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Don Pietro Carrera
Militello 1573 - Messina 1647
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by Daniele Ciani
(Translated by Alexis Jade Ciani)
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Father Pietro Carrera, historian and poet, born in Sicily, in Militello, located in the Valley of Noto; here he grow up in the old colony of San Vito. He was born on the 12th july of 1573, he was the son of Donna Antonia Severino (mother) and Mariano Carrera, a traditional craftsman who entered the priesthood after his wife's death.
During his studies in the "Seminario Diocesiano of Siracusa", he had the opportunity to visit many different sicilian cities. As a result of his travels he met Paolo Boi, the so called "The Siracusan" in the town of Palermo during 1597.
After taking his vows, he first become the chaplain at the church of "S. Maria della Stella" and later of Francesco Branciforte's Court (the Prince of Pietraperzia and Marchese of Militello).
During his stay at Branciforte's Court he become interested in chess, winning against Salvatore Albino the so called "Beneventano" and against Gerolamo Cascio. Cascio won against the famous but old Polerio.
After developing a fond relationship with the Prince's wife, lady Giovanna, he composed a short poem for her in latin in exameter form regarding chess.
Only fragments of this poem, the title being "The Pessopedia", remain today.
 In 1617 he wrote and published "Il Gioco degli Scacchi" ("The Game of Chess"), subdivided in eight books where "learning the rules, the odds, the endgames, the blindfold chess and a discussion about the true origins of chess in itself". This was the first book ever printed in Militello, on request of the Princes of Butera, by Giovanni Rosso from Trento; in this poem Carrera collected and elaborated in a sistematic fashion information given by previous authors.
After the Prince of Branciforte's death, he moved to Messina, then to Canicattì and finally to Catania. Here in 1635, using an alias, he published the "Risposta di Valentino Vespaio contro l'apologia di Alessandro Salvio" ("Valentino Vespaio's answer against Alessandro Salvio's explanation"), where he debated the accusations and criticisms made against him from Salvio.
Famous and esteemed, he died on the 18th of September 1647 in Messina.
 We remember Carrera also as the inventor of a new kind of chessboard with 80 squares, in which there were added two new pieces called the "Champion" (a combination of the moves of the Tower and the Knight) and "Centaurus" (a combination of the Bishop and the Knight); these innovations had more fame than the ones made by Piacenza and Marinelli.
He is not remembered as a great live player but as a Master of theory and a great source of information regarding contemporary players of his time.
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Historical Sources
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Domenico Lorenzo Ponziani
"Il giuoco incomparabile degli scacchi sviluppato con nuovo metodo, per condurre chiunque colla maggiore facilità dai primi elementi fino alle finezze più magistrali."
Modena 1769
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Don Pietro Carrera, di Militello nella Valle di Noto della Sicilia nacque nel 1571, e morì nel 1647, avendo composto un' Opera divisa in otto libri, la quale fu stampata in Militello nel 1617 per Gio: de' Rossi da Trento. Egli è stato più metodico, e più abbondante di Damiano e di Lopez; ma al Salvio fu molto inferiore; poiché serpit humi, e non ha proprio tre tratti fini in tutto suo libro. Quanto era capaci per l'imitazione, altrettanto era infelice per l'invenzione. Se occupa per lo più sopra i giuochi degli altri, ed era meglio, che non parlasse del Salvio, che tacciarlo dove non sbagliato, con omettere quegli errori, che veramente vi sono. Dalle molte sue Opere di vario genere si deduce, che fu più versato nell'Antichita Siciliana, che nello Scacco. Fu inventore di un nuovo Tavoliere di ottanta case ove aggiunse due Pezzi chiamati Campione, e Centauro; ma questo pensiere non ebbe miglior fortuna di quello del Piacenza e del Marinelli co' loro nuovi Scacchieri, che si accenneranno in appresso. Meno stucchevole sarebbe riuscito, se meno avesse ragionato dell'origine del giuoco, del Paese, del tempo, e del motivo del suo ritrovamento; giacchè dopo un grande apparato di erudizione gli fu d'uopo conchiudere
"Si poscas tanti quis ludi invenerit artes,
praedicat incertos inscia fama virros."
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Willam Lewis
"Gioachino Greco on the Game of Chess"
1819 London
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Don Pietro Carrera, of Militello, in the Valley di Noto, in Sicily, was born in 1571,
and died 1647, having composed a work, divided into eight books, which was printed
at Militello, in 1617, by Gio' de' Rossi. He is more copious and more methodical than Damiano and Lopez, but very inferior to Salvio; because "serpit humi", and he has not three scientific moves of his own, in all his book. The more capable he was in imitation, the more unhappy was he in invention. He is too much occupied on the games of others; and it were better that he had not spoken of Salvio, than to accuse him of mistakes where none exist, and omit those errors which are really to be found.
