Chess Sets Online: History And Some Interesting Facts About Chess

By Cody Watson, http://ezinemark.com/u/cody-watson/30066187/

Chess is the abbreviated term of Chariot Horses Elephant Soldiers Save. Though the game has been played on for such a long time, the traditional pieces have remained unchanged right from the sixth century. Ultimately, the king, queen, bishop, rook, knight, and the pawn still remain in the game! However, players over the years have brought about a few changes to increase the pace of the game. For instance, the First Move Order (FMO) wherein the pawn moves two steps (instead of one) has been a welcome change for the game. However, the origin of chess is quite unclear.

Printings in David Li’s book, “Genealogy of Chess” indicates that chess was formulated in China in the 2nd century B.C. Nevertheless, there are acceptable indications in literatures that chess was being played in the 7th century. An Old Persian poem mentions that chess was first played in India before being migrated over to Persia during the period of King Chosroe-I Annshiravan in the 6th century. The Persian book penned during the sixth century has also mentioned in detail about some of the popular chess terminologies and the pieces that are identical to the ones being used today. The world-famous Forbes in its edition, Forbes, History of Chess, 1860 has mentioned that chess was invented about 4000-5000 years ago by the wife of King Ravana in Ceylon (Sri Lanka).

Moving away from history, today Chess has gained an International appeal as it is evident from the fact that it is being played by 149 countries registered in FIDE (Federation International e des Echecs), the world chess federation.

For ardent lovers of the game, I have compiled a few interesting facts about chess that you probably didn’t know about.

You would have played some long chess games in your career but how long were they? 50, 60 moves? Don’t be surprised if I say the longest recorded game of chess was played between I.Nikolic and Arsovi in Belgrade in 1989. The match that tamely ended in a draw lasted for about 269 moves! And theoretically a chess game can be played in as many as 5949 moves.

The word “Checkmate” is originally derived from the Persian phrase "Shah Mat," which means “the King is dead”. Over the years, chess experts have programmed the computer’s memory with a lot of theories and variations. With regard to this, ‘Deep thought’ was the name given to the first ever computer to beat a grandmaster in 1988 in California.

Gary Kasparov, one of the greatest legends in the history of the game, rewrote record books when he became the youngest world champion at the age of 22. However, this stupendous record was later surpassed by Russia’s Ponomariov and Maia Chiburdanidze (women’s champion).

The folding chessboard that is commonly used in all the tournaments was first contrived by a priest who didn’t quite like the hard woody chessboard. Whatever the reason might have been, let us give a thumps up to the priest for his innovative idea! The folding chessboard is so easy to carry; and good enough to keep chess players puzzling for moves even while travelling.

Chess is exciting, skill-demanding, and challenging. Even a minor lapse of concentration will cost you the game. Generally, chess players are brilliant and have sharp memory than others. It is one game that doesn’t involve physical activities. People in any age groups can play chess. There are still men well over 50 playing at the top-most level. Chess would be one of the best games to teach your kids. These days, there are so many websites on which chess is being played online. You may log in to the online sites using any of the Fastest Internet connection and start playing.

About the Author:
Cody is a freelance writer and blogger. He writes on all categories including entertainment, technology, health, sports and games. He is an amateur chess player. He spends his free time playing chess with one of the Fastest Internet connections he has availed recently.

Articles Source: History And Some Interesting Facts About Chess


Discover themed chess sets to reawaken or expand your interest in playing chess at ChessSetHeaven.com.

Buy A Chess Set: An Introduction To The Game Of Chess

Chess is universally recognized as the King of Games. This noble pastime has at all times been accorded a special niche in the realm of Games and no one, therefore, should be ignorant of the rules of this intellectual sport.

 

There is to day a widespread assumption that Chess is too scientific a game to afford relaxation after the occupations and preoccupations of the day. This amounts to denying oneself an addition to the beauties of life.

