Best Chess Set – A New World For 2012

Some of you reading this blog post will have received a beautiful chess set for Christmas.  This may have been in response to a request on your part or a surprise gift.  Either way, the generosity of the giver may have opened up a new world for you.

 

It is possible your gift was a themed chess set, maybe with the theme of Sherlock Holmes.  It is interesting that the new Sherlock Holmes film is one of the latest films to use chess as a key way of telling a story.  That may seem a long way from a chess game with friends or family. But, it shows the importance of the world you are entering for the first time or seeking to get to know better. After all, chess requires intelligence and Sherlock Holmes was a good exponent of the application of brainpower.

 

If you are feeling sluggish after too much Christmas indulgence, learning how to get the best from all the different chess set pieces will set you a challenge for the New Year.  It might be that you already play chess quite well.  In that case, your New Year’s resolution could be to develop your game further so that you can do yourself proud with your best chess set ever.

 

If you don’t own a chess set – or would like to offer one a s a gift - take a look at ChessSetHeaven.com for a great choice of chess sets online.

Best Chess Set: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Chessman

Chess set pieces have featured in many books, movies and television series, often as a statement of how complicated and challenging the situation is to characters in the plot.

 

Roger Moore, for example, in an episode of the 1971 - 1972 television series 'The Persuaders,' used chess set pieces to demonstrate the line of accession in his aristocratic family - and who had been bumped off by a murderer so far.

 

But perhaps one of the most suitable uses of the image of chess is in the John le Carre spy thriller 'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy,' recently made into an enthralling movie.

 

At one stage, chess set pieces are used to represent those suspected of reason, complete with a name label attached to the appropriate piece.

 

The image is carefully considered as the book and movie is a spy thriller with little violence but instead the characters play a real life chess set with each other.

 

In an interview with the Daily Mail, the film's star, Gary Oldman said, "There are no real car chases, rather it's like a high-stakes chess game with everyone watching how the other person moves."

 

The movie is filmed in a way that feels like you are eavesdropping on what is going on, an atmosphere reminiscent of both the book and the television series too. Since the background of the plot is the Cold War, this is appropriate as the situation between East and West could be said to be a continuing game of chess right up until it all ceased in 1989. Indeed, there has been some evidence that it still goes on now.

 

So once you buy a chess set and start to play an opponent with the chess set pieces, you might reflect on how many times life and death situations have had parallels with the game.

 

Join the mystery of the game of chess by going to ChessSetHeaven.com and choose the best chess set for your needs. 

Using Your Carved Chess Set: Useful Terminology

Before you can deploy the chess set pieces in your new carved chess set, you will need to know some of the many technical terms that are used in the game. Here is a selection:

· The Centre refers to the four squares at the centre of the board. Here is where a range of chess set pieces exercise their greatest power when placed here unhindered.
· Check is a move that threatens the King and the player must announce it.
· Checkmate This marks the death of the King and the end of the game.
· Diagonal refers to an oblique line of the same coloured squares.
· En prise refers to a piece which can be captured. This French expression is used in all languages.
· Piece is used to describe the King, Queen, Rook, Knight and Bishop as opposed to the Pawns. The Queens and Rooks are major pieces and the Knight and Bishop minor pieces. All of the 32 chessmen are referred to as units.
· Middle-Game is the phase after deployment of the pieces and when the ‘battle’ takes place in earnest.
· Move is the movement of a unit from one square to another or a capture on the square of arrival.

If this whets your intellectual appetite, you can find a selection of chess sets online at ChessSetHeaven.com.

Chess set pieces: Tradition And Innovation

 

 

 

Over the years, many changes have been suggested to the game of chess, in the guise of advances or enhancements. These have included:

• Spherical  chess, involving playing on eight super-imposed boards to provide a third dimension;
• Playing the contest on two boards separated by a screen and mutually invisible – known as ‘Kriegspiel’;
• ‘Chess a la Marseillaise’ in which the players each play two consecutive moves during their turn; 
• ‘Dice Chess’, where the throw of a dice controls when a piece is moved.

