OFFICIAL RITUAL

                 The correct application of the action of the
                  moveable images (representing the motion of
                 The Ruling Angels over the Servient Squares)
                 is called The Playe or Raying of the Chequers
                                of the Tablets.

                           By G. H. FRATER D.D.C.F.


                      Of the Chess King and the Tarot Ace

        The move of this piece is one square every way,  and answereth to
to  the  action  of  the  Spirit.  Wherever  it goeth,  it commenceth and 
initiateth a fresh current,  whence  it  is  represented by the motion of 
only one square in  any  direction  and  there  staying  for this purpose 
before moving onward.  So that his action is not hurried,  but represents 
a balanced movement. Yet in his beginning of action is he at first a mute 
force, as though throned upon the water;  as  in the end of his action he 
is a life manifested and throned upon the earth.  And herein is a mystery 
of the Lord Aeshoori (Osiris)  when  enthroned between Isis and Nephthys, 
thus representing the beginning and end  of the action of Him in whom end 
and beginning are not,  but  rather  concealment  and then manifestation. 
Herein is a great mystery of life,  for  His  Thrones  are not in the two 
active elements,  seeing  that  these latter are his horse and chariot of 
transition  in  the  passage  from  concealment  into manifestation. This 
piece,  then,  is  the  symboliser  of the action of the potencies of the 
crosses on the Servient Squares.


                      Of the Chess Knight, the Tarot King

        The move of this piece is three  squares cornerwise every way (as 
in ordinary chess)  and representeth the leaping action of the flickering 
flame.  Wherefore  also  he is not stopped in his course by a piece or an 
intervening square,  even  as Fire seizing on a matter speedily rendereth 
it  transparent.  This  piece  representeth  the  action  of  Fire as the 
Revealer of the Strength of the Spirit,  even  as  Hoor is the avenger of 
Aeshoori.  It  is a force potent and terrible,  the King in the elemental 
operations.

        Thus it openeth the locked  doors of matter and showeth forth the 
treasure hidden therein. Therefore hath all life its beginnings in a Fire 
Celestial. And the number of squares covered by the move of the Knight in 
the midst of the Board  (reckoning  from the Square on which he standeth, 
but not including it)  is 16 squares,  of which 8 are checked,  and 8 are 
passed over.


                      Of the Chess Queen, The Tarot Queen

        The move of this  piece  is  unto  every  third  square  from her 
(reckoning  the  square  whereon  she  standeth  as  the  first)  as well 
cornerwise, as well perpendicular, as horizontal.  Thus again covering 16 
squares out of a square  of  25  squares,  of which 8 are threatened, and 
eight  are  passed  over.  But  she  threateneth  not  a  piece  upon the 
intervening square of her move.  And her movement is as that of the waves 
of the sea,  and (like the Knight) she is not hindered in her motion by a 
piece on an intervening square.  This  piece  representeth the undulating 
action of water  and  of  the  sea,  and  she  is ascribed unto the Great 
Goddess Isis, who is Cherisher of Life.


                   Of Chess Bishop or Fool, the Tarot Prince

        The move is this piece is any  number of squares cornerwise (that 
is only  the  diagonal)  in  any  direction  even  unto the limits of the 
Tablet.  He representeth the keen and swift wind, and he is ascribed unto 
the God Aroueris.  He is stopped by a material  barrier.  He representeth 
the swift vehicle of the Spirit.


             Of Chess Castle of Rook, the Tarot Princess or Knave

        The move of this piece  representeth the ponderous and formidable 
force  of  the  earth and its motion is any number of squares in a square 
direction, perpendicular or horizontal (but not cornerwise) even unto the 
limits of the board.

        It  is  ascribed  unto Nephthys the Goddess.  It representeth the 
completed action  of  the  Spirit  in  matter.  Therefore is its movement 
square,  and  also  stopped  by intervening pieces, yet powerful from the 
length and breadth of its range.


                                   The Pawns

        The  four  pawns  represent certain forces  formed  by  each con-
junction of the Spirit with each of the four elements severally, and they 
are severally ascribed unto Ameshet,  Ahephi,  Tmoumathph,  and Kabexnuv, 
who stand before  the  face  of  Aeshoori.  And their movement is but one 
square forward,  perpendicular,  and  they  threaten  one  square forward 
diagonal on each side, thus formulating  the  symbol of the Triangle, for 
they each represent a mixture of three  elements  under the presidency of 
the Spirit.  Therefore,  each  is,  as  it were the servant of the God or 
Goddess, before whom he standeth. Yet, they be all, in a manner, alike in 
their action, although their Lords be different.  Each  is the servant of 
the God or Goddess whose element is expressed in his symbol,  without its 
contrary.


