Chess
The history of Chess
Chess originated in India around 7th century AD (around 1400 years ago). The game was then called Chaturanga – chatur meaning four and anga meaning parts. The game comprised the four parts of the army: elephants, horses, chariots and foot soldiers besides the king and his mantri (minister).
The game was in fact a battle-plan drawn on a smaller scale, to find out ways and means of outsmarting the enemy.
How was it played?
In the game, one side of the army had to knock out or capture the opponent’s pieces from the board until the king was captured or ‘checked’, that is, made immobile. The player who ‘checked’ the opponent king’s movements won the game. It is stilled played the same way.
How did it get to be called chess?
From India, soldiers and merchants took the game to Persia (present day Iran) around 600 A.D. where it came to be called Shatranj. At the same time travellers took the game to China where it was played in a modified form called Xianqui. The Japanese, when they came to know of it, called it Shogi.
The Crusaders from Europe who came to fight the Holy Wars in Palestine against the Muslim Saladdin in the 12-13th century took the game to Europe. They called it ‘chess’ from the Old French word ‘echec’ meaning ‘check’.