Some may be tempted to scoff at these ideas, thinking that chess as it has been played for generations still has sufficient fascination for amateur and experienced layers alike.  

It is true that, solving the many technical and strategic problems a game presents still makes for great variety and interest.  We must remember though that the chess we play today is actually the result of developments and innovations introduced throughout the centuries that the game has been played.

Whatever we think, there can be no doubt that working out how to deploy our chess set pieces will always engage the mind, providing stimulation and enjoyment for players of all ages and abilities.  It is never too late to get involved in chess.  Why don’t you look at the chess sets online at ChessSetHeaven.com. There you will find an excellent selection of themed chess sets and you could soon find yourself the proud owner of a lovely carved chess set.

Using Your Carved Chess Set – The Middle Game

Now you have your new carved chess set, you will want to start developing and improving your game.

 

If you want to win at chess, the important thing is always to be able to see further ahead than your opponent. Some specific advice to bear in mind is:

 

·      Attacking will give you the advantage.

·      Don’t make things too complicated for yourself and use your chess set pieces economically

·      A threat made has more power than carrying it out will do. 

 

It is important to always keep in mind the relative value and individual strength of each of your chess set pieces.  You should take note of the following:

 

·      The King is the most important piece, on which the result of the game depends.  It is vital to keep the King out of range, in a place of safety.

·      The Queen is a powerful piece and should not be made vulnerable by a too hasty sortie.

·      The Rook is a strong piece and, by being placed behind a pawn, can be used in the middle game to support the pawn and help it advance.

·      The Bishop is of lesser arithmetic value than the Rook but dynamically superior to the Knight. The beginner should avoid exchanging a Bishop against a Knight if it is not essential. 

·      Beware that the Knight is the piece often handled the least well by players of all standards.

·      Look after your Pawns  - each sacrifice is likely to add to the dynamics of the game and your eight infantrymen are not an inexhaustible army.

 

If this whets your appetite for chess and you don’t have a set, why don’t you buy a chess set from ChessSetHeaven.com where you can find a great selection, with one to suit everyone.

 

By Jillian Lovejoy

Making The Most Of Your New Carved Chess Set – Being A Good Opponent

You have treated yourself to a carved chess set. To you, it is the best chess set - the one you have been wanting for ages. So, how do you get the most of your new acquisition?

A really important aspect of playing chess is making sure that you are a correct as well as an agreeable player, in other words, the ideal opponent. Here is some advice to bear in mind.

Within reason, you should allow your opponent time to think about his or her moves, without being disturbed. Be sure not to distract, criticize or bother them in any way.

When it is your turn, do not rush at your move. Rather, make sure that you have paid due attention to all the possibilities and implications, before making your decision. However, you should also avoid over-lengthy deliberation.

It is important to know yourself and to control any unhelpful characteristics and make the most of your qualities. Don’t under-estimate your opponent but equally, don’t be daunted by them if they appear very confident. Above all, be generous in defeat and modest in victory.

Go to ChessSetHeaven.com to find a wide range of chess sets for sale.

Themed Chess Sets – Winnie-The-Pooh

When you are looking for a carved chess set you may think initially about some of the classic designs you have seen. Did you realize though that it is possible to buy chess sets based on a wide range of themes?  These include well-beloved stories and characters from our childhood.

If you want to introduce your children to chess, or bring back happy childhood memories, the best chess set for you could be one available through ChessSetHeaven.com based on that favourite bear Winnie-The-Pooh and his friends.

Discover once more the beloved characters of A.A. Milne from the enchanting and captivating world he created in the 1920s.  It is true that your chess set Tigger won’t bounce and you won’t find Piglet talking to you in his squeaky voice. But, for those of us who read about Pooh and his friends before seeing them on film, that is nothing that cannot be cured by a good imagination – aided of course by the delightful illustrations of E.H. Shepard in the various books published about Pooh.

You might also feel motivated to recall some of the Hums of Pooh (first published in 1929) when you settle down to play your game of chess.

