Whether you’re in a pub playing with friends over a quiet pint, or a young prodigy with ambitions of becoming the next Magnus Carlsen, the warlike strategy game is adored by millions of people across all walks of life.
In fact, chess’s allure is much the same as it always has been. While the functions and appearance of specific pieces may have changed over the centuries, it still has the power to captivate and frustrate in equal measure – just as it did with our ancestors.
Opening moves
So, where does chess come from? The true origins of the game are hotly contested, but its oldest known forebear is chaturanga, thought to have emerged in what is now northern India during the 6th century.
