Chess is often called the game of kings. But behind the 64 squares lies a history packed with surprising details that even seasoned players might not know.
Whether you’re a casual player or a tournament regular, these random but interesting facts will make you see chess differently.
1. Chess Is Over 1,500 Years Old
The earliest form of chess, known as chaturanga, originated in India around the 6th century.
It later spread to Persia, the Islamic world, and then Europe, evolving into the modern game we know today.
2. The Longest Possible Chess Game Has 5,949 Moves
Thanks to the 50-move rule, which allows a game to be drawn if no pawn move or capture occurs in 50 moves, mathematicians calculated that the maximum length of a legal chess game is 5,949 moves.
3. The Longest Recorded Tournament Game Lasted 20 Hours
In 1989, Ivan Nikolić and Goran Arsović played for 269 moves in Belgrade. The game lasted over 20 hours and ended in a draw.
4. The Term “Checkmate” Comes from The Persian Language
“Checkmate” comes from the Persian phrase Shah Mat, which means “the king is helpless” or “the king is defeated.”
5. The Queen Wasn’t Always the Strongest Piece
The Queen
In early chess, the queen could only move one square diagonally.
It wasn’t until the 15th century in Europe that the queen gained its current powerful moveset, making it the most dominant piece on the board.
6. The Knight’s Move Is Unique in Chess
The green dots show squares available to the knight
The knight is the only piece that can “jump” over others. Its L-shaped move makes it tricky to master but deadly in the hands of skilled players.
7. The First Official World Chess Champion Was Wilhelm Steinitz
Wilhelm Steinitz
In 1886, Wilhelm Steinitz defeated Johannes Zukertort in a match to become the first recognized World Chess Champion.
8. The Current Youngest Grandmaster Record Holder Is Abhimanyu Mishra
Abhimanyu Mishra. Photo Credits: David Llada
In 2021, American prodigy Abhimanyu Mishra became the youngest grandmaster in history at 12 years, 4 months, and 25 days.
9. The First Computer to Beat a World Champion Was Deep Blue
Kasparov battling it out against Deep Blue
In 1997, IBM’s Deep Blue defeated Garry Kasparov in a six-game match, marking the first time a computer beat a reigning world champion under standard tournament conditions.
10. The Church Once Banned Chess
During the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church banned chess. It saw the game as a distraction from religious duties.
Despite this, chess continued to spread through Europe.
11. The Word “Pawn” Means “Foot Soldier”
The Pawn
The pawn comes from the Latin pedonem, meaning “foot soldier.” This is fitting, since pawns usually march forward first and often sacrifice themselves for greater gains.
12. The First Female Grandmaster Was Nona Gaprindashvili
Nona Gaprindashvili. Photo Credits: Niki Riga
In 1978, Georgian player Nona Gaprindashvili became the first woman to earn the full grandmaster title.
She broke barriers in a field that had long been dominated by men.
13. The Fastest Checkmate Is Two Moves
The Fool’s Mate
Known as the Fool’s Mate, the fastest possible checkmate can happen in just two moves.
It requires a blunder from White by exposing the king with pawn moves like f3 or f4 and g4.
14. Chess Has Been to Space
In 1970, two Soviet astronauts aboard the Soyuz 9 played a chess game against the ground control team.
The match ended in a draw, making it the first game of chess played in space.
15. Chess Can Be Played Blindfold
Timur Gareyev, a master of Blindfold Chess. Photo Credits: FIDE
Grandmasters can play multiple games blindfolded, relying entirely on memory.
Grandmaster Timur Gareyev set a record by playing 48 blindfold games simultaneously, winning 35 of them.
16. Stalemates Used to Be a Win
In early chess rules across Europe, a stalemate was considered a win for the player who forced it. It was only later standardized as a draw.
17. The First Chess Book Was Written around 850 AD
Pages from the first chess book. Photo Credits: FIDE
The earliest known chess book was Kitab ash-shatranj (The Book of the Chess), written in Arabic by Al-Adli ar-Rumi around 850 AD
18. Chess Inspires Cinema
Films Inspired by Chess
Chess has inspired numerous films. From popular ones like the Queen’s Gambit Series to Queen of Katwe and others, chess continues to provide content for filmmakers worldwide.
19. Online Chess Has Exploded in Popularity
With platforms like Chess.com and Lichess, and the rise of chess streamers such as Hikaru Nakamura and GothamChess, millions of players now log in daily, making chess one of the fastest-growing online games.
20. Chess Is Officially a Sport
FIDE (Fédération Internationale des Échecs) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee, making chess an official sport, even though it isn’t part of the Olympics yet.
Conclusion
These facts show that chess is more than just a board game. It’s an art that has history and depth.
So when you play your next game, remember that you’re part of a tradition older than most nations, richer than most sports, and growing faster than ever.
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