1. Historical survey of
Chess
Content





Chess beginnings
Different Chess variations
Chess in Middle Ages
Chess in New Age
Chessboard in Croatian Coat of Arms
Chess - Ac. year 2014/15
1
Chess beginnings



Egyptians had a board game 3000 BC called Senet (passing).
Senet is a game for two players divided in squares with pawns as figures.
Movement was decided by throwing sticks (similar to dice today).
Today it is possible to buy game Senet in the market.
Chess - Ac. year 2014/15
2
Chess beginnings



Chinese also had the board game 1500 BC. It was called Liubo, liu =
six, bo = sticks.
It is a forerunner of Chinese Chess Xianggi.
The exact rules of Liubo are not known today.
Chess - Ac. year 2014/15
3



Chess beginnings
AshtaPada is Indian game on board (8x8 squares) 2500 years old. It was
played with dice. The exact rules are not known today.
In 6th century in India, Chaturanga appeared. The board on which it was
played was taken from the older game Ashtapada. It is a 1st Chess version.
The game was based on different army types of Indian army.:
 Infantry – pawns in a straight line
 King and his Adviser (General) – in middle
 Elephants (Bishops) – near the middle of army
 Cavalry (Knights) - flank
 Chariots (Ships) (Rooks) - on the sides
Board for game
AshtaPada and
Chaturanga
Chess - Ac. year 2014/15
4




Chess beginnings
Chaturanga
The figures are: King (moves as a modern king with possibility of one move
as a Knight if not attacked previously), Adviser (moves on square diagonal,
sometimes on square forward), Elephant (moves two squares diagonal and
can jump over a figure and can move one square forward), Knight,
Chariot (Rook) and Pawns.
There was no rooking and pawns could not move two squares at first move.
Upon arriving at the 8th row, the pawns could transform only to the figure
in that row at the begging of the game provided that the player already lost
that figure.
That means that there
could not have been
The Kings (and
three Knights for
Advisers) are not
example.
facing each other!
Chess - Ac. year 2014/15
5
Chess beginnings



There was a version of Chaturange for four players as well.
Today it is not known whether there was first a version for four
players or for two players, although it is believed that the version
four players appeared later.
In version for four players instead of Chariot (Rook), the figure
used was Ship with the same movement.
Chess - Ac. year 2014/15
6
Chess beginnings





From India around 600 AD Chaturanga spread to Iran, where it was called
Shatrang (after Arabian invasion the name changed to Shatranj).
The attack upon the King started to be called “Shah!”, and “Shah mat”
(Check mate) when King had no place to go. Even today these expressions
are being used. In Farsi language “Shah” means “King”.
The General appears instead of Adviser. Kings and Generals are facing
their counterparts (in Chaturanga this was not the case) and can be either
on 4th or 5th square.
King, Rooks, Knights and Pawns are moving like in modern Chess. General
moves one square diagonal and Elephant two squares diagonal (not one
square forward anymore – difference from Chaturanga).
Pawns are always transformed to Generals.
Kings (and
Generals) are
facing each other!
Chess - Ac. year 2014/15
7
Chess beginnings



The Arabs took over Shatranj after occupation of Iran. Later, they
will spread it to Europe via Spain.
Arabs raised the Chess game to Science by publishing books about
Chess openings and problems.
Instead animals they used abstract figures.
Chess - Ac. year 2014/15
8
Different Chess variations







Chinese Chess - Xianggi
Japanese Chess – Shogi
Korean Chess – Janggi
Thailand Chess – Makruk
Burmese (Myanmar) Chess - Syttuin
Mongolian Chess - Shatar
Extended Chess
Chess - Ac. year 2014/15
9
Different Chess variations
Chess - Ac. year 2014/15
10
Different Chess variations





Chinese Chess – Xianggi
Chinese Chess evolved from Indian Chess
Chaturanga, although it could cave
evolved from the earlier game Liubo.
Figures in Xianggi are not placed in the
middle of the squares, but rather on the
border between them. Figures are flat.
Probably most widely spread board game
in the world, even more that “western”
modern Chess variant.
It has some similarities with modern
Chess, but also some big differences
(Catapult, river in the middle of the board,
etc...)
Chess - Ac. year 2014/15
11
Different Chess variations




