A number of popular board games have been around for centuries and in earlier times contributed significantly to the practices of ancient communities. Past societies often relied on particular board games to predict future events and others were used to understand battle formations and devise military strategies.
Chess - a Strategic, Military Board Game
Chess is an example of a strategic, military game given that the figures placed on opposite sides of the chequered board represent two opposing militia. The players perform the roles of the commanding officers and must mobilise their chess pieces in response to their opponent’s advance or proactively embark on a planned attack.
Origins of Chess
The origins of Chess are still debated but, generally, it is agreed upon that modern day ‘chess’ or ‘chaturnaga’ originated in India. Its Sanskritic name refers to ‘chatu’- four arms or four divisions of an army, a common battle formation mentioned in epic Indian narratives. However, it is also widely accepted that the version of the game played today originates from Persia/Iran and its name was changed to ‘shatranj’ after the Arab/Islamic conquest in the 7th century. In Persian folk tales, another word for such a similar game ‘sadranj’ translates to a ‘hundred’ (sad) ‘worries’ (ranj).
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