(Jeremy Spinrad) wrote in message ...
It seems that complaintss about too much theory go very
far back, well into the romantic era. What is the oldest
such complaint known? I found this one in an Austrian
paper called The Humorist, August 27, 1858. Reporting on the
Morphy-Loewenthal match, with Morphy ahead 7-3-1, the writer
claims to be a strong chessplayer (just a pawn weaker than
Grimm), but that pure chess has been replaced with "gray
theory". With Bilguer and hundreds of other chessbooks, you
have to have studied too much in order not to be beaten
before tactics begin! The writer then praises Morphy for
defying this trend with his own sharp moves (calling him
the Wagner of chess); he also says that Hamppe would be
a good opponent for Morphy.

How far back do you think complaints about book
knowledge date to?

Jerry Spinrad

I don't know but I was delighted to read your post.
Much later Chigorin claimed that one can always play
new opening moves with an equal or even better effect.
Larsen had followed Chigorin's dictum. Today though
these are the computers which invent new openings,
applied by the leading GMs to the every chess lover's
pleasure.

Regards,

Wlod