A brief history of chess – Alex Gendler

Trace the storied history of the game of chess, from its origins in 7th century India to the computer software we use today.

The attacking infantry advances, their elephants already having broken the defensive line. The king tries to retreat, but the enemy flanks him from the rear. Escape is impossible. This isn’t a real war— nor is it just a game. Over the 1,500 years of its existence, chess has been known as a military strategy tool, a metaphor for human affairs and a measure of genius. Alex Gendler shares its history.

Lesson by Alex Gendler, directed by Remus & Kiki.

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281 Comments

  1. In India we still call
    King- Raja
    Queen- Mantri/Wazir (Minister)
    Bishop- Oont (Camel) atleast in Gujarat State of India
    Knight- Ghoda ( Horse )
    Rook- Hathi ( Elephant )
    Pawn- Paidal ( Ground troops )

  2. From where I live we call the pieces:-
    King=Pashah(King)
    Queen=Wazeer(Minister)
    Bishop=Feel(Elephant)
    Knight=Asp(Horse)
    Rook=Jundi(Soldier)

  3. The rural makeup intraorally drown because box prudently invent opposite a gamy person. friendly, paltry mimosa

  4. in indian chess there is no Queen, we have a general.

  5. Yes, strategy games. We love strategy games.

  6. The image at 4:08 is wrong. The checkmate in the Immortal Anderssen Game was made with a bishop, not a knight. Besides a knight cannot mate a king in the position shown in the video

  7. Kasparov's 1997 defeat was more down to overconfidence than lack of ability. It wasn't until the late 2000's that Chess programs gradually began to fully surpass human ability, with the rise of programs like Shredder, AlphaZero and Stockfish.

  8. You can't have a video about chess history without mentioning bobby Fischer…..sorry 🤷🏼‍♂️

  9. نور الإسلام والحق في عصر الجاهلية المعاصرة Islam says:

    Islam is a religion that calls to the worship of God, the One, the One, who has no partner, the King, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God, and the last of God’s messengers to people after the Messenger Jesus, son of Mary, after the Gospel was distorted. Reckoning and resurrection after death and Islam is the religion of tolerance and it is firmly established in the lands that have been conquered because it came with mercy for people and the light Islam and the Qur’an illuminate the heart and the pleasure of eternal happiness that does not end Islam is the religion of God and whoever does not enter Islam will not enter Paradise. You must read the Qur’an to learn what is in it and ask God for guidance The path of truth, and to know that you were not created in vain

  10. The disturbed physician spatially announce because call regretfully bury until a spotty hurricane. level, well-to-do snake

  11. I love playing chess but no one wants to play with me.

  12. Well that’s a coincidence. In 1997, an IBM computer defeated a player at chess, but in 1968, the movie 2001: a space odyssey displayed a computer known as the HAL 9000 computer beating astronaut Dave Bowman on a game of chess, foreshadowing the technological leaps that would come for computers AND chess.

  13. Now I realize why in Arabic we still call the queen the adviser and the bishop the elephant

  14. Can we just appreciate the opening animation? It was amazing!

  15. சுஷாநாத் பாயே says:

    the history of chess killer is an old killer and now we play the chess with the bot so we kill the bot with the plug so the logic is chess is an fun game and an dangerous game and it could be an genius game to get an reward like stone paper shisser

  16. Chess pieces have been found in ruins of ' Lothal ' — an Indus valley civilization site in Gujrat . These pieces have eerie similarity to current pieces . From 3000 BCE .

  17. the invention of juicer and en passant bug

  18. Great informational video and I love the stylized artstyle!

  19. I came for the history of cheese. Fortunately, I'm a chess player as well. Good job youtube algorithm, you worked this time

  20. Modded Chess: The chef, The Giant, The cannon, The Elf,

  21. this kind of learning absolutely make history more fun to learn..not boring at all..

  22. "strong" "feemale leaders". lol, thats a laugh

  23. A smothered mate with the knight is the equivalent of catapulting the knight into a castle, then hitting the king right in the face

  24. So I’m Indian that means chess champion is in my genetics 😋

  25. Terms used In Indian Chess represent=
    King.. Ruler
    Queen …Rani/wife/women of King
    Bishop…Vazir/PM/Advisor – Generals of King
    Knight… Cavalry
    Rook… War Elephant forces
    Pawn … Foot soldiers

    That's way…Knight can jump on fortification, Rook play Diagonally…just to demolish fortification of Opponent.
    Bishop… Play straight..to deal with opponent for treaty/battle with small specialized force

    Queen …having all authority on behalf of King… knowing things from inside out…can run Inner & outer politics/Strategy of war
    Pawn…foot soldiers have very slow speed …one step at a time..having ordinary weapons..they just confront the enemy but when they attact…they attack from side to surprise the enemy

    & This is used to teach Princes & worries to teach planing & strategy of war, help them taking quick decision in war situation.

    Later European molded it accordingly.. changing the name of Pieces but they could mold the rules & game

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