 

The game of Chess, invented, it is believed, in India and rendered more artistic in Europe, is an intellectual contest between two adversaries, who each has at his disposal sixteen units, eight pieces and eight pawns, which move on a chess board.

 

The chess board is divided into 6 squares of equal size, which, for the sake of clearness, are alternately black and white (or dark and light).

 

In order to make the conditions of the contest uniform, it has been made a rule that the board shall be so placed that each player has a white square at his bottom right-hand corner.

 

The chess set pieces on either side are equal in number and in value but of course of opposite colors (usually light and dark), to distinguish the two clans, the White and the Black.

 

Each set comprises one King, one Queen, two Rooks, two Bishops, two Knights and, of course, eight pawns.

 

It will be seen that each one of these eight pawns corresponds to one of the pieces. These eight chess set pieces represent only five different types of units. Yet that is sufficient to render our game as imaginative and varied as can well be conceived.

 

We must remember that other board games (such as Draughts, the Japanese 'Go' and others) rely on pieces of one type only. No wonder then that Chess, with its 32 varied pieces, produces a contest more vital than, for instance, Draughts or Checkers with its 24 uniform men.

 

(Adapted from 'A Breviary Of Chess by S. Tartakower 1937)

 

To find the best chess set to get the most out of this fascinating game, come over to ChessSetHeaven.com and peruse the stunning themed chess sets you will find there.

Chess Set Pieces: Tips For Playing Good Chess

Taking out your best chess set and playing a good, enthralling game with your chess set pieces brings great rewards. But there are several tips that can help you get the best out of the game.

Make a sustained effort to become perfect in that wise and captivating game which is chess. ("There are people who play chess, and others who play at chess," said the great Franco-Polish master Janowski). Avoid - especially if you are young - wasting time and energy on the game, even if you have hopes of reaching the top of the ladder. Play chess as a relaxation; it the most beautiful of all games, but it is - a game. Its laurels are deceptive, its ambitions shallow.

Whatever your temperament - vivacious, superficial, timorous, ingenious, matter-of-fact or intuitive - know how to control it. You will thus be better able to bring your qualities to the fore, and your opponent will find it more difficult to exploit your weakness.

Never consider your cause lost from the first (that would be defeatism!), but, on the other hand, do not underestimate your opponent's powers. Know that there are two degrees of strength, the one you imagine you possess and the one that is actually yours: only too often is the last-named the lesser.

(These tips on how to get the most out of your chess game come from 'A Breviary Of Chess' by S. Tartakower)

To play a good game of chess requires a good choice of chess set pieces. Find an inspiring source of chess pieces for sale at ChessSetHeaven.com.

Chess Sets Online: All About Sherlock Holmes

Who hasn’t heard of Sherlock Homes? Do you realise you could buy a chess set based on the famous exploits of this well-known fictional detective?  You could hold in your hand chess set pieces depicting characters based on the original drawings that appeared in Strand Magazine to accompany the Sherlock Holmes stories.

 

What is it about Sherlock Homes that still thrills us after all these years?  After all, the detective first appeared in 1887.  Yet, the film Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows has lately been on our film screens.  And, thousands of people in the UK were gripped recently by the three episodes of Sherlock aired on television.  

 

There were certainly plenty of stories involving the character created by Scottish author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In all, Conan Doyle wrote four novels and 56 short stories.  Of these, all but four were narrated by Holmes’s friend Dr John Watson. 

 

I can remember having the books on my Christmas list.  However, I think what inspired me to ask for the books was having seen, on television, the actor Basil Rathbone playing the role in the films made between 1939 and 1946. 

 

It is when you look at the many and varied interpretations of the character on stage and screen that you start to realise why Sherlock Holmes has always been of interest to us, despite the numerous other fictional detectives who have followed him.

 

What most fascinates us then?  I suspect an answer commonly given would be his methods of detection.  We are all intrigued when Sherlock Holmes looks at someone he has never met before and is able to provide significant facts about their life.