Go to ChessSetHeaven.com to make your purchase from their Chess store.

Chess Sets Online: The Three Phases Of Chess

 

The 32 chess set pieces represent material, one of three elements within a game of chess. The others are space or territory, represented by the 64 squares and time, represented by the moves.

 

Time can be divided into three main phases, namely the opening, the middle-game and the end-game.   In the opening of the chess game, both players are focused on developing their forces. The players then move on into the middle-game.  This is where the battle is at its height and their forces reduce.  That diminution of forces decreases the danger of a ‘mate’ during the end-game. However, during that phase, the opponents must take great care and precision over every move, as it is very easy to make mistakes and very hard to make amends for any unwise decisions.  For those who are interested in finding out more, it is worth looking more closely at some of the World champions to learn from their expertise in end-game play.

 

It is important to emphasise that there is no clear demarcation between the phases and the distinction between them is in no way clear-cut.  In some games, a sudden and early termination can stop the middle-game happening at all!

 

Increase your own enjoyment of chess by treating yourself to a carved chess set from the selection of chess sets for sale at ChessSetHeaven.com.

 

By Jillian Lovejoy

Buy Chess Sets: Chess – A Game To Exercise The Mind

Buy a chess set and you can enter into an absorbing world of intellectual battles that stimulate your mind and tax your wits.

Chess has been likened to a real battle in which two kings, face to face, are surrounded by their respective armies. That is nonsense though as, in chess, the opposing sides start out as equal and chess set pieces operate in an ordered world of rules. Casualties of the game are not harmed – unless you are talking about the Wizard Chess depicted by JK Rowling in the world of Harry Potter.   

The word ‘Mate’ is Arabic and signifies (the King is) dead.  The object of every game of chess is to mate the adversary.  That means, capture the King or enforce surrender.  However, a King cannot be captured or place himself en prise (where he would be captured in the following move). Mate is therefore a position in which the King has to surrender, as the enemy would capture him on the next move.  Subtle tactics and mental exertions are required to get to that point and chess is the perfect way to keep your mind active.

So, buy a chess set for yourself or for friends and family. A great selection of themed chess sets is available at ChessSetHeaven.com so take a look now to find the best one for you.

By Jillian Lovejoy

The Royal Chess Set Pieces

When it comes to chess set pieces, the King and Queen take centre stage.

Rules govern how and where each of the pieces can move. As befits his rank, the majestic King can move in any direction and only advances one square at a time. His majesty imposes on him a special restriction. He is not allowed to move onto a square where he would be en prise, which means where the opponent could capture him on his next move.

The Queen moves in the same direction as the King but without any restriction on distance. This lack of restriction was a favour afforded the King’s consort in the fifteenth century. It is interesting to note that, originally, this piece was not called the Queen, but a Minister. The Persians followed the Indians in becoming proficient at chess and the Minister in Persian was called a Vizier or Ferz. In the Latin of the Middle Ages this became Fercia, followed by the French Vierge, then finally, amongst those with Latin origins, Dame or Queen.

It is fascinating to see the way these royal chess set pieces have been interpreted in themed chess sets. If you are looking to find a set for your own use or as a gift that can be handed down through generations, visit ChessSetHeaven.com for a range of chess sets for sale that will suit you perfectly.

By Jill Lovejoy

Chess Set Pieces: The History Of The Bishop

Among the other chess set pieces the bishop tends to be overlooked.

 

In the original version of the game, known as 'chaturanga', in India some 1500 years ago, the bishop was known as the elephant, or 'alfil.' It could leap two squares diagonally - even over another piece. No alfil could attack another.

 

The modern bishop seems to have first appeared around 1200AD but the word 'alfil' does still appear in some languages in modified form. Among the chess set pieces in Italy (alfiere), Spain (alfil) and France (aufin) the bishop still held its old name for some time.

