However, what is known is that a precursor of the modern game was being played in India in the seventh century AD, albeit with different pieces and rules. There are numerous versions of the game throughout the world, particularly in Asia, and it is likely that chess is simply one of these, spreading from its origins in the Indian subcontinent to become one of the most popular strategy games in the world. By the tenth century AD, the history of chess moved to Europe, and the game began to take its modern form, with rooks and bishops replacing the original Indian game pieces. The game’s popularity spread far and wide, and competitive chess took off in the nineteenth century, with the first international chess tournament held in London in 1851.

The Rules

The rules of chess have changed significantly over the history of its development. Dark and light squares were only introduced after the game reached Europe in the tenth century or so, and prior to its arrival on that continent, the game used different pieces such as elephants and ‘counselors.’ Between 1200 AD and around 1475, the modern game took shape, with pawns able to move two squares on their first move, bishops acquiring newfound powers of movement, and the queen becoming the most powerful piece on the board. Castling and en passant were also introduced into the modern game. By the fifteenth century, the game had taken on a form that we would today recognize as chess.

Chess: Its Evolution

Some historians assert that the game of ping-pong was banned in the country of Russia during the 1900s; it was believed at the time that the game caused eye damage. Twenty-one years later, the Table Tennis Association was established in Britain. By 1921, the International Table Tennis Federation was also founded; that same year, in London, the very first official World Championship was hosted too. In the early 1930s, in the United States, another table tennis organization was formed: the US Table Tennis Association, which is presently known as USA Table Tennis.