Who invented the game? Who invented poker and when did it appear? Ancient board games

Often the creation of video games was a by-product of scientific discoveries. So, in 1958, nuclear physicist and employee of the Brookhaven laboratory - Willy Higinbotham (Willie Higinbotham), invented

The first in the world computer video game . He used an oscilloscope screen as a screen. As one of the creators of the atomic bomb, Higinbotham was engaged in serious scientific research. And he was an avid tennis fan and player. He wanted to come up with some entertainment to demonstrate the capabilities of his science laboratory. In 3 weeks, he created the video game Tennis for Two. In the game, the “ball” bounced off a horizontal line at the bottom of the screen, and it had to be hit with a “racket” - it served as a short line at the top of the screen. A remote control was made with “right” and “left” buttons. The game was extremely popular: laboratory employees waited for hours for their turn to play. But the game did not exist for long: when an oscilloscope was needed for operation, Higinbotham disassembled the gaming device. The physicist did not patent the idea because he believed that he had not made an outstanding discovery. Time has shown how wrong he was. All subsequent video games were, in fact, the reincarnation of Tennis for Two. But

"father" of video games They call it Arthur Douglas (A.S. Douglas). This British scientist defended his dissertation at Cambridge in 1952.

As an appendix to the dissertation there was his development - a game computer program

Tic Tac Toe). It was played on the university computer. In fact, it was only a demonstration of the computer's capabilities, and was not a game in the generally accepted sense of the word.

Have you read the answer to the question Who invented the first computer game? and if you like the material, bookmark it - » Who invented the first computer game?? .
    Tetris - famous all over the world electronic game, ranking first in popularity. And it was invented in 1985 by our compatriot Alexey Pajitnov. Then he went to work at the Computing Center of the USSR Academy of Sciences. Pajitnov made up the name “Tetris” from two words: the Greek “tetra”, which means four (since all Tetris figures are made of four segments) and “tennis” - his favorite sport. The game was created on the Soviet VM Elektronika-60, soon Wearing a wristwatch became fashionable and comfortable. Whether Carl Linnaeus had them is unknown, but this man invented the world's first flower clock. Carl Linnaeus devoted most of his life to the study of living nature. The scientist has noticed more than once that Flowers open and close their petals in certain time days. The painstaking work was crowned with success - the talented researcher created a flower garden in which each plant opened at a certain time. Looking at such a flower garden, Karl Currently, digital cameras have almost completely replaced their film predecessors from store shelves, and digital photography has taken the place of photographs on photographic paper. A digital photo frame is an ordinary frame that has a liquid crystal screen instead of glass, and the internal structure provides a variety of functions, such as showing slides, enlarging images, etc. In addition to its functions, a digital photo frame also looks aesthetically pleasing. The simplest configuration, not overloaded with unnecessary functions, with the screen size A computer is a smart technical device that has unlimited capabilities - you just need to know how to use them. One of these useful features is a screenshot. Translated from English, “screenshot” is a screenshot. A screenshot is very convenient as a demonstration aid to a text describing some technical or computer process. The author describes how to master, for example, the Photoshop program, and screenshots as a visual aid. If you have text on your screen that you cannot copy for some reason, or a photograph. When they say CSS, they mean either popular Counter-Strike game Source, or Cascading Style Sheets - Cascading style sheets. These are the ones we'll talk about, because they are a set of formatting options that are applied to elements on a web page to control their position and appearance. Styles are a convenient and effective tool for laying out web pages, designing text, pictures, links, etc. On this moment CSS3 is in development, and the working version is CSS2.1, released on 8

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Educational toys and games for children are popular, but like everything else, they can go in and out of fashion.

There are quite a few classic toys of this type; the “magic screen”, which has remained popular for several decades, can be cited as a rare exception.

What is this toy and who came up with this “magic screen”.

Contents:

Appearance

Externally, the device is a small plastic box, usually bright in color.

In the classic version, it is rectangular and flat, resembling in size and appearance old .

Most of its front side is occupied by a screen covered with plastic or glass, on which the main actions take place.

On the front side of the case there are also two handles that can be twisted in different directions.

Again, on the standard Classic model, these are placed in the bottom two corners of the device, below the screen.

This traditional option has undergone various changes - the shape of the device, the location of the handles, the type of case, etc. have changed, but its operating principle and functionality have always remained unchanged.

