The Chess Congress of 1862 (London)

The Committee of the British Chess Association having confided to me the agreeable, although onerous, task of annotating the games played at the London Congress, and published in the following pages, I have endeavoured to prove my sense of that honourable confidence by the faithful performance, to the best of my ability, of the labour it entailed.

The course which I have thought it desirable to pursue in order to render the volume at once interesting and instructive, I will take leave to explain.

In the annotation of the games it has been my aim to bestow equal care upon each of the three branches of the game - the opening, the mid-same, and the ending.

The Opening, which may be considered the most important branch of the game - that in which a position is striven for, - has received my special attention, I have introduced a number of theoretical notes, compiled from the best recognised authorities, together with all the discoveries since the publication of my last work - the annotated edition of Morphy's Games; and I am therefore led to hope that the student will find in this part of my analysis a guide for acquiring a knowledge of several new and important variations.

In the Midgame - that in which a position is used - perhaps the most interesting and difficult part of the game, I have endeavoured to render my analysis as complete as the space at my disposal would allow.

The Endings of Game* - in which the results of a position are obtained - have received their full share of attention, by careful scrutiny and analysis, whenever a peculiar combination afforded the opportunity.

"With reference to the notes which are attached to the games in this volume, I have also to say a few words.

Notes may be generally classified under three heads, viz.-

1. Theoretical.

2. Critical and Analytical.

3. Personal.

I have paid close attention to each of these branches of analysis. On the first and second division of my annotation I may be excused if I refer to the notes themselves, as evidence of the pains I have taken. In respect to the notes belonging to the third division, I venture to state that my decisions have in all cases been pronounced with the most rigid impartiality, and I hope it will be seen that I have always been ready to recognize skill, and to bestow praise wherever it has been earned.

All the most interesting positions in the games and analyses throughout the work have been illustrated by Diagrams, which I trust will be found instructive.

Although in the performance of my task I have not realized the full extent of my own wishes, I trust that my labours will not prove altogether fruitless. The eminent British and Foreign talent brought into friendly contest over the Chess Board, in connection with the Congress, has laid before me an exceedingly fine collection of games. This material for study has stimulated my zeal, and given an impulse to my faculties. I, therefore, indulge the hope that this collection of games, on which I have bestowed so much labour, will prove a not unworthy addition, to the literature of Chess. If this anticipation be realized, I shall feel amply rewarded for the many anxious months I have expended upon my task, in an endeavour to render the volume worthy of the great occasion which initiated it. I cannot close these preliminary remarks without an acknowledgment of the use I have occasionally made of the published works of my predecessors and contemporaries. It would have been tedious to quote the names of these Authors at the foot of games, but I am desirous of gratefully acknowledging the assistance I have derived from Boden, Heydebrand, Jaenisch, Lange, Lewis, Preti, Staunton, and Walker.

J. J. Löwenthal, Preface

The Committee of the British Chess Association having confided to me the agreeable, although onerous, task of annotating the games played at the London Congress, and published in the following pages, I have endeavoured to prove my sense of that honourable confidence by the faithful performance, to the best of my ability, of the labour it entailed.

The course which I have thought it desirable to pursue in order to render the volume at once interesting and instructive, I will take leave to explain.

In the annotation of the games it has been my aim to bestow equal care upon each of the three branches of the game - the opening, the mid-same, and the ending.

The Opening, which may be considered the most important branch of the game - that in which a position is striven for, - has received my special attention, I have introduced a number of theoretical notes, compiled from the best recognised authorities, together with all the discoveries since the publication of my last work - the annotated edition of Morphy's Games; and I am therefore led to hope that the student will find in this part of my analysis a guide for acquiring a knowledge of several new and important variations.

In the Midgame - that in which a position is used - perhaps the most interesting and difficult part of the game, I have endeavoured to render my analysis as complete as the space at my disposal would allow.

The Endings of Game* - in which the results of a position are obtained - have received their full share of attention, by careful scrutiny and analysis, whenever a peculiar combination afforded the opportunity.

"With reference to the notes which are attached to the games in this volume, I have also to say a few words.

Notes may be generally classified under three heads, viz.-

1. Theoretical.

2. Critical and Analytical.

3. Personal.

I have paid close attention to each of these branches of analysis. On the first and second division of my annotation I may be excused if I refer to the notes themselves, as evidence of the pains I have taken. In respect to the notes belonging to the third division, I venture to state that my decisions have in all cases been pronounced with the most rigid impartiality, and I hope it will be seen that I have always been ready to recognize skill, and to bestow praise wherever it has been earned.

All the most interesting positions in the games and analyses throughout the work have been illustrated by Diagrams, which I trust will be found instructive.

Although in the performance of my task I have not realized the full extent of my own wishes, I trust that my labours will not prove altogether fruitless. The eminent British and Foreign talent brought into friendly contest over the Chess Board, in connection with the Congress, has laid before me an exceedingly fine collection of games. This material for study has stimulated my zeal, and given an impulse to my faculties. I, therefore, indulge the hope that this collection of games, on which I have bestowed so much labour, will prove a not unworthy addition, to the literature of Chess. If this anticipation be realized, I shall feel amply rewarded for the many anxious months I have expended upon my task, in an endeavour to render the volume worthy of the great occasion which initiated it. I cannot close these preliminary remarks without an acknowledgment of the use I have occasionally made of the published works of my predecessors and contemporaries. It would have been tedious to quote the names of these Authors at the foot of games, but I am desirous of gratefully acknowledging the assistance I have derived from Boden, Heydebrand, Jaenisch, Lange, Lewis, Preti, Staunton, and Walker.

J. J. Löwenthal, Preface