 

We are now very accustomed to the use of forensic science in crime drama - drinking it in and always noticing if someone contaminates a crime scene.  In Sherlock Holmes we see this science in its infancy and a detective who understands the importance of maintaining the integrity of the crime scene.     

 

Sherlock Holmes is the master of disguise, using it to great effect in solving crimes. He even took in his closest friend Dr Watson with the cleverness of his skill in this area.

 

The latest Sherlock Holmes film certainly highlights another strength of the detective, namely his physical strength and fitness.  A less healthy characteristic in the stories is his use of addictive drugs, in particular Cocaine. 

 

Such is the interest in Sherlock Holmes that many societies of dedicated followers have been established across the World.  The Sherlock Holmes Society of London arranges visits to the scenes of the detective’s adventures, such as the Reichenbach Falls in Switzerland.

 

Followers can also visit a number of exhibitions, including the Sherlock Holmes Museum in Baker Street in London.  221B Baker Street must be one of the World’s most famous addresses.

 

If you are a fan of Sherlock Holmes, this could be your best chess set.

 

A carved chess set with Sherlock Holmes characters could be yours.  Just go to ChessSetHeaven.com to find out more and to see other chess sets for sale.

Themed Chess Sets: The Art Deco Style

If you asked me to choose from the themed chess sets available, I would have no hesitation in deciding which carved chess set I would love to own.  For me, the best chess set would be Art Deco themed.

 

Why Art Deco? Well, I spent a year working in Brussels. There I was able to feast on some amazing examples of the style. I didn’t have a car and spent a lot of time walking around this lovely compact city with amazing examples of two styles of architecture, namely Art Nouveau and Art Deco. 

 

Brussels is known particularly for its stunning examples of Art Nouveau.  However, the First World War changed people’s approach to their buildings.  A new and eclectic style began in Paris in the 1920s and spread widely.  Art Deco was born. This new style drew on a variety of influences. Very mathematical in its style, it included zigzags and geometric shapes and the result was a cleaner and more angular style of building.  However, Art Deco also drew on art and design from many ancient civilisations such as those in Egypt, Mexico and Africa.  The reason for this is ascribed to the great interest in archeology in the 1920s, for example the tomb of Tutankhamun and Pompeii.

 

Wandering around the area of Brussels that I lived in – Ixelles – it is possible to see some of wonderful examples of twentieth century architecture, from Art Nouveau, to Art Deco and then onto Modernism.  This is true in particular of the area around the Ixelles Ponds.

 

For me, my stay in this city was a very happy time. Being able to admire an Art Deco carved chess set in my home would bring back the best of memories.

 

I visited New York a few years ago and was excited to see the Art Deco spire of the Chrysler building and, of course, the Empire State Building. Also, in New York, the Rockefeller Centre has 14 original Art Deco buildings amongst its total of 19 buildings. It is not just in New York, but also in others of its large cities that the United States boasts excellent specimens of the style.

 

Closer to home, there are some splendid examples of Art Deco architecture in the UK.  In the seaside town of Bexhill-on-Sea, the mayor, Earl De La Warr held a competition for the design of a new leisure complex for the town.  The winning design was built between 1934 and 1935. Named after the mayor, the De La Warr Pavilion is a stunning example of Art Deco architecture. 

 

My focus on architecture could be misleading. The Art Deco style influenced all areas of design, including interior design.  In South East London, you can visit Eltham Palace. Originally a medieval palace, the site provides a treasure in the form of an important private house built by Stephen and Virginia Courtauld in the 1930s. The interior design is a feast of Art Deco. Even if you have never visited Eltham Palace, you may well have seen the interior as many films and television programmes have been filmed there.   

 

You will also see the influence of Art Deco style in the jewellery and fashion of the period.  It also affected the arts and industrial design.

 

If I have tempted you, why not look at the chess sets for sale at  ChessSetHeaven.com and get yourself an Art Deco carved chess set.