4.

Chefnut. hiftory, was born in 1584. He wrote, 1. A hiftory tree, of the popes. 2. A history of England. 3. An inChefs. quiry into the antiquities of the towns of France. A history of the cardinals. 5. A bibliotheca of the authors who have written the hiftory and topography of France, &c. He was crushed to death by a cart, in going from Paris to his country houfe at Verriere, in 1640.

CHESNUT-TREE. See FAGUS, BOTANY Index. CHESS, an ingenious game performed with different pieces of wood, on a board divided into 64 fquares or houses; in which chance has fo fmall a fhare, that it may be doubted whether a perfon ever loft a game but by his own fault.

Each gamefter has eight dignified pieces, viz. a king, a queen, two bishops, two knights, and two rooks, also eight pawns: all which, for diftinction's fake, are painted of two different colours, as white and black.

As to their difpofition on the board, the white king is to be placed on the fourth black houfe from the corner of the board, in the firft and lower rank'; and the black king is to be placed on the fourth white houfe on the oppofite, or adverfary's, end of the board. The queens are to be placed next to the kings, on houses of their own colour. Next to the king and queen, on each hand, place the two bishops; next to them, the two knights; and laft of all, on the corners of the board, the two rooks. As to the pawns, they are placed, without diftinction, on the fecond rank of the house, one before each of the dignified pieces.

Having thus difpofed the men, the onfet is commonly begun by the pawns, which march ftraight forward in their own file, one houfe at a time, except the first move, when it can advance two houses, but never moves backwards: the manner of their taking the adverfary's men is fidewife, in the next houfe forwards; where having captivated the enemy, they move forward as before. The rook goes forward or crofswife through the whole file, and back again. The knight skips backward and forward to the next houfe, fave one, of a different colour, with a fideling march, or a flope, and thus kills his enemies that fall in his way, or guards his friends that may be expofed on that fide. The bishop walks always in the same colour of the field that he is placed in at first, forward and backward, aflope, or diagonally, as far as he lifts. The queen's walk is more univerfal, as fhe takes all the fteps of the before-mentioned pieces, excepting that of the knight; and as to the king's motion, it is one house at a time, and that either forward, backward, floping, or fidewife.

As to the value of the different pieces, next to the king is the queen, after her the rooks, then the bifhops, and laft of the dignified pieces comes the knight. The difference of the worth of pawns, is not fo great as that of noblemen; only, it must be observed, that the king's bishop's pawn is the best in the field, and therefore the fkilful gamefter will be careful of him.

It ought alfo to be obferved, that whereas any man may be taken, when he falls within the reach of any of the adverfary's pieces, it is otherwife with the king, who, in fuch a cafe, is only to be faluted with the word check, warning him of his danger, out of which it is abfolutely neceffary that he move; and if it so happen that he cannot move without expofing himself to the like inconveniency, it is check-mate, and the game is loft. The rules of the game are,

1. In order to begin the game, the pawns muft be moved before the pieces, and afterwards the pieces must be brought out to fupport them. The king's, queen's, and bishop's pawns, fhould be moved first, that the game may be well opened; the pieces must not be played out early in the game, becaufe the player may thereby lofe his moves: but above all, the game fhould be well arranged before the queen is played Ufelefs checks fhould alfo be avoided, unless fome advantage is to be gained by them, because the move may be loft, if the adverfary can either take or drive the piece away.

out.

2. If the game is crowded, the player will meet with obftructions in moving his pieces; for which reafon he fhould exchange pieces or pawns, and caftle (4) his king as foon as it is convenient, endeavouring at the fame time to crowd the adverfary's game, which may be done by attacking his pieces with the pawns, if the adversary should move his pieces out too foon.

3. The men fhould be fo guarded by one another, that if a man should be loft, the player may have it in his power to take one of the adverfary's in return; and if he can take a fuperior piece in lieu of that which he loft, it would be an advantage, and distress the adverfary.

4. The adverfary's king fhould never be attacked without a force fufficient; and if the player's king should be attacked without having it in his power to attack the adverfary's, he fhould offer to make an exchange of pieces, which may caufe the adversary to lofe a move.

