Chess were invented. Who invented chess: folk art. Ancient games on boards

Good day, dear friend!

Most experts believe that the history of the occurrence of Chess goes its roots to Eastern cultures.

Origin

Many historians adhere to the opinion that the birthplace of the chess game - India. Others, more cautious, are believed that chess is rather a product of collective creativity of several peoples, and they developed in those immemorial times - in parallel in several countries.

The most intelligible legend relative to the origin of the chess is:

At the turn of the fifth-sixth centuries in India, a game was born, which was called chaturanga . For modern perception of chess game looks very strange:

Four play. Two for two. Each player has its own white or black shapes. The purpose of the game is the destruction of the "troops" of rivals.

Curious fact: In this game, there were no players. What should be the move, was determined by the emission of playing bones.

Gradually, the game developed and spread. White and black sets of figures "merged", instead of 4 players left two. Chaturanga gradually acquired the contours of the game, which we know today, like chess.

In general, most historians believe that chess on the rules that look like modern, began to play in sixthcentury. It is the sixth century that the first manuscripts associated with the mention and description of the chess are dated.

Spread the world

It is believed that a few later, a century in 7 The game spread to the Arab world, China and some other regions of the East. The game was gaining popularity and acquired national traits characteristic of these peoples.

Changed the names that are preserved until today. Schtrants, shuttles, such Arab and Persian names are unusual for us, modern chess players. In Japan, Syogi, the Chinese - Xianzi, still occupy a prominent place in the cultures of these peoples.

Over time, Arabic shuttom "penetrated" in Spain. According to ITORICov, it happened in 8 century.

IN 9 century on the queue France, few later, "under pressure" of an attractive game did not resist other European nations.

At the same time, in 9 century, chess appeared on Russian Earth. And directly from the east. However, cultural ties with Europe played a role. Gradually, chess in Russia acquired the European appearance and by the end of the 10th century completely "Europeanized".

Gradually changed the rules. In different countries with their own characteristics

Curious fact:

"In Italy, in the eighteenth century, there was a rule: a pawn, when the transformation field is reached, it can only become the figure that is currently absent on the board at the moment. Pawn on the last horizontal could stay pawn. The transformation occurred at the time of taking some kind of figure rival. Pawn became this taking figure "

Period of persecution

At some point of history, century in 15-16 Chess shared two branches - the usual version and " gambling" In the gaming version of the game the rules were similar to Chaturanga, and the move was made on the ejection of the playing bones .

It is not surprising that this version was perceived as a gambling, because he strongly brushed to the game in the bone. Gambling and then did not particularly complained and were often persecuted by the church and the state. Under such an image fell and chess in general.

Not particularly sacrificing in the nuances, church and government officials with enthusiasm used their right to "keep and not to bother", counting chess one of the types of idle transition time.

However, sprouts appear on the stones and trees grow. Forbidden fruit, as you know ... The game spread and occupied an increasingly prominent place. In the culture of European peoples.

By the way, in the excavations of chess found in the institutions of the church, not to mention just the estates and houses of people of different estates.

Bans, as often happens, ignored "by default". Moreover, the ability to play chess well to be considered fashionable. and almost mandatory for people of intelligent activities.

Developing game theory

So far, serve people broke a spear, gradually fascinated the rules of the game in various countries, were unified and it became possible to communicate on uniform foundations.

IN 16 and 17 various theoretical models began to appear. One of the investigator of this approach was Fildor. He introduced the concept of the struggle for the center, counterpat ideas.

Fildor believed, and found a lot of supporters, that the key factor around which the game is built is the location. 1585 year dated 1st international tournament. He took place in Spain.

Chess as sport

Curious fact: Chess maestro from her Lorenzo Busnardo Skolotil, according to unconfirmed data, is a whole condition, organizing and playing matches and tournaments.

National championships are held from the eighteenth century. International tournaments became regular.

A logical continuation was the institution of informal world championship. First carrier unofficial Champion's crowns Adolf Andersen, who first marked in the London tournament 1851 of the year.

IN 1886 the first match for the official one took place. champion crown. Wilhelm Steinitz won a victory over Johann zuckers And became the owner championship.

The next fate for chess event is the introduction of control. First, the hourglass, then already invented and constructed ( Tuilson) Special chess clock.

It is the control of the time spent on thinking and became the starting point in recognizing chess by the world sports community as one of the sports.

Curious facts

• Recordsman on thought - Chess player from Brazil F. Trois . Once he thought over his move 2 hours 20 minutes.
• On the duration of the party record 20 full hours and fifteen minutes. Total was done 268 moves. The party ended in a draw. Perhaps after that, the rule was taken 50 moves, when in the absence of taking the figures or movement of the pawns, the draw is declared.

At the turn of millennium

In the twentieth century, chess developed by seven-year steps. However, like other types of human activity. In Russia, and especially in the USSR, chess were actively supported and were in one row with the most popular sports.

Nevertheless, we will be objective, chess are specific and entertainment, and accordingly returns, cannot compete with football or tennis.

Nevertheless, the chess niche is strong enough. Replace in the heart of chess football is impossible . For example, they completely get along with each other.

Recently, there has been a tendency to increase the entertainment of tournaments and matches. In my opinion, positive. Mainly in terms of the game and the use of knockout tournaments and matches.

Another objective trend - computerization . Everyone has already been completed with the fact that the computer heats a person.

Hence the desire of leading grandmasters to the peak of new ways in theory, the growth of the popularity of rare game formats, for example,

Interest in chess is reborn. People understand that this is not only a game of sport or science, which aroused for many years with foam at the mouth.

Chess - personal development tool. No more and no less . I hope this understanding in the minds of people will only be strengthened.

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The emergence of chessAs the emergence of many other things on Earth, covered by the mystery over the illness, covered myths and guesses, and has, as usual, many versions.
And I, like the chess player's daughter and the international chess arbiter (one of the oldest and most experienced arbitrators of Russia), it was very interesting to dig in the books of the father's library and other sources, and that's what I missed with great pleasure.

Who invented Chess

There are several legends on this. You can choose any, what kind of likes it. Although you can believe in everything at once, they do not exclude each other.

Legend of Chess №1 "Gav and Talhand"

This legend is described by a thousand years ago by the Persian poet of Firdawi in Epos "Shahnam" ("Book of Kings").

Two twin brothers lived in ancient India, two Tsarevich - Gav and Talhand. And, as it often happened in history, the struggle for power broke out between them. In the poem it says that the queen could not give anyone's preference to anyone, because Equally loved both sons. This, of course, is understandable to me. It is not clear - why, in this case, she did not divide their kingdom in half. It would be divided and gave each son of the folly. But she did not do this, and as a result, each Tsarevich gathered his army, and a fight was announced, which was supposed to determine the strongest. And it was clear that the fight would not be for life, but to death, because In fact, no one could run away from there - the battlefield was arranged on the seashore and from all sides they surround a deep moat with water.
In the poem, again it is said that while the battle was going, the queen did not sleep, did not eat. Worried. Therefore, I knew about this fight and watched from afar.
Talhand died in this battle.
When Tsaritsa reported on the death of Talhanda, she fell into despair and began to reproach Gava that he ruined his brother. There is somehow not traced logic. She did not understand that one of her sons would die in this battle? It suggests that the condition that apparently was the condition of the fight - not to kill Tsarevich. As in chess - defeat the army, but the king itself can not be touched, you can only declare the mat. If so, then the logic is.
When disassembly, it turned out that Gav did not kill Talhanda. There was not a single wound on his body. Talhand died from heat, hunger and thirst, having lost consciousness sitting on her elephant.
What do chess here? But what's.
The Queen demanded that she was shown in detail - as the battle developed, and how it happened that Talhand died, not having RAS. Gav, to rehabilitate in the eyes of the mother, convened the wiser mobes. Moussa is a clergy in zoroastrism. (Family members were Zoroastrians. In India, there is still a small percentage of the population to profess this ancient religion.)
So, Moundes arrived - and all night, not a shiny eye, in the essence of the case: studied what form was the field of battle, where Rips were located, as the battle was moved, how Shahi and their troops were moved, and other details. After that, from the ebony tree, they made a square board, depicting the battlefield, and from ivory cut out and painted the shape on the board - two troops face to each other.
On that board, 100 cells were drawn (as we know, on a modern chessboard 64 cells - 8 horizontally and 8 vertically).
Front row - infantry, for her - cavalry. Shah was located in the center of his troops in the second row. Next to him stood a mentor, the wise closest assistant. Next - two elephants. Near the elephants stood camels. Further - two horses. And around the edges - two martial birds Ruh. It is clear from the text that there was also a third row - infantry (see below - dedicated red lines), i.e. If you believe this legend, in the initial chess figures stood not in two, but in three rows.
Mentor, camels, bird ruh ... very interesting!
But more interesting to read the original source in the translation of Mikhail Dyakonov - the famous orientalist. Here is this text:

In this text, so much interesting! For example:

"Who will pass the field, will be famous for the mind, like a mentor, next to the king."

The analogue of the transformation of the pawns is traced (when the pawn, reaching the opposite edge of the board, can turn into any shape of its color).

• Or take the image of the mentor, which stands next to the king and "all wise wise."

  "Here is the Shah in the middle of his squad, with him a mentor - all wise wise."

  In modern chess next to the king, instead of the mentor, there is a queen, i.e. In a simple, queen. Isn't it symbolic that the mentor (male genus) smoothly transformed into the queen, a girlfriend of the king (female genus). 🙂

• It was smoothly transformed and the field of its (it) activity:

  "The mentor in the battle near Shah goes and only goes forward on the cage."

  In modern chess, the queen, as you know, is not tied to the king and walks throughout the board without restrictions - both vertically horizontally and diagonally.

• Martial elephants also expanded their field of activity. Rather, lengthened it.

  "Three cells are fighting elephants, they are visible to the battle of the field for two miles."

  Only from this text is not clear how they moved to three fields: directly - or diagonally, as it is now.
  But indeed, according to logic, it seems to be an elephant to dare to dare to the far end of the board, they are not so angry, elephants. But in modern chess dopes easily. 🙂

• But the horse from those long ago does not change itself and jumps the letter G:

  "And the horse can also go three cells, but to the third runs, evading the path."

• And I personally pity that camels disappeared from turnover. With camels chess would still be more classified!
• Well, the bird ruh, of course. Modestly gave way to the beautiful Road. But she (Bird Ruh) was so huge that during the flight with its wings closed the sun and could easily raise an elephant into the air! If she had not left the chess board, the development of chess would probably go on some other way ...
• And about the castling something they do not write anything. Apparently, it was not in the initial version.

In general, the course of the course, Gav, with the support of invited mobes on this chessboard, recreated the whole picture of the battle for his mother-queen. So there have been chess.

And then it's very sad (although it is sad, if Talhand died). Mother-Queen was sitting on this chessboard, killed by grief, without food and water, shed bitter tears until her end came.

