chess

Have you ever thought about the origins of the globally popular game of chess? It is more interesting than you might think.

With World Chess Day approaching on 20th July, we thought we would delve into the origins and interesting history of the strategic game.  A game that has travelled the world, and is popular with kids and adults alike, often bringing generations together in mostly friendly competition.

The lineage of chess can be traced back around 1500 years, originating in North India. There are, as you would expect, many versions of how this beloved game came to be, which are often disputed.  However, what is agreed, with certainty, is that the game of chess had to be developed by more than one person, due to its complex rules and concepts.  Far too much for one human mind to produce. 

Want to impress your mates with some Chess trivia?

With World Chess Day coming up on July 20th, Active Mile has you covered with some of the most interestingly, random chess facts we could find.

As there are traditionally 16 pieces on a chess board, here are 16 facts to tell your friends…

1. About 600,000,000 (six hundred million) people know how to play chess worldwide.

2. There are well over 1,000 different openings to a game of chess.

3. The word “checkmate” means “the king is dead” and is derived from the Persian phrase “shah mat”.

4. World heavyweight boxing champion (and good friend of the UAE) A