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dariustheking 06-Dec-08, 23:40 |
 History of chess.Mention about the game was found at the same time in Persia where it was known by the name of Shatranj (very similar to the Indian name, Chataranga). Documented evidence of the game is found around the 7th century where there is clear mention about the description of the chess pieces - though not exactly as we know them today. First the game spread across Asia; in Japan it was called Shogi, in China Xiangqi, and in Persia Shatranj. In the mid 9th century the chess game navigated to Europe, most like through invasions by Persian and other Moslem armies. There the name of the chess had been altered to Shah (King in Persian) alluding to the game rules, as we know them today. By 10th century the game of chess was well known all over Europe. From Europe the chess went n to conquer new worlds, this time America - carried around by the sea-faring Vikings of Scandinavia around 1100 AD. The game was received exceptionally well wherever it went and very soon it covered the whole world. The modern chess pieces, as they are used today, are traced to the 18th century. They were designed and manufactured by Staunton who was himself a chess master. The first documented chess tournament was held in the year 1851 at London and Adolf Anderssen, a German national, won it. This was however, an unofficial tournament and hence there was no title or any reward. Andersen was beaten by Paul Morphy (an American citizen) a little later. The first official tournament took place in London in 1856. This time Steinitz who was a Chechoslovanian national won it. Although third in the line, Steinitz entered the annals of the history as the first official champion of a chess tournament. He kept the title for four decades, till 1894 when Emanuel Lasker beat him. In 1921 Jose Casablanca who is considered one of the best ever chess players in the world, took the title form Emanuel. Two other share the honor if being know as the best ever players, i.e. Bobby Fischer and Morphy. Fischer became a world champion at the tender age of only 14! He was the first American to claim the title. Excellent players from Russia dominated the 19th century period. Anatoli Karpov and Gary Kasparov became world champions at the same time by a peculiar quirk of fate. The mantle was recently passed over to Vishv Anand, an Indian national. This is a very brief outline of the history of chess, just sufficient to follow the thread from the beginning to the present. However, the game and its evolution taken in depth can fill up volumes. |
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dariustheking 06-Dec-08, 23:41 |
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dariustheking 06-Dec-08, 23:42 |
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dariustheking 06-Dec-08, 23:42 |
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dariustheking 06-Dec-08, 23:44 |
Interest in chess followed early trade routes out of India. One variation of chess (called Shogi) is now popular in Japan; another variation is played in China. Many local variations in chess rules persist even today in isolated rural areas, for example in India. The variation familiar to Europeans and Americans traveled through Iran (Persia) to the main commercial centers of Italy and Spain by about 1000 AD. A bit later, sea-faring Vikings carried the game into Scandinavia and Iceland. By 1100-1200 AD, the game became known in central Europe, and was well-established across all of Europe by 1400 AD, with the game rules which we use today. However, Russia's dominance of chess is recent, dating from the communist revolution of 1917, after which government schools for talented chess players were established. The modern design of chess pieces, such as those offered for sale from USCF at the beginning of this semester, bears the name Staunton, who was an English master in the mid-18OO's. It is now used in all tournaments worldwide. The first international chess tournament was the London Tourney of 1851, won by Adolf Anderssen of Germany, who then became known UNOFFICIALLY as the world's best chess player, though he did not receive any award or title. The first great American-born chess player was Paul Morphy, of Irish ancestry, who lived in the civil war era. He travelled to Europe in the 185O's, beating all challengers, including Adolf Anderssen. However, the English champion of the time (Staunton) refused to play, so Morphy never became a world chess champ. The first OFFICIAL championship chess tournament was played in 1866, also in London, with sandclocks to restrict the length of a game. This tournament was won by Steinitz, a Bohemian (Czechoslovakian) Jew, who then became the world's first OFFICIAL chess champion, holding this title until 1894. Emanuel Lasker, an American born in Germany, also Jewish, became champion by defeating Steinitz, remaining champion until 1921, at which time Jose Capablanca, a Cuban, took the title until 1927. Many people today consider Capablanca as one of the top 3 chess players who ever lived, the others being Morphy and Bobby Fischer. Fischer is still alive and recently played another former world champion (Boris Spassky) in Belgrade, Yugoslavia; Fischer, shown to the right at about age 14, when he became US champion, is the first native-born U.S. citizen to have held the title of World Chess Champ. Since 1927, most good chess players have been citizens of the former USSR, and include: Tal, Alekhine, Petrosian, Spassky, Smyslov, Anatoli Karpov, and Gary Kasparov (last two at right). A dispute over tournament procedures between Kasparov and the international chess organization F.I.D.E. has resulted effectively in TWO World co-champions: Karpov and Kasparov. American Ben Franklin was a well-known but not particularly good chess player. A dispute over tournament procedures between Kasparov and the international chess organization F.I.D.E. had resulted effectively in TWO world co-champions: Karpov and Kasparov. Recently, however, Vishy Anand (bottom right) has won the F.I.D.E. championship and is seen by most as the world's chess champ. Our guest lecturer, Peter Webster, will discuss these items and others. Peter Webster is a chess master, and former Wisconsin Chess Champion. |