        In each set  of  three  elements,  taken  together,  two  must be 
contrary.  Wherefore,  for example,  Ameshet, who represents Water, Fire, 
and Earth,  is the servant of Nepythys,  whose element Earth is expressed 
in his attribution without the contrary of Air.

        Ahephi,  who represents Air,  Fire,  and Water, is the servant of 
Aroueris, whose attribution is Air.

        Tmoumathph, who represents Water, Air,  and Earth, is the Servant 
of Isis, whose attribution is Water.

        Kabexnuv,  who represents Fire, Air, and Earth, is the servant of 
Horus, whose attribution is Fire.

        One of the  rules  concerning  the  Pawns  in actual play is that 
should one reach the 8th square of its column,  it  may  be exchanged for 
the piece of which it is vice-gerent.  That  is,  as in ordinary chess, a 
pawn which reaches  the  eighth square may be exchanged for any piece the 
player desires--but  in  Enochian  chess  the  exchange is limited by the 
elemental attributions of the pieces.  So  that  were  an Ahephi pawn the 
servant of Aroueris,  to  survive  the  battle of the entire game and win 
through to the top of the board, it could be exchanged for a Bishop, even 
though the Bishop were untaken and still on the board.  And  so  with the 
others.

        The  opening  of chess play is known under the technical title of 
"Awakening  the  Abodes."  As  already  stated  the  game is set for four 
players,  each  of  whom  works  the  pieces  at each of the four angles, 
playing  in  rotation.  Should  the  game  be  used  for  the purposes of 
divination, the first player would be  the  querent,  the  one asking the 
question,  or  the person representing the matter about which information 
is required.  The  first  player chooses which angle of the board he will 
play from, bearing in mind the divinatory qualities  of  the  elements as 
set forth in the documents on Geomancy and Tarot.

        The major difference  between  Enochian Chess and the modern game 
is that  in the former, when using it for divinatory purposes,  the moves 
are  decided  by  the  throwing  of  a  dice.  Depending  upon the number 
disclosed by the dice,  so must a certain piece be moved, for the numbers 
are attributed to pieces. The actual details of the move--that is whether 
to right or left,  backward  or forward,  to take an opponent or to press 
forward--are quite  obviously  left to the personal ingenium and divining 
mind of the player.  The  dice only determines specifically that such and 
such a piece shall be played.

        The Prime Mover, or the owner of the Ptah piece, plays first, and 
his first move is to be decided  by the throw of a dice to indicate which 
piece or  pawn  he  must  first  play.  Each  player follows in rotation, 
deosil, that is round the board with the sun from the prime player. First 
the prime player moves,  and  if his setting is Air, the follow the Water 
pieces, the Fire pieces, the Earth pieces, and then back again to the Air 
who is the prime mover.

        The  actual  attributions  of  the  numbers  on  the  dice to the 
Enochian chess-pieces are as follows:

          If the player throws:

                1. He moves a King or any Pawn.
                2. He moves a Knight.
                3. He moves a Bishop.
                4. He moves a Queen.
                5. He moves a Castle.
                6. He moves a Pawn.

        At the first move of the game,  if the dice cast throws up 1,  it 
clearly cannot apply to the King, for this piece cannot move at all until 
the pawns have been cleared before him.  In  that  event,  a  pawn  would 
require to be moved.

        The  reason  for the attribution of the numbers on the dice above 
shown  to  the  chess-pieces  are fairly simple.  The explanation must be 
sought in  the  numbers  and  powers  of  the  squares  on the Sephirotic 
crosses.  On  the  ten-squared  cross,  Kether,  the Crown,  is the first 
square,  which is a fairly sound attribution to the King,  who is Osiris, 
Spirit--the Number 1.  Number  2  on  the  Cross  is Chokmah,  the Yod of 
Tetragrammaton,  Abba,  and  therefore  the  Knight is appropriate.  3 is 
Binah,  to  which  is  referred  in  the Enochian attributions,  the High 
Priestess card of the Tarot.  The  mitre of the High Priestess determines 
the selection of the Bishop.  4  is  Chesed,  to  which is attributed the 
Tarot trump The Empress,  who  is  the chess Queen.  And 5 is the Castle, 
referred to Geburah,  and  the  Tarot card The Tower struck by lightning. 
The remaining number 6 refers to the movement of any pawn, one square.

