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.

  

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.

 

Carved Chess Set: The Isle Of Lewis Chess Set

We at ChessSetHeaven.com tend to bang on about the history of the game of chess but no carved chess set typifies this more than one of the oldest group of chess set pieces - the Lewis chessmen.

This group of 78 chess set pieces was found in 1831 on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland. They date from the 1100's and originate from somewhere in the Nordic countries, perhaps Norway. This makes sense when you consider the northern islands of Scotland were ruled by Norway at the time.

Most of the Lewis pieces were carved from walrus ivory with the remaining made of whale teeth.It is likely the set is actually several sets combined and the figures seem to the modern eye to be comic caricatures with worried expressions and rooks that are chewing the edges of their shields. To look at the figures you get the feeling you are close to the people who carved them and the harsh life of the time we can hardly imagine.

It seems likely the pieces were first discovered by an islander, Malcolm 'Sprot' Macleod, in a sand bank in 1831, held in his home for a time before he sold them on to Captain Roderick Ryrie who exhibited them at the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. Subsequently the group was spilt with 67 going to the British Museum in London and the remainder were held in Edinburgh, now in the Museum of Scotland. 
    

You can own your own faithful replicas of the Isle of Lewis chess pieces by going over to ChessSetHeaven.com.