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dariustheking 06-Dec-08, 23:44 |
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dariustheking 06-Dec-08, 23:49 |
Chess was played many centuries ago in China, India, and Persia. No one really knows for sure in which country it originated. Then, in the eighth century, armies of Arabs known as Moors invaded Persia. The Moors learned chess from the Persians. When the Moors later invaded Spain, the soldiers brought the game of chess with them. Soon the Spanish were playing chess, too. From Spain, chess quickly spread throughout all of Europe. Europeans gave chess pieces the names we know today; they probably had trouble pronouncing and spelling the Persian names, so they modernized them to reflect the way they lived. Today, the names certainly aren’t modern but a thousand years ago they represented the very way in which both ordinary people and persons of rank lived their lives. The pawns on the chess board represent serfs, or laborers. There are more of them than any other piece on the board, and often they are sacrificed to save the more valuable pieces. In medieval times, serfs were considered no more than property of landowners, or chattel. Life was brutally hard for serfs during this era of history. They worked hard and died young. They were often left unprotected while wars raged around them. They could be traded, used as a diversion, or even sacrificed to allow the landowners to escape harm. The castle piece on a chess board is the home, or the refuge, just as it was a home in medieval times. In chess, each side has two castles, or rooks, as they are sometimes called. The knight on a chess board represents the professional soldier of medieval times whose job it was to protect persons of rank, and there are two of them per each side in a game of chess. Knights in a game of chess are more important than pawns, but less important than bishops, kings, or queens. Their purpose in the game of chess is to protect the more important pieces, and they can be sacrificed to save those pieces just as pawns can. There is a bishop in the game of chess, who represents the church. The church was a rich and mighty force in medieval times, and religion played a large part in every person’s life. It is no wonder that a figure that represented the concept of religion found its way into the game. A bishop was the name for a priest in the Catholic church who had risen through the ranks to a more powerful position. In the game of chess, there are two bishops for each side. The queen is the only piece on the board during a chess game that represents a woman, and she is the most powerful piece of the game. In the game of chess, there is only one queen for each side. Many people do not realize that queens in medieval times often held a powerful, yet precarious, position. The king was often guided by her advice, and in many cases the queen played games of intrigue at court. But kings could set wives aside or even imprison them in nunneries with the approval of the church (and without the queen’s approval), and many women schemed merely to hold her place at court. The machinations of queens working either for or against their kings are well noted in history throughout medieval times, and often she held more power than the king did. The king is the tallest piece on the board, and is as well defended on the chessboard as in medieval life. In medieval times, the surrender of the king would mean the loss of the kingdom to invading armies and that could mean change for the worse. It was to everyone’s advantage, from the lowest serf to the highest-ranking official, to keep the king safe from harm. The king is the most important, but not the most powerful piece in chess. If you do not protect your king, you lose the game. The next time you set up your chessboard and get ready to play a friendly game or two, think of chess as a history lesson. The pieces on the board represent a way of life that is no more, and the real life dramas that occurred in medieval times are now only a game. |
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dariustheking 06-Dec-08, 23:50 |
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dariustheking 06-Dec-08, 23:52 |
