The 20th of July is International Chess Day, which was conceived by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). On this day each year, chess enthusiasts around the globe celebrate their favourite game, continuing a tradition that dates back more than 50 years.
The background of International Chess Day
The origins of chess are controversial. Multiple hypotheses attribute the origin of this game to India, China, Russia, and Central Asia, among others.
According to a popular hypothesis, the Indian war game ‘chaturanga’ inspired chess. People consider this to be the ancestor of chess because it possessed two key characteristics found in later chess variants: different pieces served various purposes, and victory depended on a single piece (the king, in modern chess). This game reached the eastern, northern, and western hemispheres, each with distinctly different characteristics. Through Persia, the Byzantine Empire, and the Arabian Empire, a version of chaturanga or a later variant known as’shatranj’ made its way to Europe.
It is believed that the Islamic influence is responsible for the lack of human or animal characteristics on chess pieces. Islam forbids the creation of statues of humans or creatures, which explains why chess pieces appear so generic.
In the 10th century, the expanding Arabian empire spread chess to North Africa, Sicily, and Spain. Simultaneously, chess spread across the globe; Eastern Slavs introduced it to Kievan Rus’, and the Vikings introduced it to Iceland and England.
Popularity of chess can be attributed to its association with wealth, intelligence, and authority. In England, it evolved to resemble the modern game of chess by the 15th century.
An Englishman quickly established the game as we know it, employing the familiar black and white squares. Modern history reveals numerous chess-related events and competitions, as well as thrilling new game variations, which have contributed to the game’s popularity. This game was soon transformed into what it is today by the introduction of reliable timing mechanisms, the implementation of rules of play, and the emergence of charismatic international players.
The General Assembly designated July 20 as International Chess Day to commemorate the founding of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) on that date. This day and this game are celebrated by millions of chess players worldwide.
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5 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT CHESS
In 1959, a match became so intense that one participant attacked another with an ice axe.
According to a 2012 survey, approximately 605 million adults worldwide play chess on a regular basis.
The enchanted chess pieces in “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” were inspired by this 12th-century set discovered on the Isle of Lewis in northern Scotland.
In 1996, when a computer defeated chess world champion Garry Kasparov, a new era in computation began; today, this is routine.
In Budapest in 1960, the Hungarian chess player János Flesch set a world record by playing 52 opponents while blindfolded and winning 31 of those games.
INTERNATIONAL CHESS DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | July 20 | Thursday |
| 2024 | July 20 | Saturday |
| 2025 | July 20 | Sunday |
| 2026 | July 20 | Monday |
| 2027 | July 20 | Tuesday |
