The origins of Chess, according to scholarly research, is traced back as far as sixth century India, making it a later invention than other board games, such as Backgammon. The Indian ancestor of Chess was known as Chauranga, the Sanskrit word for the four members or components of an Indian Army: elephants, horses, chariots and foot soldiers. From India the game travelled to Persia, and once 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 late 15th century to the 1880s. Which emphasised more on quick, tactical manoeuvres rather than long-term strategic planning. In this period there were a number of notable players, especially Howard Staunton who dominated the game in the 1840s. Following on from this period was the Scientific, Hypermodern and New Dynamism eras.
Chess remains a highly popular pastime among the general population to this day. A 2012 World Chess Federation 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.
Here at Greene & Greene Antiques, we are avid collectors of all chess and board game sets and pieces. Image below is a 1930s Staunton chess set in boxwood, in mint condition. Please view our Chess & Board Games section under our shop banner to see a range of items we have in stock, or other wise come and visit us in store as we always carry a selection of interesting objects for the mad collector.
"Romantic Chess" was the predominant chess playing style from late 15th century to the 1880s. Which emphasised more on quick, tactical manoeuvres rather than long-term strategic planning. In this period there were a number of notable players, especially Howard Staunton who dominated the game in the 1840s. Following on from this period was the Scientific, Hypermodern and New Dynamism eras.
Chess remains a highly popular pastime among the general population to this day. A 2012 World Chess Federation 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.
Here at Greene & Greene Antiques, we are avid collectors of all chess and board game sets and pieces. Image below is a 1930s Staunton chess set in boxwood, in mint condition. Please view our Chess & Board Games section under our shop banner to see a range of items we have in stock, or other wise come and visit us in store as we always carry a selection of interesting objects for the mad collector.
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