Luigi Centurini (Genoa, April 24, 1820 – Genoa, November 10, 1900) was an Italian jurist,

chess Chess is a board game for two players. It is an abstract strategy game that involves Perfect information, no hidden information and no elements of game of chance, chance. It is played on a square chessboard, board consisting of 64 squares arran ...

player, and

chess composer A chess composer is a person who creates endgame studies or chess problems. Chess composers usually specialize in a particular genre, e.g. endgame studies, twomovers, threemovers, moremovers, helpmates, selfmates, fairy problems, or retro ...

. In 1853 he published the pamphlet in Genoa titled ''Giuoco degli Scacchi'' (Game of Chess). The endgame of rook and knight against rook was a

study Study or studies may refer to: General * Education **Higher education * Clinical trial * Experiment * Field of study * Observational study * Scientific study * Research * Study skills, abilities and approaches applied to learning Other * Study ...

that made him known worldwide. In 1865 he wrote a work about the "gambetto grande" (Gambit) that appeared on ''Eco della Scienza'', but his studies especially address the endgame. He collaborated with ''La Régence'' and '' The Chess Monthly'' in 1856–57. He corresponded with the major chess theorists of his time.

Sample studies

White to move wins: * 1. Nd6 Rg8 * 2. Re1 Rf8 * 3. Nb7+ Kc8 * 4. Rb1 Rf3 * 5. Nd6+ Kd8 * 6. Rb8+ Ke7 * 7. Re8+ Kf6 * 8. Rf8+ wins the rook by a

skewer A skewer is a thin metal or wood stick used to hold pieces of food together. The word may sometimes be used as a metonym, to refer to the entire food item served on a skewer, as in "chicken skewers". Skewers are used while grilling or roasting ...

after 8...Kf6 9. Rf8+. Black to move draws by 1...Rg1, with the idea of checking from the first

rank A rank is a position in a hierarchy. It can be formally recognized—for example, cardinal, chief executive officer, general, professor—or unofficial. People Formal ranks * Academic rank * Corporate title * Diplomatic rank * Hierarchy ...

. Centurini was also the primary analyst of the endgame of a bishop and pawn versus a bishop on the same color . He established rules for when the position is won and when it is a draw . The position in the second diagram shows a winning position for White, although it requires accurate play .

References

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Centurini, Luigi 1820 births 1900 deaths Writers from the Kingdom of Sardinia Italian chess players Chess composers Italian chess writers Sportspeople from Genoa 19th-century chess players