1st. Each player begins by moving his _King's Pawn to King's 4th
square_, and the first player then moves _King's Knight to King's
Bishop's 3d square_. This is called the _King's Knight's opening_.

2d. Each player commences by moving his _King's Pawn to King's 4th
square_, and then he who has the first move plays _King's Bishop to
Queen's Bishop's 4th square_. This is known as the _King's Bishop's
opening_.

3d. Each player opens with _King's Pawn to King's 4th square_, and the
first plays _Queen's Bishop's Pawn to Bishop's 3d square_. This is
termed the _Queen's Bishop's Pawn's opening_.

4th. Each player begins with _King's Pawn to King's 4th square_, and the
first follows with _King's Bishop's Pawn to Bishop's 4th square_. This
is called the _King's gambit_.

Of these four openings on _the King's side_ there are many
modifications, of which each has its appropriate appellation; there are
also several openings begun on the Queen's side, but the four
above-named are those most generally practised, and with them you should
be thoroughly conversant before advancing further.


PRELIMINARY GAME.

Preparatory to the investigation of the several openings treated of in
the following chapters, it may not be uninstructive to give a short game
which shall exhibit the application of some technical phrases in use at
chess, and at the same time show a few of the most prominent errors into