5. The board fhould be looked over with attention, and the men reconnoitred, fo as to be aware of any ftroke that the adverfary might attempt in confequence of his last move. If, by counting as many moves forward as poffible, the player has a prospect of fuccefs, he fhould not fail doing it, and even facrifice a piece or two to accomplish his end.

6. No man fhould be played till the board is thoroughly examined, that the player may defend himfelf against any move the adverfary has in view; neither fhould any attack be made till the confequences. of the adverfary's next move are confidered; and when an attack may with fafety be made, it should be purfued without catching at any bait that might be thrown out in order for the adverfary to gain a move, and thereby cause the design to miscarry.

7. The queen should never ftand in fuch a manner before the king, that the adverfary, by bringing a rook or bishop, could check the king if the were not there; as it might be the lofs of the queen.

8. The

8. The adverfary's knight fhould never be fuffered to check the king and queen, or king and rook, or queen and rook, or the two rooks at the fame time; efpecially if the knight is properly guarded because, in the two first cafes, the king being forced to go out of check, the queen or the rook must be loft; and in the two laft cafes a rook must be loft at leaft for a worfe piece.

9. The player fhould take care that no guarded pawn of the adverfary's fork two of his pieces.

10. As foon as the kings have caftled on different fides of the board, the pawns on that fide of the board fhould be advanced upon the adverfary's king, and the pieces, efpecially the queen and rook, fhould be brought to fupport them; and the three pawns belonging to the king that is caftled must not be moved.

11. The more moves a player can have as it were in ambuscade, the better; that is to fay, the queen, bishop, or rook, is to be placed behind a pawn or a piece, in fuch a pofition as that upon playing that pawn or piece a check is difcovered upon the adverfary's king, by which means a piece or fome advantage is often gained.

12. An inferior piece fhould never be guarded with a fuperior, when a pawn would anfwer the fame purpofe; for this reafon, the fuperior piece may remain out of play; neither fhould a pawn be guarded with a piece when a pawn would do as well.

13. A well fupported pawn that is paffed often cofts the adverfary a piece; and when a pawn or any other advantage is gained without endangering the lofs of the move, the player fhould make as frequent exchanges of pieces as he can. The advantage of a paffed pawn is this: for example, if the player and his adversary have each three pawns upon the board, and no piece, and the player has one of his pawns on one fide of the board, and the other two on the other fide, and the adverfary's three pawns are oppofite to the player's two pawns, he fhould march with his king as foon as he can, and take the adverfary's pawns: If the adverfary goes with his king to fupport them, the player should go on to queen with his fingle pawns; and then if the adversary goes to hinder him, he should take the adverfary's pawns, and move the others to queen (B).

14. When the game is near finished, each party having only three or four pawns on each fide of the board, the kings must endeavour to gain the move in order to win the game. For inftance, when the player brings his king oppofite to the adverfary's with only one fquare between, he will gain the move.

15. If the adversary has his king and one pawn on the board, and the player has only his king, he cannot lofe the game, provided he brings his king oppofite to the adverfary's, when the adverfary is directly before or on one fide of his pawn, and there is only one fquare between the kings.

16. If the adversary has a bishop and one pawn on

(B) To

the rook's line, and this bishop is not of the colour Ce that commands the corner fquare the pawn is going to, and the player has only his king, if he can get into that corner, he cannot lofe; but, on the contrary, may win by a stale (c).

17. If the player has greatly the disadvantage of the game, having only his queen left in play, and his king happens to be in a pofition to win, as above-mentioned, he fhould keep giving check to the adverfary's king, always taking care not to check him where he can interpofe any of his pieces that make the ftale; by fo doing he will at laft force the adverfary to take his queen, and then he will win the game by being in a ftale-mate.

18. The player should never cover a check with a piece that a pawn pushed upon it may take, for fear of getting only the pawn in exchange for the piece.

19. A player thould never crowd his adversary up with pieces, for fear of giving a ftale-mate inadvertently, but always fhould leave room for his king to

move.

By way of corroborating what has been already faid with refpect to this game, it is neceffary to warn a player against playing a timid game. He should never be too much afraid of lofing a rook for an inferior piece; because although a rook is a better piece than any other except the queen, it feldom comes into play to be of any great ufe till at the end of the game; for which reafon it is often better to have an inferior piece in play, than a fuperior one to ftand ftill, or moving to no great purpose. If a piece is moved, and is im mediately drove away by a pawn, it may be reckoned a bad move, because the adversary gains a double advantage over the player, in advancing at the fame time the other is made to retire; although the first move may not feem of confequence between equal players, yet a move or two more lost after the first, makes the game fcarcely to be recovered.

