 |  | Welcome young squire! Chess has been a favorite game throughout the ages. In this section you will learn the true origins of this marvelous game. From India to the USA, chess has weaved its way into the lives of many people. Sit back, strap yourself in, and take a trip back in time to discover how this game began! Seek knowledge, young apprentice! |
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The History of Chess |
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The exact date of the game of Chess is still unknown. A popular theory states that the game was invented around the year 1000 B.C. by an Indian Mathematician. Some historians disagree saying that Chess dates back 3000 years based on archeological findings in Iraq, Egypt, and India. Since Chess was first mentioned in literature in the year 570 A.D., that's when most historians date its conception. In 600 A.D. in a Persian poem, Chess was first mentioned. In a book dated in 650-650, Chess was introduced to Persia from India, and the game was described in great detail including Chess terms. In Persia in the 10th century, the poet Firdousi often mentioned Chess in many of his writings. He called the game a "gift" and depicted the game as a great battle between two armies. Later, Chess was brought to the West by the Muslims. It went from Indo Persia, to Arabia, then to Europe. The Moors then introduced Spain to the game of Chess. In the 10th and 11th centuries, Chess came to Germany and then spread to Italy and England. In this same time period, Chess was introduced to Scandinavia, and it reached Bohemia. An archeologist in Navgorod, Russia discovered Chess pieces made in Muslim abstracts resulting in the discovery that Chess originated in the East before reaching Europe. Even now, Russian Chess pieces show Arabic and Persian origins, and in Russian poems Chess is mentioned as being a very popular game. Present day European Chess was brought to Russia by Italy through Poland. For a while, Chess was forbidden in Europe because the Christian Church believed it to be a form of both paganism and gambling. When Chess was first invented, it was a four-sided game, and there were four sets of pieces. This same game, Shatrang, is still played in many parts of the world. The four sides were said to represent the four elements: earth, air, wind, and fire or the four seasons. It is said that the Arab Moslems have had the most influence on the game of Chess. They developed the blindfold play, tournaments, Chess puzzles, and even wrote books on the game. After Chess was introduced in Europe, there were many different manuscripts written on the subject. Even though the game of Chess was introduced a long time ago, it has been a very well-preserved game and remains popular. |
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