Chess is much more than a simple board game: it is a reflection of human strategic thinking, an educational tool, and an art form.
Its history spans more than a thousand years and connects cultures as diverse as Indian, Persian, Islamic and European.
Through its pieces and rules, chess reveals the evolution of the human intellect and its inclination toward tactics, reflection, and symbolism.
The origins: from Chaturanga to Shatranj
The origins of chess date back to India in the 6th century AD, where a game called Chaturanga emerged, whose name means “four divisions of the army.”
These divisions—infantry, cavalry, elephants, and chariots—were represented on the board and served as the basis for modern pieces: pawns, knights, bishops, and rooks. The king and his advisor completed the set.
From India, Chaturanga spread to Persia, where it was adapted as Shatranj.
In this format, some rules changed slightly and the use of a 64-square board was established.
Shatranj was well received by the Persian elite, becoming an essential part of court education.
Following the Islamic conquest of Persia, the game spread throughout the Arab world, from where it reached Europe.
Evolution in Europe: birth of modern chess
In Europe, chess began to take on new forms beginning in the 11th century, influenced by feudal structures and Christian symbolism. The pieces became Christianized in name and form, and localized versions emerged.
However, the most decisive change came between the 15th and 16th centuries, when modern rules were established.
During this period, the advisor's piece was transformed into the queen, and its movement capacity was radically expanded, making it the most powerful piece on the board, and the bishop, which in Shatranj could only jump two squares diagonally, was granted complete freedom of movement.
These modifications made chess a more dynamic and aggressive game, as we know it today.
Changes to the board and piece design
Although the number of squares on the board remained constant since Chaturanga, its design changed depending on the region.
The two-color board, common today, became popular in Europe during the Middle Ages.
As for the pieces, their form varied according to the cultural context. In the Islamic world, where figurative representation was restricted, the pieces were abstract. In Europe, however, they adopted figurative forms with sculptural details, especially in later centuries.
The oldest preserved set
One of the oldest and most famous sets of chess pieces is the one found on the Isle of Lewis (Scotland), dating back to the 12th century. These pieces, carved from walrus ivory, offer a glimpse of chess as it was played in medieval Northern Europe.
With a Romanesque style and remarkable expressiveness, they are now preserved in the British Museum and the National Museum of Scotland, being the object of study and admiration by historians and enthusiasts.
Historical documentation and symbolism
Various medieval manuscripts, such as the Book of Games of Alfonso X (13th century), document chess variants and their rules.
This treatise illustrates the intellectual prestige the game acquired, especially among nobles and scholars. In those contexts, chess was seen as a representation of the social and moral order: a king who needed to be protected, a powerful queen, a hierarchy of warriors, and a group of humble pawns.
A living legacy
Chess has crossed continents, religions and languages, adapting to each civilization without losing its strategic essence.
From the symbolic battlefields of Chaturanga to today's international competitions, chess is a testament to the continuity of logical thinking throughout history. Its evolution, both in form and content, reflects the cultural and social changes of more than a millennium.
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