The Incomparable Games of Chess, Developed after a New Method of the Greatest Facility from the First Elements to the Most Scientific Articles of the Game. Translated from the Italian of Dr Ercole Dal Rio

Domenico Lorenzo Ponziani (1719-1796) translated by Ercole del Rio

Published by J J Stockdale, London, 1820

About this Item

xvi+[17]-340 pages with frontispiece and diagrams. Octavo (8" x 5") bound in 3/4 leather with marbled boards and gilt lettering to spine. Translated from the Italian of Ercole dal Rio by J S Bingham. To which is prefixed an Essay on the origin of the game by Eyles Irwin. (Whyld: 1820:14) First English edition. Translated from Il guioco incomparablile degli schcchi (1769) by Ponziani, here erroneously attributed to Ercole del Rio. J S Bingham is a pseudonym of Captain John Smith, RN "Quotes and queries", British Chess Magazine, November 1978, page 523. Irwin's "Essay on the origin of the game is a paper on Chinese chess cited as Whyld 1795:3. Domenico Lorenzo Ponziani was an 18th-century Italian law professor, priest, chess player, composer and theoretician. He is best known today for his chess writing. Ponziani was friends with fellow Modenese chess players and writers Ercole del Rio and Giambattista Lolli, and collectively the trio are known as the Modenese Masters. In 1769 Ponziani published the first edition of Il giuoco incomparabile degli scacchi (The Incomparable Game of Chess). As Ponziani did not include his name in the work (Opera d'Autore Modenese) it was identified to the Anonymous Modenese. The second edition in 1782 was much improved and laid out the principles of the Italian school of chess as exemplified by 17th-century Italian masters such as Gioachino Greco. Although Ponziani identified himself in the second edition, the 1820 translation by English naval officer J. B. Smith using the pen name J. S. Bingham, The Incomparable Game of Chess, attributed the work to del Rio. Ponziani's work is the best practical guide produced by the Modenese Masters. Like writings by del Rio and Lolli, Ponziani deals only with the opening and endgame, with no discussion of the middlegame. (Murray, H. J. R. 1913, A History of Chess) Condition: End papers stained, previous owner's old signature on front end paper. Spine renewed with original spine label to spine. Points rubbed and bumped some soiling to else a very good copy of a scarce item. Seller Inventory # BOOKS008881

Bibliographic Details

Title: The Incomparable Games of Chess, Developed ...

Publisher: J J Stockdale, London

Publication Date: 1820

Binding: Hardcover

Condition: Very Good

Edition: 1st Edition