care should be taken to preserve it. It is rarely good play to move the f2 Pawn to f3 early in the game.

As a general rule, it is not advisable to move the g2 Pawn or b2 Pawn early in the game. The former played to g3 will often allow your adversary to play their queenside Bishop to a6, a dangerous move when you have castled on King's side.

After castling, it is generally proper not to move the g2 Pawn that is before your King, until you are obliged.

In a diagonal line of Pawns you should endeavor to preserve the Pawn at the head of them. Pawns, when united, have great strength; but when separated, their power is sensibly lessened.

A passed Pawn is mostly serviceable when supported by another Pawn.

A doubled Pawn is not in all cases a disadvantage, especially if it is united with other Pawns. The worst kind of doubled Pawn is one on a Rook's file; while the most advantageous is the f2 Pawn doubled on the King's file, because it strengthens your middle Pawns and opens a file for your King's Rook.

The Pawn being less important than a Piece, it is usually better to defend with it than with a Piece. For the same reason it is likewise better to protect a Pawn with a Pawn than with a Piece. No Piece can interpose between the attack of a Pawn, it can therefore frequently check the King with great advantage.

Be cautious generally of advancing the Pawns far on either side, till you see on which your opponent castles; and remember, when approaching the end of a game, where you have Pawns, or even a Pawn, against a minor Piece, that you may win, but that your opponent, except in very rare cases, cannot, and that two Pawns in any situation can protect themselves against the adverse King.

• There is nothing that will improve you so much as playing with good players; never refuse, therefore, when any one offers you odds, to accept them: you cannot expect a proficient to feel much interest in playing with you upon even terms, and as you are sure to derive both amusement and instruction from them, it is but fair that they should name the conditions. It will soon happen that you yourself will be able to give odds to many amateurs whom you meet; when this is the case, avoid, if possible, playing them even, or you are likely to acquire an indolent, neglectful habit of play, which it will be very difficult to throw off.

• Never permit your hand to hover over the board, or indeed to approach it, until you have completely made up your mind what Piece to move; a contrary habit begets a feeling of indecision that is fatal to success. Play invariably according to the laws of the game, neither taking back a move yourself, nor allowing your opponent to recall one. Do not exhibit impatience when your adversary is long in making their move. Their slowness is a tacit compliment to your skill, and enables you to play with proportionate quickness, because while they are meditating on their next step you can take advantage of the time to consider what shall be your rejoinder; besides, it is absolutely necessary for every one desirous of excelling at chess to play slowly. A fine player examines occasionally from five to twenty or more moves on each side: can this be done in a moment? It is easy enough to play quick against inferior play; but against equal and very good play one cannot play quick without losing.

• Learn to play indifferently either with the white or black units. Do not play too many games at a sitting—and never suffer the loss of a game to occasion you much disquietude. Think of how many thousand games a Philidor must have lost before he attained his highest excellence; besides, the loss of one well-fought game with a fine practitioner will do more towards your improvement than the gain of ten light skirmishes with weaker players than yourself. Endeavor to play all your Pieces equally well. Many young players have a predilection for a particular Piece, as the Knight or the Queen, and lose both time and position in trying to prevent exchanges of their favorite. In opening your game, endeavor to bring your superior officers into action speedily, but avoid all premature attacks. Take care not to play a Piece to a square where it impedes the action of another, and beware of venturing an unsupported Piece in the adversary's game.

• If subjected to a violent attack, you may often disconcert your opponent by compelling the exchange of two or three Pieces. When, however, you are about to exchange officers, you must calculate not only their ordinary value, but their peculiar worth in the situation in question; for example, a Rook is generally more valuable than a Knight or a Bishop; but it will happen, that by exchanging a Rook for one of the latter you may greatly improve your game.

• It is mostly good play to exchange the Pieces off when you are superior in power, so that when you have the odds of a Piece given to you by a finished player, you should endeavor to exchange as often as you can consistently with safety.

• When an exchange of two or more Pieces appears inevitable, look closely to see whether it is better for you to take first or to compel your opponent to do so. When one of the enemy is completely in your power, do not be too eager to make the capture—there may perhaps be a move of importance which you can make before you take it.

• Beware also of snatching hastily a proffered unit, it may be only given as a bait to catch a more important advantage from you.

• If at the end of a game you remain with Pawns against a Knight and find it difficult to evade its repeated checks, recollect that by placing your King on the same diagonal as the Knight, with but one intervening square between them, you cannot again be checked under three moves.

• When you have lost a game which has cost you great attention, it is a good practice to play it over afterwards in private, and endeavor to discover where the error occurred through which your opponent gained their first advantage. This custom will improve both your memory and your play.

