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Greco, Gioachino. Chess Made Easy: or, The Games of Gioachino Greco, The Calabrian; With Additional Games and Openings, Illustrated with Remarks and General Rules. The Whole So Contrived That Any Person May Learn to Play in a Few Days, Without Any Further Assistance. London, Knapton and Sandby, 1750. 1 engraving (Front the Title C.D. Moor Pinxit J.S. Muller SC.) and 1 folded copperplate engraving with diagram. XXIII, 1 leaf of errata, 212 pages. L/N 396. van der Linde I, 366. Schmid p. 189; Kieler Schachkatalog 823.

This edition is an expanded translation of "Jeu des échecs" and contains documented games in Book 1, "Gambet games" in Book 2, and endgames in the appendix. "This work undoubtedly ranks among the most excellent and at the same time most instructive works on chess. It contains approximately 150 highly ingenious games without annotations. The book concludes with six endgames..." (Schmid) "The title page is a reduced engraving after 'Le Jeu des Echecs gravé par l'Epicié, d'après C. D. Moor'..." (van der Linde)

Gioachino Greco (c. 1600–1634) was the strongest chess master of the 17th century, born around 1600 in Calabria and died in 1634 in the Antilles. He invented magnificent combinations that are still known today (Greco's sacrifice – Greco's checkmate). His chess book initially existed only as a manuscript; the first English translation appeared in 1656 and was subsequently printed in many languages ​​over the centuries.

Condition: Brown calfskin from 18th century with gilt on spine. From David DeLucia's chess library.

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