Now the moving and taking began thus:—

If he had played P d6, there would have followed 35, L g6:†, K d7; 36, L f5†, K c7; 37, L g4:, etc.

and the game was a draw by perpetual check, for if K c7, then 41, L e5†, K b7; 42, L b2†, K c6; 43, L f6†, etc.

These two games show a remarkable variety in the arrangement of the pieces, and some beautiful new problems can be constructed in accordance with the placements and movements of the Pawns. Indeed, some ancient problems gave the impulse for the invention of this kind of game in June, 1874, when the first game of a similar arrangement was played between H. F. L. Meyer and H. J. C. Andrews. In 1874, however, the sixteen men were placed on the board all at once.

IV.—The Game of Double Chess.
By the late Captain Crawley and Herbert Mooney.

It seems an odd thing that in this prolific age of literature the most fascinating of all nineteenth-century games should lack a recognized authority as to its play. It is probably for this reason that Double Chess has so long a time languished in comparative obscurity, winning its way by slow degrees only into club and family circle.

No two strangers could be found to agree as to the rules which should govern its play, and the most imperative rule of all, namely, that of absolute silence, has been broken again and again with a royal disregard of all fine or penalty.

Time after time has it been our lot to sit over a foolish game where one’s partner would insist either in giving way to vocal bursts of impatience, or authoritatively insist upon a move which happened to chime in with his or her ideas. It must be confessed that the fair sex are most to blame in this matter. Though we are reluctant to upbraid them, we have no hesitation in saying that the infringement of this golden rule of silence is one of the fruitful sources of the hitherto unpopularity of the game.

How often have the writers waited in mute agony lest an exclamation of triumph or despair from their partners should reveal the imminent development of a well-planned scheme, and how they have plodded on, more from courtesy than any real interest, after such an event has taken place. We must insist that a heavy penalty for a breach of this golden rule should be rigidly enforced.

Let not the astute Single-chess player delude himself with the notion that he can march triumphantly to victory in this new game. Save that the pieces move in the same manner (with one exception) as in Single Chess, there is no similarity between them, and we must say that the relative interest of the two games is in favour of the younger born. At any rate, the writers think so. Beginners grow weary of Double Chess because they find it occupies an unreasonable length of time. This is caused by the fact that they maintain a desultory kind of warfare, each one selecting an adversary and fighting him on his own account.

If the Double-chess player will remember that it is absolutely essential to watch his partner and second his moves, this state of things will speedily disappear. Those who wilfully neglect this may as well content themselves with Single Chess. No matter what their powers of calculation, they will never make decent Double-chess players.

Another imperative rule is always to make your attack to the right and defend on the left, taking care to guard your king against check by a double guard. These two rules will be referred to again at their proper time; but we cannot too strongly insist upon them, though, properly speaking, they have no place in the introductory remarks.

We have seen a very sensible and modest little brochure, by Captain George Hope Verney, which, unfortunately, is printed for private circulation only. We willingly bear testimony to its merits.

We must endeavour to combat the popular error that Double Chess is too complicated for ordinary players. Any one acquainted with the moves and rules of ordinary chess can soon become a proficient, and as for the notion that it requires a great Single-chess player to make a good Double-chess-player, we must call attention, by way of analogy, to the fact that gamekeepers generally make wretched rifle-shots.

Exception must be taken to the name, ‘Four-handed Chess,’ given by some players to this game. Why not Four-brained Chess, or Four-person Chess, on the same principle? Must we call Single Chess Two-handed Chess? Double Chess let it be called, since it has exactly double the number of pieces engaged.

The diagram which we give will afford an accurate idea of the board used in the game of Double Chess.

It should consist of one hundred and sixty squares, twenty-four extra squares on each side of the central squares.

It is advisable to have the board to fold in two, the blanks on each corner being convenient for the reception of taken pieces, enabling players to see at a glance the amount of their own or their opponents’ losses.

Having placed the pieces on the board as shown in the diagram, taking care that the queens are on the same colour, the adversaries proceed to try for first move, an unquestionable advantage for eight moves.

