Chess history, its brilliant minds and what lies ahead: Part 1
In partnership with
The age of AI
How machine learning has changed how champions play chess
By 1982, microcomputer chess programs could evaluate up to 1,500 moves a second...today it's over 100 million
A game of thrones: before the machine
The captivating evolution of chess
Which year was the first automated chess game invented?
1912
Ancient picture of the First Chess Player
The pioneers of chess
The great minds of the late 19th and early 20th century
Strategic innovators of the mid-20th century
Redefining chess with depth and precision
Contemporary female queens
Modern day legends
The five stars who have dominated the chess scene since the 80's
Pivotal moments
From revolutionary events to unforgettable matches
Coined in Persia, the term 'Shah Mat', translating to 'the King is dead' is the origin of the word checkmate
What's the shortest checkmate possible in a game of chess?
Two moves
Fattorini chess clock (FIDE archive)
The art of chess
Explore the colorful cultural heritage and creativity of chess
Grand masterpieces
Chess from another perspective
The Chess Game by Lucas van Leyden
The game was seen as a metaphor for the game of love; the result is not so important, since the loser will be lucky in love. This is one of the first examples of Dutch genre painting and is housed at Gemäldegalerie, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin.
The opponent
The young man playing in the game of chess.
Player one
The young woman playing in the game of chess.
The game
The chessboard has twelve by eight squares. This is the Courier version, a special form of the modern game of chess, in which each player had four additional pawns, and four new pieces, two “couriers”, an “adviser” and a “straggler”
The spectators
A few spectators are following their moves with lively interest.
Click the dots to get a closer look...
"I have come to the personal conclusion that while all artists are not chess players, all chess players are artists"Marcel Duchamp
Which surrealist artist created a chess set based on his own imagery?
Salvador Dalí
Jeu d'échecs / Fingers (Salvador Dalí)