From his manifold works of various kinds may be deduced, that he was more versed in Sicilian antiquities, than in Chess. He was the inventor of a new Board, of eighty squares, wherein be added two pieces called Campione, and Centaur ; but his thought had no better success than that of Piacenza and of Marinelli, with their new Chess boards, which will be noticed presently. He would have been less on the origin of the game, and of the country, time, and motive of its invention; for after a great shew of erudition it was necessary for him to conclude:
"Si poscas tanti quis ludi invenerit artes,
praedicat incertos inscia fama virros."
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Giuseppe Emanuele Ortolani
"Biografia degli uomini illustri della Sicilia, ornata de loro rispettivi ritratti" (Tomo IIII)
Napoli 1821
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Pietro Carrera
Nell'accingermi a parlare di Pietro Carrera nostro letterato del secolo 16. e 17. trovo
nelle sue opere d'ingegno come per vari altri autori Siciliani di quei tempi di che lodarlo, e di che censurarlo; ma comunque siasi de' suoi piccioli difetti, egli non si può negare veramente, che ha fatto onore alla patria, e le sue fatiche letterarie largo campo prestano all'elogio. Nacque il Carrera in Militello di Val di Noto nell' anno 1671, e fatti i primi studj in patria, fu destinato allo stato ecclesiastico. Le lettere formarono però la sua prima occupazione perlochè riempiti i suoi doveri del suo
stato, sempre allo studio, ed al ritiro si dava. Per coltivar con più successo le Muse, fissò prima la sua residenza in Palermo, e poscia in Catania dove vi erano a quei tempi varie Accademie, e dove si avevano riguardi per gli uomini di lettere. Dopo aver poetato in latino, ed in italiano con successo, si innoltrò nello studio dell' Archeologia sicula, ed in quello della Diplomazia, e peritissimo addivenne nella lettura dei vecchi, ed antichi manoscritti, di cui ne fece dovizioso acquisto. I suoi meriti gli procurarono dei Mecenati, e dei Protettori; uno di questi fu il Principe di Butera, ed appo lui il suo fratello Principe di Leonforti, ed il Duca di Mont'Albano, che non solo lo tennero scevro d'ogni bisogno, ed anzi negli agj, ma somme gli somministrarono, per acquistare manoscritti, e far viaggi ad illustrare la Sicilia.
Morì in Messina di 76 anni l'anno 1647. Le sue poesie furono stampate al 1610. - Variorum Epigrammaticum Libros tres. Panormi typis Erasmi de Simeone - ed in Venezia presso il Ciotto nel 1612. Pubblicò la curiosa opera: Del gioco degli scacchi,
distinto in otto libri, ne' quali s'insegnano i precetti, le uscite, e i tratti posticci del gioco, e si discorre della vera origine di esso; quale opera fu stampata in Militello, dove i Principi di Butera vi avevano fatto venire la stamperia di Giovanni Rosso. Militelli presso Giovanni Rosso 1617 in 4.°. Ma l'opera grande del Carrera, e sopra di cui ci conviene intrattenerci alquanto, sono le memorie istoriche della Città di Catania
vol. 2. Quest'opera lo dichiarò l'Avvocato scrittore di Catania. Nel primo tomo diviso in quattro libri si discorre dell'antica origine, e sito di essa, degli edificj, pertinenze, inscrizioni, medaglie, ed avvertimenti insino al tempo di Cristo N.S. Vi si aggiungano ancora le epistole di Diodoro con le annotazioni al medesimo di D. Pietro Carrera stampate in Catania nel 1639. Il secondo volume diviso anche in quattro libri discorre della vita, traslazione, miracoli, ed altre pertinenze della gloriosa S. Agata, a cui per fine s'intesse una variata ghirlanda di poetici fiori, stampato al 1641. Quest' opera è stata da alcuni encomiata, da altri vilipesa; i primi mettono al cielo l'autore per la sua vasta erudizione, i secondi l'accusano di mancanza di critica, di falsità, di credulità, e di disordine. In tale stato di cose io credo potersi prendere la via di mezzo, e giudicando con imparzialità di detta opera si dee convenire, che vi regna molta erudizione e molto più nel primo tomo; si dee convenire, che l'Autore si fatica con profitto per darci notizie