chess

THE large majority of chess players who would like to improve
their game, have not the necessary opportunity of pitting
themselves against players of master-strength, or at least of
obtaining the desired instruction from personal intercourse with
them. It is for such players that the present work is intended.
The books on which the learner has to rely hardly ever serve his
purpose, being mostly little more than a disjointed tabulation of
numberless opening variations, which cannot be understood without
preliminary studies, and consequently only make for confusion. In
the end the connection between the various lines of play may
become clear, after the student has made an exhaustive study of
the subject, but very few would have either the time or the
inclination for such prolonged labour.

Therefore another shorter and less empirical way must be found in
which to acquire the understanding of sound play. My system of
teaching differs from the usual ones, in that it sets down at the
outset definite elementary principles of chess strategy by which
any move can be gauged at its true value, thus enabling the
learner to form his own judgment as to the man oeuvres under
consideration. In my opinion it is absolutely ESSENTIAL to follow
such strategical principles, and I go so far as to assert that
such principles are in themselves SUFFICIENT for the development
and conduct of a correct game of chess.

Even though instruction in chess is possible on very general
lines alone, yet I think it advisable and indeed necessary to
explain the application of such principles to the various phases
of each game of chess. Otherwise the learner might unduly delay
his progress, and lose valuable time in finding out for himself
certain essentials that could more profitably be pointed out to
him.

With regard to the way in which I have arranged my subject and
the form of its exposition in detail, I have thought out the
following plan.

After discussing at length the leading principles underlying
sound play, I have first treated of the OPENINGS, in which such
principles are of even more deciding influence than in any other
stage of the game, as far as could be done on broad lines without
having to pay attention to middle and end-game considerations.

I proceeded as follows, by taking as my starting-point the "pawn
skeleton" which is formed in the opening, and round which the
pieces should group themselves in logical fashion. As a
consequence of the pawns having so little mobility, this "pawn
skeleton" often preserves its shape right into the end-game.
Applying the general strategical principles to the formation of
the pawn skeleton, the learner acquires the understanding of the
leading idea underlying each opening without having to burden his
memory. Not only that, he will also be able to find a correct
plan of development when confronted with unusual forms of
opening.

The most important result of this system of teaching is that the
learner does not lose his way in a maze of detail, but has in
view at the very outset, the goal which the many possible
variations of the openings are intended to reach.

Before I could proceed to the discussion of the middle game, I
found it necessary to treat of the principles governing the END-
GAME. For in most cases play in the middle game is influenced by
end-game considerations. Here also it has been my endeavor as
far as possible to reduce my subject to such principles as are
generally applicable.

Finally, as regards the MIDDLE GAME, to which the whole of Part
II is devoted, I have again made the handling of pawns, the
hardest of all problems of strategy, the starting-point for my
deliberations. I have shown at length how the various plans
initiated by the various openings should be developed further. To
ensure a thorough understanding of the middle game, I have given
a large number of games taken from master play, with numerous and
extensive notes. Thus the student has not to rely only on
examples taken haphazard from their context, but he will at the
same time see how middle-game positions, which give opportunities
for special forms of attack, are evolved from the opening.

It has been my desire to make the subject easily understandable
and at the same time entertaining, and to appeal less to the
memory of my readers than to their common sense and intelligence.
I hope in that way not to have strayed too far from the ideal I
had in mind when writing this book, namely, to apply to chess the
only method of teaching which has proved productive in all
branches of science and art, that is, the education of individual
thought.

If I have succeeded in this, I shall have the satisfaction of
having contributed a little to the furthering, in the wide
circles in which it is played, of the game which undoubtedly
makes the strongest appeal to the intellect.


EDWARD LASKER.