History of Chess

It is a little known fact that many countries feel that they were the first to play the game of chess. When it comes down to it, it is most widely thought that the game was first played in India. The game of chess is first documented in Indian literature in 500 BC. As you can imagine, this makes chess one of the oldest games in the world.

In the 9th century, chess reached Russia and Europe and from there it began to spread even more. Although the game was around during this time, it is safe to say that the rules were not quite the same as they are today.

Around 1475, several changes were made to the game that resemble chess as it is today. These rules began to spread, much like they did early on, and by the 19th century mostly everybody was playing in this manner. As the 19th century began to move on, the game of chess continued to pick up in popularity. Several chess publications appeared, and people all over the world began to organize clubs around the game.

In 1851, the first chess tournament took place in London, England. This was a major event that would change the way that the game is played forever. Without this first tournament, who knows if chess would have become as popular as it is today. From that first event, many other tournaments sprung up all over the world; including in the United States.

Over the years, there has been much debate surrounding the greatest chess players of all time. Some names come up time and time again. They include: Garry Kasparov, Veselin Topalov, Vladimir Kramnik, Viswanathan Anand, and Bobby Fischer. When it comes to American chess players, it is safe to say that Fischer is the best ever.

The game of chess has been around for hundreds of years, and since day one it has been popular among a large group of people. At this point in time, chess is one of the most popular games in the world, being played by millions of people on a regular basis.