Author: White, Alain Campbell (1880-1951) from the library of Edgar Holladay
Year: 1912
Publisher: The Chess Amateur
Place: Stroud
Description:
247 pages with diagrams. Octavo (8 3/4" x 5 1/4") issued in red pebbled cloth with gilt lettering to spine and cover. A C White's Christmas series volume 15 with greeting and errata tipped in. (Bibliotheca Van der Linde-Niemeijeriana: 2618. Whyld 15. Betts 31-8) First edition.
Historical introduction with 38 examples is followed by 504 problems, sorted by types of promotion. 100 problems are in full-page diagrams. Index of composers in the end. A study of problems based on pawn promotion and their development from the earliest times. 38 problems (the earliest date ca 850) illustrate the historical development. The main part of the work consists of a collection of 504 problems, with solutions and critiques, arranged by a detailed classification according to whether or not the promotions are made by white or black and for what purpose (direct attack, simple avoidance or stalemate, indirect avoidance of stalemate, direct defense, attempting self-stalemate, in self-mates, etc).
A. C. White Christmas Series was popular series which ran from 1905 through 1936. the publisher of the series was chess composer and enthusiast Alain Campbell White (1880-1951). White sent most books of the series to his friends as Christmas gifts. But they were offered for sale, too. The series consists of 44 books on problem chess and one pamphlet from 1912. Most books are hard covers, bound in red cloth with gold lettering, usually written in English, sometimes in German and French and one was partially in Czech. Most of the books have a printed Christmas wish slip by White, usually bound in after a title page. It appears that a part of the editions of some books have wish slips and some parts do not. The number of copies published of separate volumes is unknown for the most part. (Karel Morky)
Condition:
Front end paper age toned, corners bumped, some occasional pencil check-marks, inner front hinge cracked, spine ends rubbed else a very good copy.
SOLS 2024