.p07 0 115 100 .p05 0 178 100 .p06 0 145 100 .c .fg Courier Chess .h28 and the modern game .n Courier was a form of European; .h26 great; chess; .h00 that was played in the German .c village of Stroebeck from the 12th to the 19th century. All we know of .c its rules comes from Selenus' ; .si Schach- order Koenigspiel; .si , written in 1616. .c Selenus also described versions of the German modern and mediaeval games played in Stroebeck at the same time. Some of the Courier rules he described were used by the modern game in Stroebeck and were never part of the mediaeval game there. .gt266 030 305 038 5 22 0 .gt017 040 058 046 5 22 0 .gu296 078 01 013 .n .c These rules, which required each player to make four prescribed moves on his first turn of play, were very similar to a special opening used in the early modern game in other parts of Germany. This opening, which allowed two moves to be made on a players first turn, appeared in that country around 1600. (This peculiar opening survived in rural parts of Germany for many years in a chess variety referred to .c as ; .h26 korkser chess.; .h00 ) .gt106 149 214 157 5 23 0 .gu270 108 02 013 .n .c Because the game of Courier is much older than this special opening (and the modern game which was invented around 1475), it is likely that these rules were transferred from an early modern German version of chess to Courier sometime after 1600. Courier before 1600 was probably move like the German .c .h26 Old game; .h00 , which had its own . c peculiarities with regard to the privilege pawn moves. .gt050 129 114 137 5 30 0 .n .c The German old game allowed the two step move to the rook's pawn and to the royal (king and fers) pawns. We are guessing that Courier pawns had similar privileges at some time prior to 1600. We programmed this version of Courier with the four privilege pawns and without the strange opening moves that Selenus described. We believe these rules may conform to the Courier that was played from the time of its invention (12th century) to at least around the year 1600. .n .c It should be noted that the special opening that Selenus described is not unreasonable if used in a modern game of chess (ignoring the early advancement of the queen). The queen would instantly control a number of squares. But if used in Courier, this opening results in a position that traps the fers behind its pawn. It does not quicken opening play because the opposing pawn can capture the fers if it attempts to move forward. .n .gs047 015 008 012 .gi000 001 049 086 .gi000 001 068 120 .gi000 001 087 120 .gi000 001 106 120 .gi000 001 125 120 .gi000 001 144 120 .gi000 001 163 086 .gi000 001 182 120 .gi000 001 201 120 .gi000 001 220 120 .gi000 001 239 120 .gi000 001 258 086 .gi001 001 049 137 .gi002 001 068 137 .gi003 001 087 137 .gi003 001 106 137 .gi001 001 125 137 .gi005 001 144 137 .gi004 001 163 103 .gi001 001 182 137 .gi003 001 201 137 .gi003 001 220 137 .gi002 001 239 137 .gi001 001 258 137 .gi000 000 049 069 .gi000 000 068 035 .gi000 000 087 035 .gi000 000 106 035 .gi000 000 125 035 .gi000 000 144 035 .gi000 000 163 069 .gi000 000 182 035 .gi000 000 201 035 .gi000 000 220 035 .gi000 000 239 035 .gi000 000 258 069 .gi001 000 049 018 .gi002 000 068 018 .gi003 000 087 018 .gi003 000 106 018 .gi001 000 125 018 .gi005 000 144 018 .gi004 000 163 052 .gi001 000 182 018 .gi003 000 201 018 .gi003 000 220 018 .gi002 000 239 018 .gi001 000 258 018 .fs .h27 .gb090 068 155 098 .gl155 068 165 060 .gl155 098 165 106 .h00 .gh090 068 155 098 .m000 077 FERS BLOCKED BY OPPOSING PAWN .h28 .c .m000 165 .fg Position after Selenus' Opening .n .c The size of the board required the addition of eight more pieces per side. Four pawns were added along with three other new pieces: .c one was a ; .si mann; .si that moved as a king; one was a ; .si fool; .si that moved one square up or down; two were ; .si couriers; .si that .c moved diagonally any number of squares. The game was named for the couriers because they were thought to be the most powerful in the game. Couriers are particularly effective on the 12 x 8 Courier board. .gu291 128 03 013 .n .c The change to the modern game occurred swiftly near the close of the fifteenth century. The fil was replaced by the bishop and the fers became the modern queen. The modern game began to dominate German chess play a little later than most West European countries. The old game that Selenus described in early 17th century Stroebeck was perhaps the last mediaeval chess played in Europe. Courier lasted in Stroebeck for another hundred years after that. .gu071 138 04 013 .n .c Disregarding remote villages like Stroebeck, the modern game spread rapidly throughout Europe. The invention of the printing press earlier in the fifteenth century probably helped to standardize the new game. Since modern chess became popular over such a wide area in a such short time, it is difficult to determine its place of origin. Murray believed that the game originated in either Italy, France, or Spain. .gu226 148 05 014 .n .c Murray seemed to regard It aly as the most likely place of origin for the modern game. Richard Eales felt that Spain was a better choice because Spain possessed both quality players and the earliest evidence for the new game. In fact, the oldest known description of the method of play for the modern game comes from the Spaniard Luis de .c Lucena's ; .si Repeticion de amores e arte de axedrez, ; .si which was published in .c 1496/7 in Salamanca. .gu170 088 06 014 .n .c Lucena's work came at a time of transition between the old and new games. He wrote that there were those who still played the old chess and needed to be taught the new game. The most unusual aspect of the new game was the power of the queen. For a time, the new chess game was called 'queen's chess' in many European countries. Though the new name soon faded, the new chess gained in popularity and was carried beyond the boundaries of Europe. .gu170 118 07 014 .n .fg .c notes .gr049 .ft .c 1 Murray, ; .su History of Chess; .su , p. 485. 2 ; .su Ibid.; .su , p. 389. 3 ; .su Ibid.; .su , p. 483. 4 ; .su Ibid.; .su , p. 779. .n .fg .c notes .gr049 .ft .c 5 ; .su Ibid.; .su , p. 778. 6 Eales, ; .su Chess, the History of .su ; .su a Game; .su , pp. 76-77. 7 Murray, p. 777.