Operating principle

How to use the device and what can you do on it? This device gives the child the opportunity to draw on the screen.

Control is carried out by two handles, one of them moves the cursor vertically, the other - horizontally.

As a result, dark lines appear on the silver background of the screen; you can build broken lines consisting of vertical and horizontal segments.

Thus, with a sufficient degree of mastery of the technology and habituation, it is possible to create even quite complex drawings.

There are examples where artists created entire paintings using such devices. To clear the screen of a pattern, simply shake or turn the device over.

Device

How does such a device work? The main operating mechanism is a sealed container, a box, the larger side of which is the working screen.

Inside this container is filled with very fine aluminum powder, but a metal cursor is also installed inside it, fixed and moving on static axes - vertical and horizontal.

It (the cursor) rests on the glass with reverse side with its sharp part. The line is drawn as follows:

3 As a result, a dark (cleared) line appears on the screen on a light silver (aluminum) background.

After shaking the device, this metal powder is again distributed evenly, filling the cleaned areas. As a result, the drawing is erased.

Invention

The device was invented by the Frenchman Andre Cassagne in the 50s of the twentieth century, and gave it the French name “magic screen” - L'Ecran Magique.

But in France the device was almost never produced; the rights to it were quickly transferred to the Ohio Art organization, which improved it and gave it the look in which we still know it.

Name "Magic Screen" gained a foothold in Russia because it was with this name that the device began to be released in the 70s in the USSR.

It is worth noting that the technology was stolen; permission from the copyright holders and a production license were not obtained.

Poker is considered one of the most popular card games. Now there are many poker rooms where tens of thousands of people play every day. Many people wonder who invented poker and when this game even appeared.

There is no definite answer, since the history of poker began a long time ago. There are only some theories of origin that have not been fully proven.

The origins of the game in Europe

In the mid-16th century, the first mentions of poker appeared in Europe. It is believed that this is where poker was invented. The game was more popular among Italians and Spaniards. The entertainment was not called poker, but "primero". The rules here also differed from modern ones:

  • The players were dealt not 2, but 3 cards at once.
  • There were no names of poker combinations, but it was possible to collect identical cards by height or suit.
  • There was only one round of betting after which the cards were shown.

A little later in the 18th century, an analogue of poker appeared among the British. Here the players were given 5 cards per hand, from which they collected a combination. The principle here is very similar to classic poker. Already in these times, bluffing was actively used to win money. The British still believe that it was in their country that poker was invented.

History from Asia

Many people are interested in the question: when did poker appear? Some sources mention that poker originated in Asia in the 10th century. This game was preferred by the emperor and his subjects. The cards were carved from ivory and cost a lot of money.

In the story of the general Shang Tsung there is mention of this gambling. He preferred poker and was considered a fairly strong player. Many historians believe that it was this man who invented poker.

Differences and features of the rules in the 10th century:

  • Only 5 people could play at the same time.
  • The deck contained only 25 ivory cards.
  • There were 5 suits in total.

Most historians adhere to the idea that poker originated in China.

Game in America

There is a version that the game and the basic rules of poker were invented and brought to America by the French. The first games began in Louisiana. It was here that poker arose, which in meaning and rules is closest to modern game. In 1834, a deck of 52 cards was used for poker in America.

Sailors loved this game very much and preferred to play poker on the ship. Therefore, the rules have spread to other states. In the Wild West, the game became an important part of the culture; almost every person knew about the rules.

There is an assumption that poker was invented Jonathan Green. He mentioned the game many times in his letters, describing the nuances and rules. However, from his text it can be understood that he simply watched the play of his sailor friends and made written notes. No other evidence of his authorship could be found. Green called playing cards sailor's entertainment, since during the trip it was the main leisure time of sailors.

How did poker gain popularity?

Many people are interested in when modern poker appeared and from what period it began to gain its popularity. The game began to gain popularity in America and gradually spread throughout Europe. In the 19th century, almost all European countries already knew the rules of the game, which still apply today.. However, at that time poker did not have such mass popularity; the game was not taken seriously. And only after the First World War a major “wave” of popularization of poker began, everyone began to study the rules in detail and treat the game as a sport.

The most popular type of poker is Texas Hold'em. It appeared in Texas. He later gained popularity in Las Vegas. At first, poker was played only among a small circle of friends. A little later, this game began to appear in entertainment venues in Las Vegas. At the moment, this is where the most poker clubs are opened.

