Letter #28 -  2010

Sub:    Follow up on letter #25, 2009
Date:   07/26/10 05:31:11 PM EDT
From:  545T
To:      service@Chess-poster.com

Regards,

I found some information on the web related to your answer on Letter #25, 2009 asking why white pieces always move first.

This may complement the reply you gave to the viewer.

Thank you.

Dear viewer,

Thanks for your input, we really appreciate it! Your article is published next:

"As late as the Mid-19th century, it was not established that white always moved first. In 1857, Lowenthal (an English Master) recommended to Mr. Perrin, Secretary of the N.Y. Chess Club, to inform the First American Chess Congress suggesting that the player with the white pieces always move first.

However, this advice was not followed strictly. In 1889, Steinitz declared a similar rule, and in Lasker's Manual of Chess (1927), he declared that 'White makes the first move'. Therefore, it would be safe to assume that the rule has been in force since 1927, or 83 years ago.

When two players sit down, one puts a white Pawn in one hand and a black Pawn in the other and holds them behind his back; he may swap them behind his back, or not. Then he holds his hands out and the other player chooses one, so they have even chances of playing white or black.

If they play several games, they switch colors each time. There is a small advantage in playing first, but skill always outweighs that. At Grandmaster level, white wins 52 percent of the time."

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