de' più antichi tempj di Catania, come quello di Giove, di Minerva, di Anfinomo, ed Anapi, della Luna, di Plutone, di Cibele, del Pantheon, di Vulcano, di Esculapio, di Marte, di Bacco: Questa erudizione pur si ammira, quando parla dell'anfiteatro, della Naumachia, del Circo massimo, del Ginnasio, delle Terme, degli archi, delle statue dell'antica Catania. ec. Ma somma credulità e mancanza di critica mostra parlando della regia di Cocolo re di Sicilia, dando credito alla favola dello spirito, travestito in donna greca, che si dice essere stata sita nelle terre di Lorenzo, standosene al rapporto del favoloso Arcangelo. Mancanza di critica mostra nell'interpretare bizzarramente, le varie iscrizioni, e medaglie, come già osservò il dotto Terremuzza; puerilità somma nel 4. libro del detto tomo, ove fa ricoverar Noe sul monte Etna; pretende che i Siciliani, e particolarmente i Catanesi furono con Bacco alla spedizione dell'Indie; fa inventare la vite, il vino, e l'olio in Sicilia, e simili cose di favola, e da far ridere anche i più creduli, e di buona fede. E che non dice di meraviglioso e di straordinario dell'Etna? In somma si può conchider, che sebbene vi regni nell'opera somma erudizione, per cui merita lode, non vi è nessuna critica, per cui merita biasmo. L'epistole di Diodoro Siculo sono quelle tradotte dal greco in latino dal Cardinal Niceno Bessarione, e dal latino in italiano d' Ottavio d'Arcangelo.
Nomi di autori non esenti della taccia di mentitori. Per dare un'idea di queste lettere ecco una dio Gerone re di Siracusa ai Catanesi - "Non me ne curo purchè da quell'umido io cavi la mia sete, dal salso la mia salute, e dall'oscuro il mio splendore"
Un'altra opera di fatica, ma non scevra né anco di favoloso, e di inverosimile, è l'antichità di Scicli anticamente Casmena, stampata in Messina presso Pietro Brea. 1643. Alcuni pure lo fanno Autore della Siracusa antica, che va sotto il nome di Bonanno. Il Mongitore crede, che l'opera del Bonanno non sia interamente del Carrera, ma in parte. Anche stampato separatamente fu in Catania, il mongibello in tre libri, nel quale oltre diverse notizie si spiega l'istoria degli incendj, e le cagioni di quelli. Catanae 1636. in 4.° Si ha pure un egloga: Zizza idillio pastorale, Messina 1623. Lasciò poi varie opere manoscritte, alcune delle quali sembrano interessanti pei titoli che portano, come gli Annali di Sicilia; le chiarezze istoriche di Sicilia; il Sicilianismo, l'istoria di Militello ec. In somma negar non si saprebbe, che Carrera fu un uomo di sommo studio, che faticò ad illustrare la Patria, e principalmente la Città di Catania, ma che fu senza sana critica, e filosofia, per cui adottò non pochi favolosi conti.
G.E. Ortolani
Ecco il titolo della maggior parte delle opere
Risposta in difesa di D. Pietro Carrera contro l' apologia di Alessandro Salvio. Catania presso Giovanni Rosso 1635. in 4.°
I tre libri delle Epistole di S. Tomaso Meneada Conte di Adernò tradotte dalla lingua latina nell'italiana.
Militello presso Giovanni Rosso 1620. in 16.
Annotazioni, e dichiarazioni sopra dette Epistole. Militello presso Giovanni Rosso e Francesco Petrone 1622 in 16.
Della famiglia Tedeschi libri tre. Catania presso il Rosso 1642. in 4.°
Discorso sopra l'antichità di Scicli anticamente chiamata Casmena, seconda Colonia Siracusana descritta da f. D. Mariano Perello. Catania presso il Rosso 1641.
Risposta, e censura contro le opposizioni di F. D. Mariano Perello. Messina presso Giacomo Matteo 1643. in 8.°
Il Bonanni, dialogo. Messina presso Pietro Brea, nel 1625.
Pessopedia latinis carminibus expressa, nempe de ludo latrunculorum.
Vigintimilliades Poema in uatalitiis Ioannis Illustris Marchionis Hieracis.
Buccolica sive Ravaausa Poerma.
Istoria di Militello nel Val di Noto di Sicilia.
Il Nostro autore è lodato da:
Rocco Pirro lib. 2 Sicil. Sacrae pag. 460. in not. Ecclesiae Siracusanae pag. 251. et not. Eccl. Mazar. Pag. 544 da Mario Tortello nel libro titolato Madrigali.
Da Giovanni Ventimiglia nei poeti Siculi cap. 10 p. 83
Da G. B. de Grossis nel decacordo cat. to. 1.