There never wants for variety at this game, provided the pieces have been brought out regularly; but if otherwife, it often happens that a player has scarce any thing to play.

Many indifferent players think nothing of the pawns, whereas three pawns together are ftrong; but four, which conftitute a fquare, with the affiftance of other pieces, well managed, make an invincible strength, and in all probability may produce a queen when very much wanted. It is true, that two pawns with a space between are no better than one; and if there should be three over each other in a line, the game cannot be in a worse way. This shows that the pawns are of great confequence, provided they are kept clofe together.

Some middling players are very apt to risk lofing the game in order to recover a piece: this is a miftake; for it is much better to give up a piece and attack the enemy in another quarter; by fo doing, the player has a chance of fnatching a pawn or two from,

or

or gaining fome advantage over, the adverfary, whilft his attention is taken up in purfuing this piece.

If the queen and another piece are attacked at the fame time, and that by removing the queen the piece must be loft; provided two pieces can be gained in exchange for the queen, the queen fhould be given up, it being the difference of three pieces, and confequently more than the value of the queen. By lofing the queen, the game is not thrown into that diforder which it would otherwife have been; in this cafe it would be judicious to give the queen for even a piece, or a pawn or two; it being well known among good players, that he who begins the attack, and cannot maintain it, being obliged to retire, generally lofes the game.

A player should never be fond of changing without reafon, because the adverfary, if he is a good player, will ruin his fituation, and gain a confiderable advantage over him. But rather than lofe a move, when a player is ftronger than the adverfary, it is good play to change, for he thereby increases his ftrength.

When the game is almoft drawn to a conclufion, the player should recollect that his king is a capital piece, and confequently should keep him in motion; by fo doing, he generally gets the move, and often the game.

As the queen, rook, and bishop, operate at a diftance, it is not always neceffary in the attack to have them near the adverfary's king.

If a man can be taken with different pieces, the player should take his time, and confider which of thofe pieces is the best to take it with.

If a piece can be taken almoft at any time, the player should not be in a hurry about it, but try to make a good move elfewhere before he take it.

A player fhould be cautious how he takes his adverfary's pawn with his king, as it often happens to be a fafeguard to it.

After all that has been faid, it is ftill neceffary for us to advise thofe who would play well at this game, to be very cool and attentive to the matter in queftion: for it is impoffible that any perfon in the universe can be capable of playing at chefs if their thoughts are employed elfewhere. The laws at this game are,

1. If a player touches his man, he must play it; and if he quits it, he cannot recal it.

2. If by mistake or otherwife a falfe move is played, and the adverfary takes no notice of it till he hath played his next move, it cannot be recalled by either of the parties.

3. If a player mifplaces the men, and he plays two moves, it is at the option of the adverfary to permit him to begin the game or not.

4. If the adverfary plays or difcovers a check to a player's king, and give no notice of it, the player may let him ftand ftill till he does.

5. After the king is moved, a player cannot caftle. Sarafin has an exprefs treatife on the different opinions of the origin of the Latin fchacchi, whence the French ethees, and our chefs, is formed. Menage is alfo very full on the fame head. Leunclavius takes it to come from Ufcoches, famous Turkish robbers: P. Sirmond, from the German fcache," theft ;" and that from calculus. He takes chefs to be the fame with the ludus latrunculorum of the Romans, but mistakenly. This

opinion is countenanced by Voffius and Salmafius, who derive the word from calculus, as ufed for latrunculus, G. Tolofanus derives it from the Hebrew, fearch, valavit, et mat mortuus; whence check and checkmate. Fabricius fays, a celebrated Perfian aftronomer, one Schatrenfcha, invented the game of chefs; and gave it his own name, which it still bears in that country. Nicod derives it from fchecque, or xeque, a Moorish word for lord, king, and prince. Bochart adds that feach is originally Perfian; and that feachmat in that language, fignifies the king is dead. The opinion of Nicod and Bochart, which is likewife that of Scriverius, appears the most probable.

