The game originated in either India or China, but the character of Chatarunga was very different from modern western chess. It was in Spain in the 15th Century that the Bishop and Queen acquired their modern moves - before they had been very weak pieces. The other Spanish innovation was the introduction of the double pawn move, followed by the en passant rule.
The 15th century Spanish game was recognisable as modern chess, but there were still a few rule variations around stalemate and castling. The modern castling rules were introduced in France about 1620, but were not standardised until the late 19th century.
Chess is one of the oldest and most widely played games in the world. From its roots in India almost 5,000 years ago to its modern day status as an intellectual pastime, chess has become one of the most recognizable board games in history and continues to enchant players of all ages. Although it can take years of practice and study to become a chess expert, the basics of game-play and strategy are relatively simple and can be learned in just a few sittings. And while you may never make it to Grandmaster status, hopefully you'll learn to appreciate the fun, excitement and challenges that the game of chess can offer.
A regulation chess board is made up of 64 identically sized squares arranged on an 8 x 8 board. The color of the squares alternates between light and dark (much like a checkerboard). While chessboards can be made of almost any type of material, the most commonly used are wood, plastic, stone or even glass.
The squares on a chessboard can also be thought of as coordinates, and a simple method has been devised in order to properly label each square. As you can see from the diagram, the horizontal rows have been numbered 1 through 8. Similarly, the vertical columns are labeled with the letters A through H. So, in order to find the square labeled e4 (for example), you would simply find where the e column and the 4 row intersect. In chess parlance, the numbered rows are also known as "Ranks", while the alphabetical columns are known as "Files".
Chess Notation
This section of the rules provides a technical description of the chess notation as required during play. E1. Each piece is indicated by an abbreviation. English language values are
King- K Queen-Q Rook-R Bishop-B Knight-N Pawn- (omitted)
Muslim Rules: These are the earliest know rules for chess in Europe, dating from circa 1100, and are essentially the same as the rules for the arab ancestor of chess, “shatranj”
BOARD is unchequered (no colored squares).