Legend number 2 "About chess and grain"

This is the most, perhaps a common story about how alone Brahmin lived in India, and one day he came up with chess. Just took and invented them. At leisure. In his free from its Brahmin's time. And the Indian king, this invention was like that he said to Brahmina:
- Oh, the great inventor of this beautiful game, the wisest of the wisest, ask any reward, all.
So or roughly said the Indian king in admiration.
Although in some embodiments of this story, another ideological poversion is checked - allegedly Brahmin did not simply have ever invented those chess, but with the great secret target. The king, it turns out, so poorly managed with state affairs, which led his kingdom of decay, and he did not listen to all sorts of wise bras. And in order to gently and delicately show the king that one in the field is not a warrior in the field, and that without the help of the rest of the state figures (and even the pawns!) He will not be able to do anything, here with this great goal and invented Brahmin at leisure chess.
The hint of the king was understood correctly, and he decided to thank Brand for the presented lesson of everyday wisdom.
There was this ideological background or not, in any case, the result is obvious: "ask any reward, all I will fulfill."
And Brahmin is not a fool ... Some options for this story add that it was the very broth that invented the degree of number. That was the most brain or not - we did not know, but it was certainly known for it to be a degree (in contrast, apparently, from the king). And he is easy to say that:
- Oh, the great king! I'm a little modest Brahmin, and many riches are not necessary for me. Give me just a little grain, and enough. Just a little. Put on the first cage of a chessboard one grains, on the second - two grains, on the third - four ... and so on ... constantly doubling.
Strange some Brahmin, "thought the king," well, okay. Does not want a lot of grain - no need. Let him ask how much.
He put one grains on the first cell, on the second - 2, on the third - 4, on the fourth - 8, on the fifth - 16 ... and so on .... At first, his first barn was empty ... Then the second ... Third ... The king was no longer happy, which contacted this earliest Bramin. He no longer need any chess! He already gave Brahramin all the grain, which was in his country, and not close to the 64th cage! ..
And since then, all children in school, when studying the construction of a number to a degree in mathematics, the same task - about the unfortunate king, brand ear and grain on a chessboard.
And by the way! Some Historians of Chess claim that this legend belongs to about a thousand year BC! (This is the question "When chess invented")

History №3 "Chaturanga"

Chess historians believe that the progenitress of modern chess is ancient Indian game Chaturanga.
The word "Chaturanga" means "army consisting of 4 parts": infantry, cavalry, elephants and chariots.
Chaturant board, like modern chess, is divided by 64 cells. In each corner there are 4 pawns (infantry), 1 horse (cavalry), 1 elephant, 1 rook (chariot) and 1 king (commander). Four people play, two for two, each - the army of their color (black, red, yellow, green).

The goal of the game is the destruction of all the enemy forces. But! The movement of figures in the chaturant was determined by throwing playing bones.
It is believed that Chaturanga arose in India in 2-4 centuries AD. From India, she spread to other countries of the East.
Over time, the Chaturant changed the number of troops, while the number of figures remained the same - instead of four troops of 8 figures in each, two troops were 16 figures.
Those. Two armies merged into one. In each army it turned out two commander, one of which turned into the Queen (advisor). The rules of the game changed. King (Shah) now began to kill, and you can only arrange the traps. Another important change - the bone throwing out of the game.
Such an updated version was called "Start".
Pay attention to the photo Chaturants. There, this game is called "Correction". Even from the names it is clear that this is the same game: Chaturanga - Country - Stroke.

Legend number 4 "Story about the Schtrag"

Another interesting legend relating to the history of chess.
It says that the Indian king once sent Shahu Iran with a caravan of camels of the Schtrag (as we already know, the hittrag is the initial version of Chess) so that it solves the essence of the game. A letter on silk was made to the chalk, which said that if the Shah will reveal the secret of this beautiful game, he will surpass all the wise men, and the Indian king in this case will send any file that Iranian Shah will ask. And if there is no such a sage in Iran, who would be able to solve the secret of chess, then, on the contrary, you will kindly pay us to file and send it to India, because our knowledge is ahead of yours. Because the king is famous for knowledge, not treasure!
At the same time, the Indian ambassador gave Shahu one prompt that in this game all images of the figures and the paths of their movements were taken from the war, from the rules of the battle.
Shah asked time to solve this game seven days.

Danish and Nostano Shah with their wisers tried to solve the meaning of the game - where what figure should stand and how to move. But to no avail. And there was one comrade, a Vizier named Buzurgmichr, who said that he sees what the party's outcome should be, i.e. What should happen at the exit, but how to get to this outcome, it is not yet clear, but he will try to understand it.
And Shah with joy and relief handed over to him a chessboard with figures and sent to think. "All hope for you," Shah said. - Do not resist the power. "
Buzurgmihr stared at the board and began to think the Duma. And invented!
On the appointed day, the shah of all of his approximal - and the Indian ambassador, of course. Speaking a sight in front of the board and began to expose the figures. The Indian ambassador looked at this thing to all her eyes, and his glance was more and more sealing, because all the figures were arranged correctly.
In the first row there were infantrymen, Shah was hiding behind them in the center, with whom the wisest Dustur stood, pointing out the most right paths in the battle. Remember the mentor from Legend # 1? Here in the role of a mentor is Dustur - this is the same mobed (priest in zoroastrism), only a higher rank (yes, these are also zoroastrians). Well, on the list - elephants, horses, birds ruh.
All froze in amazement. How did he manage to solve the correct placement of figures, because he never saw them in the eye? ..
As a reward for the fact that Vizier did not let the Power, Shah generously bestowed him with precious stones and gave a horse.
And Vizier Buzurgmichr so \u200b\u200bfascinated by intelligent games that went to his house, closed there, plunged into reflections - and invented backgammon.
And what did the Iranian Shah did? Right! He sent these backgammon to India. With the same caravan camels, with what came here from India Chess, and with the words that in India there are many wise Brahmins, and let them try to reveal the meaning of the game of backgammon.
And ... oh, the grief of my beloved India! .. The secret of the new game was not able to reveal there. And in perspective, and in the sign of worship before the human thought, Indian Raja loaded gold, clothes, pearls and precious stones on these camels - and sent to Iran. Here and fairy tale.

Motherland Chess or where chess

Now it is clear to us where they were invented. Motherland Chess - India. Definite!
From the ancient India, chess gradually penetrated to the West - to the countries of the Arab Caliphate, and to the East - to Burma, China, Japan ... Each people brought some elements of their culture in them, the appearance of the figures, the name of the game, was changed, but the basic principle remained The same enemy's main figure was announced.

At the same time, the historians of Chess unanimously decided that with the authorship everything is simple and clear - there is no particular author of this game.
"There is no doubt that chess (in the modern version) were not invented by one person, but are the result of collective folk creativity, moreover, not one, and many nations" - all the historians of Chess are converged. At the same time, it is also converged that the origin of them is undoubtedly Indian.

Some Chinese historians do not believe that Indian roots of the chess game are completely proven. They admit that indian, and Chinese chess may have occurred from the total yet found, predecessor.
Nevertheless, they do not deny the fact that the first mentions of this game in Chinese literature include only 8th century AD. So the Championship of India is no doubt even from Chinese historians.

When chess was invented

Chess historians believe that they arose about the 6th century AD. By this time include the earliest found documents. This is if we talk about those chess that have a friend and famous rules familiar to us. At the same time, there are many evidence that before the appearance of today's chess existed similar board games, which also lay a battle tactics, the main figure was Shah (commander), and in his assistants he had his army.
An example is given a certain Persian poem, written in 600 AD, where Indian chess is mentioned and it is said that in Persia they penetrated from India.
Harold Mareraj, English Orientalist and an outstanding historian Chess, in his capital labor "Story Chess" (1913) even calls the exact date of chess - 570 AD. He claims that up to 570 there were no information about chess, although single travelers of those times described in detail India, but they did not mention this game.
In 700, the first mentions of the chess game blindly, i.e. without looking at the board.
In the 8th century, information about qualifying tournaments appears!
And in the 9th century - the first treatise about Al-Adley chess.

Some interesting facts from the history of chess

In Arab chess, for example, the queen was a secondary figure and could only move on one cell diagonally. The elephant was limited in its movements up to three cells diagonally, while the elephant could jump through the figure. The rook, too, once moved only to two cells.
Over time, the queen became the main figure on a chessboard (after the king).
The rules changed gradually - in order to accelerate the tempo and giving the sharpness of the game.

Where is the legendary bird ruh? For what reason did she give way to Ladie? Wine everything, it turns out, Arabs. I rummaged in daddy chess books and found such an explanation.
Initially, in India in chess (or rather, in the accompaniment), Figures attached to the form that corresponded to their names. The elephant was like an elephant, rider - on horseman, etc. But during their large-scale Muslim conquests, among other cultural wealth, Arabs met chess. Of course, they adopted this wonderful game. According to the laws of Islam, the image of living beings was prohibited. And the poultry of the ruh remained small stumps of wings in the form of protrusions at the top of the quadrilateral. This is a symbolic image of a fabulous bird and served as a prototype of modern turf.
Just in case, let's remind you that even earlier - to the poultry of Ruh - these extreme cells on a chessboard occupied Indian chariots (Ratha).
So, here is such a curious phased transformation: Ratha - Bird Ruh - Rye.

But another interesting fact from the history of the Chess Development, which I was deducted in the Big Tolstoy Book of Jerzy Gizytsky "with chess through the century and the country." True, this is no longer about India, but about Russia, but the fact seemed very curious.
In Russia, in the last centuries, when playing chess sometimes increased the strength of the queen. Invented that the queen can walk not only by direct lines, but also the letter r, like a horse. In this case, the queen was called "in all sorts". And before the start of the party, it was necessary to agree in advance, as will be played by the game - "ordinary query" or "in all sorts".

One of the most ancient and exciting games are chess. She is known in any corner of the globe, so there are dozens of its variations in the world. This is not just a game, because chess has long been a sport and art. Chess marking is used in almost all spheres of life, and the game algorithm is used for scientific purposes. But where is her homeland and who came up with it? There is still no unambiguous and plausible opinion. Scientists argue, putting forward their versions.

The controversial version

Some editions with confidence declare that chess appeared in India somewhere in the VI century. e. At the beginning of the 20th century, it was possible to read in the book Harold Murray "Story Chess". Yes, I invented the game exactly there and at that time, but invented it much earlier. Scientists seriously took up the study of this topic and found many of the most different versions, which sometimes surprise the facts.

If you consider India as the ancestor of Chess, it is worth remembering the famous legend of Raj and Brahmin. After numerous hiking, victories and defeats, the lords are tired and labored. Raja ordered his advisers and sages to come up with fun to him, for which she took 3 days and nights. No one could satisfy him and interest him, except for a modest peasant, who brought the board with cells and wooden figures. When Raja learned the conditions of the game, his joy was not borders.

It was the fact that so long they tried to find. In return, the peasant demanded a modest award - several wheat bins. But set the condition: the amount should increase with each cell of the board (1 cell - 1 grains, 2 cells - 2, 3 cells - 2 2, 4 cells - 2 3, ..., 64 cells - 2 64). Raja first ridiculed the stupid brain, but only then he understood his mistake. On the entire planet there is no such grain, because after calculations, the final amount is equal to - 1.8 * 10 19. This board was a combat field of modern chess, which is translated from the Persian - "Death of the King".

There is another option - Korean legend. Once 4500 years ago, the prototype of modern chess was the game that the Terrible Tsar Mesopotamia was invented by Ravan for his beloved wife Mandodari. He had to be missing for a long time because of numerous campaigns, so his spouse often saddled. Chess are so interested in all residents of the palace, that they spread around the world (India, China, Korea).