Mr Twifs mentions a fmall treatife on chefs, written, as he fuppofes, about 400 years ago; at the end of which is a reprefentation of a round chefs-board, with directions for placing the men upon it. In this the knight can cover the 64 fquares on the board at as The board is divided into thefe 64 parts many moves.

by four concentric circles, having an empty space in the middle; and each of thefe is divided into 16 parts. Number 1 is placed in the outermoft circle; number 2 in the third circle counting inwards, in the divifion to the right hand of the former; number 3 is placed in the outermoft circle, in the divifion to the right hand of 2; 4 in the third circle counting inwards to the right hand of three; and thus alternately from the first to the third, and from the third to the first circle, till the round is completed by 16 on the third circle to the left hand of 1. Number 17 is then placed on the divifion of the innermoft circle to the right hand of 1; 18 on the second circle counting inwards, to the right hand of 17; and thus alternately from the fourth to the fecond, and from the fecond to the fourth circles, until the round is completed by 32, directly below number 1. Number 33 then is placed on the third circle directly to the right hand of number 2; 34 on the fourth circle, to the right hand of 4; and thus alternately between the third and fourth circles, until the round is again completed by 48 on the fourth circle, directly below number 33. The numbers are now placed in a retrograde fafhion; 50 on the outer circle in that divifion immediately to the right hand of 1; 51 on the third circle, to the left hand of 2; and directly below number 32; 52 is then placed on the outer circle, immediately on the left hand of 1; 53. on the third circle directly to the left hand of 16; and thus alternately on the first and third circles, until the laft ground is completed by 64 between the number 3 and 5. On this round chefs-board, fuppofing the black king to be placed in number 48 on the fourth circle, the queen ftands on number 17 at his left hand; the bifhops in 33 and 2; the knights 18 and 47; the caftles in 3 and 50; the pawns on 19, 4, 49, 64, and 46, 51, 32, 1. The white king will then ftand in 25, oppofite to the black queen; the white queen in 40 oppofite to the black king, and so on. In playing on a board of this kind, it will be found, that the power of the caftle is double to that in the common game, and that of the bifhop only one half; the former having 16 fquares to range in, and the laft only four. The king can caftle only one way; and it is very difficult to bring the game to a conclufion.

With regard to the origin of the game at chefs, we are much in the dark. Though it came to us from

the

Chefs. the Saracens, it is by no means probable that they were the original inventors of it. According to fome, it was invented by the celebrated Grecian hero Diomedes. Others fay, that two Grecian brothers, Ledo and Tyrrheno, were the inventors; and that being much preffed with hunger, they fought to alleviate the pain by this amufement.

tion of a manufcript extract, which my friend Tinqua Ches brought me, in compliance with my defire; and which, accompanied by the Chinese manufcript, goes under cover to your lordship. As the mandarin folemnly affured me that he took it from the work quoted, and the tranflation has been as accurately made as poffible, I have no hesitation to deliver the papers as authentic.

According to Mr Irwin it is a game of Chinese invention. During his refidence in India, he found that a tradition of this nature exifted among the Bramins, with whom he frequently played the game. While he was at Canton in 1793, he gives the following account of the information which he acquired relative to the origin of the game of chefs. "A young mandarin, of the profeffion of arms, having an inquifitive turn, was my frequent vifitor; and, what no questions could have drawn from him, the accidental fight of an English chefs-board effected. He told me, that the Chinefe had a game of the fame nature; and, on his fpecifying a difference in the pieces and board, I perceived, with joy, that I had discovered the defideratum of which I had been fo long in fearch. The very next day my mandarin brought me the board and equipage; and I found, that the Bramins were neither mistaken touching the board, which has a river in the middle to divide the contending parties, nor in the powers of the king, who is intrenched in a fort, and moves only in that fpace, in every direction. But, what I did not before hear, nor do I believe is known out of this country, there are two pieces, whose movements are diftinct from any in the Indian or European game. The mandarin, which anfwers to our bifhop, in his ftation and fidelong courfe, cannot, through age, cross the river; and a rocket-boy, ftill ufed in the Indian armies, who is ftationed between the lines of each party, acts literally with the motion of the rocket, by vaulting over a man, and taking his adverfary at the other end of the board. Except that the king has his two fons to fupport him, instead of a queen, the game, in other refpects, is like ours; as will appear in the plan of the board and pieces I have the honour to enclofe, together with directions to place the men and play the game.