Chess is also mentioned in the poems of Firdousi, a Persian poet of the 10th century in which he describes gifts being introduced by a convoy from the Rajah of India at the court of the Persing King Chosroe-I. Amongst these gifts was a game depicting the battle of two armies. Records show that there were originally four types of piece used in Chess. Shatrang (Indian Sanskrit) means ‘four’ and anga means ‘detachment’. In the Sassanid dynasty (242-651 AD) a book was written in the Middle Persian Pahlavi language called ‘Chatrang namakwor’ (A Manual of Chess). Shatrang (Chess) represents the universe, according to ancient Indian mysticism. The four sides being the four elements (fire, air, earth and water), and the four ‘humors’ of man. Although the names of the pieces are different in various countries today, their movements are strikingly similar. In Persia the word ‘Shatranj’ was used for the name of Chess itself. In the 8th century the Moors invaded Spain and Chess spread to Europe. The game found its way to the western world after the Moslems conquered lands from India and Persia to the East, and Spain to the West. The first reference to Chess is found in the Catalonian Testament of 1010 AD. A Chess set was presented as a gift to Charlemagne from the famous Moslem ruler Haroon-al-Rashid. The Muslims also conquered Sicily, and the game reached Russia probably through the Caspian-Volga trade routes. The names of the Russian pieces clearly indicates the Persian and Arabic origin of the game. In Russian folk poems Chess is mentioned as a popular game. The Vikings carried the game to north-western Europe via the Baltic. Chess arrived in Germany around the 11th century, with the earliest reference to Chess being made by a monk ‘Froumund von Tegermsee’. Chess spread to Italy from Germany and later on to England and Ireland. Chess also reached Scandanavia by the 11th century and Bohemia from Italy. The growing popularity of Chess is proven by the vast amount of literature that has been printed over the last few centuries. The oldest of these (Mansubat) were penned by the Arab author Al-Aldi in the 9th century who also mentioned the differences between the Hindu and Persian rules of the game. Blindfold play, qualifying contests, Chess problems (mansubat), the first Chess book and tournaments were known as early as the 7th century. Today, the game of traditional Chess is very similar to the original game that was played in India 1400+ years ago (i.e., the game-tree has not been altered significantly). Chesmayne allows any game-tree to be used for play. Today there are 149 Chess playing countries belonging to FIDE. In the last few centuries traditional Chess has truly become international in appeal. Chess is exciting, demanding skill, and the result is unpredictable. It is not a physical contest, and there is no element of luck as in card games. In oriental warfare, a battle could be decided by the death or capture of the King, which in Chess is known as Shah-mat (checkmate, ++CM). So two armies line up against each other. One can try head-on assault or patient outflanking manoeuvres. One can try bluff, or offer poisoned pawns, or make sacrifices in order to ambush the enemy and capture the commander-in-chief, the King. The Persians took up Indian Chess with enthusiasm. The caliphs, rulers of the Moslem world, kept Chess professionals at court through the 9th and 10th centuries. Chess was brought to Europe by the Moors in Spain before AD 1,000. There was great confusion throughout medieval Europe concerning the pieces names. The elephants became archers in Spain, Standard-Bearers in Italy, couriers in Germany, court jesters in France, and BSs in Portugal, England, Ireland and Iceland. The ‘rukh’ (war chariot) was another enigma. In 1527, an Italian poet, Vida, fancifully identified the Rook as an elephant with a tower on his back, as used by Hannibal seventeen centuries earlier. This caught on, but the elephant was costly to carve, and disappeared leaving only the tower. Europe’s first big contribution to Chess came about AD 1,000 - a chequered board to assist the eye (before this time the board was unchequered). Please see Shogi for further details (Japanese Chess). A century later came the second - speeding the :&O (opening) by giving pawns the option of moving two cells on the first move (FMO). About 1580 an Italian suggested making the Queen the strongest piece instead of the weakest. Promotion of a pawn, hitherto a minor incident, became cataclysmic. The average game was halved in length. At the same time, the piece we call a Bishop, previously very restricted was de-limited. The new game was nicknamed ‘Scacchi all rabiosa’ (crazy Chess) by the Italians, and by the French, ‘Echecs de la dame enragee’ (Chess of the maddened Queen). But it swept Europe like a forest fire, except Russia, where the masses stuck to the old game for over two more centuries. Italy took over from Spain as the leading Chess country in the 17th century. In the 18th century, supremacy passed to France. About 1840, London became the main Chess center. The first international Chess tournament was held in London in 1851. It was won by Adolf Anderssen, a German professor of mathematics. The fantastic advance of Chess in the 20th century is best shown by figures. Before 1923 there were rarely more than four international tournaments in a year. Between 1923 and 1939, the average was six. After WW II this quadrupled. In 1974 it jumped to 60, in 1975 to 75, in 1976 to 100. By the end of 1990 the number had increased to well over 1,000 registered tournaments. In 1924 FIDE had a dozen member countries. In 1990 it had 127. Every two years, a world teams’ tourney is held, known as the Chess Olympiad. The number of entries in 1927 was 16. By 1990 it reached 108 teams. Women’s Olympiads started in 1957 with 21 teams, increasing to a record 65 in 1990. Russia (or the former Soviet Union) first competed in an Olympiad in 1952 and has won all but two since then. Only for three years since 1948 has there been a non-Russian (Soviet) champion. Bobby Fischer (USA) won crushingly in 1972 but did not defend in 1975 when the title went to Anatoly Karpov by default. In 1985 Karpov lost the title to 22-year old Garry Kasparov in a marathon struggle lasting 72 games, starting in September 1984. The challenger is found after three years of elimination tournaments, and matches start with Zonal tournaments, continuing with interzonals and culminating with Candidates’ matches. Women’s World Championships are played under similar procedures. The title of Chess Champion of the World dates strictly from 1886, but it has been conferred retrospectively from 1866 by general consent. Before that, there were players recognized as supreme in their time. The following list will not be disputed by most mature players: 01 Andre Danican Philidor (France) 1747-1795 • 02 Louis Charles Mahe de la Bourdonnais (France) 1821-1840 • 03 Howard Staunton (England) 1843-1851 • 04 Adolf Anderssen (Germany) 1851-1858 • 05 Paul Morphy (U.S.A. Irish/Spanish/French) 1958-1959 • 06 William Steinitz (born Austrian) 1866-1894 • 07 Dr Emanuel Lasker (born German) 1894-1921 • 08 Jose Raul Capablanca (Cuba) 1921-1927 • 09 Dr Alexander Alekhine (born Russian) 1927-1935 • 10 Dr Max Euwe (Holland) 1935-1937 • 11 Dr Alexander Alekhine (died still Champion, FIDE took control) 1937-1946 • 12 Dr Mikhail Botvinnik (Russia) 1948-1957 • 13 Vassily Smyslov (Russia) 1957-1958 • 14 Dr Mikhail Botvinnik 1958-1960 • 15 Mikhail Tal (Russia) 1960-1961 • 16 Dr Mikhail Botvinnik 1961-1963 • 17 Tigran Petrosian (U.S.S.R.) 1963-1969 • 18 Boris Spassky (Russia) 1969-1972 • 19 Bobby Fischer (U.S.A.) 1972-1975 • 20 Anatoly Karpov (Russia) 1975-1985 • 21 Garry Kasparov (Russia) 1985-? Until the present century, traditional Chess (:L01 of Chesmayne) was regarded as a game for the wealthy and leisured classes in society. It is the national sport in Russia, where it is more popular than football. Indeed, Russian Chess players have dominated world Chess since the 1940s, although their superiority is fast being challenged by Britain, which is now established as a strong Chess playing nation. Compare it with draughts or the Japanese game of Go (nearly all strategy). Chess also has the advantage of its finely differentiated playing pieces. They are not merely rounded lumps of wood or stone but individuals, each with h/er own power and attributes. It is easy to identify with one’s Chess pieces. Losing a game of draughts never results in the same sense of deep personal loss that one has when the KI is ++CM. It is a game that involves the mind completely. Chess combines elements of both art and science, what the Dutch call Denksport. Analyzing a Chess game is primarily an exercise in logic, yet arriving at a beautiful checkmating attack or a profound strategical position can bring a genuine sense of creative satisfaction. There is also the competitive aspect of the game. Chess is not a solitary exercise, like solving a crossword puzzle, but a battle between two individuals, a struggle of mind and will. Above all, Chess provides a sense of continuity with the past - of belonging to a great Chess-playing family extending through thousands of years and embracing all nations from the time of the Egyptian Kings to the present day (and probably before as well). In the text you will find games played over a century ago (:L01) which still arouse admiration in those who play through them today. Perhaps one day, new players who are now taking up Chess (Chesmayne) will find some of their own efforts gracing the literature of this fascinating game. Traditional Chess is one of the world’s most played board games. It has an old and distinguished pedigree, developed for over five centuries. The wisdom of antiquity has bequeathed it to succeeding generations. Of the various occidental board games, Chess is the King. It is the one practiced most widely and has the most-documented and carefully written theory to back it up. Goethe called Chess ‘the touchstone of the intellect’. The story of Chess is amongst one of the most extraordinary inventions in our history, which draws extensively on legend, mythology and symbolism and must rank amongst the greatest stories ever told. Its theme is the vast and bewildering complexity of the universe of thought - an inspiring symbol of the desire to explore and penetrate the uttermost reaches of the imagination. An eternal book - somehow impinging on infinity itself - a never-ending story - a mirror of the infinite possibilities of the human mind and one of the purest forms of communication with a unique and unusual set of symbols. This symbolic world of weightless thoughts is real, vital, and filled with significance. It seems we are mysteriously connected to the universe. We are mirrored in it, just as the entire evolution of the universe is mirrored in us. However, like frogs, sooner or later we have to step outside our limited sensorium. In this section the reader is taken through the delightful account of the landmarks and discoveries and pays tribute to the Chess players who made contributions, both large and small, not only as painstaking observers of the game, but also as outstanding wo/men of vision whose conclusions were often ahead of their time. We have traveled through the ages to accumulate a battery of sound Chess theories and along this road circuitous detours carried many thinkers far and wide through a wilderness. At this juncture we must put the whole achievement into perspective and it is well to make some preliminary comments about the state of Chess as it now stands. To settle a group of students a teacher will first tell them a light story when they first come into the classroom, just to put them at ease, focused, and then kind of lead them into. |
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dariustheking 06-Dec-08, 23:52 |
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dariustheking 06-Dec-08, 23:53 |
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dariustheking 07-Dec-08, 02:21 |
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Thanks for the history on Chess. Roger |
