The Most Beautiful Game

The History of Chess – Part 1:

Why Chess?

I often must remind myself that my favorite pastime, a two-dimensional, 64-square board game, isn’t just a passion of mine, but an obsession of the world. Chess as a form of entertainment is incredibly unique. It bridges generations, spans diverse cultures, and has no need for a common tongue. Chess only depends on the concrete communication of piece movements. Some estimate that approximately 8% of the world plays chess regularly. The game appears in over 150 countries, is played by children to elders, and is distinctively treasured by all. Chess is, without a doubt, the most beautiful game in the world.

But what do we know about the history of this great game? Chess is estimated to have been created over 1500 years ago. To give some perspective, our beloved capitalistic board game monopoly has only been around for 90 years. With the rise and fall of so many empires in the last 15 centuries, undoubtedly, some information about our beloved game has been lost. So, what can we say we know for sure about the origins of chess? How did the game spread to all the corners of the earth? What rules changed? What has stayed the same? All of these questions fascinate me, and I intend to do a deep an average dive to examine all aspects of chess history. So, stay with me and we will become chess historians together.

Next time, we will be discussing the fabled origins of chess!