Curious, but this is a real documentary confirmation. At the beginning of the 20th century, the background Bork proved the presence of a prototype of the game. According to his information, it appeared in 1250 BC. e. in Industan. Representatives of the local tribe played in it, borrowed ancient fun in Elame (the current South-West Iran).

Now it is impossible to accurately establish this, because at the time under the word chess people could combine different games: bones, backgammon, chaupara or packed. All these options have one common - a square or cruciform board. We can only guess what of them were first.

Ancient games on boards

So, at that time there were 2 options for boards: with a square or cross. Dimensions are also different. In Asia, such:

• 5 to 5;
• 7 to 7;
• 9 to 9.

The rules of the game are somewhat different from the established modern, because then it was possible to play not only together, but in four. In some embodiments, the game began with the middle of the field, in other moves it was necessary from the edge (from the fortress). The movement could be spiral or in the form of a special labyrinth. The set consisted of a field (matter on which squares are drawn) and 4 shells (seeds or chopsticks). But the poor and simple passers-by were satisfied by the piece of land, on which the lord drew squares.

Astapada is an ancient game on a single-color chalkboard with 64 cells. She is associated with spider, which had 8 legs, because in the translation of the Astapada - 8 squares. The first mention of it appeared in the V century. e. In the northern part of India. The ancestor of modern chess has retained only a distinguished, but the rules and movements were lost. Until now, no scientist was able to solve this secret and provide the most believable version of the game.

If you compare the Indian prototype of the game with Chinese, you can see a significant simplicity of the first option. It has fewer figures, they are voluminous, and not flat as the Chinese or Koreans, and also have a smaller spectrum of moves. If the Chinese borrowed chess from Indians, they had to work great to complicate the rules of the game, modify the figures.

But there are several important inconsistencies: official relations between these countries are fixed only in 150 BC. er, and during archaeological excavations in India, nothing was found, while in China constantly find different prototypes of this fun. There is another incompression - the rules of the game or manuscripts about chess on Sanskrit does not exist, and there are many of them on Chinese.

Famous Chaturanga

This is the closest option that is similar to modern chess. It began to play everything in the same northern part of India, but somewhere in the VI century. Until this day, accurate rules of the game did not reach, although scientists presented several of their own options to the world. Main similarity:

1. the board in the form of a square and size of 8 per 8 cells;
2. figures appearance are similar to chess;
3. total 32 figures (one half of the main, second - pawns);
4. the king and horse go equally.

The difference between these games in the number of players: in the chaturant of them there were 4, and each had 4 figures (king, elephant, rook and horse). You need to play 2 at 2. To go began a man who thrust the playing bones. But the queen at the Chaturant was not at all.

I would like to consider this game with a chess prototype, but here there are a number of inconsistencies. The name of the "Chaturanga" name indicates at the same time at least 2 completely different games. According to Sanskrit, it is a quadrilateral game, and in the Vedic texts the word described 4 different types of troops. But there was a game Chaturanga for two. What an old version does not know anyone.

The problem is that several centuries ago many researchers missed the meaning of this word or simply did not want to drink until the very essence. Such confusion occurred due to the impossibility of confirming the accuracy of some sources, and also it is impossible to accurately determine the date of writing them. After the release of their work, the British and the French began to refer to these facts unclear to the end.

Thus appeared the hypothesis of the American anthropologist Stuart Culin on the evolution of chess games. He believed that historically the game developed for this principle:

• racing for two (game in a circle or labyrinte);
• racing for 4 players;
• chess for 4 players;
• chess for two.

Only in 1913, this version was completely destroyed by the Anglican Harold Murrey in his work "Story Chess". He proved that in Bhavishya Purana, which previous opponents considered the most ancient and true, chess mentioned, but he is not as ancient. In addition to this source, there is not a single one who would confirm or mentioned a chess game.

Therefore, the first reliable work, in which the Chaturanga, and ChantAndja can be considered the Treatise of 1030 "India or a book, containing an explanation of the exercises belonging to Indians acceptable by reason or rejected". She is the author al-Biruni, Khorezm scientist. He personally visited North India and noticed that 4 people play chess there at the same time, for which they have 2 sets of figures. From there it became known the name Queen - Shah. The concept of the mat did not exist, because the main task of the player was the complete destruction of the figures of his opponent.

Indians did not bake their future generation, so for a long time did not record the rules of the game, which now significantly complicates the work of researchers. But still, it is safe to say that in 1130 there is the first mention of the classic chess game in the encyclopedia "Manamollas". This entry was made by King Someshwar III, which was ruled at the time in India (Center and South of the country). Chess is already double-sided, the figures are placed on the rules familiar to modern person, and they go almost also. The only thing, there is no accurate location on the Queen board and the king.

Further movement of the game world

Supporting the theory about the appearance of chess in India, it is safe to say that Chaturanga came to Iran and Central Asia from this country. But they called it there - Country. This is a documentary confirmation in the ancient-perceid chronicle "Chartransg Namak", which is dated 750-850. BC e. In the middle of the VII century, Iran won the Arabs, who again renamed the chactop in the shuttles. It is under this name that the game has penetrated into Europe.

It was the Arabs that converted Chaturangu. Main changes:

• 2 players;
• 2 sets of figures;
• bone failure;
• prior to the progress;
• 1 King turned into Queen and went diagonally;
• victory is not the destruction of all the figures, but the setting of Mata (Pat).

Further movement of the game in the world gradually changed its name. The historical change of the name of the chess happened like this:

• arabs - Shtranja;
• persians - Stroke;
• buryats - Shatters;
• mongols - Hiashtar;
• tajiks - Chess.

Chess penetration east

In China, this time has its own chess system, which is significantly different from international. Such a game is called - Syanzi. Instead of figurines, wooden discs are used there, but it is unrealistic to play in them without knowledge of hieroglyphs. Even after the translation of the pictures, the experts noted the inconsistency of the rules, because the magic of the game is lost, which attracts all the lovers of intellectual tasks.

The game came to Korea, about which there is a documentary confirmation dated by the XVI century. The rules of the game are similar to modern, but there is similarity with Chinese Syanzi, but there are few historical recordings. Board 9 for 10 cells, and in the center there is a palace, but only verticals are drawn. Figures are not bulky, but flat with hieroglyphs. Chang has its own peculiarity, which distinguishes it from other options for chess games - 16 ways to decompose figures at the beginning of the match.

Main changes:

• you can now go for a shorter distance;
• lack of casting;
• figures are located in points;
• separate figures are endowed with a limited spectrum of movement;
• lack of take part of the passage;
• horse and elephant are not jumping through the fields engaged in figures;
• added figure - gun.

Now Changa in the opinion of experts is a transitional stage from Chinese Syanzi to. It still remains not clear how the figures could become volumetric, and the boards acquire cells. This mystery has not yet solved no one.

Thai and Cambodian version

These varieties are almost identical, but still there are external differences between them. Thai type - Makruk, in Cambodia the game is called oak-chactov (it is ancient). The first documentary records about this game can be found in the XVII century, when the game described the Ambassador of France La Luber.

The board in the game Makru is familiar - 8 to 8, one-color. There are no characteristic Indian intersections of aspads. There are already 2 players, not 4. The main difference between the game is the use of seashells instead of the shapes, although the shapes are here, but they are similar.

Syogi occurred from Syanzi's game and, perhaps, they have related ties with Makroch, since there are similar features. This game is somewhat simpler than previous and more reminiscent of modern chess:

• 21 cell board 9;
• location of figures on the fields;
• the transformation of the horizontal achievement;
• the prisoners of the enemy can be put in any place the board as their figure;
• single-color figures;
• the initial placement and moves resemble Macruk.

Collecting together all 3 games: McGee, Xianzi and Sögi, you can restore the options for ancient chess. They appeared thanks to the exchange between countries, since at that time Japan, the Malay Islands and India were connected by the seabed.

Malaysia and Burma

Another version of the ancient game in Burma or Malaysia could become a source of modern chess. In the first it is called Sittuyin (war 4), and in the second - Main Chator. In Burma, it is customary to play with red and black figures, which externally resemble the pre-Islamic warriors.

So, the main features of the Burmese chess:

1. The board of one color with cells 8 to 8, but with two diagonals of SIT-KE-MIIN or the general line.
2. The location of the pawns by 3-4 horizontals.
3. The first arrange the red figures, and only after that black.
4. All other figures have any place behind the pawns, except the rook (cost only on the first two horizontals).
5. Black rook can not stand opposite the Red Queen.
6. Red figures go after the black shapes are placed.

The goal of the game is to put the mat, but the path was not allowed, there is no straight shaha there.

Malaysian chess mostly carry the names of the figures taken from Sanskrit, except for the name of the pawn (gone from the Arab Baydak). They had one interesting feature, because local kings tribes played right on the field near their homes with huge stone blocks. Duration sometimes reached a whole year.

Characteristics of the game:

1. Board without two colors, 8 per 8 cells.
2. Some have diagonal markups.
3. Figures are located in cells.
4. Figures or abstract bamboo, or curved threads on Indian tradition.
5. Mirror initial layout of figures.
6. A special rule of turning the pawns into the figure.
7. There is a rule of taking a pawn on the aisle, which was not at any previous game.

Chess in Russia

The game came to us in 820. It was the version of the Arab chancend called Chess. For prowring them, they became familiar to all the word - chess. It turns out that the movement path begins in Persia, after which they penetrated the Caucasus and Khazar kaganat, and from there already to us. If you consider the names of the figures, you can see the stripping similarity with Arabic and Persian names. So, the name of the elephant and the horse is Arabic, and the queen comes from the Persian word Farzin.

But international European terminology and the variation of the game was brought from Poland, in which Chess penetrated through Italy. Therefore, the start of chess on Russia dates back to the X-XI century. In parallel, Iga leaked to Europe, where he acquired a view of modern chess. But still many years in each town and village were their features, rules and techniques.

Church against the game

Previously, the church played a huge role in the life of every person, so they often dictated the rules for holding and even games. So, the priests condemned drunkenness, rampant and gambling. At that time, chess did not have strict rules, so it was hard to prove that they were a logical game. But there were still playing bones in it, which depended on the course of the tournament.

Therefore, in 1061, they were prohibited among the clergy, and the chess themselves were considered something obscene and devilish. But if you look at the most avid chess players, you can see a lot of Catholics. In Russia, the ban was strict, because disobedience threatened by the excavation from the church of any caught chess player. This was recorded in the Novgorod feed book in 1280.

But despite such strict prohibitions, the game continued to leak into different layers of the population. Among the clergy, there was also a lot of apostates who were heavily played. And only after a hundred years of chess were allowed. In Europe, this happened in 1392.

Special view of "crazy" chess

So you can only talk about the Swedish variety of the game, which is literally translated - "crazy house." Externally, it looks like that if you do not know his rules thoroughly. The pace of such chess is fast, and during the randomy players have full right to talk among themselves.

To play Swedish you need to take 2 boards. You need to play in pairs, and 1 person will be painted with white figures, and the second is black. There is one feature: if the figure was taken, it is transmitted to the partner's board, which can calmly put it on any cell when he wants. The partners are allowed to prompt each other, ask to transfer a certain figure.

This game is interesting to its rapid pace and the presence of a partner who can always help. As a result, the players of Swedet have more developed logical thinking, because they think the scheme and for themselves, and for their partner, they have excellent combination vision. But the computer beat is much easier than in classic chess.

