Basic Chess History

The Origin of Chess
Around the 6th century AD, an Indian sage created a competitive battle game for two players and named it "Saturanga." In this game, each side deployed an identical force of men, including: a front line of soldiers, and a back line consisting of cavalry, war elephants, and mobile chariots. In the center of the ranks stood the King and his courtiers.

Initial Army Structure:
Initially, "Saturanga" was played on the ground, featuring rivers and mountains as barriers, and was reserved exclusively for the entertainment of the King and his courtiers. Gradually, the game was scaled down onto a wooden board divided into squares with stylized pieces. The rules began to take clear shape, and "Saturanga" became popular among the common people.

Evolution and Popularization:
Soon after, "Saturanga" rapidly became a beloved game across all social classes and spread to Central Asia, Southeast Asia, West Asia, and beyond.Around the 10th century, "Saturanga" reached Europe and immediately became the most admired game. However, since the name was passed down orally, "Saturanga" gradually faded, and people in each country renamed it with terms similar to the original: the English called it Chess, the Russians called it Shakhmaty, the French called it Échecs, and the Italians called it Scacchi. It was also here that major reforms occurred. For the first time, a female figure appeared on the board—the Queen—standing right next to the King, replacing the former Advisor piece.

European Adaptation and Modern Reforms:
Over 1,500 years, "Saturanga"—now Chess—has spread worldwide and become the world's number one intellectual sport. The current reigning World Chess Champion is Magnus Carlsen from Norway, who has held the title since 2013. The highest title in chess awarded by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) is International Grandmaster.

The Legend of the Wheat and the Chessboard
After calculating for a while, the courtiers informed the King of the total. According to calculations, the number of grains reached nearly 18.5 quintillion, weighing approximately 641 billion tons. Given that the entire world today only produces about 2 billion tons of food annually, the entire Earth would have to produce food for over 320 years to fulfill the reward. This legend highlights the immense complexity and beauty of Chess.