 

The bishop was first named as such in the 1500s although the relevant piece in the Isle of Lewis chess set pieces dating from the 12th century is clearly an ecclesiastical figure. Indeed, Icelandic texts show the name 'biskup' as far back as the 1300s, which is consistent, as the Isle of Lewis chess set pieces are believed to be of Nordic origin.

 

The design of the piece reflects the bishop as shown in the standard Staunton chess set originally made in 1849, which is still the standard design today. Interestingly, the grooves carved into the bishop's mitre may reflect the origins of the piece as an elephant.

 

The history of this useful chess piece is further shown in the names still given to it in other languages. In France the bishop is known as the 'fou' or fool as the belief is the cap is similar to that of a jester. In Turkey and Russia the names given still mean 'the elephant.'   

 

It is fascinating how each of the chess set pieces has its own history. When you next buy a chess set you can imagine all the history it represents.

Looking to find the best chess set for your needs or as a gift that will never be forgotten? Visit ChessSetHeaven.com for a range of high quality themed chess sets that will suit you perfectly.

Buy Chess Sets: Chess In The Face of Defeat

So you get out your best chess set and challenge a friend to a game. Perhaps you lose or maybe your opponent does but whatever happens you will probably enjoy a game that challenges the mind and leaves you thinking more clearly.

 

Could this be why some leaders have been found pulling out their own best chess set and playing when all around them is crashing down?

 

In June this year, Libyan state television showed footage of Colonel Gadhafi playing chess against a visiting champion. This was of course just as his country was in the grip of a revolution. Perhaps diplomatically his opponent, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, allowed Gadhafi to win but was the Colonel attempting to escape the disaster looming over him or was he trying to look as normal as possible?

 

Playing chess in the face of adversity has been reported before. In the year 762 AD the city of Baghdad was under siege and men were being killed by the hundred. Defeat seemed imminent but Muhammed al-Amin, the caliph of the Abbasid Empire, based on Baghdad, was calmly playing chess with one of his eunuchs.

 

Even urgent messengers arriving with news of yet another defeat would not disturb the game. Eventually the invading hordes broke into the room and the caliph was beheaded.

 

Serious chess players bent over their chess set pieces would perhaps have sympathy with the Colonel and with the caliph. It is very easy to be so absorbed in the chess set pieces that time and the world around you seems to fade away. 

 

See the video of Colonel Gadhafi playing perhaps his last game of chess in this video.

Looking to find the best chess set for your needs or as a gift that will never be forgotten? Visit ChessSetHeaven.com for a range of high quality themed chess sets that will suit you perfectly.

Best Chess Set: Harry Potter And Wizard Chess

The game of chess and specific chess set pieces have featured in many examples of literature in the past. One of the most memorable uses of the game has been in the Harry Potter books and films.

 

Wizard Chess was invented by the author J.K. Rowling as a form of chess where the chess set pieces move of their own accord when commanded by the player. The rules are otherwise the same as the 'muggle' or non-magic human game.

 

Initially we see Harry playing with a borrowed chess set, which takes pity on his inexperience. Harry then gets his own chess set at Christmas.

 

Interestingly, the chess pieces used are based on the famous Isle of Lewis chess set dating from the Middle Ages and now displayed jointly in the British Museum and the Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.

 

Perhaps the most dramatic display of Wizards Chess in the Harry Potter series is in the Philosophers Stone when Harry, Hermione and Ron have to play as chess set pieces to get to the Philosophers Stone itself. The game is that much more interesting as the pieces are destroyed when they are taken.

 

Perhaps it's just as well the game we all play is not so violent but it is enthralling nonetheless.

   

You can see a video of that dramatic game of Wizards chess here.  

Looking to find the best chess set for your needs or as a gift that will never be forgotten? Visit ChessSetHeaven.com for a range of high quality themed chess sets that will suit you perfectly.

Chess Set Pieces: Winning The World Championship

 

 

 

How many of us have moved our chess set pieces in a game at home and dreamed of becoming a top player?

 

Here is an interesting video from Russian Ladies World Chess Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk on winning the 2008 world chess championship.

 

 

Alexandra's blog can be found at http://chessqueen.com.