Long path Chess

A full-fed the theory of playing chess began to develop only in the XV-XVI century, when the rules were established and all countries played more or less equally. At that time, 3 main part of the party were allocated:

• debut (separate part - Gambit);
• mittelspil;
• endgame.

This is described in detail in the textbook of Chess Rui Lopez in 1561. Until the XVIII century, Italian masters considered a massive attack on the king by all means and the use of pawns as an auxiliary material the best style of this logical game. But Fildor has significantly changed this thought. He pointed to the recklessness of such attacks, because it is possible to gradually build a strong position without loss, using exchanges and simplifications.

The main idea of \u200b\u200bthe game should be reduced to the right pawns, as they are excellent protection and ways to conduct an attack. Fildine came up with a special female chain, which moved on a certain tactic. He even had a special honest center. These developments became the basis for the next century.

Chess as sport

A little later, people began to unite into chess clubs, where they played money. Chess popularity has increased so much that in 1575 the first international chess tournament was held. He was held at the courtyard of King Philip II in Madrid. True, only 4 people (2 Italians and the Spaniard) took part in the game.

After this significant event, national tournaments carried out in almost all European countries, and in 1836 the world saw the first magazine about chess - "Polimed". His publisher was a Frenchman Louis Charles Labundon. In 1821, international matches and tournaments began constantly. At the same time, the world found out the name of the strongest chess player - Adolf Andersen. Later he was ahead of American, after which Andersen returned the title again.

In modern form, the tournament was carried out much later. In the 19th century, chess clock appeared, which invented Englishman Thomas Bright Wilson. This gave impetus to the development of new shortened parties called - "Fast" (30 minutes) and "Blitturnir" with a duration of 5-10 minutes.

This game was so liked by people around the world, which a lot of artistic works were written about her. Chess board inspired the motive not for one picture.

According to the testimony of archaeological excavations - games associated with the movement of chips on the board, were known in 3-4 centuries. BC e. True age of the game known in the Western world as chesscovered mystery darkness.

Al-Biruni in the book "India" tells the legend that attributes the creation of a chess with some brahmin-mathematics about 1000 BC. When the ruler asked what to reward him for this wonderful game, the mathematician answered: "Let's put one grains on the first cage one grain, on the second - two, on the third - four and so on. So give me the amount of grain that will work out, If you fill all 64 cells. " The ruler was delighted, believing that we are talking about 2-3 bags, but if you calculate 2 in the 64th degree - it turns out that this number is more than all grain of the world.

For another legend, chess invented one eastern sage, whose name was Shishah, and he lived in Babylon. With him, sat on the throne of the young king of Amolny, who was very angry with the lower layers of society, especially the peasants. In the greatest despair, the peasants turned to Shishah, who enjoyed great respect for the royal court, and asked him to help. Mostly persuaded him to convince the king that the peasant is a person who benefits the state. In order for the king to convince this, Shishah invented chess and taught the king of a chess game. Thus, he proved him that the peasants, i.e. Pawns on the board are still the best guard of the king. The king understood this way the main idea of \u200b\u200bthe chess game and stopped oppressing the peasants, and his adviser generously awarded.

Based on another legend, chess invented the wife of King Ravan from Ceylon. When everything in his precipitated capital was all already fell by the Spirit and lost all the courage to fight, desperately, the King Ravan decided to give the enemy the city. But the king had a wife, Queen Ranalyan, a heroic woman, she invented a chess game to prove her husband that he should not surrender to the enemy until all the means of defense were exhausted until at least one pawn soldier will remain on the board while There is at least a weak hope of victory!

Scientific hypotheses pushed the time of creating chess even further, by 2-3 thousand years BC, based on archaeological discoveries in Egypt, Iraq, and India. However, since there are no references to the literature about this game until the 570th year AD, many historians recognize this particular date, like a chess birthday. The first mention of the chess game was in the Persian poem of 600 AD, and in this poem the invention of chess is attributed to India.

Raja Krishna Playing Ancient Chess Chaturanga

The oldest form of Chess - the military game Chaturanga - appeared in the first century n. e. In India, Chaturang was called the construction of troops, which included combat chariots (Ratha), elephants (hasti), Connection (Ashva) and hiking warriors (Padati). The game symbolized the battle with the participation of four types of troops, which led the leader. They were located at the corners of a 64-kpeat square board (Astapada), 4 people participated in the game. The movement of figures was determined by throwing bones. Chaturanga existed in India until the beginning of the 20th century. And over time, called "Casturraj" is a game of four kings; At the same time, the figures began to be painted in 4 colors - black, red, yellow and green.

In the first centuries of our era, the game was so widespread in Persia, which was considered a shame when an intelligent person did not know how to play it. The game of chess left traces in the then language, in symbols and metaphors, as well as poetry of that time.

The conversion of the Chaturant was the game of the Schtrag (Country), which originated in Central Asia at the end of the 5th early b centle. Had two "camps" figures and a new figure depicting the Counselor of the King - Farzine; Played two opponents. The goal of the game is to put the mat to the king of the opponent. So the "case of the case" replaced the "Mind game".

The penetration of chess from India in Ancient Iran (Persia) during the Board of Body of I Anushiravan (531-579), is described in the Persian Book of 650-750. The same book in the smallest details describes chess terminology and names and actions of various chess figures. Since before this book, there are no written mentions about chess in literature up to 6th century AD, many historians recognize this period of this period of chess birthday.

Mention of playing chess is also available in the poems of Firdusi, the Persian poet, who lived in the 10th century AD. The poem describes gifts that are raised by the envoys of Indian Raji to the yard of the Persian Sheikh Chosroy I Anushiravan. Among these gifts, according to the poem, there was a game depicting the battle of two armies. After the Persian Empire was conquered by the Arabs Muslims, the chess game began to spread through the civilized world.

It is proved that in Byzantium in the VI and VII century, our era, the game in chess was very popular. The Byzantine Emperor Nicoor's emperor in a letter to Califa Garuna Al Rashid makes comparison between the Fish on the board and his predecessor on the throne, Empress Irina.

In 8-9 centuries. The shuttles spread from Central Asia to the East and 3Apad, where he became known under the Arabic name of the Sharant.

In the Schtartzh (9-15 centuries), terminology and alignment of the shapes of the shadra are preserved, but the appearance of the figures has changed. In view of the prohibition of Islam images of living beings, the Arabs used miniature abstract figures in the form of small cylinders and cones, which simplified their manufacture and contributed to the spread of the game.

The strongest players of Chancend, along with Arabs - Al-Adli, etc. - there were immigrants from Central Asia - Abu Naim, Al Hadim, Arian, AS-Sudi, Al-Ladzladge, Abu Fath, and others. Among the patrons of the game were famous caliphs Harun-Ar-Rashid, al-Amin, Ack-Momun and others. The game developed slowly, since only the rooks, the king and horse went according to modern rules, the range of other figures was extremely limited. For example, the queen was moving only to one field diagonally.

Thanks to the abstract figures, the game gradually ceased to be perceived as a symbol of a military battle and became increasingly associated with everyday peripetias, which was reflected in the epic and treatises, according to the sacred chess game (Omar Khayam, Saadi, Nizami).

With the Arab period, the appearance of the so-called descriptive notation is connected and the appearance of a possible entry of the playd parties has become possible.

Directly on the West of Europe during the early Middle Ages, the Sharant Arabs were listed. Here, chess became known in the X-XI centuries, after the Arabs won Spain and Sicily. The game was a pronounced military character, so she was very well met in the Knight's medieval European countries.

From Spain, the game got to France, where, for example, Karl the Great was her a big fan.

Chess in medieval France

Also, from Spain and Sicily, chess gradually penetrated Italy, England, Scandinavian and other European countries, despite the most severe chasing of the church, prohibiting chess on a par with the game "in the bone" and other "demonic infurities".

Chess were brought to Spain by Moors, and the first mention of chess in the Christian world is contained in the Catalan Testament 1010 AD. Although chess were known in Europe and in earlier times. According to some legends, the dear set of chess figures was raised as a gift Carloman (8-9 century) from the famous Muslim ruler Garuna Al-Rashid.

There is a poem describing that chess existed at the court of the legendary king Arthur. Chess came to Germany in the 10th and 10th centuries, the earliest mention in the literature was made by the monk Frum von Tegermsee, in 1030-1050. It contains that Svetoslav Shurin from Croatia defeated Venetian Dodge Peter II in the game for the right to manage Dalmatian cities. By 10-11 centuries, chess were known in Scandinavia and later at the end of the 11th century, they from Italy reached Bohemia.

"Two ladies playing chess",
Illustration of the "Book of Games" King Castle Alfonso X Wise, Grandson Friedrich Barbarossa

Despite the fierce resistance of the original Muslim, and then the Christian Church, (equated chess to gambling in the bone and considered them "demonic navation", chess for some time were prohibited in Europe, because they were often used to play for money and was alleged, that they carry signs of paganism), nothing could stop the growing popularity of the game, which is confirmed by numerous literary testimonies. Chess popularity continues to grow and soon the whole world knows and plays this very popular game of the ancient world.

In 14-15 centuries. The traditions of Eastern Chess in Europe were lost, and in 15-16 centuries. The departure was obvious from them after a number of changes in the rules of the moves of the pawns, an elephant and the queen.

On the territory of Russia, in Bulgaria, the game became known at about 10-12 centners. Important archaeological finds in Novgorod testify that chess, which were mainly distributed by Arabs, were in Russia directly from the Middle East. Until our days, the names of chess figures in Russia indicate their Persian and Arab roots.

Until our time reached a unique find - a chess figure made by Novgorod masters in the XIV century. The figure was discovered near the Lord Chamber, the former Residence of the Novgorod Archbishop. The figure found is the king, it was made from a strong tree, most likely, from juniper (see exploy).

In the ancient Russian folk poems there are mention of chess as a popular game. At a later time, European chess fell to Russia from Italy, through Poland. There is an incorrect version, supposedly chess were brought to Russia during the Mongol-Tatar invasion, Mongol-Tatars, in turn, learned about this game from Persians and Arabs.

Peter I, going to hiking, took with him not only chess, but also two regular partners. He was fond of chess and Catherine II. In 1796 Count A.S. Stroganov arranged for Catherine II and Swedish king Gustav IV, which celebrated in His country palace, a batch of living chess. In a meadow, where green and yellow turden laid out the "chessboard", the servants, disguised into medieval clothes, pczdwigly in accordance with the stroke of a chess pargais.

Chess among Russian intelligentsia were widely distributed. In the library A. S. Pushkin, the book A. D. Petrov, half a century of the strongest chess player of Russia, was preserved in 1824, "a chess game given in the systematic order" with the author's domestic inscription; Pushkin was a subscriber of the first chess magazine "Palaes", which began to go out in Paris in 1836

Despite the fact that chess were a popular game, until the end of the XIX century, Russia lagged behind the development of chess from England, France, Germany. The first Russian chess club opened in St. Petersburg only in 1853, and the first Russian chess journal saw the light in 1859.

The situation has changed at the beginning of the 20th century, when the St. Petersburg chess assembly arose from a private circle was founded, whose activities were very fruitful to popularize chess.

The club was opened on January 17, 1904, and in April 1914, the All-Russian Chess Union was established in the meeting at the meeting in House 10 on Foundry Prospekt.

