page_title: History of chess
section_title: The origin of the game
hierarchical_section_title: History of chess / The origin of the game
caption_attribution_description: A picture from the book of Alfonso X (European or Christian playing chess with Moor).
context_page_description: The history of chess goes back almost 1500 years. The game originated in northern India in the 6th century AD and spread to Persia. When the Arabs conquered Persia, chess was taken up by the Muslim world and subsequently, through the Moorish conquest of Spain, spread to Southern Europe. But in early Russia, the game came directly from the Khanates to the south.
  In Europe, the moves of the pieces changed in the 15th century. The modern game starts with these changes. In the second half of the 19th century, modern tournament play began. Chess clocks were first used in 1883, and the first world chess championship was held in 1886. The 20th century saw advances in chess theory, and the establishment of the World Chess Federation. Chess engines, and chess data bases became important.
context_section_description: The precursors of chess originated in northern India during the Gupta empire, where its early form in the 6th century was known as Chaturanga. This translates as 'the four divisions', meaning infantry, cavalry, elephantry, and chariotry, represented by the pieces that would evolve into the modern pawn, knight, bishop, and rook, respectively.p173; p74
caption: Also Libro de los juegos, Alfonso X of Castile, showing Christian vs Muslim
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