Before proceeding to the consideration of the various methods of commencing the game, it is advisable for you to recur to the preceding sections, which treat of the arrangement of the units—the moves of the units—their relative powers—the technical terms in use among players—and the laws of the game. When you have familiarized yourself with these, it will be time for you to direct your attention to that most important feature in the game of chess—the art of opening the game.

There are several modes of beginning the game, but the following are the principal:—

1st.

Each player begins by moving their Pawns to e4 and e5, and the first player then moves their Knight to f3. This is called the King's Knight's opening.

2nd.

Each player commences by moving their Pawns to e4 and e5, and then the player who has the first move plays Bc4. This is known as the King's Bishop's opening.

3rd.

Each player opens with their Pawns to e4 and e5, and the first plays their Pawn to c3. This is termed the Queen's Bishop's Pawn's opening.

4th.

Each player begins with their Pawns to e4 and e5, and the first follows with their Pawn to f4. This is called the King's gambit.

Of these four openings on the King's side there are many modifications, of which each has its appropriate appellation; there are also several openings begun on the Queen's side, but the four above-named are those most generally practised, and with them you should be thoroughly conversant before advancing further.

Preparatory to the investigation of the several openings treated of in the following chapters, it may not be uninstructive to give a short game which shall exhibit the application of some technical phrases in use at chess, and at the same time show a few of the most prominent errors into which an inexperienced player is likely to fall.

In this game, as in all the analyses which follow, the reader will be supposed to play the White Pieces and to have the first move, although, as it has been before remarked, it is advisable for you to accustom yourself to play with either Black or White, for which purpose it is well to practise the attack, first with the White and then with the Black Pieces.

When the units are first arranged in battle order, it is seen that the only Pieces which have the power of moving are the Knights, and that to liberate the others it is indispensably necessary to move a Pawn. Now, as the King's Pawn, on being moved, gives freedom both to the Queen and to the King's Bishop, it is more frequently played at the beginning of the game than any other. You will remember, in speaking of the Pawns it was shown that on certain conditions they have the privilege of going either one or two steps when they are first moved.

Thus far the game illustrative of the King's Bishop's opening is correctly begun. Each party plays their King's Bishop thus, because it attacks the most vulnerable point of the adverse position, viz., the f2/f7 Pawns.

In playing this Pawn your object is afterwards to play the d2 pawn to d4, and thus establish your Pawns in the centre; but Black foresees the intention, and thinks to prevent its execution by bringing another Piece to bear upon the square.

In this variation, you see Black has lost their f7 Pawn, and what is worse, has lost their privilege of castling, by being forced to move their King; and although for a moment they had gained a Bishop for a Pawn, it was quite clear that they must lose a Bishop in return by the check of the adverse Queen at the h5 square. It is true that they need not have taken the Bishop, but still their King must have moved, and White could then have taken the c6 Knight with their Bishop, having always the better position.

But now to proceed with the actual game:—

Bringing out the Knight is good play; you not only threaten to win their Bishop, but you afford yourself an opportunity of castling whenever it may be needful. Black would have played better in retiring the Bishop from the attack to b6 than in supporting it with the Queen.

Both parties played well in their last moves. You rightly took off the Bishop, because supported by the Queen they menaced your b2 Pawn, and Black properly retook with their Queen instead of the Knight, because having a Pawn ahead, it was their interest to exchange off the Queens.

You played correctly here in not exchanging Queens, and also in protecting your Bishop and your e4 Pawn, both of which were attacked by the adverse Queen; but all this might have been done without impeding the movements of any of your Pieces, by simply playing Qe2; as it is, the Knight entirely shuts your c1 Bishop from the field. Black properly brings another Piece to the attack of your e4 Pawn:—

In protecting the e4 pawn with your f3 pawn, you are guilty of a very common error among young players; as you improve, you will find that it is rarely good play to move the f2 Pawn to f3—in the present instance, for example, you have deprived yourself of the power of castling, at least for some time, since the adverse Queen now commands the very square upon which your King, in castling on its own side, has to move. Black's last move is much more sensible. They again attack your Bishop, and by the same move brings their Q's Knight into co-operation with the King's, on the weak point of your position:—

This is a serious blunder indeed. In your anxiety to save the threatened Bishop, which you feared to withdraw to b3., on account of the adverse Knight's giving check on d3, you have actually left your a1 Rook en prise! Black takes it, of course, and having gained such an important advantage, ought to win easily.