The club conducted professional and amateur tournaments, comrade meetings between the national teams of Moscow and St. Petersburg, the sessions of the simultaneous game, published special literature. In the walls of the meeting housed the richest chess library in the country.

Historical options Chess

It is historically found that chess, in their original version, were a game for four people with four sets of figures. This game wore the initial name of the shuttles (on Sanskrit, the tatcher means "four", and the Anga means "detachment"). In the Persian literature, the times of the Sassanid dynasty (242-651 century AD), a book written in Pakhlavi (Middle Percidic) was found, which was called "Chess Tutorial". In modern Persian, the same word shtomage is the designation of modern chess. Popular historical theory says that the shafts (chess), according to Indian mysticism, represents the Universe. Four sides displays four elements - land, air, fire and water; as well as four years of year and four human temperaments. It is also approved that the word of chess occurred by the Persian "king" (Shah) and the term chess comes from the Persian "king died." Below is the evolution of European names of chess pieces from their ancient names of titles, which to date are used in India, Iran, and many other parts of the world.

It should be noted that although the names of chess pieces differ slightly in different parts of the world, but their form and rules of movement are almost identical.

Arabs Muslim made probably the greatest impact on the game of chess than any other culture. The word "chess" originally comes from the Persian Shah (King) and Arabic word mat (died). The contribution of early Muslims to the game includes: the game blindly, mentioned in 700 AD, the first tournaments and qualifying tournaments, chess tasks described in the first book about Al-Adley chess. Al-Adly books contain debuts, the first chess tasks of Manzuba, distinguishes are discussed in the Persian and Indian rules of the game. Unfortunately, this valuable book is currently lost. However, a valuable Arabic manuscript of the beginning of the 9th century is kept in the Yugoslav library, which contains Mansuba. This manuscript was discovered in 1958. Some of these mansubes (chess tasks) were based on the legend "Mat Dilarama". According to legend, dilamar was a chess player who played money and lost all his property. In the last party, he put on his wife on Kon, but he played rashly and practically lost this party. However, his wife noticed that he could put the mat to his opponent if he would donate both his roots. The wife whispered to him in his ear, and he won the party.

The following table holds some of the ancient names of the figures, and their meanings:

They played on a round board, but the figures and their movement were similar to the Arab chess of the same period of time.

After penetrating chess to Europe, many books devoted to this game appeared. Probably, one of the most important and valuable of these books was written in the Middle Ages by the Spanish king of Alfonso Wisem in 1283. A wonderful book contains 150 color miniatures based on source Persian drawings. This book also includes a collection of endgames borrowed from Arabic literature. Chess passed through the history of many cultures and experienced their influence. Modern official rules of the game of chess are perfectly preserved and are not much different from those used another 1430 years ago.

Chess is a real culture mirror. Changed countries, the device has changed - the rules changed.

For example, the figure of the queen, "Queen," appeared only in the Middle Ages, when the noble lady began to play an important role, and she began to give honors in knightly tournaments. In the game, the role of Advisor King - Vizier in the eastern version of Chess has passed. The current freedom of movement, independence, "emancipation" of the queen was unthinkable until the end of the XV century.

Vintage game options are generally less dynamic, as the ancient society. In traditional Chinese chess "Mr." is not allowed, he maneuverates on a very small space - as if in the walls of the Imperial Palace. Indian Chaturanga followed the strict division of figures on the caste - priests, rulers, peasants, servants.

But in Japan, the military aristocratic system from the XII century allowed a man of noble origin, ready to apply due diligence, to achieve a quick take-off. And chess pieces were given the opportunity to raise their status. Yes, and in European chess pawn, reversible to the opposite edge of the board, turns into any shape - even in the queen.

In a new time, chess wanted to bring closer to changing reality. In the times of Nazism in Germany, "the game of the kings" tried to turn into the "game of Furrer": several leaders entered the battle, one of them had to suffer defeat. The game did not fit. Like fries.

A more diplomatic option was offered the famous Austrian composer Arnold Schönberg (1874-1951). In those invented chess on the board, airplanes and submarines appeared on the board, but negotiations and alliances were allowed. Moreover, four "powers" immediately played out - one on each side of the board, as in the ancient Indian "quarters"

In 1909 enclosure, allegedly depicts the game in Chess Hitler and Lenin. It is even signed by both by both on the back.

On the essence of Chess players argue, perhaps, from the moment of their origin in India, about two thousand years ago. Some consider chess is a gambling intellectual game. Others - entertainment and leisure. Someone - art, and on a par with the theater or science. And the third lead an analogy with a military battle. But the most popular opinions, especially now, are two. The first chess are sport, and professional. Second - they are just a hobby.

In different countries, this game has its own name: in England - Chess (Chess), in Spain - Ahedres (El Axedres), in Germany - Shah (Schach), in France - Eska (Echecs). The Russian name originates from the Persian language: "Shah" and "Mat", which means "the ruler died."

The history of Chess has at least one and a half thousand years. It is believed that the progenitor game, Chaturanga, appeared in India no later than the 6th century of our era. As the game is distributed to the Arab East, then in Europe and Africa, the rules changed. In the form that the game has at present, it has been formed by the 15th century, the rules were finally standardized in the 19th century, when international tournaments were systematically carried out. So invented in India in 5 - 6 tbsp. Chess spread almost all over the world and became an integral part of human culture.

There are several ancient legends of the occurrence of chess.

One of them tells the great scientist al-Biruni in the book "India", which attributes to the creation of a chess to some brahmin (this is a social group in India). For his invention, he asked Raji insignificant, at first glance, a reward: so many wheat grain, as it turns out to be on a chessboard, if one grain is put on the first cell, on the second cell 2 grains, on the third 4, on the fourth - 8, on the fifth - 16, for sixth - 32. It turned out that there was no such amount of grain on the entire planet (it is equal to 264 - 1 ≈1.845 × 1019 grain, which is enough to fill the storage with a volume of 180 km³).

So the first legend sounds:

When Hindu Raja Sheram met her, he was admired by her wit and a variety of provisions possible in it. Having learned that it was invented by one of his subjects, the king ordered him to call him to personally award for successful fiction.
The inventor, his name was Set, appeared to the throne of the tel. It was a modestly dressed scientist who received environments to life from his students.
"I wish you worthy to reward you, set, for the beautiful game that you have come up with," Raja said.

The sage bowed.
"I'm rich enough to fulfill my best wish," continued Raj. "I'll call you that will satisfy you, and you will get it."
Seta was silent.
"Not a Roby," Raja encouraged him. - Express your desire. I will not regret anything to fulfill it.
- Walked your kindness, Lord. But give a time to think about the answer. Tomorrow, on the mature reflection, I will inform you my request.
When the next day, the set came to the steps of the throne, he surprised Rada unprecedented modesty of his request.
"Lord," said Seta, "one wheat grain is for the first cell of a chessboard for the first cage.
- Easy wheat grain? - I was amazed Raj.
- Yes, the lord. For the second cell, the orders to issue 2 grains, for the third 4, for the fourth - 8, for the fifth - 16, for the sixth - 32 ...
- Pretty, - with irritation interrupted him Raja. "You will get your grains for all 64 blackboard cells, according to your desire: for each twice as much more against the previous one. But know that the request is not enough for my generosity. Asking such an insignificant award, you are inconspicuously neglecting my mercy. Truly, as a teacher, you could show the best example of respect for the kindness of your sovereign. Stay. My servants will bring you your bag with wheat.

The set smiled, left the hall and began to wait at the gate of the palace.
For the dinner, Raja remembered the inventor of Chess and sent to find out if the reckless set was taken his miserable reward.
"Lord," was the answer, "your order is executed. Courtful mathematicians calculate the number of the above grains.
raja frowned. He is not used to the commands to be performed so slow.
In the evening, leaving for sleep, Raja once again asked wheat a long time with his bag of wheat left the palace fence.
"The Lord," answered him, "Your Mathematics work without tired and hoped before dawn to complete the counting.
- Why slow with this business? - Angrily exclaimed Raja. - Tomorrow, before I wake up, everything until the last grain must be issued. I do not order twice.
In the morning, Rajes reported that the foreman of the court mathematicians asks to hear an important report. Raja ordered to enter it.
- Before you say about your case, - declared shades, "I wish to hear whether it was finally issued by the insignificant award that he appointed himself.
"For this, I dared to appear in front of you in such an early hour," the old man replied. "We conscientiously calculated all the amount of grains that the set wishes. The number is so great ...
"No matter how great it was," the Raja interrupted arrogantly, my Hitters do not look at. The award is promised and must be issued ...
- Not in your authority, the lord, to fulfill such desires. In all barks, there is no such number of grains, what a set required. There is no His and in the residents of the whole kingdom. There is no such a number of grains and the entire space of the Earth. And if you wish to imagine the promised award, then the orders to turn the earth kingdoms into arable fields, the orders to drain the seas and oceans, the orders to melt ice and snow covering the distant northern deserts. Let all the space be completely sown with wheat. And all that will be born on these fields, orders to give away. Then he will receive his reward. With amazement, the king did the words of the elder.
"You call me a monstrous number," he said in thought.
- Eighteen quintillion four hundred forty six quadrillion seven hundred forty-four trillion seventy three billion seven hundred nine million five hundred fifty one thousand six hundred fifteen, o Lady! ..

Such a legend. Whether it was not known here, it is unknown - but that the award that legend speaks should be expressed by this number, you can make sure of the patient counting.
Starting from the unit, you need to add numbers: 1, 2, 4, 8, etc. otherwise this amount can be written as:
1 + 2 + 4 + 8 + . . . = 20 + 21 + 22 + 23 + . . . + 263.
The last term shows how much the inventor was due to the 64th board of the board.
We simplify the resulting amount based on the following considerations. Denote
S \u003d 20 + 21 + 22 + 23 +. . . + 263,
then
2s \u003d 2 · (20 + 21 + 22 + 23 +... + 263) \u003d 21 + 22 + 23 + 24 +. . . + 264.
and
S \u003d 2S - S \u003d (21 + 22 + 23 + 24 +... + 264) - (20 + 21 + 22 + 23 +... + 263) \u003d 264 - 20 \u003d 264 - 1.
The required number of grain
S \u003d 264 - 1.
So the calculation is reduced only to multiplying 64 bodies! (And then the unit then subtract the mind).
S \u003d 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 ·· 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 ·· 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 - 1.
To facilitate the calculations, we divide the 64 factor on 6 groups of 10 bobbs in each and one last group of 4 bodies. The work of 10 bobs, as easy to verify, equal to 1 024, and 4 twists - 16. So, the desired result is equal
S \u003d 1 024 · 1 024 · 1 024 · 1 024 · 1 024 · 1 024 · 16 - 1.
As
1024 · 1024 \u003d 1 048 576,
that
S \u003d 1 048 576 · 1 048 576 · 1 048 576 · 16 - 1.
We show patience and accuracy in calculations and get: S \u003d 18 446 744 073 709 551 615.
This amount of grain is about 1800 times higher than the world harvest of wheat for the year (in 2008 - 2009 by the agrarian year, the harvest amounted to 686 million tons), that is, exceeds the entire wheat harvest, collected in the entire history of mankind.
In units of mass: if we assume that one wheat grain has a mass of 0.065 grams, then the total weight of wheat on a chessboard will be about 1,200 trillion tons: 18 446 744 073 709 551 615 · 0.065 GR \u003d 1 199 038 364 791 120 854, 975 grams \u003d 1 199 038 364 791, 120 tons.
If the wheat mass is translated into the volume (1 m3 of wheat weighs about 760 kg), then it will be approximately 1500 km3, which is equivalent to a barn with a size of 10 km x 10 km x 15 km. This is the most volume of Mount Everest.
Hindu king was not able to issue a similar award. But he could easily be silent in mathematics, free from such burdensome debt. To do this, it was only necessary to offer you to count the grain by the grain by the grain of all the wheat struck him.
In fact, if the set, having accepted, led him continuously day and night, counting on the grain per second, he would count only 86,400 grains in the first day. To count a million grains, it would take at least 10 days of a tireless account. One cubic meter of wheat, he would seek about six months. And it would be left to count more 1,499,999,999,999 m3. You see that, byienting a score, even the rest of your life, the set would have received only an insignificant part of the rewards required by him.

