Why was chess invented?

Why was chess invented?  Does anybody know?  I think it was created for entertaiment and fun.  After all, chess IS pretty fun!

I like to think somebody wanted to simulate a real battle between troops but they didn't have Age of Empires on their xbox

So they simulated a real battle by creating a turn-based game? Don't get me wrong I like chess but I find this explanation implausible.

Real life generals used to use (still use?) little figurines to represent troops, which they would move around a map.

It's a game, an idle pastime. It was created for the same reason any other idle pastime is -- as a recreational distraction.

And Risk is another game that is very much intended to simulate battle and is still turn based, by the way, so not so implausible.

If chess did not exist, we would have to invent it!

The god Mars wanted to hook up with a dryad named Caissa, but she wasn't really into him.  So he went to talk to Euphron, the god of sport and brother to Venus.  Euphron created chess so that Mars could make Caissa fall for him.

So, as is true of many things, chess was created so that a guy could impress a lady.  Of course, after it worked for Mars, it never worked for any guy ever again.

Like! +1

what else too occupy one's self when bored ? I think some old time checker player started the whole chess thing !!

Good question. One may also wonder if understanding the intention of the invention and adjusting your play accordingly to most closely align with the purpose, produces more success. 

I don't think there is any known answer to your question, but if you're interested in how chess was invented here are some links for you and the third one is probably worth the $ if you're really interested

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_chess

http://monroi.com/chess-info/44-in/751-the-history-of-chess.html

http://www.bookdepository.com/book/9781620870624?redirected=true&selectCurrency=USD&gclid=CLXCx4nQlrICFZBUpgodIUAAgQ

Chess was invented because it's often not easy to come up with four people for pinochle.

It was invented so people would have incentive to cut down those bothersome weed-woods, i.e. ebony, red sandalwood, etc..

wnt it developed from an earlier indian. "  It was invented so people would have incentive to cut down those bothersome weed-woods, i.e. ebony, red sandlwood." sound's about right lol! we invent a game to wipe out the world's forests.

so it's a big fail?

So something else will have to be invented to help us make the transition from monkeys to space citizens.

If that is true then Anand V  Alien (?) Universe championship must happen! They will have to concede the venue to be someplace in our world due to our inability to travel elsewhere yet. Looking forward to the match!

It sure makes me angry!