Chess is an ancient game, played between two opponents on a chessboard that is made up of 64 squares. Each player starts the game with sixteen pieces that include the king, the queen, two rooks, two bishops, two knights and finally eight pawns. The player attempts to capture his or her opponent’s king to be declared the winner of the game. This ancient game is believed to have originated from the Indian subcontinent somewhere around the seventh century, though some are of the opinion that it might have originated in China. Nevertheless, this game is a battle of wits amongst the two opponents which involves a lot of strategic planning and the ability to outsmart the opponent.
Several chess tournaments are held all over the world in an attempt to find the top players each year. Amongst these competitions, the World Championship is a league of its own. The chessboard is in the form of an 8 x 8 grid. These squares are made up of two alternating colours that are usually light and dark to create the checkerboard. Chess sets come in several different shapes and sizes. You can find simple wooden sets to play a match with your friends or choose to fog or a gorgeous gold chess set that has been set with diamonds.
The most expensive chess set is believed to have been created by the French artist, Bernard Maquin with over 9900 white and black diamonds. It took over 4500 hours to be completed and is believed to be a simply fabulous. Some jewellers like Tiffany, I Love Diamonds and Harry Winston offer its customers the chance to own a spectacular chess set to play a battle of wits with their friends and family.
According to fitness experts at websites like www.healthfitnessrevolution.com playing chess can keep health issues like dementia, Alzheimer’s, etc. at bay for a longer period of time. Several recent studies have observed that young kids also benefit a lot from learning to play chess as they pick up skills on how to strategize to reach a particular goal. Chess is also believed to help kids with their concentration and focus, which can benefit them as they go through life.
The different types of chess sets that are available can actually help motivate youngsters to latch on the game faster. You can find large chessboard sheets which come with chess pieces that are quite large in size. Kids find these quite appealing as they have to pick up each piece with both their hands for each move. If you are considering getting a chess set as a gift for chess lover, try getting one of the gold sets, as they last really long. Playing with a gold chess set that has each chess piece embedded with diamonds can be an experience in itself. Honestly, though, the truth is that no matter which set you choose, the game is the winner at the end of the day. So set out that chess board and invite someone over to play a game of chess and mull over life and its complexities.