This is done in the following manner: Red takes one of Black’s and one of his own pieces, and Black guesses, as in Single Chess. White and Green do the same. The conquerors then repeat, as in Single Chess. The victor has first move, and begins the attack, which should be directed towards his right-hand adversary.

His partner is now bound to remember that to him he must look for guidance, guessing at his plan of attack, and aiding him to the best of his ability.

Should the first mover decline to attack he will move on the left, say his king’s bishop’s knight to king’s bishop third for defence.

This will be sufficient warrant for his partner to make the attack and take the lead, as it is obvious that first mover wishes to follow instead of leading. In such an event, after the first round number one must look to number three for guidance.

The change is, at the best, a confession of weakness, and we cannot recommend its adoption, as in this game dash is most essential to success.

Each player makes a move in turn from right to left, and any player moving out of his turn (Rule 11) may be compelled to move the piece on which he has placed his hand, while his adversaries may also move out of their turn. The justice of this is obvious when one reflects that the mere indication of a piece may give a clue to the mover’s plan of attack or defence.

No consultation or suggestion of any kind is allowed as the game proceeds (Rules 1 and 11). Those who cannot restrain shuffling their feet, wriggling in their chairs, or grimacing over a certain move, had better be avoided as partners. Such a proceeding is more than undignified.

The pawns move only one square at a time, taking obliquely, as in Single Chess. When friendly pawns meet they leap over each other, and continue their progress until they reach partner’s king-row, when they return.

No object is gained in causing your pawn to reach your partner’s king-row, except that coming back it takes in reverse way.

It is therefore advisable when they meet to permit them to remain together for mutual protection, as in such position they command four squares-forward and backward.

Should pawns by repeated captures reach the adversary’s square, they become any pieces their player chooses to name, and such pieces cannot be taken except by a piece equivalent in rank, or by a king or queen (Rule 8).

As, however, it is next to impossible for a pawn to reach adversary’s square, seeing that it can only do so by repeatedly capturing antagonists, this advantage goes for very little.

A pawn on the return march should be marked by tying a piece of thread or a ring round its neck. But it will be found that but few, if any, pawns will have to be so treated, and this most likely will occur at the end of the game, when one or other of the kings is hard pressed, and the pawn is hastening to his assistance.

No player is allowed to expose either his own or his partner’s king to check, and, though he is not compelled to cover his partner’s check, it is advisable in most cases, when able to do so, as it will be found that when the king is checked by one adversary, the other will profit by it to obtain a piece and a position.

Bear in mind that in this game everything depends on mutual assistance and self-sacrifice. In nine cases out of ten the one who refuses to sacrifice in order to save his partner from checkmate brings speedy defeat on each.

Castling is not allowed; it is therefore advisable to get out one’s knights as soon as possible in order to give castles an opportunity of moving out of the way of a sudden combined attack.

Another advantage in getting out the knights is that their greatest value is at the beginning of the game.

Towards the end of the game, in consequence of the combined action of the pawns, and the distances to be traversed, a knight’s value is greatly reduced.

We have found it advantageous to exchange a knight for a bishop towards the middle of the game.

The great object of the game is by combined action to suddenly checkmate one adversary. His pieces, though not removed from the board, are then dead, and cannot return to life until the checkmate is removed.

They cannot be taken, but are practically useless, except as offering the shelter of inert matter to partner’s pieces.

One partner having been checkmated, the antagonists concentrate their attack upon the remaining one, with the enormous advantage of having two moves to his one!

Only, therefore, by making desperate sacrifices to release his partner from checkmate can the non-checkmated one hope to save the game, except his adversaries should stalemate him, when it is drawn.

While one is checkmated the adversaries may move in and out amongst his pieces with impunity, and should adversaries’ kings do so, they are not exposed to check, as the pieces are considered dead.

This is most important, as it enables the adversaries, having once secured checkmate, to render it permanent by pieces of lesser value, withdrawing important pieces to fight against remaining partner, who, although combating single-handed, may be numerically superior to both.

