The Origin of Chess

Introduction   

Chess has fascinated mankind all over the world, for so long, that the question as to the origin of the game has become a historical riddle as complicated as playing the game itself. ‘The King’s Game’ has a long history as a tactical exercise for military strategists.  Historical clues point to its development throughout the Byzantine, Persian, and Islamic empires and the Crusades before settling into the modern Western European form during the Renaissance. 

Theologians, scholars, scientists, mathematicians, aristocracy and even the common gambler have embraced chess.  The rich history of the game and its inherent beauty has led many players and historians to speculate as to its origin.  Perhaps this fanaticism explains why so many places have been associated with the development of chess:  China, India, Egypt, Greece, Assyria, Persia, Arabia, Ireland and Uzbekistan. 

“Even as early as the tenth century Samaria Madhya commented on the chess myths, ‘It is said to have been played by Aristotle, by Yawed IBM Nun (Japheth son of Noah), by Sam ben Nuh (Shem), by Solomon for the loss of his son, and even by Adam when he grieved for Abel". In one case the invention of chess was attributed to Moses (by the rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra 1130 CE).” ^[1]

In 1991, the Initiative Group Kšnigstein (IGK2) was founded to host seminars so that chess historians could share their research and opinions. One member, Gerhard Josten, explored the structure of chessboards and symbolic significance of the pieces.  This led to a new theory in 2001, which this essay expounds on.  It seems most likely that this ancient game was a culmination of Indian, Chinese, and Mesopotamian influence.  The flow of trade and culture along the Silk Roads indicates the geographically centered Kushan Empire played an important role.  We look at 3 cultures which may have influenced the development of the King's game:  the Indians, Chinese and Kushan.