In 1970, the most famous and largest tournament in the world series of poker appeared - WSOP. Players from all over the world come to it to receive the main prize and compete with the best opponents. After this, other, no less large and popular poker tournaments began to appear.

Who exactly invented poker?

Many players believe that the game itself was invented by Doyle Brunson. This player is considered a true legend poker Brunson truly dedicated his entire life to the game and was able to achieve incredible results. The player himself does not take ownership of the poker game and its rules.

The meaning of the word "poker"

It is not entirely known where the rules first appeared and who invented the game of poker. The same goes for the term "poker". Historians cannot give an exact answer about the origin of this word.. However, there are these versions:

  • Many people believe that the German word pochspiel became the first name of the game. However, this fact has not received precise evidence.
  • There is a version that poker came from the word poque. The French called this a card game with similar rules.
  • In English pосket- This is a pocket or purse. Therefore, there is a version that robbers and cheaters gave card game that's the name. Only then did they replace the word pосket on poker.
  • The word "poker" from English has an exact translation - poker. However, this item has nothing to do with the game and the rules, which misleads many historians.

Conclusion

Historians around the world find it difficult to answer exactly the question of who invented poker. The game appeared so long ago that many facts about it have been lost. Over the years, the rules and nuances have been changed and supplemented many times. The game began to increase in popularity in the 70s of the last century. Now poker has gained so much fame that it is equated to a sport, and not to gambling entertainment. People do this as their main job. Entire poker schools are opening where you can learn the tactics and psychology of playing poker. In our Poker Academy, players are trained in the Academy Win Strategy course under the guidance of a coach, who helps them easily determine the strength of their opponents and choose a table where a novice player can effectively play according to the strategy we provide. You will understand additional software: you will understand how to work with Holdem Manager 2, set up your own HUD and with the help of this you will learn to read your opponents. You will also receive 3 hours of individual lessons with a personal trainer, after which the results will not be long in coming. Sign up using the link below.

Initially, the computer was conceived as an electronic computing machine. Only later did people think about equipping the car with additional functions. And, since humanity cannot do without games, including developers software attempts were made to create computer games.

History of computer games

The first attempt to turn smart technology into a gaming device was made in 1952. The breakthrough was one of the simplest board games– “ ”, with the minimum possible field of 3 x 3 cells. It may seem funny now, but at the time it was a revolutionary innovation.

After 6 years, programmers pleased users with a new prototype. It was the video game “Tennis for Two”. The virtual tennis player had to be controlled not step by step, as in previous analogues, but in real time. Despite the simplicity of the functionality, this game became another breakthrough in the emerging world of gamers.

However, the real virtual explosion occurred in 1962. DEC developed a game controller and, together with the PDP-1 computer, began distributing the previously unparalleled game SpaceWar as a test program! It was the first computer game to become truly popular.

However, computers at that time continued to be bulky. It was still oh, so far away from affordable personalization... Almost 10 years passed before compact boards based on transistor circuits appeared. Thanks to this invention, the game moved from a computer to a coin-operated arcade machine under the name Computer Space. And in May 1972, the Magnavox Odissey was introduced - the first game console for TV.

From that moment on, the computer gaming world began to advance by leaps and bounds. Development proceeded in four main directions:

  • computers directly;
  • television game consoles;
  • electronic slot machines;
  • pocket electronic games.

In 1979, the American company Milton Bradley released the first pocket game console, which included 12 games at once. In 1980, Japanese Nintendo, having modernized games on a calculator, mass-produced simple monochrome consoles with a series of Game&Watch games. In the Soviet Union, these consoles became the prototype for the Elektronika company’s products—the games “Secrets of the Ocean” and “Well, Just Wait!”, which literally everyone was captivated by.

The next stage was the appearance of the Tetris game in 1989. Officially, the authorship of the “cubes” belongs to the Nintendo corporation, although debate continues over who the true creator is.

Features of computer games

As technology develops, virtual world was filled with sound, graphics were improved, and video was added. Today, anyone can download games to their computer for every taste:

  • shooting games, fights;
  • race, sport games, simulators;
  • arcade, strategy, adventure;
  • logical, educational, educational games.

You can choose a game for an adult, a teenager, or a child who has barely learned to sit. There are both pros and cons to this.

