Checkers and Chaturanga: Bases for the Development of Chinese Chess

The adaptation of chess in the various parts of the world is a good manifestation that the game has instantly gained popularity. Being a challenging board game, chess was able to attract the attention of many smart players whether it involves the element of gambling or not. Most chess masters came from European and Russian nations. However, we must also know that there are also Asian people who became successful players.

Exploring the history of chess in East Asia is not hard. This is for the reason that the evolution of chess in other regions like India and the Middle East affect the game's inception in East Asia. There are also important personalities that contributed to the development of chess in the region. By knowing the origin of the game in East Asia, players will realize how ordinary people allot time to enhance the mechanics of chess.

Chinese chess is the first form of the board game that is played in the region. Historians agree that the rules of Chinese chess are also based or patterned after the rules in playing chaturanga, an early form of chess that was developed in the ancient civilizations in India. However, if we have a closer look, Chinese chess is not just based on chaturanga but also in checkers.

The pieces in Chinese chess are similar with the pieces used in checkers. Archaeologists uncover evidences which will support historians' knowledge that Chinese chess pieces are flat. Checkers and Chinese chess are also the same in the sense that the pieces are not located in the squares but in the intersections of the square's lines.

Through time, Chinese chess made its way to the hearts of East Asian people. Variations of the game are created and adapted in other Asian nations like Korea and Japan. Shogi is a Chinese chess variant that is prominent in the early civilizations in Japan. It is slightly different from the traditional game of chess because it allows players to use the pieces that they have captivated. In addition, pawns in shogi are allowed to capture their opponents by moving one square forward.

There are other theories that surround the evolution of chess in East Asia but the theory discussed in this article is the most popular of all. In this manner, players are encouraged to explore the different theories behind the development of the game to weigh which of them are more factual and believable. Exploring the history of chess in the other parts of the world is essential to improve the continuous popularization of the board game.