        It is not always  necessary  to use four players. Two individuals 
may play,  each operating two lesser angles and two sets of pieces.  Fire 
and Air would be pitted against Water and Earth.  If  this is done,  then 
the two  sets  of  elemental  pieces  of any player must be regarded as a 
single unit in practice.  That is to say if the first player whose pieces 
are the allies of Fire and Air,  checks the Earth King, the second player 
must not continue  the  movements  of  the  Water  pieces,  which are his 
allies, until he has moved  the  Earth  King  out  of check by any of the 
usual  technical  forms  of   chess.   The  reader  who  understands  and 
appreciates ordinary chess manouevring will appreciate  what  is expected 
of him in the course of play.

        When the so-called "stale-mate" occurs,  which  is  when a player 
has no  piece  or  pawn that he can move without incurring check, that is 
the King not  being in check but so placed that he could not move without 
getting in to check, the result is that the player whose King is affected 
loses his turn until his state of "stale-mate" is removed.

        For the purposes of Divination, an additional piece was employed. 
This  was  called the Ptah.  Any book dealing with the Egyptian God-forms 
will  describe  the  form  in question.  A small figure of this should be 
made, and on  the  board  it  will  represent  the  question or matter of 
divination.  The mode of employing it is simple.  It has no power at all, 
and is not actually used in the play. It is only used by the first player 
to be set on any square in the  Lesser  Angle  from  which  he begins his 
play. Any square, that is, except the one on which the King first stands. 
The King must reach, in the course of the game,  this square on which the 
Ptah is set and remain there for one round of  the game undisturbed--that 
is without moving therefrom--and unchecked.  A knowledge of the nature of 
the Pyramids with their elemental composition,  and some knowledge of the 
Angelic forces represented by those squares and Pyramids, will decide the
player as to what square shall be selected for the  placing  of the Ptah. 
If the divinatory question concerns the fiery Lesser Angle of the Element 
of Earth, a question involving Capricornus and the figure Carcer ruled by 
Zazel, then the Ptah probably should be placed upon a square of the Angle 
which is the nature of Cardinal Earth,  as  representing  the Yod type of 
Earth,  or on Elemental Fire,  that is the Heh (final) type of Fire.  The
ingenium of the interested student will guide his judgement herein.


                        NOTES CONCERNING THE BOARDS AND
                              THE PLAY GENERALLY

        Every Lesser Angle throughout  the Tablets has a diagonal line of 
four  squares  starting  from  its  prime  square;   which  are  allotted 
respectively to Aries, Gemini, Scorpio and Earth. From these four squares 
the Bishops can move  one  square  into  a  square of Libra, Sagittarius, 
Taurus or Water,  these  completing  the series of squares in that Lesser 
Angle in which a Bishop can move.  Let  us  call this the Aries System of 
diagonal squares.

        This diagonal is crossed  by another which in the Airy and Watery 
boards is composed  of  Cancer,  Leo,  Virgo  and Air Squares,  having as 
subsidiaries,  squares of Aquarius,  Pisces,  Capricorn and Fire.  In the 
Earthy and Fiery board  the second series of four form the diagonal,  and 
the first the subsidiaries. Let us call this the Cancer series.

        If we  now  examine the Boards we shall see that the Aries system 
of any Lesser Angle is joined diagonally to the Aries system of the other 
three  Lesser  Angles;  and  that  the Cancer is also similarly joined to 
every other Cancer system.  So that we have two systems of squares;  viz: 
the Aries and the Cancer;  of  the  whole,  each  containing four squares 
allotted to every sign it contains.  This  resembles  the black and white 
systems of squares of the ordinary board; and it is as if we allotted the 
White to Aries, and the Black to Cancer.

        When beginning  a  game  see  to  which  system  the  Ptah square 
belongs.  Because if it be a sqaure of the Aries system the attack of the 
opposing Queens is insignificant, while that of the Bishops is strong. In 
such a case the number of pieces is 6;  2 Bishops, 2 Knights and 2 Rooks. 
That is, in these matters the Airy attack is strong, and the Watery weak.

        If the Ptah  be  on  a square of the Cancer System,  one opposing 
Queen directly attacks this Square, but the Bishops do not.  In this case 
the number of attacking pieces is 5;  one  Queen,  2 Knights and 2 Rooks. 
That is,  in  these  matters the Airy attack is insignificant,  while the 
Watery is strong.

