How this challenging game has captivated minds for centuries

WORDS AILSA HARVEY

Chess is a sport, board game and a battle of brains. Although the core concept is simple – capture the opponent’s king and declare ‘checkmate’ – the strategy and planning that take place as a game unfolds make for an intense, cognitive challenge. Nobody knows exactly who invented chess, but the earliest origins of the game can be traced back to India, China and Persia over the course of 15 centuries. Chess was eventually introduced to Europe some time before 1,000 CE, partly due to the travelling of merchants. As people voyaged over long distances for trade, many would take chess sets with them to occupy themselves. Some impressive carved chess pieces produced in different regions of the world were transported overseas, and thus interest in and knowledge of the game grew.

In Europe during the Middle Ages, chess became so popular that individuals regarded as upper class were expected to know the rules of chess, with techniques being passed down to new generations. Meanwhile, Arabic countries still played a similar game called Shatranj, parts of which chess evolved from. The organised international chess competitions that are popular today only started in the 19th century. Of the many varieties of the game, a single set of rules was decided upon. These continue to change slightly over time, with the latest rule change taking place in 2014. The International Chess Federation works to make this lasting, cultural game a fair and modern sport.