|
Alessandro Salvio was an Italian chess player who
was
considered by many to be the 4th unofficial world champion
between the years 1598 and 1620. He
started an Italian chess academy in Naples, Italy, and wrote a book called
Trattato
dell'Inventione et Arte Liberale del Gioco Degli Scacci,
which was published in Naples in 1604. He also wrote
Il Puttino, published
in 1634.
He belonged
to a rich family which allowed him to study and obtain the
title of doctor. His brother was a somewhat famous poet who dedicated some
published verses to him. His victory over Pablo Boi
just before the year 1600 was the feat that gained him
praise as the best player in the world.
He frequented the
Napolitana Academy and the chess house of Constanzo Carafa, where he
gave several
blind exhibitions. As a result of these
performances, he was asked to perform in the presence of
the Count of Benavente, the Marquess of Corleto, Count Francisco de
Castro, the Count of Lemos, and even of the Pope of
Rome.
In 1604 he dedicated
his “Treaty of the Liberal Invention of the Game
of the Chess” (translated from the Italian) to Flucio de Constanza
and the Marquess of Corleto. He additionally wrote
biographies on the great players of his time (Leonardo
di Cutri
and Boi).
The Salvio Gambit
(1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5
4.Bc4 g4 5.Ne5 Qh4+ 6.Kf1) is one of the lines
for which Salvio is famous and is the foundation for
today's widely used King's Gambit opening. His
publishing's on chess openings and on chess analysis of
other players of the era were widely used and very
popular up until the end of the 18th century. |