A description of another legend was found at the Persian poet Firdusi, who wrote an epos about a thousand years ago. In one Indian kingdom, the Queen lived and the two of her twin Son Gav and Talhand. It was time for them to reign, but the mother could not decide who to put the king, as she loved the sons of lonely. Then Tsarevichi decided to arrange a fight, winning and will become the ruler. The battlefield was chosen on the seashore and surrounded by a moat with water. Created such conditions to retreat nowhere. The condition of the tournament was not to kill each other, but defeat the enemy's army. The fight began, as a result of which Talhand died. Having learned about the death of the Son, the queen fell into despair. Arriving Gava, she reproached in the murder of brother. However, he replied that he did not cause bodily harm to his brother, he himself died from the exhaustion of the body. Queen asked to tell in detail how the battle happened. Hav together with people from his environment decided to recreate the battlefield. To do this, they took the board, the cells were placed and the figures depicting the warring on it were placed on it. The opposing troops put on opposite sides and placed in rows: infantry, cavalry and infantry again. In the middle row in the center stood Tsarevich, next to his chief assistant, then two figures of elephants, camels, horses and birds of ruh. Moving different figures, Tsarevich showed mothers, as the battle was held. Thus, it can be seen that the ancient chessboard had 100 cells and the figures on it stood in three lines.

The next legend says that somehow in India, when she was a very strong country, one ruler ruled. And all the power of the army was in particularly trained combat elephants. With their help, he already broke all the army of his opponents and did not know many years than to do. Once he announced that the one who could think of something that he would like would get everything wishes. And there were insanely many wise men from all countries and brought him everything very beautiful and made only from gold or jewelry. But all that they brought these wise men was not to the ruler. And somehow once came to him alone poorly. He came with a small table and figures, but the whole game was made of wood and as soon as the ruler saw it terribly angry "what else is it? All the products that show me are made of gold or jewels, and you came here with some kind of woods, "I answered that I didn't answer this" not in gold the Games of Games, but in wisdom "and at that moment the ruler saw the figures in appearance as And his army. The ruler became interested and agreed to see. And when Shah showed the ruler how to play the game with the words "Your army is majestic and invincible, but can you win here on a small plank with your army and with an opponent with the same army." When the ruler began to play he liked this game and he was sure that she would win Shah with ease, but in the first part of Shah defeated the ruler and the ruler tried again but already thinking out every move, and in the second game he won. After that, he liked this game insanely. And every time he attacked the enemy king, he uttered "Shah" (she Shah) warning that the king threatens the danger, and when he defeated he said "Shahu Mat" which meant the king died. But how do you remember the ruler promised everything that wishes to someone who will do that the product that he likes and the king decided to fulfill his promise and he asked what Shah wishes and Shah answered at first glance a small reward "If the first cage chess boards put one grain on the second cell Two on the third four and so on, but it turned out that there is no such quantity in the whole kingdom. After all, it is 92,233,720,000 019 grain. Stories never said as the ruler was calculated from Shah. But there is another legend as this wonderful game appeared.

Somehow in India was a very wise ruler. During his board, the country flourished and he had two twin sons that differed from each other just that they loved to wear different clothes. One loved to walk in white clothes, and the other in black. Before death, the wise ruler did not know who of his sons to make the king and shared the power of the robust. But soon the brothers wanted to be one ruler and everyone believed that he should be. The brothers quarreled and began a big war in which there are a lot of people. After some time, the brothers understood that the war was infinite, but no one stopped the war, because that one who finishes the war will lose and will not become the ruler. But still every brother wanted, and it will make it, and find a way to become a ruler. And somehow the old man came to them and said that if they finish the war in which half of India died, he would show how to honestly determine the ruler. The brothers agreed and the old man took out the wooden plate and figurines of black and white, he told the brothers the rules of the game and began a multi-day "war" in which he was thoroughly thought out every move. And in this party, white figures won, and after this case in chess were white, and very many people began to play chess.

The first official mention of chess is the book in which the process of chess penetration from India to Persia is described in detail. Indians were trying to abrupt the Persian king Josrova I Anushiravan (Rule Iran from 531 to 579). The book describes in detail absolutely everything as regards Chess. Special attention is paid to terminology, as well as the possibilities of each of the figures. The next written document describing chess is the poem of the famous Persian poet Firdusi. In his poem, he described in detail the wonderful thing donated by the Persian king the grateful Indian people. Such a thing is "a rather entertaining game." This is what Firdoysi himself wrote: "Among the gifts that are made by the Persian king, there was a rather entertaining thing. It was a game. She reproduced the battle of two armies: black and white. "

Persian chess players

Not later than the first 6th century in the north-west of India, the first game known to us, akin to Chess - Chaturanga appeared. She had already a completely recognizable "chess" view (square game board 8 × 8 cells, 16 figures and 16 pawns, similar figures), but fundamentally different from modern chess two features: players were four, and not two (played a couple per pair) , and moves were made in accordance with the results of throwing the playing bones. Each player had four figures (chariot (rook), horse, elephant, king) and four pawns. The horse and the king went in the same way as in chess, chariot - within two fields vertically and horizontal, elephant - first one field forward or diagonally, later he began to "jump" through one field diagonally, and, like a horse, When he could step over his and enemy figures. Queen was not at all. For winning in the party, it was necessary to destroy all the army of opponents.

Arab transformations

In the same 6 or, perhaps, in the 7th century, Chaturanga was borrowed by Arabs. In the Arab East Chaturanga was transformed: the players became two, each received under the control of two sets of Chaturana figures, one of the kings became a queen (went to one field diagonally). From the bones refused, began to walk one move strictly in turn. The victory began to be recorded not to destroy all the enemy figures, but according to Mata or Pat, as well as when the game is completed with the king and at least one figure against one king (the last two options were forced to put the mat with weak figures inherited from Chaturanga , it was not always possible). The resulting game was called the Arabs and Persians "Sharant." Buryat Mongolian version was called "" or "Hiashattar". Later, hitting Tajiks, Shaft, got the name "Chess" in Tajik (in translation - "the ruler is defeated"). The first mention of the Schitranje dates back to 550 year. 600 - the first mention of the Chartraja in the artistic literature - the Persian manuscript "Karnamuk". In 819, at the courtyard of Califa Al-Mamuna, the tournament was held three strongest players of that time: Jabab Al-Kufi, Abyldjafara Ansari and Gaureba Katya. In 847, the first chess book was published, which was written by Al-Adley.

Thanks to the abstract figures, the game gradually ceased to be perceived as a symbol of a military battle and became increasingly associated with everyday peripetias, which was reflected in epic and treatises dedicated to the chess game (Omar Khayam, Saadi, Nizami).

Chess in Southeast Asia

Simultaneously with the promotion of a chess game to the West, she spread to the east. Apparently, the Chaturant Options for Two Players came to the countries of Southeast Asia, or some of the early Chartraja variants, because in the chess games of this region, their features are preserved - the moves of many figures are made for short distances, there are no characters for European chess Casting and taking on the passage. Under the influence of the cultural features of the region and the boarding games that had flowed there, the game was noticeably changed outwardly and acquired new features, becoming the basis for the Chinese game Syanzi. From her, in turn, the Korean game of Changi occurred. Both games are original in appearance and mechanism. First of all, this is manifested in changing the size of the board and in the fact that the figures are not put on the board fields, but at the intersection of lines. In these games there are figures of a limited area of \u200b\u200baction that can only walk within the board of the board, in addition, the traditional "jumping" figures became linear (no horse nor an elephant jump through the fields occupied by other figures), but the new figure "gun" "- can beat the opponent's figures, only jumping over when they hit through another figure.

The Japanese version that appeared later - Syogi, is considered to be a descendant of Syanzi, but has its own characteristics. The board for Syogi is easier and more like European: the figures are put on the fields, and not at the intersection, the size of the board 9x9 cells. The rules of moves changed to Syogi and the conversion of the figures, which was not in Syanzi. The transformation mechanism is original - the figure (flat chip with the deposited image), reaching one of the three last horizontals, simply turns over to the other side, where the sign of the converted figure is depicted. And the most interesting feature of Syogi - the opponent's figures taken by the player can be instead of the next progress to be put up in any place of the board (with some restrictions) as their own. Because of this, in a set of Syogi, all the figures have one color, and they are determined by the production - the player puts the figure on the board with the opponent.

Classic European chess in this region is not particularly common, Syanzi and Sögi to this day are much more popular.

The appearance of chess in Russia

Approximately in 820 chess (more precisely, the Arabic Sharant under the Central Asian name "Chess", in Russian, turned into a "chess") appeared in Russia, coming, as it is believed, or directly from Persia across the Caucasus and Khazar Kaganat, or from Central Asian peoples, Through Khorezm. The Russian name of the game is consistently between the Central Asian Chess, the Russian names of the figures most of all correspond to Arabic or Persian (elephant and horse - transfers of the respective Arab terms, the queen - consonant with the Persian "Farzin" or Arab "Firmy"). Rye, one of the assumptions, received such a name due to the fact that the corresponding Arab figure "Ruh" depicted a mythical bird, and was similar to the stylized image of the Russian rook. The comparison of the same Russian chess terminology with the terminology of Transcaucasia, Mongolia and European countries shows that neither the name of the game nor the names of the figures could be borrowed from these regions in no sense or on the consonance.

Changes in the rules later entered by Europeans, with some intake penetrated Russia, gradually turning old Russian chess into modern. It is believed that the European version of the chess game came to Russia in 10-11 centuries, from Italy, through Poland.

Penetration into Europe

In the 8th - 9th centuries, during the conquest of Spain, Arabs, Sharant Carved to Spain, then, for several decades - in Portugal, Italy and France. The game quickly won the sympathies of Europeans, for the 11th century she was already known in all countries of Europe and Scandinavia. European masters continued to transform the rules, ultimately turning the shaft into modern chess. By the 15th century, chess acquired, in general, a modern appearance, although due to inconsistency of changes for several more centuries in different countries, their own, sometimes fancy, features of the rules were sufficient. In Italy, for example, up to the 19th century, the pawn, which reached the last horizontal, could only turn into the shapes that were already removed from the board. At the same time, walking on the last horizontal, in the absence of such figures, it was not forbidden; Such a pawn remained a pawn and turned into the first taking an opponent's figure at the moment when the enemy took her. There was also a casting in the presence between the rooks and the king of the figure and when passing the king of the broken field.