"As the young man who had discovered this to me was of a communicative and obliging difpofition, and was at this time pursuing his ftudies in the college of Canton, I requested the favour of him to confult fuch ancient books as might give fome infight into the period of the introduction of chefs into China; to confirm, if poffible, the idea that struck me of its having originated here. The acknowledged antiquity of this empire, the unchangeable ftate of her cuftoms and manners, beyond that of any other nation in the world; and more efpecially the fimplicity of the game itfelf, when compared to its compafs and variety in other parts, appeared to give a colour to my belief. That I was not difappointed in the event, I have no doubt will be allowed, on the perufal of the transla

"From thefe premifes I have therefore ventured to make the following inferences :-That the game of chefs is probably of Chinese origin. That the confined fituation and powers of the king, refembling thofe of a monarch in the earlier parts of the world, countenance this fuppofition; and that, as it travelled weftward, and defcended to later times, the fovereign prerogative extended itself, until it became unlimited, as in our ftate of the game. That the agency of the princes, in lieu of the queen, befpeaks forcibly the nature of the Chinese cuftoms, which exclude females from all power or influence whatever; which princes, in its paffage through Perfia, were changed into a fingle vizier, or minifter of flate, with the enlarged portion of delegated authority that exifts there; inftead of whom, the European nations, with their usual gallantry, adopted a queen on their board (D). That the river between the parties is expreffive of the general face of this country, where a battle could hardly be fought without encountering an interruption of this kind, which the foldier was here taught to overcome; but that, on the introduction of the game into Perfia, the board changed with the dry nature of the region, and the conteft was decided on terra firma. And laftly, that in no account of the origin of chefs, that I have read, has the tale been fo characteristic or confiftent as that which I have the honour to offer to the Irish academy. With the Indians, it was defigned by a Bramin to cure the melancholy of the daughter of a rajah. With the Perfians, my memory does not affift me to trace the fable; though, if it were more to the purpose, I think I should have retained it. But, with the Chinese, it was invented by an experienced soldier, on the principles of war. Not to difpel love-fick vapours, or inftruct a female in a science that could neither benefit nor inform her; but to quiet the murmurs of a difcontented foldiery; to employ their vacant hours in leffons on the military art, and to cherifh the fpirit of conqueft in the bofom of winter quarters. Its age is traced by them on record near two centuries before the Chriftian era; and among the numerous claims for this noble invention, that of the Chinefe, who call it, by way of diftinction, chong k, or the royal game, appears alone to be indifputable." Tranflation of an Extract from the Concum, or Chinese Annals, refpecting the Invention of the Game of Chels, delivered to me by Tinqua, a Soldier Mandarin of the Province of Fokien.

"Three hundred and feventy-nine years after the

time

time of Confucius, or one thoufand nine hundred and fixty-five years ago, Hung Cochu, king of Kiangnan, fent an expedition into the Shenfi country, under the command of a mandarin, called Hanfing, to conquer it. After one fuccefsful campaign, the foldiers were put into winter quarters; where, finding the weather much colder than what they had been accustomed to, and being alfo deprived of their wives and families, the army, in general, became impatient of their fituation, and clamorous to return home. Hanfing, upon this, revolved in his mind the bad confequences of complying with their wishes. The neceffity of foothing his troops, and reconciling them to their pofition, appeared urgent, in order to finish his operations in the enfuing year. He was a man of genius, as well as a good foldier; and having contemplated fome time on the fubject, he invented the game of chefs, as well for an amufement to his men in their vacant hours, as to inflame their military ardour, the game being wholly founded on the principles of war. The ftratagem fucceeded to his with. The foldiery were delighted with the game; and forgot, in their daily contefts for victory, the inconveniences of their poft. In the fpring the general took the field again; and, in a few months, added the rich country of Shenfi to the kingdom of Kiangnan, by the defeat and capture of its king, Choupayuen, a famous warrior among the Chinese. On this conqueft Hung Cochu affumed the title of emperor, and Choupayuen put an end to his own life in defpair.