Looking to find the best chess set for your needs or as a gift that will never be forgotten? Visit ChessSetHeaven.com for a range of high quality themed chess sets that will suit you perfectly and will make you feel like a champion.

Chess Set Pieces: The Story Of The Rook

The 'Castle' or 'Rook' has been one of the chess set pieces since the earliest records of the game some 1500 years ago during the Gupta Empire in India.

 

The game was called Chaturanga (in Sanskrit) and the rook was first known as 'rukh' in Arabic.

 

Initially the rook was shown as a war carriage, which was an important constituent in the ancient Indian army. This representation of the rook chess set pieces was retained when the game was taken up in Arabia. The Arab name for this piece and the later Oriental names of 'xiangqi' and 'shoji' all mean 'chariot.'

 

The reason for the modern rook being universally shown as a turret is interesting. The war chariots in Persia were armored with a driver and an archer and were often designed to look like a turreted building to add to the impact on the battlefield.

 

In 1527 Vida, the Bishop of Albay (now in the Philippines), wrote a poem about chess and represented the rook with fortified platforms on the back of elephants. As the game moved westwards and elephants were less known, the rook chess set pieces dropped the elephant and just showed a crenellated fortification.

 

The rook became wholly connected to the idea of a tower as time progressed. Indeed, it is known as 'torre' in Italian, Portuguese and Spanish, 'toren' in Dutch, 'turm' in German and 'tour' in French: all meaning 'tower.' In English of course the piece is also known as the 'castle.'

 

Such an ancient game as chess was bound to have a fascinating history and the history of chess set pieces is also as interesting. Next time you play a game of chess, you might reflect on how the pieces developed.

Looking to find the best chess set for your needs or as a gift that will never be forgotten? 
Visit ChessSetHeaven.com for a range of high quality themed chess sets that will suit you perfectly.

Chess Sets Online: Choose A Chess Set With Care

The game of chess is enthralling and teaches us so much about strategy and mental endurance but do you ever think about the chess set pieces with which you are playing?

 

Choosing the best chess set for your needs is probably more important than you realize.

 

Do you want an uninteresting chess set that is purely for playing the game of would you prefer a carved chess set depicting a period of history or perhaps your favorite literary characters?

 

Chess sets come in so many shapes and sizes so it is easy to get one that means something to you. Personally I love chess pieces that feel great in your hand and are beautifully carved: in short, a good chess set feels and looks great.

 

Heavy chess pieces somehow add something to the game of chess too. Lifting a nicely weighted rook or bishop feels more deliberate and special - try it and you will see what I mean.

 

Carefully carved chess pieces make a great conversation piece in the corner of a room, particularly if they are colorfully hand painted ones too! Each one is a work of art in it's own right and it is said that centuries ago individual chess pieces were indeed valued as ornaments in their own right.

 

What a great gift a chess set would make to someone this Christmas or for a birthday, especially if the theme of the set is something the recipient loves. Perhaps give a Sherlock Holmes themed set to a lover of those books or a set of Isle of Lewis chessmen to a history nut. The possibilities are virtually endless.

 

To find a range of beautifully carved and painted chess set pieces that will suit many tastes, why not visit ChessSetHeaven.com? 

Chess Store: Win At Chess With These Special Moves

By Lee Dobbins, http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Lee_Dobbins

The game of chess has many interesting moves and some that can only happen under certain circumstances. In order to play the best game you can, it is wise to know about all the moves so that you can best outwit your opponent.

In order to effectively talk about chess a special method of notation has been devised. This helps identify the squares and positions without having to have a board and pieces always in front of you to illustrate. In this notation the columns (or files as they are called in chess) are identified with a letter and the rows (or ranks) are identified with a number. If you are looking at a chessboard from the perspective of the white player, the leftmost file is 'a', the one next to it 'b' and so on until the last file which is 'h'. The back or closest rank for white is 'rank 1', the next one (the one the pawns are on) is 'rank 2' and so on until the last rank, which is the back row for black and is 'rank 8'. So the when using chess notation, the leftmost back square for white would be called 'a1', the square directly above 'a2' an so on. See how easy that is?