Chess in art

As chess distributed in Europe, both stamping and artworks telling about this game are made in Europe. In 1160, the first chess poem appeared, which Ibn Ezra wrote. In 1283, the first chess book in Europe was published - the Treatise of Alfons X Wise. This book is a significant historical interest, as it contains a description and new European chess, and already extending Chancend.

Starting from the 16th century, chess books were increasingly, chess and artworks constantly appeared. In the 18th century, chess appeared a muse-patronage. It was invented by the English poet William Jones, a big chess lover. He issued a poem about the origin of Chess, in which God of War Mars fell in love with Kaisis Forest Nymif; The nymph did not meet the fan of reciprocity, and to achieve his own, Mars invented chess and taught Kaisce to play them. In general, the motive of the chess game of the ancient gods was often encountered in art.

Christian church against chess

Since the appearance of Chess, the Christian Church occupied a sharply negative position in relation to them. Chess equated to gambling and drunkenness. It is noteworthy that this was the same representatives of various directions of Christianity. In 1061, the Catholic Cardinal Damiani issued a decree banning the game of chess among the clergy. In his letter to Pope Alexander II, he called Chess "Devil's Fiction", "the game of indecent, unacceptable." The founder of the Order of the Templar Bernard in 1128 spoke of the need to deal with chess passion. French Bishop Aid Schilli in 1208 banned the Pathers "Touch to Chess and have them at home." The head of the reformist wing of the Protestant Church Yang Gus was also an opponent of Chess. Under the influence of church rejection, the game of Chess King Polish Casimir II, French Louis IX (Saint), English Eduard IV.

In Russia, the Orthodox Church also banned the game of chess at risk of excommunication from the church, which was officially fixed in the feeding book of 1262 years.

Despite the church prohibitions, both in Europe and in Russia, chess applied, and among the clergy, the game was no less (if no more) than among other estates. So, on one of the Nervish platform of Novgorod, the archaeologists were found in the layers of the 13th - 15th centuries, many chess figures were found, and in the layer of the 15th century, chess are located in almost every excavated estate. And in 2010, the chess king found in the layer of the 14th - 15th centuries in the Novgorod Kremlin, next to the archbishop residence. In Europe in 1393, the Regensburg Cathedral seized chess from among the prohibited games. In Russia, there is no information about the official abolition of the church ban on chess, but at least from the 17th - 18th century, this ban actually did not actually acted. He played chess Ivan Grozny (according to legend, he died behind a chessboard). Under Alexei Mikhailovich, chess were distributed among the courtiers, the ability to play them was ordinary among diplomats. In Europe, documents of the time in which, in particular, it is said is that Russian envoys are familiar with chess and play them very strongly. He was fond of chess Tsarevna Sophia. With Peter I, the Assembly did not take place without chess.

Development of a chess theory

By 15 - 16th centuries, chess rules were mainly established, thanks to which the development of a systematic chessing theory began. In 1561, Rui Lopez issued the first full textbook of Chess, in which the stages of the party, the debut, the Mittelspil and the Endshpil were discussed. He first described the characteristic view of the debut - "Gambit", in which the development advantage is achieved by the victim of the material.

A great contribution to the development of a chess theory in the 18th century, Filishal. He subjected to serious revision of the views of the predecessors, above all, the Italian masters, who believed that the best style of the game was a massive attack on the opponent's king by all cash and used pawns only as auxiliary material. Fildor has developed what is now called a positional style of the game. He believed that the player should not rush into reckless attacks, and systematically build a strong, stable position, to apply precisely calculated strikes on the weaknesses of the opponent's position, if necessary, resort to exchanges and simplifications if they lead to a profitable endgail. The correct position, according to Filigra, is, first of all, the correct location of the pawns. According to Filvedora, "Pawn - Soul Chess; Only they create an attack and protection, the victory or defeat depends on their good or bad location. Fildor has developed the tactics of the promotion of a fence chain, insisted on the importance of a board center and analyzed the struggle for the center. In many ways, his ideas lay down in the foundation of the chess theory of the next century. Filvedor's book "Analysis of the Chess Game" became a classic, she endured 42 publications only in the 18th century and reprinted repeatedly later.

Transformation of chess in international sport

Since the 16th century, chess clubs began to appear, where lovers and semi-professional players gathered, who were playing at a cash rate. During the two subsequent centuries, the spread of chess led to the emergence of national tournaments in most European countries. Chess editions are overlooking, first single and irregular, but over time gaining increasing popularity. The first chess magazine Palamned began to publish in 1836 the French chess player Louis Charles Laburdonne. In 1837, a chess journal appeared in the UK, in 1846 - in Germany.

In the 19th century, international matches begin (from 1821) and tournaments (from 1851). At the first such tournament, held in London in 1851, defeated Adolf Andersen. It was he who became an unofficial "chess king", that is, those who considered the strongest chess player of the world. Subsequently, this title challenged Paul Morphy (USA), who won the match with a score of + 7-2 \u003d 2 in 1858, but after leaving in 1859, Morphy from the Chess Scene, Andersen again became the first, and only in 1866 Wilhelm Steinitz won the Match from Andersen With a score + 8-6 and became a new "non-protected king."

The first world champion in chess, which officially wore this title was the same Wilhelm Steinitz, defeating Johanna ZukerTorth in the first match in history, in the agreement on which the expression "Match for the World Championship" appeared. Thus, the system of continuity of the title was a turning order: the new champion of the world became the one who won the match from the previous one, while the current champion reserved the right to agree to the match or reject the opponent, and also determined the conditions and place of the match. The only mechanism capable of adequate to play with the applicant was public opinion: if a strong, general recognition, the chess player could not achieve the right to match the champion, this was considered as a sign of the champion's cowardice and he, saving his face, was forced to accept the challenge. As a rule, in the match agreement provided for the right of the champion of the match-revenge in case of losing; Victory in such a match returned the championship rank to the previous owner.

In the second half of the 19th century, time control on chess tournaments began to use. At first, ordinary hourglass was used for this (the time was limited), which was rather uncomfortable, but soon the English chess player Thomas Bright Wilson (TBwilson) was invented, special chess watches were invented, which allowed it convenient to realize the time limit on the entire batch or a certain number moves. Time control quickly entered chess practice and soon began to apply everywhere. By the end of the XIX century, official tournaments and matches without time control were almost not carried out. Simultaneously with the advent of the time control, the concept of "Zeietnote" appeared. Thanks to the introduction of the time control, special forms of chess tournaments with a strongly shortened time limit occurred: "Fast Chess" with a limit of about 30 minutes on the game to each player and "Blitz" - 5 - 10 minutes. However, they received widespread much later.

Chess in the 20th century

In the late 19th - early 20th century, the development of chess in Europe and America went very actively, chess organizations were enlarged, more and more international tournaments were held. In 1924, an international chess federation (FIDE) was established, originally engaged in the organization of world chess Olympiads.

Until 1948, the system of continuity of the champion of the world championship was maintained in the 19th century: the applicant caused a champion of the match, whose winner became a new champion. Until 1921, Emanuel Lasker remained the champion (second, after the stein, the official world champion, which won this title in 1894), from 1921 to 1927 - José Raul Kapablanca, from 1927 to 1946 - Alexander Alekhin (in 1935 Alekhin lost to the championship match Mira Max Eywe, but in 1937 in the match-revenge returned the title and held it until his death in 1946).

After death in 1946, Alekhina, who remained unsecursed, the organization of the world championship assumed FIDE. The first official championship of the World Chess was held in 1948, the Soviet grandmaster Mikhail Botvinnik became the winner. FIDE has introduced a system of tournaments to conquer the title of champion: The winners of the qualifying stages went to zonal tournaments, the winners of the zonal competition went to the interzal tournament, and the winners of the best results in the latter took part in the candidate tournament, where the winner and the winners were determined in a series of parties "on departure" There was a match against the current champion. The formula of the match for the title has changed several times. Now the winners of zonal tournaments participate in a single tournament with the best (by rating) in the world players; The winner and becomes the world champion.

A huge role in the history of chess, especially the second half of the 20th century, was played by the Soviet chess school. Wide chess popularity, active, purposeful learning to them and identify capable players from orphanage (Chess section, Children's chess school was in any city of the USSR, there were chess clubs in educational institutions, enterprises and organizations, tournaments were constantly conducted, a large number of special literature were produced) contributed to the high level of the game of Soviet chess players. Attention to chess appeared at the highest level. The result was that from the late 1940s and before the collapse of the USSR, the Soviet chess players were practically reigning in global chess. Of the 21 chess Olympiads that have been held from 1950 to 1990, the USSR team won 18 and in one became a silver winner, from 14 chess olympiads for women for the same period 11 and taken 2 "silver". From the 18th of the world's drawing champion of the world among men in 40 years, only once the winner was not the Soviet chess player (it was American Robert Fisher), and even twice the applicant for the title was not from the USSR (and the applicant also represented the Soviet chess school, it was Victor Corrun, Filing from the USSR to the West).

In 1993, Harry Kasparov, who was at that time the world champion, and Nigel Short, who became the winner of the qualifying cycle, refused to play another match for the world championship under the auspices of FIDE, accusing the leadership of the Federation in Non-Physionalism and Corruption. Kasparov and Shorts formed a new organization - PSH (professional chess association), and played a match under her aegis.

There was a split of the chess movement. FIDE was deprived of Casparov title, the title of world champion according to FIDE was played among themselves by Anatoly Karpov and Yang Timman, who at that time had the highest chess rating after Kasparov and Short. At the same time, Kasparov continued to consider himself a "real" world champion, as he defended the title in the match with a legitimate contender - shorts, and some of the chess community was solidar with him. In 1996, PSHs ceased to exist as a result of the loss of the sponsor, after which the champions of PSH began to call the "World Classic Chess Champion". In fact, Kasparov revived the old Title Transfer System when the champion himself took the challenger's challenge and played the match with him. Vladimir Kramnik became the next "classic" champion, who won the match at Kasparov in 2000 and the ranked title in the match with Peter Leko in 2004.

Until 1998, FIDE continued to play the title of champion in the traditional order (Champion of FIDE during this period, Anatoly Karpov remained), but from 1999 to 2004 the championship format changed dramatically: instead of the match of the challenger with the champion, the title began to play in a knockout tournament in which the current champion must was to participate in the general reasons. As a result, the title was constantly moved from hand to hand and five champions changed in six years.

In general, in the 1990s, FIDE took a number of attempts to make chess competitions more dynamic and interesting, and therefore attractive to potential sponsors. First of all, it was expressed in the transition in a number of competitions from the Swiss or circular system to the knockout-system (in every round - the match of three parties for disposal). Since the knockout system requires an unambiguous outcome of the tour, additional batches have appeared in the regulations of tournaments in fast chess and even blitz party: if the main series of games with normal time control ends with a draw, an additional party with shortened time control is played. Completed time control schemes protecting from hard cement, in particular, "Fisher's Clock" - control time with adding after each turn.

