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!