Chess

Chess

Chess in its current form emerged in Southern Europe during the second half of the 15^th. Century. From earlier manuscripts and illustrations it appears that it evolved from Indian and Persian games as early as the 7^th. Century.

The game is played on a square chequered chessboard with 64 squares in an eight by eight square. At the start each player, one controlling the white pieces the other the black, controls sixteen pieces, one king, one queen, two rooks, two knights, and eight pawns. The object of the game is to checkmate the opponent whereby the king has no move he can make to avoid remaining in check.

International matches take place, some over the Internet or even by radio where the opponents are in different venues. In the last century games between two world champions Boris Kasparov and Bobby Fisher took place in many different places, once in Iceland.

The pieces can take many forms but the outstanding type are known as Staunton pieces, named after Howard Staunton who was World Chess Champion for a decade in the middle of the 19^th. century. These date from 1847 and were produced by John Jaques. The pieces take their style from various classical figures, the knight from the marble sculptures on the Parthenon on Athens and the pawns based on the Freemasons Square and Compasses. All important chess games are now played on Staunton sets.  Simply Sports maintain an excellent supply of these chess sets, pieces and boards.