MEET THE FATHER OF CHESS
As we celebrate the FATHER'S DAY! Let me introduce to you the FATHER OF CHESS, and why he was considered as the FATHER OF CHESS.
We all know that Chess come from India, and was delivered to Persia, and as a time goes by became as Shatranj. It was played in 8x8 board and the pieces are called "vizier," which eventually evolved as the QUEEN PIECE.
THIS IS THE IMAGE OF SHATRANJ AND EVENTUALLY BECAME THE MODERN CHESS BOARD THAT WE USE TODAY
IN THIS IMAGE, YOU CAN SEE THE EVOLUTION OF CHESS ACCORDING TO ITS PIECES' FEATURE DEVELOPMENT
And the FIRST origin of the CHESS are:
1. Chaturanga (6th century CE): The earliest known predecessor of chess, chaturanga, was played in India. The pieces represented military units: infantry, cavalry, elephants, chariots, a general, and a king.
2. Shatranj (7th century): As chess spread to Persia, it was adopted and modified as shatranj, with changes in piece shapes and rules. The term "checkmate" originates from the Persian phrase "shah mat," meaning "the king is helpless".
And now is the MODERN CHESS that we used to play today
BUT! THE QUESTION IS THIS, HOW COME THAT GM WILHELM BECAME THE FATHER OF CHESS? Well, there's a lot of reasons but here are the basics and hope you accept it too!
1. He was the first World Chess Champion from 1886-1894, and undefeated, undisputed
2. He is the first PLAYER who gave and shows CHESS PRINCIPLES that we used today. And the basic principles are:
2.1 PLAY AT THE CENTER: (e4, d4, e5, d5) are very vital in chess. Playing at the center gives you the opportunity to control the opening game. The 4 square at the center are the clashing ground of the board.
2.2 DEVELOP YOUR PIECES: Developed pieces are very essential not just in opening but even in the middle game. Pieces like knight and bishop must be develop first before making an attack or chasing a pieces.
2.3 CASTLE EARLY: Putting the KING TO SAFETY is very important too, unless, you know what your opponent's is doing at the first place.
3. He is the first PLAYER who show the phases of CHESS GAME. THE OPENING, MIDDLE GAME AND END GAME
but wait! There's more!
HE IS THE FIRST GM PLAYER WHO DID THE SPONTANEOUS GAME AND PLAYING IN BLIND FOLDED. And now you know why! 😁
Then the next question, where did GM William Steinitz came from?
William Steinitz was a jewish and born in Prague in 1836. Because of poverty, he used to learned and read books all by himself specially in science and philosophy. He first play chess as teenager and became interested at chess, playing on the street. He went to New York for a work to support himself and to improve his chess skills . And became the strongest players in America during the 1860s, earning the nickname "The Wizard of Chess".
He gain his International Master by defeating GM Paul Morphy and became undefeated for 10 years. He was officially recognized as the first World Chess Champion after winning a match against Johannes Zukertort in 1886. Steinitz would hold the world title until 1894, revolutionizing the theory and strategic depth of the game during his reign. Through his innovative ideas and formidable playing strength, he established himself as the pioneering figure of modern chess.
Now you know the father of modern chess, Ofcourse, we will never forget:
THE FATHER CHESS OF INDIA
GM VISWANATHAN ANAND
Viswanathan Anand is the father of chess in India. First Indian to win the World Chess Championship and 5 times World Chess Champion. His mentor Krishnan Sasikiran, one of the legend in Indian Chess. Anand won his first national title at the age of 15 and became India's first Grandmaster in 1988.
Anand inspired all chess players in India including all my favorite GM's Gukesh, Prag, Vaishali and many more. He won an unprecedented 22 successive tournament victories from 1987-1990. After becoming the first Asian to capture the World title in 2000, Anand took Indian chess to new heights of global dominance. His world championship victories in solidifying India as a superpower in the game. Anand has won numerous prestigious tournaments and been ranked in the top 10 uninterrupted for over 25 years. At age 52, he remains India's torchbearer in chess, coaching budding chess champions while remaining an active player. Anand has received the country's highest sporting honor Padma Vibhushan and promotes chess education programs across India. He is adored as the pioneering national hero who put Indian chess on the world map.
Now you know the Father of Chess and the Father of Indian Chess as well. Hope you enjoy my simple blog. HAPPY FATHER'S DAY EVERYONE! Always remember, PLAY, LEARN AND HAVE FUN!
Regards,
Renz
