Orazio Gianutio
Original title: Della inventione et arte liberale del gioco de scacchi
Orazio Gianutio's treatise On the Game of Chess introduces the practical art of Italian masters at the end of the sixteenth century. The author examines rules and openings, gradually leading readers from general principles to concrete clashes between pieces. His account reveals the knowledge and techniques an accomplished player of the period was expected to possess.
Sacrifices, traps, methods of attack and play at odds occupy a prominent place. Such conditions alter the usual balance of forces and invite a fresh assessment of development, king safety and the prospects of a swift attack. The concluding collection of twelve problems focuses attention on individual positions whose solutions demand accurate calculation and careful consideration of threats.
The book is valuable as evidence of teaching through examples: an idea is shown in action, and readers are invited to follow its consequences. Comparing one's own solutions with the historical variations is rewarding, provided the rules of the period remain in view. The treatise thus offers both material for work at the board and an account of the formation of Italian chess thought.
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