Chess is one of the most ancient and widespread games in the world. A huge number of people on the whole planet play chess both amateur and professional. The International Day of Chess is dedicated to the promotion of this sport even more.
History of chess
The predecessor of modern chess is the ancient Indian game Chaturanga, which, according to historians and archaeologists, people began to play back in the 5th century AD. The very name of chess originated from the old Persian word-combination, which means "the ruler is dead."
Later Chaturanga was modified, turning into a modern game with figures on the field, consisting of 64 cells of white and black color. The game involves two players, each of which controls 16 pieces. All the figures have their own characteristics in the direction of the move, as well as the values on the field. The player's task is to "kill" (the move that destroys the figure) of the enemy king while maintaining his own on the playing field. This is the position called "mate", and the move that precedes it and creates an immediate threat to the king is "shah".
When is International Chess Day celebrated?
World Chess Day is celebrated on the initiative of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) since 1966. This holiday is annually celebrated on July 20, and all events held in its honor are aimed at spreading the game and its popularization around the world. On this day in many countries there are chess tournaments of different levels, awards are given to honored figures of this sport, in schools and institutions of additional education chess circles are opened and various active entertainments are based on this highly intellectual game.