The last decade of the 20th century in chess was marked by another important event - computer chess reached a sufficiently high level to surpass a chess person. In 1996, Harry Kasparov for the first time lost to the computer with a computer, and in 1997 - with a transcendence in one point and the match of the Deep Blue computer was played. An avalanche growth in the performance and volume of computers in combination with the improvement of algorithms led to the fact that by the beginning of the 21st century there were public programs capable of playing the grasisters in real time. The ability to connect to them in advance accumulated bases debuts and tables of low-profile endings even more increases the power of the game of the car. The consequence of this was the changes in the format of high-level competitions: special measures began to use special measures to protect against computer prompts, in addition, completely abandoned the practice of sending parties. Time allocated on the party: if in the middle of the 20th century, the norm was 2.5 hours on 40 moves, then by the end of the century it decreased to 2 hours (in other cases - even up to 100 minutes) on 40 moves.

Modern condition

After the united match, Kramnik - Topalov in 2006 restored the FIDE monopoly on the world championship and assigning the title of world champion of chess. Vladimir Kramnik (Russia), who won this match was becoming the first "united" world champion.

Vishvanatan Anand, won Vladimir Kramnik in the 2007 World Cup. In 2008, a revanche between Anand and Kramnik took place, Anand retained his title.

Vishvanatan Anand defended the title of champion in May 2010 in the match with the Bulgarian contender Veselin Topalov (score 6.5: 5.5) and in May 2012 in the match with Israeli challenger Boris Gelfand (6: 6 mostly match; 2.5: 1.5 on a thai break).
In 2013, Vishvanatan Anand lost the match in Chennai and gave way to the title of champion Norwegian challenger Magnus Carlsen. In 2014, Magnus Karlsen in Sochi defended the title of Viswanatan Ananda, and in 2016 - in New York in the match against Sergei Karyakin. In 2018 - in London Magnus Carlsen, for the third time, defended his title against Fabiano Karuana.

The champion title drawing formula is corrected by FIDE. In the last championship, the title was played out in the tournament with the participation of the champion, four winners of the contender tournament and three personally selected players with the highest rating. However, the FIDE retained the tradition of conducting personal champion's personal matches with the applicant: according to the existing rules, the grandmaster with a rating of 2700 or higher is entitled to call the champion of the match (the champion cannot refuse) subject to the provision of financing and compliance with the deadlines: the match must be completed no later than six months before The next World Cup.

"Live chess"

When the chess game system has acquired a finished look, the so-called "live chess" - theatrical submissions conducted on large open areas marked as a chessboard. The first mention of "living chess" dates back to 1408. It was then at the courtyard of Sultan Mohammed, who ruled by Grenada, for the first time a surprising of many chess performance took place.

Today, "living chess" was not popular. For example, once every 2 years in the Italian commune, a mainth is a similar action in which urban residents take part. And in London based on "Living Chess" Spanish designer Jamie Hyon in the framework of the design festival posted huge chess pieces on Trafalgar Square.

Chess in Iranian souvenir shop

Chess has long been one of the sports. But it does not prevent millions of people to play chess just like that, finding joy in the game. Chess are the most fascinating intellectual game. In Persian Shop, you can find exclusive Iranian chess with inlaid by wood, bone and metal and traditional Persian painting. Handmade chess is a great gift to the boss, colleague, friends or close people.

Use of the game

Experts found out that the benefits of chess for the brain are simply huge. After all, during the game, a person will use his two hemispheres at once. Chess battles accompany the development of logical thinking, short-term and long-term memory. They teach the ability to predict events, make the right decisions.

Rules of the game

Beginning of the game
At the beginning of the game, a chessboard should be located so that each player had a cell of white (or light) colors in the right-handed corner of chess pieces set up the same in each batch on the second and seventh lines are pawns. The roots stand in the corners, horses next to them, then elephants, and finally, the queen, which always stands on the field of one color with him (white queen on white, black queen on black), and the king next to the Fish.
A player with white figures always walks first. Before that, players usually decide who will get what figures by lots. First go white, then black, then white again, then black again ... and so until the end of the game.

How to go Figures
All six shapes go differently. Figures, with the exception of the horse, cannot "jump over" through other figures, and cannot go to the fields engaged in the figures of your color. Figures can occupy the fields on which the rival figures are located, having taken them. Figures, as a rule, should be positioned so that they threaten to take the rival figures, could protect their shapes or control important fields.

King
The king is the most important, but also the weak figure. The king can only move on one field in any direction - up, down, on the sides, diagonally. The king cannot go to those fields on which it will be under Shah (that is, it can be taken).

Queen
The queen is the strongest figure. It can move according to any straight (horizontally, vertical or diagonals) for any possible distance, but not jumping through the figures of its color. And, like all the figures, if the queen takes an opponent's figure, his movement ends.

Rook
Rye can walk at any distance, but only horizontally and vertical. The roots are especially strong when they protect each other and work together!

Elephant
An elephant can move so far as he wants, but only diagonally each elephant begins on the cell of his color, and should always stay on the cells of the same elephants well together, as they cover the weak sides of each other.

Horse
The horse goes wrong as all other pieces. First, the horse moves into two fields horizontally or vertically, and then one cell perpendicular to the initial direction (as the Russian letter "G"). Also horse is the only figure that can "jump over" through other figures and pawns.

Pawn
The pawns differ from other figures in that they go and take in different ways: go straight forward, and taking is diagonally. The pawns go only forward to one field for one move, with the exception of their very first move when they can go ahead into two fields. The pawn can go on the field held by the figure (pawn) opponent, which is diagonally on the adjacent vertical, while taking this figure at the same time (pawn). Pawns can not walk (take taking) back. If there is another figure or pawn right before walking, it can not pass by this figure or pawn or take it.

Transformation
Pesne has one distinctive feature - they can turn into other figures. The pawn, which reached the last horizontal (8th for the white, 1st for black), is replaced by any (except King) the figure of the same color on the choice of a player who runs. The transformation is made immediately (in the same way), regardless of the presence of figures on the board of the same name. Usually the pawn is converted to the queen. Only pawns can turn into other figures.

Take on aisle
Another rule associated with the pawns is called "Take on the Passage" (from "En Passant," translated from French "on the aisle"). Taking on the aisle is a special foot of the pawn, in which it takes the enemy's pawn, moved immediately into two fields. But under the battle it turns out not the field on which the second pawn stopped, and the one that was crossed by it. The first pawn completes the capture on this, the crossed field, as if the enemy's pawn moved only to one field. Such a situation becomes possible only in cases where the pawn is located on the fifth (for white pawns) or fourth (for black pawns) horizontal, and the field that crosses the enemy's pawn is under the battle. Taking the enemy's pawns can only be carried out immediately after it moves into two fields. You can take a passage on the aisle only with a response, otherwise the right to take on the passage is lost.

Castling
Another special rule is called castling. This move allows you to make two important things at the same time: to protect your king and bring the boards from the corner to a more active position. The casting lies in moving the king towards the rook of its color on 2 cells and then the rooks on the adjacent cage as the king on the other side of the king. Cockling is possible when following:
It must be the first course of the king in this party;
It should be the first course of the traveling rook in this party;
The fields between the rook and the king are free, there are no other figures on them;
The king should not be under Shah and the field, which he must cross or occupy, should not be attacked by one or more rival figures.
Please note that at the beginning of the party in one direction the king is closer to the roaster. If you make the castle in this direction, it is called the castling on the royal flank. Qualification to the other side, through the field, at which the queen was standing at the beginning of the party, is called a castle on the queen flank. Regardless of which direction casting is performed, the king moves into two fields.

Checkmate
As mentioned above, the goal of the game is to put the MAT king the enemy. This happens when the king falls under the chase and cannot leave the king out of it, it can get out of the shah in three ways: go to a safe cell (the casting is prohibited!), Close the other figure or take a sharing figure. If the king can not avoid mat, then the game will end. Usually, when Mate the king is not removed from the board, and the party is considered complete.

Draw
Sometimes there is no winner in the chess party, and a draw is fixed.

There are 5 rules for which a chess party ends against:
Pat, that is, a position in which a player who has the right move cannot use them, since all his figures and pawns are deprived of the opportunity to make a move according to the rules, and the king is not under Shah.
Players can simply agree to a draw and stop playing.
There is not enough figures on the board in order to put the mat (for example, the king and elephant against the king).
The player announces a draw if the same position on the board is repeated three times (not necessarily three times in a row).
Fifty consecutive moves were played, while none of the players did a pawn and did not take a shape or pawn.

Chess Fisher (960)
Chess960 (also called Fisher chess) is a chess version, in which the same rules, as in conventional chess, but where the "debut theories" do not play a big role in the game .. The initial position of the figures is formed by chance, using only 2 rules: elephants They stand on cells of different colors, and the king must be between the rooks. Black and white figures are arranged symmetrically. There are exactly 960 possible starting positions that perform these rules (hence the prefix "960"). The ruling rule is unusual: here everything is the same (the king and switches did not move before, they are not survived in the shah or through a cage with Shah) plus all the cells between the king and the root should be free from the figures.
In many tournaments, identical rules are used .. These rules are not necessary to apply if you play at home either on the Internet ..

He took - go!
If the player concerns the figure, he is obliged to make her a move .. If the player relates to the rival figure, he must take her taking .. The player who wants to touch the figure only to fix it on the board, must first announce his intention, as a rule, must first announce his intention saying "correlating" ..

Time control.
Most of the tournaments use the control of the time allotted to the entire batch, and not on every move .. both players receive an equal amount of time on the party, each player can decide how to use this time .. After the player does the move, he presses the button On the clock to launch the watches of the opponent .. If the player ended the time to the game and the opponent declares this, the player who has ended time, loses. The exceptions are cases when the player has not enough figures to put the mat - in this case, the party ends in a draw ..

Main strategies
Protect your king
Translate the king into the corner of the board, as a rule, there it is safer .. Do not delay the castle. As a rule, it is necessary to cooke as quickly as possible .. Remember, it doesn't matter how close you are to put the mat to the opponent if he puts you the first mat.!
Do not give the figures aimless
Do not lick your figures thoughtless! Each figure has its price, and you will not be able to win the game without the figures necessary for the formulation of Mata. There is a simple scale, which allows to evaluate the relative value of each figure:
Pawn - Basic Unit
Horse stands 3 pawns
Elephant costs 3 pawns
Ladium costs 5 pawns
Queen costs 9 pawns
King - Accidental
Why do we need to know the comparative strengths of figures? First, it determines the overall usefulness of the figure. That is, the rooks usually brings more benefits on the board than say the elephant. Secondly, the value of the figure must be realized when changing ..

Control center board
You must control the board of the board with your figures and pawns. If you are controlling the center, then you have more opportunities for a good location of your shapes on the board, and the opponent is harder to find good fields for its shapes .. In the above example, the example of white makes good moves to control the center, black moves - bad ..
Use all your figures.
Your figures do not bring any benefit while sitting down in the rear. Try to develop all your figures for what you could use them when attacking the king of the opponent .. The use of only one or two figures for the attack will not work against a strong opponent.

Getting Better Chess
To know the rules and basics of the strategy is only the beginning - there are so much of what you can learn when playing chess, in order to learn everything, not enough of life.! To intensify, you need to do three things:
- Play
Just continue to play! Play as much as possible. You must make lessons from each game - and with the lost, and with the won.
- To study
If you really want to improve your skill quickly, then buy a chess book. There are also many resources on the Internet to help you learn and improve your game.

Have fun
Do not be discouraged if you do not win all your parties!. Everyone sometimes loses - even world champions. If you learn to extract lessons from lost parties, you can always enjoy chess!

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