ABSTRACT

Wilhelm Steinitz, the first official world champion in modern chess, used to say: ‘You do not lose because of the inspired play of your opponent, but because you make mistakes.’ 1 According to this line of thought, ShamiPs and the mountaineers’ ability to resist the Russians for more than a quarter of a century was at least partly, the result of their opponents’ mistakes. In many cases the Russians resembled the Austrians facing Napoleon in his ItAlīan campaign:

Even if the Austrians win a battle, Alī that is necessary is to wait until their routine obliges them to return to their quarters for afternoon tea, so to speak, and win it back from them. 2