Chess is one of the oldest games that does not lose its relevance to this day. However, becoming a good player is not so simple. Yes, you can learn the rules and remember the moves of the pieces, but this knowledge is not enough to regularly win victories.
Chess is not only a board game, it is also a sport. Participants must have logical thinking, be able to properly build tactics and strategy. Not everyone will cope with this task. You will have to spend too much time and effort at the initial stage, and also not all people have the necessary qualities even for an amateur level.
It doesn’t matter if you dream of becoming a grandmaster or just want to spend evenings playing a fascinating intellectual game, our article will be useful for you. Below is a ranking of interesting facts about chess.
10. One of the most famous games on Earth
The game is very popular among residents of different countries.. Famous players take part in international chess tournaments, they amaze fans and fans with their abilities, but ordinary people are also delighted with this “fun”.
You do not need to go far for an example. In 2019, a survey was conducted in Russia, according to which a little more than half of the country's population knows how to play chess (54%). This indicator increased by 5% compared to 2010.
Unfortunately, not all people who have the necessary skills use them in practice. Only 26% play chess on an ongoing basis, the remaining 28% do it very rarely or do not remember at all the last time they sat down at the board.
But all the inhabitants of our country are sure that this game is very useful, it develops logic, thinking and positively affects the development of intelligence.
9. The game originated in India
There are several versions of the appearance of the game. Most scholars are of the opinion that the birthplace of chess is India. The approximate "age" of the game is 1,400 years.
The ancestor is called the ancient Indian chaturanga game, which became widespread in the VI century. Each country brought innovations to the game, and already at the end of the 15th century, rules were developed in Europe, which are now partially used. In the XIX century they were standardized, since then international tournaments began to be held.
8. The modern name comes from the Persian language
Most etymological dictionaries indicate that the word “chess” is of Persian origin. It consists of two parts: "Check" — lord, "mate" — has died. Not everyone agrees with this version; some scholars argue that in the Persian language, the word “mat” never existed. Again, it is considered the most common and true. There is confirmation of this.
During the game in Persia, the player was warned about the danger with an exclamation: "Shah." With complete defeat, the word was spoken Maat which meant end. It was of Arab origin. Subsequently, the words were combined, and the game was named "chess".
7. In ancient and medieval chess, there were many exotic modifications of the pieces.
At the moment, each player has at his disposal 16 pieces (king, queen, two knights, rooks, elephant and eight pawns). In ancient centuries, chess could have been absolutely arbitrary, and there were many different modifications of the pieces.. Dragons and church representatives, horsemen and mythical creatures.
Over time, new "characters" appeared - sappers, military. In the world there are many different options for playing chess. If you don’t like the classics, take a look at other variations.
6. Initially, the queen could only move one square diagonally
The queen is the strongest piece on the board. This word translates as "Adviser" although colloquially, he has long been called the queen.
The story of the queen is amazing. At first he was the weakest figure, moving exclusively on one cell diagonally. In Europe, the figure was named "Madam" it was understood that the king must have a spouse.
The figure was once associated with the name of Queen Isabella of Castile. This woman defended her right to the throne and did a lot for the country. It is believed that chess players, in gratitude, replaced the queen with the queen and changed the trajectory of the piece in honor of Isabella I.
5. A folding chessboard was invented in 1125
This game was banned for priests, but in 1125 one of them found a way out. He invented a folding board. Even during the search, no one would have doubts about this subject. In appearance, it could not be distinguished from a closed book. The priest could enjoy the game at any time, and, if necessary, “hide” the board in the most visible place.
4. The oldest surviving chess set dates back to the 12th century CE.
Although the history of chess totals only about one and a half thousand years, the oldest set dates back to the 12th century BC. uh. This find was discovered on Lewis Island in Northern Scotland. There are assumptions about its origin, but it was not exactly possible to establish Scotland or Iceland.
Interesting fact: anyone interested in chess should watch the movie Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Fantastic chess pieces are modeled on this antique set.
3. Most chess pieces have double and triple names
Each piece has an official name: king, rook, queen ... But only in many countries they are called in their own way, so we can say that most of them have double or even triple names.
For example, in Germany, a pawn is a peasant. The elephant in Europe is called a jester, other variations (in former times) - a bishop, a messenger, a hunter. This fact is very easy to explain. Chess is a very ancient game, and over time, each country introduced its innovations into the game. Not only the names and appearance of the figures changed, but also the rules.
2. Initially, there were no time limits
In the beginning, chess games had no time limits.. Soon this game became so popular that they began to hold tournaments with spectators, but meanwhile they could last from several hours to a day. Moreover, weak players deliberately delayed time so that their opponent was tired and inattentive.
Once there was such a case when the participants of the competition fell asleep during the process. Then the first restrictions were introduced, an hourglass was used for this. In 1883, Thomas Wilson created a mechanical chess clock.
Currently, the standard limit (classic) is 2 hours (40 moves), then another hour is given for 20 moves + 30 minutes until the end of the game. There are also shorter options. For example, blitz tournaments last from 5 to 15 minutes per game.
1. The game can prevent Alzheimer's
It's no secret that chess has a positive effect on mental abilities and intelligence. That's why, doctors recommend a game to prevent Alzheimer's. During the game, both hemispheres of the brain are activated. This contributes to the development of creativity, mindfulness, concentration, strategic thinking and even reading skills.
Do not think that this game is for people with a high level of intelligence. On the contrary, everyone who decides to understand chess will not only have the opportunity to have a good time, but will also work on their development.