Da Labbeo nella biblioteca nummaria p. 1.
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Charles Tomlinson
"Amusements in Chess"
London 1845
Don Pietro Carrera, of Militello, in Sicily, was the next chess writer of importance. His work appeared in 1617, a quarto, of six hundred pages, containing an account of chess and chess-players, a description of the pieces, and a number of games. Among his rules or cautions for playing, the following are distinguished both by oddness and sagacity: -
"He who plays most not have his mind occupied elsewhere, perhaps in things of importance, because, without doubt, he will then be the loser.
"Whoever is to play an important game must avoid filling his belly with superfluous food, because fulness is contrary to speculation, and offuscates the sight, so that it is necessary he should observe strict sobriety. Those people are praiseworthy, who, previous to playing, clear their head by medicines which have the virtue of rendering the spirits pure and subtile, by which means they may enter into the consideration and acuteness of the moves, with the greater intension."
Carrera invented two new pieces, to be added to the eight original chess-men. That which he calls Campione was placed between the king's knight and castle: its move is both that of the castle and of the knight. The other, named Centaur, between the queen's knight and castle has the move of the bishop and knight united. Each of these pieces has its pawn, and, of course, the board must contain two more squares on each side, which will augment their number to eighty. This invention appears to have died with the inventor. Carrera was the author of works on divers other subjects, and is said to have been more versed in Sicilian antiquities than in chess. We may here quote a portion of his recommendatory chapter on chess; he says:-
"I do not deny that the tune which is spent in playing, might be better spent in holy and praiseworthy works, but hnman weakness does not permit us to find ease in the constant practice of virtue; so we are easily inclined to pleasures, to vanities, and to vices; and in order not to be led into them and offend the Creator, we ehoose to apply ourselves to exercises of the body and mind. Whence, that youth who employs himself at chess, though he may have played all day, will have gained thus much, that he has not played at dice, and that he has eschewed idleness, which ahounds in sins. As to remaining with the eyes fixed on the chess-board, it not only does not cause fatigue, but, on the contrary, great delight, and those who imagine it tires the intellect, are greatly mistaken, the solace and food of our mind being speculation; for the truth of which I appeal to those, who, being passionately fond of study, remain for many hours without lifting their eyes off their books."
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William Lewis
"Letters on chess"
London 1848
LETTER X.
Dear N.
I proceed to the examination of Carrera's scarce work, entitled, "II Gioco degli Scacchi di D. Pietro Carrera, diviso in otto Libri, &c. In Militello, M.DC.XVII."
It is a quarto volume of 556 pages, exclusive of the table of contents, and divided into eight books. In the first he endeavours to prove that Palamedes was the inventor of the game, I need scarcely add with little success: he discourses largely on the excellence and use of the game; instances several whose knowledge of the game had materially benefited them, for in those days princes and nobles patronized Chess.
The most entertaining part of this book is the twelfth chapter, in which he gives an account of the Chess players of his own time, and particularly of Paolo Boi, of whom he speaks in the highest terms; you will be amused by reading the account of these players.
The second book treats of the Chess board and men, their movements, value, &c., and gives several ends of drawn games, such as King againt King and Pawn, Book against Bishop, &c.; they are generally correct.
In the third book he speaks of the several pieces that can, either alone or combined, checkmate the adverse King; he states that Hook and Bishop can win against the Hook, but does not give any examples to prove it; he also gives a great number of positions in which a Pawn can checkmate when accompanied by one or more pieces: this part of the book is useful and new.
The fourth book contains the laws of the game, and general rules and remarks; in one of which he recommends one not to play if one's stomach be overloaded, and approves of the practice of those who take medicine in order to clear the brain before they play. Carrera then mentions the various odds given, such as to checkmate on a particular square; to win with a marked piece or Pawn, or with any Pawn; playing with King and Pawns only, but having two moves each time, against all the adverse pieces and Pawns; giving the King or Queen the Knight's move in addition to their own, &c. &c. He does not give any games with these odds, but states to what they are equivalent. He closes this book with the odds of the " castled King," with remarks, and several specimens which are well played.