Now that you know how chess notation works and you have a chess board visualized in your head, we can talk about some of the special chess moves.

En Passant

If you have played even only 1 game of chess you know that pawns have some special rules. For example, they can only capture a piece that is placed diagonally in front of them. Also, on it's initial move, a pawn can move up two squares instead of just one. However, there is a special case for this - if an enemy pawn could have captured it had it only moved 1 square, the enemy is still able to capture.
This move is called 'en passant' and can only be used on the very next move after the pawn is advanced 2 spaces - if you do not capture then, you cannot do it at a later move.

Here's an example - BLACK has a pawn at d4; WHITE moves his e2-pawn to e4; had WHITE moved to e3m the BLACK d4 pawn would have been able to capture so now he can capture en-passant on his next move. But if BLACK decides to make another move instead, he gives up his right to capture.

Castling

The King can make a special chess move called 'castling' and it is, in fact, recommended that you do this during the opening phase of the game. This is a defensive move which increase thesafety of the King. Castling has two forms - 'short' and 'long'. Here's how it works:

Say the white King is on e1 with the white Rook on h1 (this is the initial setup at the start of the game). You can make the move called short castling by moving the King to g1 and the Rook to f1. This move does have some restrictions - the squares in between the Rook and King must be empty, neither the Kind or Rook can have been moved before and the King cannot be in check. Note that even though you move two pieces, this is considered to be one move.

Long castling has the same rules and is a similar move but uses the Rook on the a file instead. In this scenario, the King ends on c1 and the Rook ends on d1.

Promotion

You might think the pawns are not very useful but if you can get your pawn to the other side of the board he can be promoted. This means the you can replace the pawn with any same colored piece you want with the exception of a king or pawn. Needless to say most people choose to replace the pawn with a queen.

There are some other situations in chess that novice players might not be aware of. For instance, a game can very easily end in a draw. This can happen when neither side has enough material to checkmate the opponent. This would happen if one player had a Bishop and King while another had only a King - no matter how many times you try you cannot get the opponent into checkmate so the game ends in a draw.

The chess game might also end in a draw if you have to repeat the same move 3 times as their are no other choices, if no advance or pawn capture has happened in the last 50 moves or stalemate. Stalemate can happen when a player who is not in check has no valid moves. If a player can continuously checkmate another player any time he wishes then he can claim a draw by "continuous check".

Lee Dobbins writes for many online publications. Visit http://www.chess-moves.info to learn more about the game of chess and see this article in more detail and with diagrams of the special moves.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lee_Dobbins

http://EzineArticles.com/?Win-At-Chess-With-These-Special-Moves&id=214906


Looking to find the best chess set for your needs or as a gift that will never be forgotten? Visit ChessSetHeaven.com for a range of high quality themed chess sets that will suit you perfectly.

Chess Set Pieces: The Pawn

Of the chess set pieces the pawn is the most numerous and frequently the most uninteresting, even in a good carved chess set.

Interestingly, the pawn has always been seen as the infantry among the pieces. In medieval times this was often translated into seeing the piece as the ordinary man; this is hardly surprising as at that time the infantry of an army were often armed peasants fulfilling their obligation to their feudal lord. Even the earliest forms of chess refer to this piece as the 'foot-soldier.' 'Padati' in the original Sanskrit literally translates this way and was the earliest name for the pawn.

Of course the pawn is the only one of the chess set pieces that cannot move backward but, and here the game of chess proves itself to be a meritocracy, it can make it to the far side of the board and be promoted. The player can then choose the new rank of the pawn, be it queen, rook, bishop or knight. Obviously a promoted pawn cannot become a king, nor would it be wise to do so. The promotion is termed 'queening' as the choice is usually to promote the piece to a queen. The promotion is not limited to a piece already taken by the opponent and it is not widely understood that, in theory at least, it is possible for a player to have as many as ten knights, ten bishops, ten rooks or even nine queens in play at any one time.