It is lawful to open adversary’s checkmate for the purpose of capturing any of his pieces, who by that means are returned to life. But it should be borne in mind that if in doing this stalemate is given, the game is drawn.

Though the adversary may at any time open checkmate, he cannot in the same move take a piece, but his partner may do so, and he may close the checkmate again at his discretion when it comes to his turn. (See Rule 4.) The game is only won by both partners being checkmated.

A game is drawn when only one piece is left on the board, or when only pawns are left, as it is then impossible to secure a double checkmate.

But should each partner have a piece, or one of them two pieces, the game should be fought out, as, with the assistance of their kings, they may secure a double checkmate.

The adversaries have the forlorn hope of either taking one of their pieces—in which case the game is drawn—or of securing a stalemate.

This latter event, unlike the former case given, in which one was checkmated before the stalemate, will be a victory for them, as one king is free to move.

It is as well for beginners, having reached that stage of the game in which only two pieces are left, to declare the game drawn, with the honours of war attached to those with the two pieces left, as the game in that event will probably last long enough to tire out the patience of all engaged. Some ten years ago the writers sat from six o’clock in the evening until half-past four the following morning over a game which had dwindled down to the above-mentioned dimensions, and had all but given up the task as hopeless ere the desired result was obtained.

The pieces may range all over the board, as in Single Chess, and are equally at home in partners’ squares as in their own.

RULES AND PENALTIES.

1. Absolute silence must be maintained. Should a player give vent to an exclamation of vexation when his partner is about to move a piece, the adversaries may claim a pawn from any of his squares which does not expose him to check.

2. A player checkmated may not indicate to his partner how to obtain his release.

3. No piece may be moved which will discover check to player or his partner.

4. No player can release his antagonist from checkmate by taking any of his pieces.

5. Any player may call attention to the fact that his partner’s queen is in check.

6. But his own being in check, he may not direct attention to that.

7. A king is not in check by any of his partner’s pieces.

8. A pawn-piece can only be taken by a piece of its own rank, or by king or queen.

9. A player putting his hand on a piece must play it. If he remove his hand, the move must be considered as completed.

10. Adversaries’ kings cannot stand next each other on adjoining squares.

11. Should a player play out of his turn, both his antagonists may play out of theirs, and they are allowed to ask each other which of them is desirous of moving first.

12. No piece may be removed from the board unless legally captured.

13. A pawn can only move one square at a time, and not two squares first move, as in Single Chess.

14. The game is only won when both partners are checkmated. Should it be relinquished before such an event, it is to be considered drawn.

15. A player may not move his checkmated partner’s pieces.

16. Antagonistic pawns may not leap over one another.

17. A player may not take a piece while his king is in check, except to release himself from check.

18. A king may not move out of check if by so doing he exposes his partner’s king to check.

19. With kings and one piece only remaining, or with pawns only, the game is drawn.

REMARKS.

Never reproach your partner for having made a blunder. It is useless blowing up the groom after the horse is stolen; and as it is essential above all things that a cool head should be kept over this fascinating game, if your partner is inclined to be nervous, and you ‘nag’ at him, you may as well consider the game lost.

We remember an instance in America when a really good player, who had been wofully badgered by his partner for some blunders, remained for an hour and a half studying the board, lest he should make a false move and once more encounter his partner’s terrible sarcasm.

At the expiration of that period he arose without making the move, and vowed, as he could not see that which his partner deemed so important, he would never play another game of Double Chess. As far as our party was concerned, he kept his word, and thus a very enjoyable evening’s amusement was broken up.

It is almost needless to add, that while refraining from rousing your partner’s temper, it is equally important that you should control your own. It is very provoking to have a trap suddenly sprung upon you, thanks perhaps to your partner’s want of perspicuity, and lose an important piece just when you imagine you had a brilliant game in hand.

But however provoking this may be, getting angry will only make matters worse, for we defy an angry man to see two moves ahead. Keep cool, bow gracefully to the opposing storm, and wait with sweetness of temper for the turn of the tide.

Calmness and breeding are nowhere more requisite than at the Double-chess table. One cannot bully a stupid player into playing well, and the only thing to be done is to play the game rigorously, and give or take no more than the fixed rules require.

By adhering to this, all unpleasantness will be avoided, and this charming game will grow more and more in popularity. Should you unfortunately discover that constitutionally you are incapable of controlling your temper, abandon the game for ever. You will reap the reward of your self-denial in the knowledge that you will never again mar the pleasure of those whom Nature has cast in firmer mould.

Theoretical knowledge is of value, but practically it will be found more advantageous to play a straightforward game than to indulge in any scheme calculated for a great number of moves ahead. It is of the last importance that your partner should know what you are about, and aid you in your plans, else, despite your brilliant play, your airy fabric may vanish.

Therefore by all means choose such moves as will most readily lead him to divine your method of attack, bearing in mind that it is more important he should know it than that your adversaries should remain in ignorance of it.

Since the attack should invariably be made on the right-hand adversary, and the great danger is that you may be held in check by one foe while the other sweeps away your pieces, it is obvious that your left-hand defence must be of double strength, to prevent this result being obtained. Your knights in the early stages of the game will be found of value in this respect, and your bishops and queen should, as far as possible, be kept in readiness to swoop to your partner’s assistance, while he will be ready to aid you in a similar manner. Get out your castles as speedily as possible, even if you sacrifice a pawn in doing so, as they are of more importance in this game than in Single Chess, and are not nearly so well protected in their original positions. Your queen is of far more value than in Single Chess, and to capture her the sacrifice of a castle and bishop is, in our opinion, not too great.

Great care must be exercised in her movements. Calculate well, ere you place her in position, that you cannot be checked in two moves, or you lose her to a certainty.

We place the relative value of the pieces in Double Chess in the following scale:—

although practically the last are of little value; certainly not half so valuable as in Single Chess.

Other players may place a slightly different value on the pieces, but this will in a great measure depend on their play. While some work the queen to death, others rely more on their other pieces—in our opinion the wisest play in the long run.

THE BOARD AND MEN.

We have found a board of two-inch squares suit our purpose, and those which fold in the centre, leaving a blank in each corner, seem to us the handiest.

If bone black and white and red and green men cannot be obtained easily, the ordinary wooden black and yellow, and bone red and white, will answer the purpose just as well, but any turner will turn a double set for about two pounds.

Captain George Hope Verney says, in his Four-Handed Chess:—

‘I use two sets of Staunton men. One set is of black and yellow wood, and the other is of red and white bone.

‘The latter was made to order for me at the Civil Service Store in the Haymarket, at a cost of about eighteen shillings.’

The base of the king measures one and five-eighths of an inch, and is three and a half inches high.

EXAMPLES IN OPENING.

First round—Black king’s pawn to king’s third; green ditto; white ditto; red ditto.

Second round—Black bishop takes red bishop; green queen takes black queen; white queen takes red queen; red king takes white queen.

Third round—Black king takes green queen; green moves queen’s pawn one, white king’s knight’s pawn one, red king’s knight to royal square.

Fourth round—Bishop takes knight’s pawn.

Thus at the beginning of the fourth round red and green find themselves obliged to put up with the loss of a bishop and pawn, and a strong attack, to be followed up by the knights, will be directed against red, who is severely crippled. Should green check black king, it will do him no good, as black king’s bishop is protected by white.

Red and green have drawn disaster upon themselves at the beginning of the game by imitating their opponents’ move, and black and white thus early starting with an advantage and well-defined attack, should win the game, since red has not only lost a piece and pawn, but also a move.

Should green check black king third round, he will lose his bishop. Should he take white’s bishop, black will retreat without breaking square, as that would liberate red’s castle. He will thus save his partner a pawn.

A variation of the same opening will be for black second round to play his knight to bishop’s third, thence to castle four. If this opening is not seen through and frustrated before four moves, green loses his queen. But red can easily frustrate the design, or green king’s bishop’s knight to bishop’s third will suffice.

These two openings will suffice for the beginner; and our readers can now follow up the subject as far as they wish.

CIRCULAR CHESS.

