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CHESS FACTS

Added on: 18th Nov 2015

 

CHESS ORIGINATED IN INDIA DURING THE GUPTA EMPIRE

(ALMOST 1,400 YEARS AGO), AND FROM THERE IT SPREAD

TO THE PERSIAN SASSANID EMPIRE, AND THEN TO THE

MIDDLE EAST AFTER MUSLIMS CONQUERED PERSIA.

FROM THERE, IT SPREAD TO EUROPE AND RUSSIA.

Chess originated in India during the Gupta Empire (almost 1,400 years ago), and from there it spread to the Persian Sassanid Empire, and then to the Middle East after Muslims conquered Persia. From there, it spread to Europe and Russia.

 

 

THE PAWN MOVE THAT ADVANCES THE PIECE TWO SQUARES

ON ITS FIRST MOVE INSTEAD OF ONE WAS FIRST

INTRODUCED IN SPAIN IN 1280.

The pawn move that advances the piece two squares on its first move instead of one was first introduced in Spain in 1280.

 

 

THE CHINESE EMPEROR WEN-TI EXECUTED TWO FOREIGN

CHESS PLAYERS AFTER LEARNING THAT ONE OF THE

PIECES WAS CALLED “EMPEROR.” HE WAS UPSET THAT

HIS TITLE OF EMPEROR COULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH A

MERE GAME AND SO HE FORBID IT.

The Chinese emperor Wen-ti executed two foreign chess players after learning that one of the pieces was called “Emperor.” He was upset that his title of emperor could be associated with a mere game and so he forbid it.

 

 

THE FIRST MENTION OF CHESS IN AMERICA OCCURRED IN

1641 IN ESTHER SINGLETON’S HISTORY OF THE DUTCH

SETTLERS. THE FIRST AMERICAN CHESS TOURNAMENT

WAS HELD IN NEW YORK IN 1843.

The first mention of chess in America occurred in 1641 in Esther Singleton’s history of the Dutch settlers. The first American chess tournament was held in New York in 1843.

 

 

THE LONGEST RECORDED TIME FOR A CHESS PLAYER

TO MAKE A MOVE GOES TO THE INTERNATIONAL

GRAND MASTER TROIS FROM BRAZIL WITH TWO HOURS

AND TWENTY MINUTES ON THE SEVENTH MOVE.

The longest recorded time for a chess player to make a move goes to the International Grand Master Trois from Brazil with two hours and twenty minutes on the seventh move.

 

 

THE FIRST CHESS GAME THAT TOOK PLACE BETWEEN

ASTRONAUTS IN SPACE AND SOMEONE ON EARTH WAS

PLAYED ON JUNE 9, 1970, BY THE SOYEZ-9 CREW.

THE GAME ENDED IN A DRAW.

The first chess game that took place between astronauts in space and someone on Earth was played on June 9, 1970, by the Soyez-9 crew. The game ended in a draw.

 

 

ORIGINALLY, THE QUEEN COULD ONLY MOVE ONE SQUARE

AT A TIME, DIAGONALLY. LATER, SHE COULD MOVE TWO

SQUARES AT A TIME, DIAGONALLY. IT WASN’T UNTIL SPAIN

AND QUEEN ISABELLA ROSE TO POWER THAT THE QUEEN

BECAME THE STRONGEST PIECE ON THE BOARD.

Originally, the queen could only move one square at a time, diagonally. Later, she could move two squares at a time, diagonally. It wasn’t until Spain and Queen Isabella rose to power that the queen became the strongest piece on the board.

 

 

THE OLDEST RECORDED CHESS GAME IN HISTORY IS

FROM THE 900’S, BETWEEN A HISTORIAN FROM

BAGHDAD AND HIS STUDENT.

The oldest recorded chess game in history is from the 900s, between a historian from Baghdad and his student.

 

 

LEGENDARY COMPUTER SCIENTIST ALAN TURING

DEVELOPED THE FIRST COMPUTER PROGRAM FOR

PLAYING CHESS IN 1951. HOWEVER, NO COMPUTER WAS

POWERFUL ENOUGH TO PROCESS IT, SO TURING TESTED

IT BY DOING THE CALCULATIONS HIMSELF AND PLAYING

ACCORDING TO THE RESULTS, TAKING SEVERAL

MINUTES PER MOVE.

Legendary computer scientist Alan Turing developed the first computer program for playing chess in 1951. However, no computer was powerful enough to process it, so Turing tested it by doing the calculations himself and playing according to the results, taking several minutes per move.

 


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