Who invented chess?



One of the most well-liked and well-known games in the world is chess. Approximately 605 million people, or 8% of the world's population, are thought to regularly play it, according to the United Nations(opens in new tab).

Chess has endured the test of time, whereas other games fade into obscurity after a few years on store shelves. The 2020 Netflix series "The Queen's Gambit" gave the game a boost as well, with around 62 million accounts(opens in new tab) viewing the drama in its first four weeks. Chess set sales on eBay increased by 215%(opens in new tab) in the weeks after the premiere of the program as a result, causing a boom in chess purchases.

Chess has existed for a lot longer than anyone still living. However, from where did the game come, and how ancient is it.

From where did chess come?

Given the history of the game, it is challenging to pinpoint the exact beginnings of chess. And while no single individual can claim to be the original inventor of chess, the majority of historians — though not all — believe the game began in India.

International chess champion and assistant professor of computer science and engineering at the University of Buffalo in New York, Kenneth W. Regan, said in an email to Live Science that "apart from the historical attributions in India earlier than in the Middle East, I take a nod from linguistics."

According to Regan, the current word "shatranj," which is used in both Farsi and Arabic, "certainly originates from the Sanskrit "chaturanga." "And that is 'chatur,' the root of Latin 'quattuor,' [meaning] four, plus 'anga,' meaning limbs."

According to the Online Etymology Dictionary(opens in new tab), the Sanskrit term "chaturanga" approximately translates to "four members of an army," with the four members being elephants, horses, chariots, and foot troops. According to Chess Central(opens in new tab), the very oldest known versions of chess, which dated to A.D. 760, had chariot and elephant pieces. Eventually, the rook and bishop took their place, respectively.

While a single person cannot be credited as the creator of chess, Grand Vizier Sissa Ben Dahir is mentioned in an old legend (opens in new tab), which is a story that should not be taken literally. It is said that he gave the first chessboard to King Shirham of India, however considering that the first recorded mention of this legend dates from 1256, it is quite likely to be both mythical and untrue.

However, not all historians concur that India is where chess first appeared. Chess was most likely invented in Iran, according to a 1996 essay by Spanish chess player and historian Ricardo Calvo (who passed away in 2002). This conclusion was made largely on the basis of the fact that chess is mentioned in ancient Persian literature before it is ever mentioned in Indian literature. However, it is still widely believed that India is where the game was first created; in fact, proponents of the Persian origin narrative are frequently Iranian nationals and may not be completely objective.

Chess was created when?

According to Britannica, "there is no solid evidence that chess existed in a form closely like the present game before the 6th century" (opens in new tab).

Since then, the game has changed, with many civilizations over the ages bringing about both little and significant alterations.

All significant regional cultures—those wealthy and cohesive enough to spread geographically—had their own varieties of chess, according to Regan, who also noted that some were superior than others. On whatever size board, the Arabian games were "pretty sluggish," he claimed. This is primarily due to the fact that the pieces weren't as quick or versatile as they are now, which led to many games ending in draws.

Chess did, however, become more uniform throughout time. Regan noted the contribution of "De ludo schacorum" author Luca Pacioli, a mathematician from the 15th century ("On the game of chess"). The book, also called as "Schifanoia" (Latin for "Boredom Dodger"), became immediately renowned as something of a chess bible, codifying a game that had previously been susceptible to a variety of regional variations.

So why has chess been so popular for so long, and why is it more frequently played than other traditional games like Go, which is regarded as the oldest board game in the world and has around 60 million regular players(opens in new tab) – just 10% of chess players?

Chess is a game that people of all skill levels may enjoy, according to Regan. Chess is compared to a pond where an elephant may take a bath and a gnat can sip. For me, go is more difficult than chess. Go is by nature a more complex and difficult game. After a casual game of Go, my head hurts, but not with chess!"

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