This volume serves as a comprehensive historical record of chess development by documenting over 4,000 games played between 1485 and 1866. David Levy, a noted chess master and author, compiles these records to provide a primary source archive for researchers and enthusiasts. The text utilizes algebraic notation to standardize the presentation of historical matches, allowing for a clear analysis of evolving strategies and opening theories during the formative centuries of the game.

Chess historians and serious players regard this encyclopedia as a foundational reference for studying the evolution of classical chess play. Readers frequently note the high density of technical data, which makes the text more suitable for research and study than for casual reading.