Science and Art of Chess

New York: Charles Scribner, 1859. First Edition, First Printing. Cloth Hardcover. Good, Ex-Library/No Dust Jacket As Issued.

Original publisher's blind-stamped green cloth, gilt spine titles with knight, bishop, and castle with library stamps; 12mo; 7.5 inches tall; xiv, 281 pages. Illustrated in-text diagrams.

The bindings are firm with front hinge open and some signatures over-opened. Text clean, light even toning. Shelf handling wear with rubbed lower edge and corners; spine bands pushed. Front free endpage tender at the hinge.
. An early chess teaching book considered to be the first complete guide to the study of the game of chess published in the English Language, eight years after the first modern chess tournament was held in London in 1851. designed for the beginner and novice.

"This is no mere compilation of the games of chess played by the great masters of the chess board The author understands that there is a science of chess and from the first to the last chapter has gone on developing this idea according to true scientific principles.

Consequently, this is a book that can be intelligently studied The moves in celebrated games are given, but each game is introduced for a definite object and illustrates some principle that has been already explained."

Ref: The New Englander, Volume 17, 828