Saturday, 3 November 2012

Know Where Did Chess Originate

By Tonia Michael


Chess is possibly the most celebrated intellectual board game in the entire world. It is in this game in which the use of mental strategy is put to the ultimate test. Furthermore, it is one of the games in which possibilities of openings are endless. Though it is widely celebrated, not many people know where did chess originate. Knowing the history of the game helps future enthusiasts to have a better understanding of such challenging mind sport.

Chaturanga is the ancient Indian board game that started it all. Chaturanga is known to be the predecessor of such game. It was created during the sixth century in northern India. When Islamic migration took place in Persia, Chaturanga was later renamed to Chatrang, and was developed further. When Muslim folk began to take avid interest in the game, it was again renamed to Shatranj.

During the period of Chaturanga, certain formations were established, particularly that of the king and queen, respectively. Moreover, the pawn had the privilege of promotion, specifically to queen, when it advanced a rank, particularly to eight. In Chaturanga, the king and queen were positioned opposite each other.

As migration continued, the game that originated in South Asia eventually made its way to European territory. It was in Europe wherein the game gradually became celebrated. Many people took the time to set specific rules and make significant changes. A significant change proves to be the alteration of formations, especially the queen and bishop. Today, such position for the two is followed. Pawn promotion was also considered to be a primary tactic capable of changing the game immensely.

As modernization set in, the greatly challenging and celebrated board game became known as Chess. Ultimately, it was played in a competitive context during the middle of the nineteenth century. Clubs and groups were gradually formed, and numerous journals and textbooks that covered the game, its origin and rules were published. Professional tournaments also prominently took place.

The first professional tournament was held in London. A player hailing from Germany became the winner of the very first professional tournament. The game evolved into a sport wherein adult males dominated. However, women and even children came to take interest in the sport and even took part in tournaments themselves. Child prodigies even saw the limelight after wiping out adult opponents.

Over time, developments on the sport stopped surfacing. Hence today, it is played as it is. The sport is celebrated all over the world. Although international tournaments are common, as well as national, academic settings of the sport are also popular.

Learning how to play the sport is relatively easy. There are no special skills needed, as all you need to have is a sound mind that is quick in making strategies. Reading about the basics of the sport proves to be ideal in playing the game efficiently, especially when you are a beginner.

Comprehending the facts on where did chess originate allows any person, especially beginners, to be fascinated with and eventually take interest in the intellectual board game. Knowing its origin will allow you to develop a thorough understanding of how the game works. Furthermore, it will also enable you to comprehend the rules.




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