would be in check to each other. Double check is when a piece, by being moved, not only gives check itself, but also discovers a previously masked attack from another.
Castling is a privilege allowed to the king once in a game. The move is performed either with the king's rook or queen's rook; in the former case the king is moved to the king's knight's square and the king's rook is placed on the king's bishop's square; in the latter case the king is played to the queen's bishop's square, and the queen's rook played to the queen's square. But the king cannot castle after having once moved, nor at a moment when he is actually in check, nor with a rook that has moved, nor when he passes over a square attacked or checked by an adverse piece, nor when any piece stands between him and the rook with which he would castle, nor when in the act of castling either the king or rook would have to capture an adverse piece.
A drawn game results from neither player being able to checkmate the other: thus, a king left alone on each side must of course produce a draw, as does also a king with a bishop, or a knight, against a king.
Stalemate, or the not being able to move either the king or any other piece, also constitutes a drawn game.
Odds is a term applied to the advantage which a stronger player should give to a weaker; thus, the removal of a rook or knight from the better player's forces may be fair odds; or, if the players are more nearly matched, the one may give a pawn. When the odds of a pawn are given, it is always understood to be the king's bishop's pawn.
Gambit is a technical word implying the sacrifice of a pawn early in the game, for the purpose of taking up an attacking position with the pieces.
Supposing the worth of a pawn to be represented by unity, the following is a tolerable average estimate of the comparative value of the pieces: Pawn, 1; bishop, 3; knight, 3; king, 4; rook, 5; queen, 9.
The rows of squares running straight up and down the board are called files, those running from side to side are called lines, and those running obliquely across are termed diagonals.
The playing over the following short game will serve the learner as a little initiatory practice:
WHITE.BLACK.
| 1. King's pawn two. | 1. King's pawn two. |
| 2. King's bishop to queen's bishop's 4th. | 2. King's bishop to queen's bishop's 4th. |
| 3. Queen to king's rook's 5th. | 3. King's knight to king's bishop's 3d. |
| 4. Queen takes[1] king's bishop's pawn, giving black checkmate. |
The foregoing brief mode of giving a checkmate is called the scholar's mate, and is often practiced upon young and unwary players. Any contractions used, such as ‘K’ for king. ‘B’ for bishop, etc., will readily be understood by the use of the diagrams.
In the conduct of the game, and in the practice of chess, the following rules, precepts, and hints will be found very generally useful: Play forth your minor pieces early, and castle your king in good time. You may sometimes delay castling with advantage, but not often. Do not expect to be able to establish an enduring attack with half your forces at home. Seek to let your style of play be attacking, and remember the gaining or losing of time in your measures is the element of winning or losing the game. Never touch a piece without moving it, nor suffer yourself or your opponent to infringe any other of the laws of the game.
You will find, when first player, that the opening, springing from your playing first king's pawn two, and then your king's knight to the bishop's third, is one of the best that you can adopt; but do not adhere to any one opening only. If you wish to adopt a purely defensive opening, you may play first king's pawn one, and follow up with Q P 2 and Q B P 2. Next to playing with good players, nothing will conduce to improvement more than looking on at two expert players while they play. Wanting these advantages, it is best to play over openings and actual games from books or journals. To prevent blunders and oversights, always endeavor to perceive the motive of your adversary's move before you play; and look often round the board to see that you are not losing sight of any better move than the one you intended, or that you are not suffering yourself to be tempted by a bait.
The Laws of Chess. The most elaborate and complete code of rules is to be found in Staunton, Chess Praxis (London, 1860). In that code every law of the game is fully explained, filling sixty-six pages of the book.
For the antiquities of the subject, consult Forbes, History of Chess (London, 1860). Modern practical works are: Morphy, Games at Chess, edited by Lowenthal (New York, 1860); Staunton, Chess: Theory and Practice (London, 1876); Gossip, Chess Player's Manual (London, 1875); Walker, Chess and Chess Players (London, 1850).
CHESS, or CHEAT. A common name of the Bromus secalinus. See Brome Grass.
CHEST (palatalization of AS. cist, cest, from Lat. cista, Gk. κίστη, kistē, chest, box), or Thorax. In anatomy, the part of the body which lies beneath the neck and above the abdomen (q.v.), constituting the uppermost of the two divisions of the trunk, or that which contains the heart and lungs and is bounded externally by the ribs. The chest is somewhat conical in form, the broad or lower end of the cone being shut in by the diaphragm, a large muscular partition which projects upward from the lower ribs, being convex toward the chest and concave toward the abdomen. In respiration (q.v.), the diaphragm descends by its own muscular contraction, while at the same time the ribs are drawn upward and outward by the accessory muscles of inspiration. The cavity of the chest is thus enlarged, the lungs are expanded, and air is drawn into them through the trachea, or windpipe, and the bronchial tubes. The combination of bone, cartilage, muscle, and tendon entering into the composition of the chest are such as to permit of expansile movement to the extent required, and yet to guard against over-expansion, which would be fatal to the delicate structures within. The bones of
- ↑ Taking is always performed by lifting the captured man from the board and placing the captor on his square. The pawn is the only man whose mode of taking differs from his ordinary move.
