the book the bare possibility of an injudicious purchase might have preyed upon his mind; the book however was fairly priced.  In New York the ten dollar game arose in this way, receiving Rook, Pawn and three moves, I lost on balance ten games, 5 dollars, and demanded double or quits which I was forced to comply with.  Passed pawns bothered him also.  I was New York Sun Chess Editor and not a chess book investor.

Some have been known to accumulate chess libraries which frequently get dispersed, a copy of Lolli sold for 5 pounds, another equally good for 2/6.  The difference between two-pence and 170 pounds for Caxton represents the largest profit yet recorded on a chess book.  A copy of Mr. Christie’s little work on the Greek and Roman Theory (1799) should be valuable.

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STYLE IN CHESS

Some chess players make more lively games than others, and more interesting to watch, and it is curious what different styles can be discerned in the play of the greatest masters of assumed equal ability, a proof of the great versatility of the game; Anderssen was remarkable for ingenuity and invention, Morphy for intuitive genius and grace, Zukertort for scientific development and Staunton, Buckle, Steinitz and Mason for patience, care and power of utilizing to the utmost the smallest advantages winning by hairs breadth merely.  The above represent distinctive schools at chess.  Blackburne’s play shews little resemblance to that of Bird, Tarrasch and Tchigorin are quite different in style, the former most learned and profound the latter most enterprising.

Lasker’s play partakes somewhat of the characteristics of both, Burn and Gunsberg have each a style of their own, and Mackenzie was particularly grand and irresistible in his attacks, Bird is sometimes called the best player of bad games and he often makes a capital middle and splendid end game from an unscientific and erratic beginning.  One enthusiast observed that there were only three parts of the game he could not play, viz., the beginning, the middle and the end.

The following is an illustration of four styles of play; the reader can supply real names to satisfy his own taste and imagination.

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STYLE AT CHESS

After a slumber of four years Bangs the fresh, the growing, the vigorous, has risen from his lair, and shaking the dew from his mane, has given utterance to a roar that no champion of chess can hear without a shudder.  There is no doubt that he has gained at least a pawn in strength since 1868.  Dr. Hooker too, the lightning player, now gives where he once received a Castle.  Beach has returned to his native heath rich with the experience of Morphy’s old haunt the Cafe de la Regence.  Hall has toughened his sinews by many a desperate tug with the paladins of New York.  Mackenzie himself has felt the force