Gif Picture: chess

chess

Checkerboard game for two players, each of whom moves 16 pieces according to fixed rules across the board and tries to capture or immobilize (checkmate) the opponent's king. The game may have originated in Asia around the 6th cent., though it continued to evolve as it spread into Europe in Byzantine times; its now-standard rules first became generally accepted in Europe in the 16th cent. Each opponent, designated black or white, has in his first row a king, queen, bishop, knight, and rook; in the second row are positioned the pawns. The king moves in any direction, one square at a time. The queen, rook, and bishop are "long-range" pieces that can cover all the distance across the board in any direction if not obstructed. The queen is the most powerful piece, having the moves of all the other pieces except the knight. The knight has a peculiar L-shaped movement and may leap over other pieces. The pawn moves only forward. Any piece may capture an enemy piece by landing on its square. In tournament play each player must make a given number of moves in a given period of time. International championship matches are held under the auspices of governing bodies, and world champions are declared. For several decades Russia has produced most of the top players. Tournament play is held at all age levels, and matches by mail and through the Internet are popular.