Of chess in the middle ages there were no less than fifty-four varieties—not gambits, but different ways of playing the game. To one of these, known as Double Chess, we have already devoted some pages; and we now give the variety known as Circular Chess, which was played on a board of the same pattern as the illustration, on which the pieces were arranged as shown, the line with the arrow-heads representing the edge of the board in the ordinary game, and the movements taking place right and left from it.

A pawn attaining this line is exchangeable for a piece, as in the common game, but it offers no barrier to the passage of the men. The moves are in all respects the same as in ordinary chess. The peculiarity of the shape, however, considerably reduces the importance of the bishops and increases that of the rooks and queens.

CHAPTER XIII.—DRAUGHTS.
By the late Captain Crawley.

I. All About the Game.

It has been said by one who has a right to express an opinion on the subject (Mr. Wylie, of Fife, the greatest player and analyst in Scotland) that Draughts is a more intricate and ingenious game than its proud rival, Chess, of higher antiquity and of more intellectual scope. So much so, that in a hundred years a man could not exhaust its varieties. Edgar Allan Poe, the author of The Raven, expresses a like opinion: ‘The higher powers of the reflective intellect are more decidedly tasked by the unostentatious game of Draughts, or chequers, than by all the elaborate frivolities of Chess.’

Without venturing to discriminate between the merits and claims of the two games—both of which I love—I purpose attempting to show my readers some of the prominent features of the ancient and honourable game of Draughts.

You are all, doubtless, acquainted with the form of the draught-board and men; with the fact that the game is played by two persons on a board of sixty-four squares, with twenty-four men, twelve of one colour and twelve of another. At starting, the men occupy the three rows of squares on opposite sides of the board. The men may be placed on either colour, but for convenience of notation it is usual to select the white squares. The moves of all the men are alike—diagonal from square to square, in an upward direction from the player. They take by passing over the captured man into a vacant square beyond. One, two, or more men can be taken by the same move, always providing that there is a vacant square to pass into at each jump. When a man has arrived at either of the four squares on the opposite side of the board he is crowned, and becomes a King. The crowning is a simple ceremony—merely placing one draughtman, of the same colour, on the top of the other. The kings have the power of moving forward and backward, one square at a time, diagonally. The object of the game is to capture all your opponent’s men, or so to block them in that they cannot move. The player who first accomplishes one of these ends wins the game.

One or two rules are absolute. The offered man must be taken, when the player says ‘Take,’ and a man touched must, if it can, be moved.

In placing the board for the game, the double corners must be at the right-hand of the player, which brings us at once to the

NOTATION OF DRAUGHTS

—the method by which the moves of a game or problem are recorded. It is not necessary to show a diagram of the Numbered Board if you remember the order of the figures. The first white square on the left hand, uppermost, is 1, and the rest go from left to right, horizontally, till we arrive at the last white square on the right, 32. In recording the moves of a game we say 11 to 15, 24 to 19, and so on. A very little practice will make you sufficiently familiar with this easy system of notation, and soon enable you to play a game by memory without the board.

To show you the nature of a Problem, and the way to record its solution, I will append a diagram.

The difficulty here is the first move. That discovered, all the others follow as a matter of course. This is the solution:—

by which you will see that Black’s moves are all forced, and White wins the game.

Draughts is played in three ways: the Winning (and most usual) game, the Losing, and the Polish game. The last, not much practised in this country, is played on a larger board, and the men take backwards or forwards.

THE RULES.

Draughts, as played in Great Britain and in all English-speaking countries, is governed by a few simple and easily-understood Rules, as follows:—

1. The board is to be placed with the double corner to the right hand of the player.

2. The choice of colour is determined by lot. After the first game the men are commonly changed.

3. Black has invariably the first move.

4. A man touched, except for the purpose of adjusting it, must be moved if there be an open square into which it can be moved.

5. A man moved over the angle of a square must, if it can, be moved to that square.

6. A man en prise must be taken; or if it be left untaken by accident, it may be ‘huffed’—that is, taken off the board by the adversary. The ‘huff’ is not a move, but the player insisting on it, huffs and moves.

