Chess History - Origins of chess History of chess

History of chess

The history of chess can be traced back nearly 1500 years, although the earliest origins are

uncertain. The earliest predecessor of the game probably originated in India, before the 6th century

AD; a minority of historians believe the game originated in China. From India, the game spread to

Persia. When the Arabs conquered Persia, chess was taken up by the Muslim world and

subsequently spread to Southern Europe. In Europe, chess evolved into roughly its current form in

the 15th century.

"Romantic chess" was the predominant chess playing style from the late 15th century to the

1880s.Chess games of this period emphasised more on quick, tactical maneuvers rather than long-

term strategic planning. The Romantic era of play was followed by the Scientific, Hypermodern,

and New Dynamism eras. In the second half of the 19th century, modern chess tournament play

began, and the first World Chess Championship was held in 1886. The 20th century saw great

leaps forward in chess theory and the establishment of the World Chess Federation (FIDE).

Developments in the 21st century include use of computers for analysis, which originated in the

1970s with the first programmed chess games on the market. Online gaming appeared in the mid-

1990s.

Chess remains a highly popular pastime to this day. A 2012 survey found that "chess players now

make up one of the largest communities in the world: 605 million adults play chess regularly".

Chess is played at least once a year by 12% of British people, 15% of Americans, 23% of Germans,

43% of Russians, and 70% of Indian people

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