Chess

The Game of Chess explained...

Chess, the common name for what has is known variously throughout the world as Western, Modern or International Chess.

The origin of Chess is to be found in a game called Chaturanga first played in Northern India during the 5th century. This makes it one of the youngest of the Chess games family most of whom have origins many hundreds or even thousands of years BC. The board was set up for four players and each moved in turn depending upon the throw of a dice. As the years went by the dice were discarded. The game was then arranged for two players and the result was a game that moved from a mixture of chance and skill to one which became a test of skill only.

The pieces used in Chess have remained much the same since the game was for four players, and this explains why a player today has two each of the Bishops, Knights and Rooks. In the original game the pieces used were symbols of the four divisions that comprise an army (at least it did in those days) – chariots, elephants, horsemen and foot soldiers.

Ambassadors and traders took the game firstly to Persia, then following the Arab invasion of that country, to North Africa. Before long traders had taken it to Italy, and the invasion of Spain by the Moors paved the way for Chess to travel north into Europe. Not until the 11th century invasion of England by the Normans did Chess reach the English Court and it soon became popular among the upper classes.

With the advent of the Renaissance came certain changes in the rules of the game and modern Chess was born. It had been usual for Pawns to move forward one square at a time but now it was agreed that any Pawn being moved for the first time could leap forward two squares. The chief change was the rule governing the movement of the Queen; she now had new powers conferred upon her and could be moved as far across the board as the player wished and could move in any direction. The only other changes came much later and related to a special move called castling.

The modern rules have been set out by F.I.D.E., the International Chess Federation.

Chess does have a reputation for being very difficult to learn and play and is widely thought of as a pastime for intellectuals. This is not the case, as is clear when one considers how many children of six or seven years old play the game and how many Chess clubs have developed within schools - there are few secondary levels schools today who do not have a signifciant quantity of sets made up of various boards and pieces and some even have timers. It is true to say that some patience is needed in learning the moves and in understanding the notation but this is soon rewarded when one starts to play the game.

Another outstanding feature of Chess today is the range of different types of boards and pieces available - sets are designed based on historical events, stories from literature, childrens characters and even films and television programs. Clocks or timers, previously only associated with tournament play, are now being used in private games to add a little extra drama to the play.