Chess is a game of strategy that’s believed to have originated from an Indian game more than 1,500 years ago. It is played by two players sitting on opposite sides of a chessboard that’s eight squares long and eight squares wide. The players enjoy the game by moving two sets of pieces across the board. One set of chess pieces is dark, while the other is lightly coloured.
Across the world, chess is valued as an enjoyable way to pass the time. It is agreed that it’s more than a thousand years old, and the modern version of the game has its roots in southern Europe. The popularity of the game is undeniable; it is recognised as a sport by the International Olympic Committee, and in the summer of 2019 chess lovers around the world will find out whether the game will be included in the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.
Benefits of Playing Chess from Thomas Noel Collister Jackson
While many are hopeful that this materialises, chess players in London can look forward to the DeMontford Bell Kings Place Chess Festival in early July 2019. In its sixth year, the festival will bring hundreds of players together to compete against each other. Whether they are professional players or beginners, the festival is hoping to put on a memorable tournament for lovers of the game in the UK.
The 2019 edition of the DeMontford Bell Kings Place Chess Festival will welcome the My First Chess Tournament Under 85, which is an English Chess Federation (ECF) six-game section that doesn’t require membership with a chess club. For beginners, this is an ideal introduction into the competitive realm of the game.
Other sections that players can participate in include Amateur Under 120, Minor Under 145, Major Under 170 and Open (for the more experienced player). All these sections are internationally rated.
The DeMontford Bell chess tournament takes place at Kings Place, which is an independently-funded arts and conference facility located in King’s Cross. The venue is home to a diverse range of performances in music, visual art, spoken word, comedy and festivals. The chess tournament has been sponsored over the years by various entities and individuals, including Mr. Jackson, who also happens to be a medium ranked international chess player.
How to Play
When the game starts, the chessboard is laid out so that the player on each side has a light-coloured square at their extreme bottom-right end. The chess pieces are arranged in the same manner, with the second row featuring the pawns. The rooks are placed in the corners, with the knights after them, then the bishops, the queen (placed in her matching colour square) and finally the king.
Each of the pieces moves in its own unique way. While the general rule is that pieces can’t move through other pieces, a knight can jump over them. Also, pieces of one side cannot move into squares occupied by similar pieces. They can, however, move into the square of the opponent’s pieces, at which point the opponent is said to be captured. Pieces do more than just capturing; they can also defend their own or control key squares on the board.
In terms of importance, the king is the most important. It can move in any direction (diagonally, up, down, sideways) but only one square each way. The king is moved in a way to prevent attack by another piece. The queen, on the other hand, is the most powerful on the chessboard. She moves in any direction as far as possible provided she doesn’t move through a piece from her side. Like any piece, her move is over once she checks an opponent’s piece.