On the one hand, play is necessary for humans. This is a way of understanding the world, psychological relaxation. Ability to create your own game world- a way to express your aspirations and fears, complexes and ideas about a “perfect” world in virtual space. Computer games are an opportunity to throw out aggression and get the necessary dose of adrenaline.

Educational and developmental games are favorable for children and are often used by conscious parents, educators and teachers. Both downloaded games and an Internet connection help remove physical boundaries and freely explore the space of the planet. Today, educational and educational games for adults are becoming more common. They are used by the military and businessmen, becoming an effective tool for improving personnel skills.

On the other hand, psychologists and teachers say that it is observed everywhere, especially in adolescents. As they say, “too much is good and not good either.” Often, immersion in the virtual world becomes an obstacle to real life– communication, personality development. If a child’s passion for computers can be controlled by parents, then for an adult, dependence on the “constructed world” can become a real problem. Here, the result of passion depends only on a person’s ability to manage his consciousness, to control his behavior through volitional effort.

And yet the process of development computer games unstoppable. They are becoming more diverse and exciting. For changing personal games Browser games have arrived, where you can communicate online and jointly solve virtual, but important tasks. Such games, in addition to entertainment, provide an opportunity to master and develop communication and socialization skills, and broaden their horizons. The world of computer games still gives more positive effects, rather than negative. It is only important to choose the right games for yourself and correctly dose the amount of time spent in front of the monitor.

One of the most ancient and exciting games- chess. It is known in every corner of the globe, so there are dozens of its variations in the world. This is not just a game, because chess has long been a sport and an art. Chess markings are used in almost all areas of life, and the game algorithm is used for scientific purposes. But where is its homeland and who invented it? There is still no clear and plausible opinion. Scientists argue, putting forward their versions.

Controversial version

Some publications confidently state that chess appeared in India sometime in the 6th century AD. e. You could read about this at the beginning of the 20th century in Harold Murray’s book “The History of Chess.” Yes, they invented the game there and at that time, but they invented it much earlier. Scientists have seriously taken up the study of this topic and have found many of the most different versions, which sometimes surprise with facts.

If we consider India as the ancestor of chess, it is worth remembering the famous legend about the Raja and the Brahmin. After numerous campaigns, victories and defeats, the ruler was tired and sad. Raja ordered his advisors and sages to come up with something fun for him, for which he allocated 3 days and nights. No one could satisfy him and interest him, except for a modest peasant who brought a board with squares and wooden figures. When the Raja learned the conditions of the game, his joy knew no bounds.

This was what they had been trying to find for so long. In return, the peasant demanded a modest reward - a few grains of wheat. But he set a condition: the quantity should increase with each cell of the board (1 cell - 1 grain, 2 cells - 2, 3 cells - 2 2, 4 cells - 2 3, ..., 64 cells - 2 64). The Raja first ridiculed the stupid Brahmin, but only then did he realize his mistake. There is no such amount of grain on the entire planet, because after calculations the final amount is 1.8 * 10 19. This board was the battlefield of modern chess, which translated from Persian means “death of the king.”

There is another option - a Korean legend. Once upon a time, 4500 years ago, the prototype of modern chess was the game that was invented by the formidable king of Mesopotamia Ravan for his beloved wife Mandodari. He had to be absent for a long time due to numerous trips, so his wife was often sad. Chess interested all the residents of the palace so much that it spread throughout the world (India, China, Korea).

It’s curious, but there is real documentary evidence of this. At the beginning of the 20th century, von Bork proved the existence of a prototype of the game. According to his information, it appeared in 1250 BC. e. in Hindustan. It was played by representatives of the local tribe, who borrowed the ancient game from Elam (present-day southwest Iran).

Now it is impossible to establish this for sure, because at that time people could unite under the word chess different games: bones, backgammon, chaupara or pachisi. All these options have one thing in common - a square or cross-shaped board. We can only guess which of them came first.

Ancient board games

So, at that time there were 2 options for boards: with a square or a cross. The sizes also differ. In Asia the following are known:

  • 5 by 5;
  • 7 by 7;
  • 9 by 9.

The rules of the game are somewhat different from the established modern ones, because back then it was possible to play not only with two people, but also with four people. In some variants the game began from the middle of the field, in others it was necessary to move from the edge (from the fortress). The movement could be spiral or in the form of a special labyrinth. The set consisted of a field (matter on which squares are drawn) and 4 shells (seeds or sticks). But the poor and ordinary passers-by were satisfied with a piece of earth on which squares were drawn with a stick.