Explanation of the Pofition, Powers and Moves of the Pieces on the Chinese Chefs-board, or Chong Kè, (Royal Game).

"As there are nine pieces instead of eight, to occupy the rear rank, they ftand on the lines between, and not within, the fquares. The game is confequently played on the lines.

"The king, or chong, ftands in the middle line of this row. His moves refemble thofe of our king, but are confined to the fortress marked out for him. "The two princes, or fou, ftand on each fide of him, and have equal powers and limits.

"The mandarins, or tchong, anfwer to our bithops, and have the fame moves, except that they cannot crofs the water or white space in the middle of the board to annoy the enemy, but ftand on the defen

five.

"The knights, or rather horfes, called mua, ftand and move like ours in every respect.

"The war-chariots, or tchè, refemble our rooks or caftles.

"The rocket-boys, or paö, are pieces whofe motions and powers were unknown to us. They act with the direction of a rocket, and can take none of their adverfary's men that have not a piece or pawn intervening. To defend your men from this attack it is neceffary to open the line between, either to take off the check on the king, or to fave a man from being captured by the paö. Their operation is, otherwife, like that of the rook. Their ftations are marked between the pieces and pawns.

"The five pawns, or ping, make up the number of the men equal to that of our board. Inftead of taking

VOL. V. Part II.

Chefs,

fideways, like ours, they have the rook's motion, except that it is limited to one ftep, and is not retrograde. Another important point, in which the ping differs from ours, is that they continue in fatu quo, after reaching their adverfary's head quarters. It will appear, however, that the Chinefe pieces far exceed the proportion of ours; which occafions the whole force of the conteft to fall on them, and thereby precludes the beauty and variety of our game, when reduced to a struggle between the pawns, who are capable of the higheft promotion, and often change the fortune of the day. The pofts of the ping are marked in front *." * Irifo

V.

vol. ii.

mem. 9.

But according to Sir William Jones, this game is of Tranf. vol. Hindoo invention. "If evidence were required to prove this fact (fays he +), we may be fatisfied with the tefti- Afiatic mony of the Perfians, who, though as much inclined as Researches, other nations to appropriate the ingenious inventions of, a foreign people, unanimoufly agree that the game was imported from the weft of India in the fixth century of our era. It seems to have been immemorially known in Hindoftan by the name of Cheturanga, i. e. the four anga's, or members of any army; which are thefe, elephants, borfes, chariots, and foot-foldiers; and in this fenfe the word is frequently ufed by epic poets in their defcription of real armies. By a natural corruptions of the pure Sanferit word, it was changed by the old Perfians into Chetrang; but the Arabs, who foon after took poffeffion of their country, had neither the initial nor final letter of that word in their alphabet, and confequently altered it further into Shetranj, which found its way prefently into the modern Perfian, and at length into the dialects of India, where the true derivation of the name is known only to the learned. Thus has a very fignificant word in the facred language of the Brahmins been transformed by fucceflive changes into axedrez, feacchi, échecs, chefs, and, by a whimfical concurrence of circumftances, has given birth to the English word check, and even a name to the exchequer of Great Britain."

It is confidently afferted, that Sanferit books on chefs exist in Bengal; but Sir William had feen none of them when he wrote the memoir which we have quoted. He exhibits, however, a description of a very ancient Indian game of the fame kind, but more complex, and in his opinion more modern, than the fimple chefs of the Perfans. This game is alfo called Chaturanga, but more frequently Chaturoji, or the four kings, fince it is played by four perfons reprefenting as many princes, two allied armies combating on each fide. The defcription is taken from a book called Bhawifhya Purán, in which the form and principal rules of this factitious warfare are thus laid down: "Eight fquares being marked on all fides, the red army is to be placed on the eaft, the green to the fouth, the yellow to the weft, and the black to the north. Let the elephant (fays the author of the Purán) ftand on the left of the king; next to him the borfe; then the boat; and before them all, four foot-fol diers; but the boat must be placed in the angle of the board."

"From this paffage (fays the prefident) it clearly appears, that an army with its four angás must be placed on each fide of the board, fince an elephant could not stand, in any other pofition, on the left hand of each king; and RADHACANT (a Pandit) informed me, that 5 G

the