occasion you much disquietude. Think of how many thousand games a
Philidor must have lost before he attained his highest excellence;
besides, the loss of one well-fought game with a fine practitioner will
do more towards your improvement than the gain of ten light skirmishes
with weaker players than yourself. Endeavor to play all your Pieces
equally well. Many young players have a predilection for a particular
Piece, as the Knight or the Queen, and lose both time and position in
trying to prevent exchanges of their favorite. In opening your game,
endeavor to bring your superior officers into action speedily, but avoid
all premature attacks. Take care not to play a Piece to a square where
it impedes the action of another, and beware of venturing an unsupported
Piece in the adversary's game.

If subjected to a violent attack, you may often disconcert your opponent
by compelling the exchange of two or three Pieces. When, however, you
are about to exchange officers, you must calculate not only their
ordinary value, but their peculiar worth in the situation in question;
for example, a Rook is generally more valuable than a Knight or a
Bishop; but it will happen, that by exchanging a Rook for one of the
latter you may greatly improve your game.

It is mostly good play to exchange the Pieces off when you are superior
in power, so that when you have the odds of a Piece given to you by a
finished player, you should endeavor to exchange as often as you can
consistently with safety.

When an exchange of two or more Pieces appears inevitable, look closely
to see whether it is better for you to take first or to compel your
opponent to do so. When one of the enemy is _completely_ in your power,
do not be too eager to make the capture--there may perhaps be a move of