Chess Pieces

Chess Pieces, Boards, and Supplies

Welcome to ChessGate.net, your one stop source for all things belonging to the game of kings. This site is purely informational and is intended to bring you the latest news and information on chess pieces, chess boards, and other chess supplies. This site is a labor of love and we are constantly trying to improve the quantity and quality of its information; we eagerly accept any questions, comments, or suggestions that may help us improve this site. Please enjoy your visit here and let us know if we can do anything to make your time here more rewarding.

Chess is believed to have originated in North-West India early in the 6th Century A.D. The game was originally called Caturanga, which meant four divisions of military in Sanskrit. These four divisions, once represented by infantry, cavalry, elephant, and chariot, eventually evolved in pawn, knight, bishop, rook, king, and queen. This evolution occurred as Muslim forces conquered the decaying Persian Empire and eventually introduced it to European cultures. By the tail end of the Dark Ages, Chess had taken firm root in Southern Europe and was about to experience a resurgence of interest at the dawning of The Renaissance.

First introduced to Southern European countries by the invading Moors, chess exploded in popularity as the Renaissance spread ideas, art, and commerce across all of Western Europe. It was during this time that the game began to be codified and altered into the modern game we recognize today. The chess pieces were altered from earlier forms to include the king and queen and to alter chariots and elephants into bishops and rooks. Chess boards were also modified to accommodate these additions. Truly chess supplies had more or less come into their modern incarnations at this period in history.

As chess spread in popularity and as the rules and pieces became truly codified, the first chess manuals and strategies were created to help beginners get a firm grasp of the game. By the early 19th Century chess problems were regularly included in English newspapers. Chess was no longer considered an idle pastime but a necessary part of aristocratic education. It was considered in many ways to be a reflection of the world and a mirror of many potential battlefield scenarios, hence earning it the moniker, the game of king’s.

It was not uncommon for entire cities to play correspondence games with other cities. In a famous example, London’s chess club played Edinburgh’s club in 1824. By 1851, chess had become a truly international pastime and in this same year the first world chess championship was held in London. The winner, German player Adolf Anderssen, was considered the first World Chess Champion. This legacy has continued to grow and nowadays chess is considered one of the most popular sports in the world. The game is recognized by the International Olympic Committee and shows no signs of slowing down into the new millennium.

We hope this introduction to this exciting game has proved useful and informative. Whether you’re looking for chess pieces, chess boards, chess sets, or just more information on the game, the rest of this website is designed to help you find just what you’re looking for. Please feel comfortable asking us any questions or leaving any comments which may help us do our job better. We thank you once more for visiting ChessGate.Net and may you win your future matches.

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Chess Pieces, Boards, and Supplies

Welcome to ChessGate.net, your one stop source for all things belonging to the game of kings. This site is purely informational and is intended to bring you the latest news and information on chess pieces, chess boards, and other chess supplies. This site is a labor of love and we are constantly trying to improve the quantity and quality of its information; we eagerly accept any questions, comments, or suggestions that may help us improve this site. Please enjoy your visit here and let us know if we can do anything to make your time here more rewarding.

Chess is believed to have originated in North-West India early in the 6th Century A.D. The game was originally called Caturanga, which meant four divisions of military in Sanskrit. These four divisions, once represented by infantry, cavalry, elephant, and chariot, eventually evolved in pawn, knight, bishop, rook, king, and queen. This evolution occurred as Muslim forces conquered the decaying Persian Empire and eventually introduced it to European cultures. By the tail end of the Dark Ages, Chess had taken firm root in Southern Europe and was about to experience a resurgence of interest at the dawning of The Renaissance.

First introduced to Southern European countries by the invading Moors, chess exploded in popularity as the Renaissance spread ideas, art, and commerce across all of Western Europe. It was during this time that the game began to be codified and altered into the modern game we recognize today. The chess pieces were altered from earlier forms to include the king and queen and to alter chariots and elephants into bishops and rooks. Chess boards were also modified to accommodate these additions. Truly chess supplies had more or less come into their modern incarnations at this period in history.

As chess spread in popularity and as the rules and pieces became truly codified, the first chess manuals and strategies were created to help beginners get a firm grasp of the game. By the early 19th Century chess problems were regularly included in English newspapers. Chess was no longer considered an idle pastime but a necessary part of aristocratic education. It was considered in many ways to be a reflection of the world and a mirror of many potential battlefield scenarios, hence earning it the moniker, the game of king’s.

It was not uncommon for entire cities to play correspondence games with other cities. In a famous example, London’s chess club played Edinburgh’s club in 1824. By 1851, chess had become a truly international pastime and in this same year the first world chess championship was held in London. The winner, German player Adolf Anderssen, was considered the first World Chess Champion. This legacy has continued to grow and nowadays chess is considered one of the most popular sports in the world. The game is recognized by the International Olympic Committee and shows no signs of slowing down into the new millennium.

We hope this introduction to this exciting game has proved useful and informative. Whether you’re looking for chess pieces, chess boards, chess sets, or just more information on the game, the rest of this website is designed to help you find just what you’re looking for. Please feel comfortable asking us any questions or leaving any comments which may help us do our job better. We thank you once more for visiting ChessGate.Net and may you win your future matches.