| I come from a family of golfers. Golf is the | | | | animals, horse, camel and elephant, in its cavalry, |
| favorite recreation of everyone in my family, | | | | which represent knight, bishop and rook in chess. |
| including my grandparents, my mom and dad, | | | | Also, there are a lot of similarities between the |
| myself and my four siblings. Every year, we have | | | | way chess is played today and the way |
| a family reunion of sorts featuring all my relatives | | | | Chaturanga was played in India during the 6th |
| from my father's side. At those gathering, the | | | | century. Historians believe the Persians later |
| entire clan always has a sportsfest wherein each | | | | created a more popular version of the game and |
| of the different families take on one another in | | | | called it Shatranj. But there is yet another theory |
| four key sports. We always win the golf | | | | that claims that chess started from a game called |
| competition. The others are volleyball, ping pong | | | | Xiangqi that traces its roots to China during the |
| and chess. | | | | 2nd century. there are a number of well-known |
| My dad told me to study chess for next year's | | | | scholars and historians who support the latter |
| family sportsfest. I complained a lot at the | | | | theory. |
| beginning but have grown quite fond of the game. | | | | Eventually, the popularity of chess caught on in |
| I often like to recite the history of the game to | | | | the west particularly in Europe as well as to the |
| my friends and, actually, to anyone willing to listen. | | | | east particularly in Japan. Chess also started to |
| Like the game of golf, chess also has a number | | | | spread throughout the world of Islam following |
| of fathers as many countries claim to have | | | | the Muslim's conquest of Persia. After some time, |
| originated the game. This has some basis | | | | chess found its way to Russia (via Mongolia) |
| especially if you note that the Arabic, Persian, | | | | where people started playing it in the 7th century. |
| Greek, Portuguese and Spanish words for chess | | | | In the 10th century, the Moors introduced chess |
| are all derived from the Sanskrit game | | | | into the Iberian Peninsula as mentioned in a popular |
| Chaturanga. You might also want to consider the | | | | 13th century manuscript that also covered |
| fact that among all countries, only India had three | | | | backgammon and dice, which was referred to as |
| animals in its cavalry -- the horse, camel and | | | | the Libro de los juegos. Historians say that the |
| elephant. In chess, these are believed to be | | | | entry of chess into Europe is characterized by the |
| represented by the knight, bishop and rook. | | | | enhancement of the queen's powers. |
| In addition, in the past only India had all three | | | | |