        If an opposing Queen can attack the Ptah, the defence should note 
well  which  Queen  it  is  and  should  remember  that this fact greatly 
enhances her power.  He  should  thereupon  not hesitate to exchange what 
might otherwise be considered a more powerful piece for  her.  She should 
certainly be exchanged for a Bishop, and probably also for a Knight.

        The YHVH  order  of  the pieces corresponds with their respective 
offensive and defensive Powers.

       Yod           Knight   The most offensive piece.
       Heh           Queen    More offensive than defensive.
       Vau           Bishop   More defensive than offensive.
       Heh (final)   Rook     Most defensive. That is in a general sense.

        Because, according to the circumstances of the actual play, every 
piece is able to assume both roles of attacking or defending.

        Note that,  as  in ordinary chess,  opposing Kings may not occupy 
contiguous squares.  There must always be one square between them.  This, 
however, does not apply to the Kings who are allies. That is, if Fire and 
Air are allies,  then the Kings of these elements may approach each other 
and occupy contigious squares. Naturally they do not check each another.

        When a King  has  once been moved from the corner square which he 
occupied with another piece  at  the beginning of the game neither he nor 
that piece can be moved back again to that square unless it be vacant.

        If the Prime Player's King is checked and he cannot move it,  his 
game is arrested and his  pieces cannot move until the pieces of his ally 
can release the King.  That is to say that his  pieces  remain  `in situ' 
but having  during that time of  check no power of action and can neither 
attack not threaten;  they only block the squares occupied. If the allied 
King can be  check-mated,  his  partner  continues to play and to seek to 
release him.  When both Kings are checkmated,  the game is at an end, and 
the partners checkmated have lost the game.  The game is also lost by the 
first player,  when  though  neither  he  or his ally is checkmated,  the 
enemies hold such a position that the Prime Player cannot possibly attain 
the Ptah square.

        The  Knights  or  Fiery  forces  of  the  Elements meet and clash 
violently in all parts,  and are strong in attack against every thing and 
everywhere.  Their  moves,  like Fire,  pass unarrested through the other 
elements  in  irregular  courses  like  the  lambent flame,  leaping both 
diagonally and square-wise  at  every  move.  They  contain the potential 
forces of the other pieces. Their force is similar to the Tarot King, and 
to Chokmah.  They are the Abba forces,  and with the Queens represent the 
Briatic forces of the scheme.

        The Queens or Watery forces  of the Elements never clash with one 
another, but ever undulate onwards,  each in its own course unaffected by 
opposing or crossing waves.  But  the  Watery  forces  only move in their 
respective pre-ordained courses; they cannot leave their limits and enter 
upon  the  domain  of  others.  Water,  like  Fire,   is  unarrested  and 
undulating,  and like Air and Earth it can act diagonally or square-wise, 
containing the potential force of Air and Earth.  They  are  the Queen of 
the Tarot, and Binah. They are the Aimah, and are of Briah.

        The Bishops  are  subtle  and  sharp,  Airy  in  quality,  moving 
rapidly,  but  easily  arrested  in  their  course.  They  clash not with 
opposing Bishops,  and the friendly Airs support each other in attack and 
defence. Where the active Airs  whirl the passives cannot come.  They are 
the forces of the Princes, and of Yetzirah, the Son.

        The Rooks are the heavy  resisiting  powers of the Princess,  the 
Earth by nature,  mighty  indeed in action when preseded by the action of 
the other three.  That  is  when in any matter the forces of Fire, Water, 
and Air have been absorbed and equilibrated, i.e. removed from the board, 
the mighty powers of the castles come into play.  But  woe to him who too 
early calls these ponderous forces forth.

        The Rooks moves through  columns  as through ranks.  She is able, 
therefore, to reach every square on the board, and is very powerful.  But 
her movement is very ponderous,  and it is a piece that is not moved many 
times in  a  game  unless  the  forces  of  the  other Elements have been 
absorbed in its working out.  While the Aleph,  Mem, and Shin, forces are 
in full  operation  the  Rook  is  easily  attacked  and  with difficulty 
defended, unless she remain quiet, and act as a firm basis of support and 
defence to the side. If she, however,  make the mistake of entering early 
into action she is nearly sure to fall a  prey  to the more subtle forces 
whose proper sphere is attacked.

        If the more subtle  forces  do  not bring about a solution of the 
question, and the matter has to be fought out to the bitter end, that is, 
if  the  Yetziratic  and  Braitic forces are absorbed and balanced in the 
matter,  then do the ponderous forces of Assiah,  the Princess, engage in 
powerful combat.

                                     -oOo-


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