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How many cells are on the chessboard? 5 interesting facts about the game

Chess is the most famous and ancientstrategic game. A small set of rules and figures for already 16 centuries is the most popular entertainment first nobles, and then intellectuals and educated people. Despite popularity, few people can tell anything about chess, chessboard and game anything other than the rules.

How many cells are on the chessboard?

Chess was invented in India in approximatelyV-VI c. According to legend, the creation of the game is attributed to an unknown Brahmin (representative of one of the highest spiritual castes of society). A simple chessboard 8 by 8 (64 squares), a small list of clear rules and figures so fond of local rajah that he offered the Brahmin himself to choose a reward for his works.

Тогда мудрец попросил расплатиться с ним пшеницей.The number needed to be calculated by the number of cells on the game field: the number of grains per cell doubled, starting with one. At first the Raja laughed and thought that the wise man was not as perspicacious as it seemed in the game. To everyone who is familiar with geometric progressions, it is not difficult to calculate the number of grains required to fill a chessboard 8 by 8 equal to 2⁶⁴. To accommodate the required amount of wheat, it would take a warehouse with an area of 180 km³. Such a quantity of grain would not have been found not only in the rajah, but in the whole world.

What is Chaturanga?

In ancient India Chaturanga was called a specialunit, consisting of 4 different types of troops: combat elephant, cavalry, infantry and war chariot. There were options for 2 and 4 participants, in the process, dice were involved.

In the English literature it is stated thatChaturanga for 4 players was the first version of chess. However, for certain it is not known, the fact is that none of the written sources that have reached us describes the rules. One can only say that there were as many cells on the Chaturanga field as there were cells on the chessboard. Chaturanga emerged later than the 6th century and can not be the progenitor of chess, just one of the forms of fun.

Dimensions of the chessboard

There are no precise sizes for chess.The board depends on the variety of the game. In the classical version, the same number of cells on the chessboard as in the chaturanga - 64. Chinese xiangqi and Korean chang have been developed for a 9x9 cell field. And in the Persian version of shatranj there are as many cells as on a chessboard in the usual way.

Today, the game board is made of wood ora stone in the form of a book - a casket. In India, they preferred a rug made of cloth with printed strips, and in Arab and Persian countries they could play on the mosaic floor.

Chess and the Christian Church

На панели алтаря в церкви августинцев в Пезаро there is a fresco depicting the party between Pontizian and St. Augustine and Alipius (the event dates back to the IV century). It should be noted that the church's attitude to the game was not always unambiguous. The fact is that in Europe XI-XIV centuries. spread the Arabic version of Chaturanga, where bones were required. Chess was declared "the Devil's invention", the Russian Orthodox Church provided for excommunication for the hobby of the game. Although all the prohibitions did not prevent the church ministers themselves from being inveterate chess players, as evidenced by figures regularly found by archaeologists in place of ancient monasteries and churches.

Chess and art

Since the appearance of a custom-made portrait from fashionthere were paintings on which the customer is drawn for the process of playing chess. Intellectual fun was honored among politicians, scientists and other representatives of the highest nobility.

The fact that chess was not considered purelymen's fun. In fact, the love of strategy for the stronger sex was so strong that they often taught the game of their own wives and daughters. Then a worthy partner was always "at hand", and it was not necessary to go to the men's club to conduct an interesting party. During the game of chess, the famous writers Ben Johnson and William Shakespeare painted.

Masterfully executed chess pieces and boardcan in itself be a work of art. As, for example, author chess, dedicated to the Patriotic War of 1812, presented in the photo above. The idea of fun - confrontation black and white - gives wide opportunities for interpretation and creation of a certain entourage of the game.

In this version, the figures are made of ebony -natural bone. The color of chess is answered by pedestals, and some elements are made of precious metals by a real goldsmith. According to the author of the figures, he is not a historian, and inaccuracies in the costumes, the main task was to convey the spirit of that time. Running such projects alone is very difficult, at least 4 masters worked on the creation of the chess "War of 1812" during the year.

How many times have Russians become world chess champions

It is necessary to clarify that there are two majorchess communities and two rating tables of the strongest. Such a situation arose as a result of the actions of Kasparov and Short. In 1993, both contenders for the title of champion accused the International Chess Organization (FIDE, has existed since 1948) of bias, refused membership, having lost their titles, and organized the Professional Chess Organization (PCA). Since 2006, opponents have been able to find compromises, and the unity of the championships has been restored.

Soviet and Russian chess players became champions more often than representatives of other countries. According to FIDE, at various times, the following personalities won the title of the best grandmasters: