Page:How to Play Chess (Rogers).djvu/76

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HOW TO PLAY CHESS

move and with the reasoning that prompted it. In this connection, he will do well to try varying the moves and seeing the results, as it will help him to understand why the particular moves made by the original players were the only scientific ones to make under the circumstances.

The student, when playing with others, should study a game of his own and play it over and over until he has corrected all of the weaknesses in his methods of attack and defence; and he should study out for himself how to vary his system of play to meet and conquer his opponent. For only in this way will he be able to cope with unexpected positions upon the Chessboard. It is very well to follow the rules and systems of scientific players, but if the student's opponent does not follow the same system and make the correct moves in return, the student's knowledge will be of little avail and luck may win for the ignorant player an advantage that rightly belonged to the one who was familiar with the science of the game, but who failed to