7. Five minutes is the limit of time for considering a move; when a piece is en prise, one minute only is allowed. Penalty: loss of the game.

8. A false move must be replaced, and a legal move made.

9. A wrong man removed from the board can only be replaced by consent of the adversary.

10. When two kings only remain on the board, the game must be won in twenty moves on either side, or abandoned as drawn.

11. With three or more kings, or men, to two, the player with the weaker force may insist on the game being won within forty moves on each side, or be drawn. In each of these cases notice must be given by the player that he will count the moves.

12. When two or more men are taken at one coup, no man captured must be taken from the board till the combined move is completed.

13. A man moved up to the last row of squares on the other side must be immediately crowned; but the king cannot play till a move has been made on the other side.

Bye-laws.—No pointing over the board or obstruction to the adversary is allowed.—Matches, unless otherwise agreed, consist of an equal number of games.—All disputes to be decided by an umpire or other disinterested player.—Neither player is allowed, without the consent of his opponent, to leave the room during the progress of a game.—Any breach of the rules involves the loss of the game.

Above all, keep your temper!

Problem I.

TWO KINGS TO ONE.

A common practice with young players is to give man for man; but this is only advantageous when you are a piece ahead, and even then it is sometimes found difficult to win within the twenty moves allowed. There is, however, no secret in the matter. The player with two kings can always force a win if he knows how to set about it. From any part of the board he can, in about eight or nine moves, drive the single king into the double corner, and when he is there he wins in eight moves, thus:—

It is at this point the tyro generally makes a mistake. Instead of moving away, he presses on his adversary, and gives him a chance of escape. He must move into square 15, not into 14:—

Now whether White move into 13 or 21, he is equally pinned by the Black at 22.

Of course a like series of moves in the other double corner produces a like result.

In the above, and all the other diagrams, the Black men occupy the upper half of the board.

To show, however, the mischief of unscientific play, we will suppose the kings to have got into the following position, when Black, with the move, can do no more than effect a drawn game:—

Here Black must give away a man. He must go to either square 17, 25, or 26. Let us suppose he moves to 26, White takes, and goes into square 31. Now, if Black go to 25 instead of 17, he loses the game in two moves. White moves to 26, and pins him on 22, in either the three squares to which he is compelled to go.

TWO KINGS TO TWO.

In ordinary circumstances, two kings to two must be a draw. Neither player can force the other out of the double line. Suppose, however, you can get the pieces into this position:—

Black, with the move, wins by playing a king from 26 to 23, and taking two for one. Beware, in the position shown, that you do not move backward instead of forward. Should you do so, you may perhaps get into some such fix as this:—

White must, moreover, be careful not to get his men into a line with a square between into which Black can move, technically known as ‘The Breeches.’

This is a trap into which young players are very apt to fall. Beware of it. Had White the move, he, of course, could easily win, either by fixing the Black king in a side square, or by the double-corner moves already shown.

THREE KINGS TO TWO.

When you are left with three kings to two, you must effect an exchange, or the game may be prolonged indefinitely. It is sometimes rather difficult to force an exchange, but it is not impossible if you go the right way to work. The possessor of the two kings commonly gets one in each double corner. The mode of attack in this case is to get your three kings into a line, so as to enable you to give king for king. However hard the other player tries he must eventually succumb. Take a common case. Place the kings on the board as in the diagram, the White on 32 and 5, the Black on 10, 18, and 19:—

If Black play he moves into 6 or 24. White has the choice of two moves only, either of the double corners.

Now, whether White move from 5 to 1 or from 32 to 28, he must submit to an exchange, for Black backs up his king, takes one for one, and then wins in the usual way.

Suppose White has the move. He can only go into squares 1 or 32. Say he moves into 32; Black has only to go from 18 to 15, and what has his adversary left? Nothing but to submit to an exchange at the next move, after which the rest is easy, as already shown with two kings to one.

FOUR KINGS TO THREE.

As a rule the player with the superior force must win, but in some positions it is very difficult to force an exchange. Take this:—