White

11) 0-0 (castles kingside)

12) Nxc4

13) Qd2

Black

11) ...Nxc4

12) ...0-0

13) ...c5

Your last move is very subtle; finding the mistake that Black had committed in not retreating his Queen directly after winning the Rook, you determine, if possible, to prevent its escape by gaining command of all the squares it can move to. Seeing the danger, Black throws forward this Pawn to enable them, if possible, to bring the Queen off, by playing it to d4, giving check.

This move of the Bishop is well timed; it does not, to be sure, prevent the Queen from escaping for a move or two, but it gives you an attack, and very great command of the field.

Very well played on both sides. By playing the Queen to g5, you threatened to win their Knight by at once taking it with your Bishop, which they could not retake without opening check on their King. Instead of so moving, you might have played the Knight to a5, in which case, by afterwards moving the Rook to a1, it would have been impossible for their Queen to get away.

You prudently retreated your Queen to guard its Knight's Pawn, which it was important to save, on account of its protection to the Knight. Black played their Pawn to h6 to prevent your Queen returning to the same post of attack.

Here are two instances of what is called "lost time" at chess, neither move serving in the slightest degree to advance the game of the player. That you should have overlooked the opportunity of gaining the adverse Queen was to be expected. Similar advantages present themselves in every game between young players, and are unobserved.

Again you have failed to see a most important move; you might have taken the h6 Pawn with your Queen, giving check safely, because Black could not take your Queen without being in check with your Bishop. All this time, too, your opponent omits to see the jeopardy their Queen is in, and that as far as practical assistance to their other Pieces is concerned, it might as well be off the board.

Your last move is far from good. By thus attacking your Knight, Black threatens to win a Piece, because upon playing away the Knight you must leave the Bishop unprotected.

Although your Knight was thus attacked, it might have been saved very easily. In the first place, by your taking the adversary's c5 Pawn, threatening to take their f8 Rook, on their removing which, or interposing the d6 Pawn, you could have taken the Pawn which attacked your Knight; or, in the second place, by moving your Queen to d2. In the latter case, if Black ventured to take the Knight, you would have won their Queen by taking the g7 Pawn with your Bishop, giving check, and thus exposing their Queen to yours. Black would have been obliged to parry the check, either by taking the Bishop or removing their King, and you would then have taken their Queen. This position is very instructive, and merits attentive examination.

In such a position, the advance of your King's flank Pawns is a process too dilatory to be very effective.

Now the fault of your tortoise-like movements with the Pawns becomes fatally evident. Black has been enabled to make a second Queen, and has an overwhelming force at command.

You had no better move than to take the newly-elected Queen, for two Queens must have proved irresistible.

Here you have given another remarkable instance of lost opportunity. At your last move you might have redeemed all former disasters by checkmating your opponent in two moves. Endeavor to find out how this was to be accomplished.

Up to Black's last move you had still the opportunity of winning the game before mentioned.

At this point you were utterly at the mercy of your antagonist, but fortunately they wanted the skill to avail themself properly of their vast superiority in force and position, or they might have won the game in half a dozen different ways.

This was your last chance, and its success should serve to convince you that in the most apparently hopeless situations of the game there is often a latent resource, if we will only have the patience to search it out. By taking the Bishop, Black has left your King, who is not in check, no move without going into check, and as you have neither Piece nor Pawn besides to play, you are stalemated, and the game is DRAWN.

If thoroughly acquainted with the information contained in the preceding sections, you may now proceed to the consideration of the openings; before you do this, however, it is necessary to apprise you that without a great abridgment of the notation adopted in the foregoing game, it would be impossible to compress within the limits of this work one-third of the variations which are required to be given. The following abbreviations will therefore be used throughout the remainder of our Handbook:—

We are a group of UT Dallas students greatly interested in advancing the status quo and modernizing old classics. In the summer of 2023, we were tasked with revamping one of the greatest chess books for beginners: Howard Staunton’s The Blue Book of Chess. Coming in at a sizable 247 pages, this book conveys essential chess principles in a highly digestible way due to Staunton’s logical way of teaching. Seeing the book’s relevance in the modern era, we chose to focus on modernizing the first chapter of the book, which focuses on some of the most important fundamentals for a novice chess player to grasp.

The improvements we made in the first chapter include making the vocabulary more gender inclusive as well as changing the formerly used descriptive notation to the more modern algebraic notation. We hope these changes encourage a new generation of chess players to think differently about the societal norms surrounding chess and to try to incorporate Staunton’s systematic and structured way of teaching into their chess journey.

Resources

Howard Staunton | Top Chess Players - Chess.com

Language Guidelines - Chessable

The Blue Book of Chess by Howard Staunton - Free Ebook (gutenberg.org)

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