Ashtapada is an ancient game played on a one-color board with 64 squares. She is associated with a spider that had 8 legs, because in translation “ashtapada” means 8 squares. The first mention of it appeared in the 5th century AD. e. in the northern part of India. The ancestor of modern chess retained only the rules, but the rules and movements were lost. Until now, not a single scientist has been able to solve this mystery and provide the most plausible version of the game.

If you compare the Indian prototype of the game with the Chinese one, you can see the significant simplicity of the first version. It has fewer figures, they are voluminous, not flat like the Chinese or Koreans, and also have a smaller range of moves. If the Chinese borrowed chess from the Indians, they had to work hard to complicate the rules of the game and modify the pieces.

But there are several important inconsistencies: official relations between these countries were recorded only in 150 BC. e., and nothing was found during archaeological excavations in India, while in China different prototypes of this fun are constantly being found. There is another discrepancy - there are no rules of the game or manuscripts about chess in Sanskrit, but there are many of them in Chinese.

Famous chaturanga

This is the closest option that is similar to modern chess. It began to be played in the same northern part of India, but somewhere in the 6th century. The exact rules of the game have not survived to this day, although scientists have presented the world with several of their own versions. Main similarities:

  1. a board in the shape of a square and size 8 by 8 cells;
  2. the figures are similar in appearance to chess pieces;
  3. a total of 32 pieces (one half of the main ones, the other - pawns);
  4. the king and the knight move the same way.

The difference between these games is the number of players: in chaturanga there should have been 4 of them, and each had 4 pieces (king, bishop, rook and knight). You need to play 2 on 2. The person who threw started to walk. dice. But chaturanga did not have a queen at all.

I would like to consider this game a prototype of chess, but here too there are a number of inconsistencies. The name “chaturanga” itself means at least 2 completely different games at the same time. According to Sanskrit, it is a four-way game, and in Vedic texts the word described 4 different types of troops. But there was a chaturanga game for two. No one knows which version is older.

The problem is that several centuries ago many researchers misinterpreted the meaning of this word or simply did not want to get to the bottom of it. This confusion has occurred due to the impossibility of confirming the reliability of some sources, and it is also impossible to accurately determine the date of their writing. After the publication of their works, the British and French began to refer to these unclear facts.

This is how the hypothesis of the American anthropologist Stuart Kulin about the evolution of chess games appeared. He believed that historically the game developed according to this principle:

  • racing for two (game in a circle or maze);
  • racing for 4 players;
  • chess for 4 players;
  • chess for two.

It was only in 1913 that this version was completely destroyed by the Englishman Harold Murray in his work "The History of Chess". He proved that the Bhavishya Purana, which previous opponents considered to be the most ancient and true, mentions chess, but he is not that ancient. Apart from this source, there is not a single one that would confirm or mention the chess game.

Therefore, the first reliable work in which both chaturanga and shatranja are mentioned can be considered the treatise of 1030 “India or the Book containing an explanation of the teachings belonging to the Indians, acceptable or rejected by reason.” Its author is Al-Biruni, a Khorezm scientist. He personally visited northern India and noticed that 4 people play chess there at the same time, for which they have 2 sets of pieces. From there the name of the queen became known - check. The concept of checkmate did not exist, because the main task of the player was the complete destruction of his opponent’s pieces.

The Indians did not care about their future generation, so they did not write down the rules of the game for a long time, which now significantly complicates the work of researchers. But it is still safe to say that in 1130 there is the first mention of the classical chess game in the Manamollasa encyclopedia. This recording was made by King Someshvara III, who ruled India at that time (the center and south of the country). Chess is already double-sided, the pieces are placed according to the rules familiar to modern people, and they move almost the same way. The only thing is that there is no exact location of the queen and king on the board.

Further movement of the game around the world

Supporting the theory about the appearance of chess in India, we can say with confidence that from this country chaturanga came to Iran and Central Asia. But they called it there – chatrang. There is also documentary evidence of this in the ancient Persian chronicle “Chatrang-Namak”, which dates back to 750-850. BC e. In the middle of the 7th century, Iran was conquered by the Arabs, who again renamed chatrang to shatranj. It was under this name that the game penetrated into Europe.

