A Game Unchanged for 500 Years

Chess is believed to have originated in India around the 6th century — that’s between the years 500 and 599 AD, before spreading to Persia and Europe.

The ancient Indian game, chaturanga, is widely considered the earliest known form of chess. It was a four-player military strategy game featuring pieces that represented infantry, cavalry, elephants, and chariots. Sound familiar? Those evolved into today’s pawns, knights, bishops, and rooks.

As the game moved westward through Persia, it became shatranj. Later, when it arrived in Europe during the Middle Ages, it underwent a few dramatic changes. One of the biggest? The queen’s powers. Originally one of the weakest pieces, she gained her all-powerful range of motion around the 15th century, transforming the game into the fast-paced version we know today.

And yes, the word “checkmate” comes from the Persian phrase shāh māt, meaning “the king is dead” or “the king is helpless.”

What’s wild is that since about the 1500s, the core rules haven’t changed much. That means when your child plays a chess match, they’re using the same rules players used over 500 years ago.