More on the Origins of Chess

Now we come to the court, where the most powerful and important pieces are. The queen is, unquestionably, the game's most powerful piece, symbolizing the fact that queens in medieval Europe often pulled the strings behind the scenes, at once protecting, yet at the same time, manipulating the king and the court so as to keep their own power (and lives) intact. And finally, the king--the game's single most important piece and the root of all power, since if the king is check-mated, the player loses--symbolically, the player's kingdom has fallen, as his king has lost all of his power.

So, enjoy the historically-rich game of chess and be mindful of the great history before you, as you play on a classic wooden chess set or with an electronic chess game!

The History of Chess

Whether you engage in the game of kings on a wooden chess set or by using an electronic chess device, chess is rich with history. Chess most likely began in the Indus Valley with the game of Chaturanga, which means "four parts," because two to four people played it. Players started with fewer pieces than players of today's modern chess game do. With Chaturanga, in place of rooks they used chariots, or even ships, and the king could move two squares at a time. But this ancient game was definitely similar to present day chess, and most gaming historians believe it is the precursor to the game of chess.

The Origins of Chess

The Arabs would have learned chess from the Persians and eventually introduced the game to the Europeans, with whom they were battling, and whose lands they sometimes occupied. Unfamiliar with Persian names and courtly customs, the Europeans renamed the pieces to reflect their own European society. So, even in today's modern game of chess, whether it is played on a traditional wooden chess board or using a 21st century electronic chess device, we are actually playing a game of European medieval history.

In chess, the pawns are serfs. These serfs outnumbered the nobility and clergy in medieval Europe in the same way that pawns outnumber all other pieces on the chess board, and they were considered the nobility's property. While the nobles were actually supposed to safeguard the serfs, they often got caught up in their own petty wars and intrigues. The fact is, serfs were often made to fight along with the nobles--but unfortunately, were often sacrificed to the enemy in order to protect the regular army and nobles. The use of pawns in chess today actually imitates this medieval scenario-as pawns are primarily considered blockers and sacrifices to capture the more powerful game pieces.

At the beginning of a chess game, each player has a rook or castle. These were protective safe havens in medieval times. Set up next to the rooks, one on each side of the board as well, are the knights. The knights were, basically, soldiers and lived in castles, and of course they were mounted (typically) and thus with their horses they could make leaps or end-runs around others. Knights were often landed barons and were the primary defenders of serfs and commoners. Chess strategies of advanced players put knights into action very early , sometimes even opening the game with a knight's move. As we move in closer to the royal court (the king and queen) we find them flanked by two bishops. The bishops have a great amount of power in chess and their power and positioning on the board represent the great power of the medieval Church, which often got involved with the secular royal court. Chess players sometimes dispute whether the knights or the bishops are truly more powerful in the game. The diagonal-only movement of the bishops likely represents the indirect political machinations of the medieval Church.