Checkmate: the impressive history of chess -

The recent success of the Netflix miniseries 'The Queen's Gambit' brought into the spotlight a game that often sits in the shadows: chess. Dating back to the 6th century CE, chess has a rich history, and is a game that over the years has taken on political, social, and cultural importance.

Intrigued? Check out this gallery to learn all about the history of chess!

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Early beginnings -

While the exact origins of chess remain uncertain, most historians accept that the game had its beginnings as early as the 6th century.

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Early beginnings - Game pieces that were previously regarded as dating back to a pre-6th century chess game are now regarded as coming from a similar but distinct board game.

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Early beginnings - It is commonly accepted that the earliest precursor to chess as we know it today originated in India during the time of the Gupta Empire.

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How it came about - Legend has it that when the youngest prince of the empire died in battle, his brother wanted to illustrate to their mother how her youngest son had died.

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How it came about - He chose to re-enact the scene of his brother's unfortunate death on an 8 x 8 board, called an ashtapada, which was used for other past times.

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How it came about - And thus the game of chess was born. The original game had two key features: different rules for difference pieces, and a key piece whose fate determined the outcome.

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Terminology - During this time the game was called chaturanga, meaning "four divisions." When the game was transported to Persia, it took on new terminology.

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Terminology - In Persia, players used the terms shah, meaning "King," and shah mat, meaning "the King is helpless." The exclamations traveled with the game to other countries.

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Worldwide spread - After the 7th-century Islamic conquest of Persia, which led to the fall of the Sasanian Empire and the rise of Islam, chess became known to the Arab world.

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Worldwide spread - During the medieval period, Silk Road traders transported the game to East and Southeast Asia. Many different variants of the game then sprung up.

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Chinese version - The Chinese version of the game was influenced by the native game go, and pieces were placed at the intersection of the squares rather than in the middle.

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Japanese version - The Japanese version of the game, shogi, had the distinguishing feature that pieces captured by one player could be used against the opponent.

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European version - However, it was in Europe that the game developed into the game we know and love today. By 1000 CE it was a staple of courtly education.

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European version - During this period, chess pieces began to take on new forms as they were seen as an allegory for people of different social classes performing their different functions.

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The Church and chess - The Church, however, was disapproving of games in general, and chess in particular was banned by political and religious leaders time and again.

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The Church and chess -

The most memorable prohibition happened in France in 1524, when chess was banned by King Louis IX, who called it a "useless and boring game."

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Introduction of the Queen -

Despite being banned repeatedly, chess remained popular, and with the introduction of the Queen piece towards the end of the 15th century, it became more popular still.

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Introduction of the Queen - This is because the Queen was a more powerful piece, whose introduction increased the pace and drama of the game.

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Introduction of the Queen - When the Queen was introduced, a number of other rules were popularized and records of common openings and end games began to proliferate.

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Romantic chess - During the Enlightenment era, chess was played more and more often in coffee houses and was seen as a way for players to express their creativity.

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Romantic chess -

The type of chess played during this period is referred to as “Romantic chess,” as it was characterized by bold, dramatic moves.

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Competitive chess - The era of Romantic chess lasted until around the 1880s, when it was replaced by more strategic play due to the emergence of formalized, competitive chess.

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Competitive chess - With the advent of the international chess tournament, the game became geo-political. During the Cold War, the Soviet Union invested a lot in its competitive chess players.

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Competitive chess - For a long time Soviet players reigned supreme, but they were knocked off the top spot in 1997 when for the first time a computer beat the world champion.

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Computerized chess -

An IBM computer called Deep Blue beat Soviet player Garry Kasparov in a game that signaled the arrival of the era of computer domination.

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Computerized chess -

Since that day computer analysis has been hugely important in chess theory and it is very important to human players during the preparation stages.

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Chess today - Into the 21st century chess remains a very popular pastime. In 2015, a survey estimated that 605 million adults were regular chess players.

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Chess in popular culture - The association with genius and the fascination with the game has also made it a favorite in popular culture, and chess forms the basis for a slew of successful films and TV series.

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Chess in popular culture - The 2016 film ‘Queen of Katwe’ depicts the life of Phiona Mutesi, a girl from a Kampala slum who learns to play chess and becomes a Woman Candidate Master.

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Chess in popular culture -

The 2020 Netflix original ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ tells the fictional story of an orphaned chess genius and her many obstacles.

Sources: (TED) (Britannica)

See also: Since when do we play board games?

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