Discover the History of Chess

During the latter stages of the 15th Century the game in Europe saw several major changes. These rule changes for the basic moves modernized chess into the form we know today. Pieces were changed to reflect European society instead of Chinese, Indian or Arabic society.

The rule changes were initially devised and implemented in Italy and Spain. These were the two strongholds of chess in Europe at the time. Chess quickly spread northwards and by the 19th Century had completely colonized the continent.

The first international tournament took place in London in 1851. The first official World Championship was held in 1886. The 20th Century saw the advent of chess computers which have been responsible for unprecedented advances in chess theory. We have a quick primer for the brief history version.

Western Chess is roughly 1,000 years old. It is widely believed that the origin of chess can be traced to earlier versions found in India in the 6th century AD. There are also some who contend that the game can be traced back even further to China.

This is quite controversial for some and things can get heated. Many groups want to claim credit for inventing the game. We can't say for sure if chess was invented in India or merely traveled there from China. We do know that it spread from India to Persia.

When the Arabs later conquered Persia they learned chess from the Persians. The Moors brought the game to Europe during their era in Spain. The Spaniards and the Italians dominated European chess initially.

The changes that chess underwent in all those countries throughout all those years inevitably created a fascinating history of chess pieces. The gradual evolution from their earliest form to the modern pieces of today speaks volumes on the places they've seen.

The pieces in the game of chess are like a window into the past. Their part in the history of chess give us a fascinating insight into the make-up of numerous civilizations in previous centuries and millennia.


The King is the most important, though not the most powerful. The Queen is the most powerful but not the most important. The Rook is next in terms of strength. Then Bishops, then Knights.

The humble pawn is the weakest of all and yet together the pawns are so powerful that their structure determines the entire nature of the game.

The Romantic Era of chess is set mainly in the 19th Century. It gets it's name from the style of chess that was being played at the time. The emphasis was on flamboyant attacking chess culminating in ruthless assaults on the enemy King's stronghold.

These captivating battles were played out in the chess cafes of Europe. Top chess players became well known across the continent. This era produced great players like Paul Morphy, Adolf Anderssen, Daniel Harrwitz, Howard Staunton, Henry Bird and Johannes Zukertort. Wilhelm Steinitz also arrived during this time and played great chess games in the time honored Romantic tradition. But he would be the one to develop a new style, positional chess, that would eventually replace it.

Before it's demise some of the most memorable games in the history of chess would define the Romantic Era.

The practice of recording official chess matches began in the 1500's. Some remarkable matches have been played throughout chess history. Some have been so good that they are still marveled at today. In some cases these games are centuries old.

Some of the games you find here are included because of their brilliant attacking play. Some for their daring sacrifices. Many of these games have interesting variations. This means that not only is it great entertainment to play through the games but there are important lessons contained within.

There are games here from every century. They are taken from a variety of different masters. They are some of the most famous chess games from the history of chess.