Page:How to Play Chess (Rogers).djvu/77

Rh vary his general system of play to meet unexpected situations. The game of Chess, however, is like a battle and the general who changes his tactics too often suffers in consequence. The object of the game is, of course, to checkmate the King, and before the first move, the player should determine in his own mind how he is going to do it and then develop the fighting qualities of his men accordingly. Only in this way can the beginner ever expect to play a really scientific game. It is fatal to move a man without having some object in view, and unless the other moves follow it up, any strength in position that was gained by that move is of no avail.

In the early days of Chess-playing, people used to take literally weeks in which to make a single move, as they wished to study every possible situation which might develop therefrom. The Chessboard would become grey with dust and all interest, as far as the spectators were concerned, would