The fifth book opens with examples of the odds of the Knight for the move; he thinks it superfluous to give any examples of the odds of a Bishop. It is curious that one never sees the odds of a Bishop given; what is the reason? Is it because the Bishop is thought somewhat superior to the Knight? There are four games at these odds, which have, however, nothing particularly interesting in them. Afber these, Carrera says a few words respecting the odds of a Knight for two or three moves, and afterwards gives a couple of examples of the odds of a Knight for the Pawn and move, and also for the Pawn only; these I pass over, as well as those in which the Pawn is given for two moves. Next we have several examples of the odds of the Pawn and move: the first game, which has several variations, is very badly opened by the second player; the second and third games are partly copied from Salvio, but are not continued with the skill of that admirable player ; the fourth game is entirely from Salvio ; the fifth and sixth have nothing much to recommend them. A few examples are then given of the odds of the Pawn for the move, and also one of the Pawns for two moves; then are given the odds of the Pawn and two moves: all of these I pass over as not being worthy your notice. A chapter is now devoted to the consideration of the odds of the Queen's, Bishop's, and the other Pawns; and then a few examples are given of the odds of the first three moves and the first two moves, which would be worth looking at if these odds were given in the present day.
The sixth book treats of even games, and is divided into four openings, which are begun by the first player moving K. P. two squares, Q. P. two squares, K. B. P. two squares, or Q. B. P. two squares. The first game of the first opening is the Gomito from Lucena; there are several variations, in two ofwhich he overlooks an immediate checkmate. The next games, including the fifth, have nothing original to recommend them ; they are copied from Damiano and Lopez. The sixth game is a King's Gambit from Salvio. The seventh game is well played, the following are the moves :-
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White.
1. K. P. two sq.
2. K. B. P. two sq.
3. K. Kt. to B. third.
4. K. E. P. two sq.
5. K. Kt. to K. fifth.
6. K. B. to Q. B. fourth.
7. Q. P. two sq.
8. K. Kt. to Q. third.
9. P. takes P.
10. P. takes P.
11. Q. to Q. second.
12. K. to K. B. sq.
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Black.
K. P. two sq.
K. P. takes P.
K. Kt. P. two sq.
K. Kt. P. one sq.
K. E. P. two sq.
K. Kt. to E. third.
Q. P. one sq.
P. to K. B. sixth.
K. B. to K. second.
Q. B. takes P.
K. B. takes P. ch.
K. B. to K. Kt. sixth,
and has the best of the game.
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The next games, including the eleventh, are King's Gambits, in which I cannot discover any thing original and good; on the contrary, there are several errors in them which have been pointed out by Salvio. "With regard to the King's Gambits, Carrera states his opinion that, if the two players be skilful, the sacrifice of the Pawn should not be risked, but he confesses that the game is intricate and difficult; and, in the twelfth game, he shows that the second player may with propriety refuse taking K. B. Pawn. In the next two games the first player begins with K. P. two squares, and his adversary plays in the one Q. P. two squares, in the other Q. B. P. two squares, neither of them interesting.
In the second opening each party begins with Q. P. two squares, and Q. B. to K. B. fourth, on which I have nothing to remark. The next five games are Queen's Gambits, in most of which he defends the Gambit Pawn. There are many errors, in these games, and but little that is new and good.
The third method of opening the game is hardly worthy your notice; the first begins with K. B. P. two squares, and the second player answers it with Q. P. two squares; of this uncommon opening there are three games.
Carrera gives merely a slight notice of the fourth opening, beginning thus:-
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White.
1. Q. B. P. two squares.
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Black.
K. P. two sq.; or,
K. B. P. two sq.; or,
Q. B. P. two sq.; or,
Q. P. two. sq.
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The seventh book contains several positions or ends of games to be won or drawn; these are mostly taken from Lucena and Salvio.
The eighth and concluding book contains a notice of those pieces and pawns which are unable, for want of sufficient power, to checkmate; some account of tho art of playing without seeing the board; and a notice of a supposed improvement in the game by the addition of two new pieces, which has had the fate of all other supposed improvements, namely, to be laid aside and forgotten.
One cannot place Carrera high among the writers on Chess, there are many errors in his games and but little invention: some parts, however, may be examined with advantage; and others, if not very instructive, are at least amusing.
Believe me, Tours sincerely.
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Jules Arnous de Rivière, Duncan Forbes
"Nuovo manuale illustrato del giuoco degli scacchi: leggi e principi ..."
Trieste 1861
Il più importante autore che succeda a Salvio è Don Carrera Siciliano d'origine. La sua laboriosa compilazione (in-4. di 600 pagine) comparve nel 1617. Consiste in una storia degli Scacchi e dei giuocatori di Scacchi, nella descrizione dei pezzi, delle partite a vantaggio, di quelle al pari, delle finali di partite, nonché in una quantità di regole e consigli sul modo di giuocare; ma non si può collocare Carrera in cima agli autori sul giuoco di Scacchi, perché riscontransi molti errori e poca invenzione nelle sue partite: nonpertanto, certi passaggi, si meritano un esame; altri, se non sono molto istruttivi, sono però assai dilettosi
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Chess Archeology 
