Das Schach des Herrn Gioachino Greco Calabrois und die Schachspiel-Geheimnisse des Arabers Philipp Stamma [The Chess of Mr. Gioachino Greco Calabrois and the Secrets of Chess Play of the Arab Philipp Stamma]

Author: Moses Hirschel (1754-1818) from the library of Lothar Schmid and Jens Enevoldsen

Year: 1784

Publisher: Löwe

Place: Breslau

Description:

4 leaves+221 pages with frontispiece (depicting chessboard notation. Octavo (8 1/4" x 5 1/2") bound in marbled boards with a new spine label lettered in gilt. With the collector's bookplate of Lothar Schmid. Bookplate of the Danish International Master Jens Enevoldsen on the front pastedown. (Linde – No. 412; van der Linde I, 367; *Kieler Schachkatalog* 951; Schmid, pp. 185 + 193) First edition.

Moses Hirschel adapted, updated, and organized the works of two earlier chess masters using a new, systematic method to make the games easier for readers to follow. The original work is split into three parts bound together in one volume. It bridges two entirely different eras of chess history, combining practical attacking games with complex endgame puzzles.

The Two Masters Featured in the Book: Gioachino Greco ("Il Calabrese", c. 1600–1634): An Italian master who was one of the world's first professional chess players. He is famous for recording entire games rather than just isolated positions. His section features aggressive tactical combinations, famous gambits, and early blueprints for mating attacks (such as the "Greek Gift" bishop sacrifice). Philipp Stamma (c. 1705–1755): A native of Aleppo, Syria (hence "the Arab"), who later moved to Europe. Stamma was a major pioneer of modern algebraic chess notation. His section—the "Secrets of Chess Play"—focuses on his famous collection of 100 endgame studies and desperate positional riddles, many of which drew inspiration from ancient Arabic chess literature.

Lothar Maximilian Lorenz Schmid (10 May 1928 - 18 May 2013) was a German chess grandmaster. He was born in Radebeul near Dresden into a family who were the co-owners of the Karl May Press, which published the German Karl May adventure novels. He was best known as the chief arbiter at several World Chess Championship matches, in particular the 1972 encounter between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky at Reykjavic. He was also an avid collector of chess books and paraphernalia. It was reputed that he owned the largest known private chess library in the world, as well as a renowned collection of chess art, chess boards and chess pieces from around the globe.

Jens Evald Enevoldsen-Elsing (1907-1980) was a Danish chess master born in Copenhagen. Enevoldsen won the Danish Chess Championship five times (1940, 1943, 1947, 1948, and 1960). In 1939 he shared first but lost a playoff, and in 1950 he again shared first but lost a lottery. He took 4th place at the Helsinki 1947 zonal tournament; Eero Böök and Gösta Stoltz shared first place. Enevoldsen played for Denmark ten times in Chess Olympiads (1933, 1935, 1937, 1939, 1952, 1956, 1958, 1966, 1970, and 1972).

Condition:

With the collector's bookplate of Lothar Schmid. Bookplate of the Danish International Master Jens Enevoldsen on the front pastedown. Endpapers renewed. The original flyleaf, bearing notes in an old hand, has been mounted onto the new endpaper. Internally, the paper shows age-related toning and scattered spotting. The binding is somewhat browned and scuffed, with repairs to the corners. A scarce sought-after edition.