The origin of Chess is uncertain and remains a highly debatable topic. There are numerous legends and stories surrounding the beginning of chess.
According to one of the theories, the earliest precursor of chess originated in India around 1500 years ago. It was a war game called Chaturanga, a Sanskrit name for a battle formation mentioned in the Mahabharata. The literal meaning of Chaturanga is ‘four limbs’, it is used to refer to the four divisions of the army: Elephantry, chariotry, horsemen and infantry which advanced into modern-day chess pieces. It had two key features common to modern day chess- each piece had a different power, and the king had to be defeated to achieve victory. It was believed to be played with a die on an 8x8 squares board gradually evolving into Shatranj. It spread to Persia at the time of Islamic invasion in 6th century AD. From India through Persia, chess reached Europe during the 15th century. This is where chess evolved into its current form.
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