Korean Chess – Janggi
Similar to Chinese Xianngi.
Figures are placed on the borders between the squares.
There is a “fortress” on the board in which the King is place, and from
which he can not get out.
Chess - Ac. year 2014/15
12





 Different
Chess variations
Japanese Chess – Shogi
Modified on the way from India via China and Korea.
Two main characteristics of this Chess are: Pawns take figures in front of
them; the acquired opponent figures can be used as own.
All figures are of same color; the difference is in orientation.
Figure movements with some similarities is quite different from modern
Chess.
Chess - Ac. year 2014/15
13
Different Chess variations



Thailand Chess - Makruk
Rules similar to modern Chess, except for Queen and Bishop (which are
moving like older variants of “western Chess).
Pawns are moved one row forward.
Chess - Ac. year 2014/15
14
Different Chess variations




Burmese (Myanmar) Chess – Syttuin
Rules similar to Thailand Chess.
Peculiarity of this Chess is the starting position of Pawns which are not in
a straight line.
Other figures can be placed according to player wishes with some
restrictions.
Chess - Ac. year 2014/15
15
Different Chess variations




Mongolian Chess – Shatar
Most likely taken over from Arabs as the name suggest.
The rules are similar to modern Chess, except that Queen moves as a
Rook and a King.
Knight can not chechkmate the opponent King – Draw.
Chess - Ac. year 2014/15
16
Different Chess variations

Extended Chess
 “Courier”
 Played in Germany from 12th to the beggining of 19th century.


Chinese, Japanese, Mongols have old variants of extended Chess also.
There were many different attempts (Casablanca and others) to
introduce extended Chess but without a bigger success.
Chess - Ac. year 2014/15
17
Chess in Middle Ages




Came to Europe through Arabs in
Spain in 8th and 9th century. Also
arrived to Russia from China and
from Byzantium.
First time mentioned in Europe in a
song in Latin “Versus de scachis”
997g. in Einsiedeln Abbey,
Switzerland. Here, there is a board
in two colors for easier play, and
instead of General there is a
Queen.
In 11th century a matter of many
Last wills in Monasteries and
families.
The names and shapes of figures
changes. General changes to
Queen, Horse to Knight, Chariot to
Tower and Elephant to Bishop.
Chess - Ac. year 2014/15
18
Chess in Middle Ages




1283 - In Spain the book “Libro de los juegos” was written. It had more
than one hundred Chess problems.
From the end of 13th century, Pawns can go two squares on first move.
At the end of 14th century, “en passant” rule was introduced.
In 1422 a text from Krakow determines that Stalemate is a Draw.
Lucas van Leyden's “Chess players“
508
Chess - Ac. year 2014/15
19
Libro de los juegos
Chess in New Age






From 1475 to 1600 slowly new rules for Queen (dama alla rabbiosa) and
Bishop are introduced, as well as rooking.
The above rules are introduced for games to be played faster.
Books about Chess problems and openings start to be published.
In 18th and 19th century Chess is being played in cafes around the world.
Chess clubs and periodicals are being established.
The newspapers give space to Chess problems.
Cafe de la Regence, Paris
Chess - Ac. year 2014/15
20
Chess in New Age





1849 new standard for Chess figures - Staunton. These figures are used
today on Chess tournaments.
1867 mechanical clocks are introduced in tournaments.
1873 Neustadtl rule of points introduced on tournaments.
1886 first World Championship held.
1913 Harold Murray published book “Chess History”.
Chess - Ac. year 2014/15
21
Chessboard in Croatian Coat of Arms


Chess board is placed in Croatian coat of arms for centuries.
According to legend, Croatian king Držislav (969-996) beat in Venice
prison three times Venetian Doge Orseolo, gained freedom and placed
Chess board into his Coat of arms.
Coat of arms in
Senj Cathedral,
1491
Cetingrad, 1527
Austria-Hungary
Monarchy
Chess - Ac. year 2014/15
Today
22