Le jeu des Eschets

Author: Greco, Giaccino (1600-1634)Year: 1714Publisher: Chez Claude RobustelPlace: ParisDescription:343 pages. Duodecimo (5 ½” x 3 ¼”). Bound in original leather with marbled end papers, decorative gilt stamping to spine with red label, raised spine bands. Same as the Paris 1713 edition with cancel title and privilege. Originally written in 1619 in Italian. [Biblioteca van Der Niemeijeriana: 403]Gioachino Greco, also known as Il Calabrese, was born around 1600 in Celico, which near Cosenza in Calabria. Calabria had already produced such players as Leonardo di Bono and Michele di Mauro. From his writing it's apparent the he wasn't educated and likely came from a lower class family. Already in 1619, Greco started keeping a notebook of tactics and particularly clever games and he took up the custom of giving copies of his manuscripts to his wealthy patrons. In Rome Monsignor Corsino della casa Minutoli Tegrini, Cardinal Savelli and Monsignor Francisco Buoncompagni all received copies (of