Chess – From the Churning of the Sea

Chess, with its metaphorical game of life, is a game that dates back to the ancient past. The chess pieces are metaphorical representations of different entities of the society and the game itself depicts the struggles of life, interwoven with strategy, tactic, diplomacy, betrayal, counter-tactic, sacrifice, threat, alliance and perseverance.

Chess is believed to have originated in the Indian subcontinent. Its history dates back to 1,500 years ago. In Sanskrit it is called "Chaturanga," which means "the army of four members," which represents the four main pieces of the game: the king, the queen, the rook, and the bishop. The other pieces, the knight and the pawn, were added later.

The game spread to Persia, the Arab world, and then to Europe. By the 15th century, it had become a popular game in Europe and was standardized by the 18th century with the emergence of the modern rules, which allows us to identify it as the game we play today.

The legend has it that chess was born from "Samudra Manthan." The churning of the "Sea of Milk" is a Hindu mythological story, which describes the emergence of various treasures after the gods and demons churned the cosmic ocean. Among these treasures was Dhanvantari, the physician of the gods bearing the “Amrita,” the elixir of life. During this legendary churning of the "Sea of Milk," it is believed that a divine elephant emerged, holding a chessboard. This was the advent of the game of chess.

Chess was regarded as a "royal game," befitting only for the nobility and the warriors. The game swiftly gained popularity and was a favorite pastime of Indian royalty. In the medieval period, chess was introduced to Europe by the Arabs. It quickly became popular across the continent and became a favorite game of the European aristocracy.

Chess was one of the first games to be computerized, and in 1997, Deep Blue, a chess-playing computer, defeated the reigning world champion, Garry Kasparov. This was a landmark event in the history of artificial intelligence.

Today, chess is played by millions of people around the world. It is a popular game for both children and adults, and it is also a popular competitive sport. There are many different chess tournaments held each year, including the World Chess Championship and the Chess Olympiad. As a globally revered game, chess embodies strategy, patience, knowledge and wit.