It was the Arabs who transformed chaturanga. Main changes:

  • 2 players;
  • 2 sets of figures;
  • refusal of bones;
  • the order of the move;
  • 1 king turned into a queen and moved diagonally;
  • victory is not the destruction of all the pieces, but checkmate (stalemate).

The further movement of the game around the world gradually changed its name. The historical change of the name of chess occurred as follows:

  • Arabs - shatranj;
  • Persians – shatrang;
  • Buryats – Shatar;
  • Mongols - hiashtar;
  • Tajiks - chess.

Penetration of chess to the east

China currently has its own chess system, which differs significantly from the international one. This game is called xiangqi. Instead of figures, they use wooden disks, but it is unrealistic to play them without knowing the hieroglyphs. Even after translating the pictures, experts note the discrepancy with the rules, because the magic of the game that attracts all lovers of intellectual tasks is lost.

The game also reached Korea, as there is documentary evidence dating back to the 16th century. The rules of the game are similar to modern ones, but there are similarities with Chinese xiangqi, but there are few historical records. The board is 9 by 10 squares, and in the center there is a palace, but only vertical lines are drawn. The figures are not three-dimensional, but flat with hieroglyphs. Changa has its own feature that distinguishes it from other variants of chess games - 16 ways to arrange the pieces at the beginning of the match.

Main changes:

  • You can now walk a shorter distance;
  • no castling;
  • the figures are arranged in points;
  • individual figures are endowed with a limited range of movement;
  • lack of capturing a piece on the pass;
  • the horse and bishop do not jump across fields occupied by figures;
  • added a figure - a cannon.

Now Changa, according to experts, is a transitional stage from Chinese Xiangqi to Japanese shogi chess. It is still not clear how the figures could become three-dimensional and the boards acquire squares. No one has yet solved this mystery.

Thai and Cambodian version

These varieties are almost identical, but there are still external differences between them. The Thai type is makruk, in Cambodia the game is called ouk-chatrang (it is ancient). The first documentary records about this game can be found in the 17th century, when the game was described by the French ambassador La Lubere.

The board in the game Makruk is familiar - 8 by 8, one-color. It no longer has the characteristic Indian ashtapada intersections. There are already 2 players playing, not 4. The main difference of the game is the use of shells instead of figures, although there are figures here, they are similar to each other.

Shogi originated from the game Xiangqi and may be related to Makruk, as there are similar features. This game is somewhat simpler than the previous ones and is more reminiscent of modern chess:

  • board 9 by 9 cells;
  • arrangement of figures in the margins;
  • transformation of figures upon reaching the horizontal;
  • On the next move, enemy prisoners can be placed anywhere on the board as your own piece;
  • figures are one color;
  • the initial arrangement and moves resemble makruk.

By bringing together all 3 games: makrug, xiangqi and shogi, it is possible to restore variants of ancient chess. They arose through exchanges between countries, since at that time Japan, the Malay Islands and India were connected by maritime trade routes.

Malaysia and Burma

Any variant could have become the ancestor of modern chess ancient game in Burma or Malaysia. In the first it is called sittuyin (war of the 4 clans), and in the second it is called main chator. In Burma, it is customary to play with red and black figures, which in appearance resemble pre-Islamic warriors.

So, the main features of Burmese chess:

  1. The board is the same color with 8 by 8 squares, but with two diagonals of Sit-Ke-Myint or general lines.
  2. The location of the pawns is on 3-4 ranks.
  3. The red pieces are placed first, and only after that the black ones.
  4. All other pieces are placed anywhere behind the pawns, except for the rook (they stand only on the first two ranks).
  5. The black rook cannot stand opposite the red queen.
  6. The red pieces move after the black pieces are placed.

The goal of the game is to checkmate, but stalemate was not allowed, and there was no direct check.

Malaysian chess mostly bears the names of the pieces taken from Sanskrit, except for the name pawn (derived from the Arabic “canoe”). They had one interesting feature, because the local kings of the tribes played right on the field near their houses with huge stone blocks. The duration sometimes reached a whole year.

Game characteristics:

  1. Board without two colors, 8 by 8 cells.
  2. Some have diagonal markings.
  3. The figures are located in cells.
  4. The figures are either abstract from bamboo or figurative with carvings according to the Indian tradition.
  5. Mirror initial arrangement of figures.
  6. A special rule for promoting a pawn to a piece.
  7. There is a rule for taking a pawn on the pass, which was not the case in any game before it.

