VII.

A piece or Pawn touched must be played, unless, at the moment of touching it, the player say "J'adoube," or words to that effect; but if a piece or Pawn be displaced or overturned by accident, it may be restored to its place.

VIII.

While a player holds the piece or Pawn he has touched, he may play it to any other than the square he took it from, but having quitted it he cannot recall the move.

IX.

Should a player touch one of his adversary's pieces or Pawns without saying "J'adoube," or words to that effect, his adversary may compel him to take it, but if it cannot be legally taken he may oblige him to move the King; should his King, however, be so posted that he cannot be legally moved, no penalty can be inflicted.

X.

Should a player move one of his adversary's men his antagonist has the option of compelling him-1st, to replace the piece or Pawn and move his King; 2nd, to replace the piece or Pawn and take it; 3rd, to let the piece or Pawn remain on the square to which it had been played, as if the move were correct.

XI.

If a player take one of his adversary's men with one of his own that cannot take it without making a false move, his antagonist has the option of compelling him to take it with a piece or Pawn that can legally take it, or to move his own piece or Pawn which he touched.

XII,

Should a player take one of his own men with another, his adversary has the option of obliging him to move either.

XIII.

If a player make a false move-i. e., play a piece or Pawn to any square to which it cannot legally be moved-his adversary has the choice of three penalties: viz., 1st, of compelling him to let the piece or Pawn remain on the square to which he played it; 2nd, to move it correctly to another square; 3rd, to replace the piece or Pawn, and move his King.

XIV.

Should a player move out of his turn, his adversary may choose whether both moves shall remain, or the second be retracted.

XV.

When a Pawn is first moved in a game, it may be played one or two squares; but in the latter case, the opponent has the privilege of taking it en passant with any Pawn which could have taken it had it been played one square only. A Pawn cannot be taken en passant by a piece.

XVI.

A player cannot castle in the following cases :

+

1. If the King or Rook has been moved,

2. If the King be in check.

3. If there be any piece between the King and Rook.
4. If the King pass over any square attacked by one of
the adversary's pieces or Pawns.

Should a player castle in any of the above cases, his adversary has the choice of three penalties, viz.: 1st, of insisting that the move remain; 2nd, of compelling him to move the King; 3rd, of compelling him to move the Rook.

XVII.

If a player touch a piece or Pawn that cannot be moved without leaving the King in check, he must replace the piece or Pawn, and move his King; but if the King cannot be moved, no penalty can be inflicted.

XVIII.

If a player attack the adverse King without saying "check," his adversary is not obliged to attend to it; but if the former, in playing his next move, were to say "check," each player must retract his last move, and he that is under check must obviate it.

XIX.

If the King has been in check for several moves, and it cannot be ascertained how it occurred, the player whose King is in check must retract his last move, and free his King from the check; but if the moves made subsequent to the check be known, they must be retracted.

r

XX.

Should a player say check" without giving it, and his adversary in consequence move his King, or touch a piece or Pawn to interpose, he may retract such move, provided his adversary has not completed his next move.

XXI.

Every Pawn which has reached the eighth or last square of the Chess-board, must be immediately exchanged for a Queen, or any other piece the player may think fit, even though all the pieces remain on the board. It follows, therefore, that he may have two or more Queens, three or more Rooks, Bishops, or Knights.

XXII.

If a player remain at the end of the game with a Rook and Bishop against a Rook, with both Bishops only, with Knight and Bishop only, &c., he must check-mate his adversary in fifty moves on each side at most, or the game will be considered as drawn: the fifty moves commence from the time the adversary gives notice that he will count them. This law holds good for all other checkmates of pieces only, such as Queen or Rook only, Queen against Rook, &c.

XXIII.

If a player agree to checkmate with a particular piece or Pawn, or on a particular square, or engage to force his adversary to stalemate or checkmate him, he is not restricted to any number of moves.

XXIV.

A stalemate is a drawn game.

XXV.

If a player make a false move, castle improperly, &c., the adversary must take notice of such irregularity before he touches a piece or Pawn, or he will not be allowed to inflict any penalty.

XXVI.

Should any question arise respecting which there is no law, or in case of a dispute respecting any law, the players must refer the point to the most skilful and disinterested bystanders, and their decision must be considered as conclusive.

CHAPTER VII.

ADVICE TO YOUNG PLAYERS.

THE KING.

It is generally advisable to keep the King in a secure position during the early part of the game, when he is liable to the attacks of all the opposing pieces. This is done by castling, and by taking care not to move the three Pawns which are in front of the King after castling, if, by so doing, you expose your King to attack. It frequently occurs, however, that it is necessary to move one of the Pawns when the King is likely to be exposed to the check of the Queen or a Rook, in order to give him room for escape. In the following diagram, were it

No. 12.

BLACK.

Black's move, he could checkmate at once, by moving Queen to Q Kt 8th, the King being hemmed in by his own Pawns. The Rook's Pawn, moved one square, obviates this danger. He should not be left idle, however, after the opposing Queen and other superior pieces have been captured or exchanged, as, by bringing him out into the middle of the board, he may render powerful assistance to the other men. Avoid placing your Queen in a line with your King, either diagonally or otherwise. In the diagram (No. 12), Black having left his Queen on the same file as his King, White plays Rook to Q Kt 3rd. As Black cannot remove the Queen from the file on which she stands, on account of exposing his King to check with the Rook, he must either take the Rook with Queen, which White takes with Pawn, or leave the Queen to be captured by the Rook, and afterwards take the Rook with Pawn; thus losing the exchange in either case. It is obvious that leaving the Queen on the same diagonal as the King may expose the two pieces to the attack of a Bishop in a similar manner. danger of an opposing Knight checking the King, and attacking another piece at the same time, must also be guarded against. Referring again to Diagram 12, White may win the Queen by checking with Knight at Q 7th. This is called forking."

66

The

Never give check without some definite object. Although, by a series of checks, you may get sometimes a very powerful attack, it often happens that you drive the opposing King from an exposed to a secure position.

THE QUEEN.

Be careful not to play out the Queen too early in the game. It often occurs, when this is done, that the opposite player gains several moves, by driving her back with the pieces which he brings into play. The Queen can seldom attack to advantage alone; she should always be supported by other pieces. Avoid defending minor pieces and Pawns with the Queen. If she is attacked, she is often obliged to abandon the man she is occupied in defending.

THE ROOK.

It should always be an object to bring the Rooks into play as carly as possible. This can seldom be done until the other pieces are played out. It is sometimes advisable to take an opportunity of capturing a man with a Rook's Pawn, as, by so doing, you open a file to the Rook. Post your Rooks generally on files on which you have no Pawn. They are then