Uncovering the Mysteries Behind the Early Game of Chess
If we will peek at the complex history of chess, we can see that its history is covered by many mysteries that must be identified or unveiled. Having a background on the origins of chess is a great factor that will enhance the desire of players and aspirants to continue exploring the truths behind this enchanting game. Revealing the history of chess needs a lot of time and effort. It is better to explore the game's origin step by step. Hence, starting with the early game of chess is the best move that researchers and historians can do to effectively know its history.
The early game of chess covers the time of its development until the 13th century. The master behind the game's invention is a great part in this era. It is also important to know the different board games wherein chess is patterned after. The inception of chess in early civilizations is another subject that must be explored to successfully identify the early game of chess.
Supported by evidences discovered by archaeologists, chess is proven by historians to be developed by a great man in India. Even if the inventor of chess is hard to identify, early people was inspired with a myth about how the developer of the game became rich through the creation of chess board. The myth also gave them the notion that being knowledgeable about the game can be a good source of money.
Chaturanga is the Indian board game wherein chess is patterned. The name of the game literally means military's four divisions which are the chariots, elephants, cavalry and infantry. The divisions are represented in a chess board through the pieces known as pawn, horse, bishop and rook.
When the game is adapted by the Persian civilization, chaturanga is known as shatranj. Since shatranj takes the Muslim world as its ancestor, the pieces used in chaturanga adapted Persian names. Shatranj was brought in Europe in the 9th century. The game shared the limelight in the gaming industry with other board games like backgammon in the 13th century.
There are other theories that surround the history of chess. Some historians propose that the early civilizations in China be the place where the game is first introduced. However, most data and evidences recovered by experts point in the direction of India as the civilization where the game originated.
The history of chess does not end in its development. The succeeding years showed how the game was adapted in other nations and how chess tournaments turned into a worldwide phenomenon. The automation of the game is also an important leap in the chess history so it is better that we explore the other eras that affected its fame.