Chess in Rus'

The game came to us in 820. It was a variant of the Arabic shatranj called chess. For the sake of euphony, they began to be called by the word familiar to everyone - chess. It turns out that the path of movement begins in Persia, after which they penetrated the Caucasus and the Khazar Khaganate, and from there to us. If you look at the names of the figures, you will notice a striking similarity with Arabic and Persian names. Thus, the name of bishop and knight is Arabic, and queen comes from the Persian word farzin.

But international European terminology and variations of the game were brought from Poland, into which chess penetrated through Italy. Therefore, the beginning of chess in Rus' dates back to the 10th-11th centuries. At the same time, the yoke seeped into Europe, where it took on the form of modern chess. But still, for many years, each town and village had its own characteristics, rules and methods.

Church versus game

Previously, the church played a huge role in the life of every person, so they often dictated the rules of conduct and even games. Thus, the clergy condemned drunkenness, revelry and gambling. At that time, chess did not have strict rules, so it was difficult to prove that it was a logical game. But it also used dice, on which the course of the tournament depended.

Therefore, in 1061 they were banned among the clergy, and chess itself was considered something obscene and diabolical. But if you look closely at the most avid chess players, you will see many Catholics. In Rus', the ban was strict, because disobedience threatened with excommunication of any caught chess player. This was recorded in the Novgorod helmsman's book in 1280.

But despite such strict prohibitions, the game continued to seep into different segments of the population. Among the clergy there were also many apostates who gambled avidly. And only a hundred years later chess was allowed. In Europe this happened in 1392.

A special kind of “crazy” chess

This can only be said about the Swedish version of the game, which literally translates as “madhouse.” Outwardly, this is what it looks like if you don’t know its rules thoroughly. The pace of such chess is fast, and while thinking, players have every right to talk to each other.

To play Swedes you need to take 2 boards. You need to play in pairs, with 1 person handling the white pieces, and the second person handling the black ones. There is one feature: if a piece is taken, it is transferred to the board of a partner, who can calmly place it on any square whenever he wants. Partners are allowed to give each other hints and ask each other to pass a certain piece.

This game is interesting because of its fast pace and the presence of a partner who can always help. As a result, Swedish players have more developed logical thinking, because they think in a diagram both for themselves and for their partner, they have excellent combinational vision. But beating a computer is much easier than in classical chess.

The long journey of chess

The theory of the game of chess began to fully develop only in the 15th-16th centuries, when the rules were established and all countries played more or less the same. At that time, 3 main stages of the party were identified:

  • debut (separate part - gambit);
  • middlegame;
  • endgame.

This is described in detail in a chess textbook by Ruy Lopez in 1561. Until the 18th century, Italian masters considered a massive attack on the king by all means and the use of a pawn as an auxiliary material in the best style this logic game. But Philidor significantly changed this idea. He pointed out the recklessness of such attacks, because you can gradually build a strong position without losses, using exchanges and simplifications.

The main idea of ​​the game should be the correct placement of pawns, since they are an excellent defense and a way to conduct an attack. Philidor came up with a special chain of pawns that moved according to certain tactics. He even had a special pawn center. These developments became the basis for the theory chess game next century.

Chess as a sport

A little later, people began to unite in chess clubs where they played for money. The popularity of chess grew so much that the first game was held in 1575. international tournament in chess. It was held at the court of King Philip II in Madrid. True, only 4 people took part in the game (2 Italians and a Spaniard).

After this significant event, national tournaments were held in almost all European countries, and in 1836 the world saw the first magazine about chess - Polymed. Its publisher was the Frenchman Louis Charles Labourdonnais. In 1821, international matches and tournaments began to be held regularly. At the same time, the world learned the name of the strongest chess player - Adolf Andersen. Later he was ahead of the American Paul Morphy, after which Andersen regained his title.

In its modern form, the tournament was held much later. In the 19th century there appeared chess clock, which were invented by the Englishman Thomas Bright Wilson. This gave impetus to the development of new shortened games called “quick” (30 minutes) and “blitz tournament” lasting 5-10 minutes.

People all over the world liked this game so much that many works of fiction were written about it. The chessboard inspired more than one painting.



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