The pawn has always been among the chess set pieces, even as far back as the game's origins in India some 1500 years ago. Medieval chess players even gave each individual pawn a profession: each one became a gambler, a city guard/policeman, an innkeeper, merchant, doctor, weaver/ clerk, worker, farmer or a blacksmith. The position of each one related to the major piece behind - for example, the blacksmith and the city guard or policeman were in front of the knight as they were overseen by knights in real life.

The German name for the pawn is 'Bauer' or peasant and the French refer to it as 'Pion:' this was corrupted to form our present 'Pawn.'

Interestingly, the piece has had philosophical connotations and it is the only chess piece that lends its name to a life situation. In the English language to be a pawn is to be someone manipulated by a stronger person or power: an unimportant subordinate or agent.

To many who play chess, the pieces may seem to be play things but, as the pawn shows us, there is a great deal more depth and history to the game.

To find quality chess set pieces that reflect the rich history of the game, visit ChessSetHeaven.com.

Chess Sets Online: The Long History Of Chess

 

 

In the novel Through The Looking Glass, the author, Lewis Carroll, depicts much of his heroine's adventures taking place in a dream world based on chess set pieces. This story, published in 1871, reflects the interest in the game of chess that has existed for hundreds of years. This has led not only to many people being motivated to buy chess sets but also a fascination with the game, it's strategies and traditions.

 

Some research indicates a version of chess may have existed in China in the second century AD but the first records of the game exist in India where the game was played prior to the sixth century. From here, the game seemed to have spread to Persia and then across the Muslim world before reaching Europe. The game was originally known as 'chaturanga' in India and the chess set pieces were divided into four military divisions: cavalry, elephantry, chariotry and infantry. These four divisions became the knight, rook, bishop and pawn in the modern game.

 

Chess was mentioned in a Persian poem written in the seventh century and in several subsequent poems and essays soon after. Known as Shatrang, the game had mystical connotations in India and Persia at this time.

 

It is sobering to understand just how global the game of chess really is: it has individual names in most languages, including Sanskrit, Chinese, Japanese, Greek, Latin, Catalan, Italian, French, Dutch, Mongol and Arabic. It was carried across the known world into Spain by the Moors and spread into the corners of Europe by the year 1000 and Buddhist pilgrims and Silk Road traders spread the game to the Far East. 

 

Interestingly, the chess set pieces were often individually prized as gifts and ornaments in their own right. The modern trend to buy a carved chess set as a present and room feature as well as part of a game to play seems to continue this tradition.

 

It seems likely the game of chess reached Britain with the Norman conquest of 1066 and, as in the rest of Europe, chess became a game associated with culture and nobility but as time moved on the intensity sometimes created by playing chess could create violence. This was a problem that seemed to worry the Church and in 1061 Saint Peter Damian even criticized the Bishop of Florence for playing chess. Perhaps inevitably the game became the focus of prize money and gambling during medieval times and as a result Louis IX of France banned gambling in 1254. Nonetheless the French people ignored him and continued to wager money on chess games.

 

It was at the start of the sixteenth century that chess began to assume it's modern form. Prior to that time, the rules varied and the chess set pieces could move in ways that would surprise us now. A Russian version gave the queen the ability to move like a knight.

 

Chess was played in the London coffee houses during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, indeed around 1840, as Britain formed it's vast empire, London became the focus of the growth of the game. The first organized chess tournament seems to have taken place in London in 1851 and the winner was a German professor of Mathematics, Adolf Andersson. By 1990 there were more than one thousand international tournaments.

 

Russian chess players tend to dominate the game but that is not surprising when you consider chess is the national sport of that country, where it is more popular than football.

 

Whole books have been written about the history of the game of chess and indeed about the individual pieces and the stories and variations of the game are many and fascinating. Whenever you buy a chess set and pick up one of the chess set pieces, it is very easy to feel a connection to all those people throughout history who have done the same thing.

  

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