A brief history of chess – Alex Gendler

Trace the storied history of the game of chess, from its origins in 7th century India to the computer software we use today.

The attacking infantry advances, their elephants already having broken the defensive line. The king tries to retreat, but the enemy flanks him from the rear. Escape is impossible. This isn’t a real war— nor is it just a game. Over the 1,500 years of its existence, chess has been known as a military strategy tool, a metaphor for human affairs and a measure of genius. Alex Gendler shares its history.

Lesson by Alex Gendler, directed by Remus & Kiki.

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800 Comments

  1. Didn’t realize Garry Kasparov was Arab

  2. Amazing explained bro
    I wanna know the shorthands too
    Make a video on that too plz

  3. *Younger brother dies *
    Me : I could make a game outta this

  4. When setting up the chess board, the lower right square must be white. In the video, the chess board is not aligned properly. Otherwise, great history lesson on the origin of chess.

  5. The chinese game you showed on screen isn't go. Go is a different game (albeit chinese and with the intersection rule)than the more traditional xiangqi/chinese chess(what you showed on screen).

  6. The chinese game you showed on screen isn't go. Go is a different game (albeit chinese and with the intersection rule)than the more traditional xiangqi/chinese chess(what you showed on screen).

  7. THE WHITE IS ON THE LEFT! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

  8. Ancient R1a paternal haplogroup European steppe ARYANS who invaded north India created the game not the Indians

  9. Imagine telling your brother's death from a game.

    "Your son died in the battlefield. I'm truly sorry for your loss…

    anyways, pawn e4". – Prince of the Gupta Empire

  10. in china the game was called xiangqi as it got the name of the elephant pieces and i like xiangqi more the chess btw

  11. 4:39 Shamefull political bias. Bobby Fischer (USA) did defeat Spassky (Soviet Union). Very important historical and political event

  12. Bobby Fischer sulking after not getting any credit.

  13. When the purpose of the animation is to accompany what is supposed to be brief, but accurate, history recap of chess then the animation has no excuse for showing pretty serious historic inaccuracies.

  14. The animation is not even very good: it looks like the annoying stylized Cartoon Network art.

  15. Learned about chess and tread mills in the same video…who knew!?

  16. In Hindi, the Queen does not exist. It is instead called Wajir (minister), a word borrowed from Arabic. Wajir is a male character. The Hindi word for Chess is the Persian loanword Shatranj. It seems that Chess was exported from India and then imported again after modifications by Persians and Arabs.

  17. ĐẠI LÂM - SIÊU TRÍ TUỆ VIỆT NAM says:

    i won by sacraphice my horse and rook

  18. Bobby Fischer ended Russian dominance. Not Deep blue….

  19. 3:40 what a logical endgame, would’ve never moved my castle that way.. i guess i need to train

  20. so basically the gupta empire played the prince gambit and gave humanity a winning invention

  21. In India, where it originated, it was known, and still is, as shataranj.(shuh-tuh-ranj)

  22. Thanks so much for making of this video! Love it

  23. The thought the American Bobby Fisher beàt the best Russian player. Maybe TED X can get the super computer to help the do a more accurate review of chess history!

  24. Earliest records of chess are definitely not from the 7th century.

    There's a pre-Islamic Arabic poem which mentions chess and even describes some of the pieces. The poet is Imru Alqais and he died in 544.

  25. Its interesting how people called the pieces differently. For example, in Romania we have :
    Queen
    King
    Tower
    Horse
    Crazy guy
    Pawn

  26. This is what I want and I really see chess as a war strategic game and that to conquer the enemies land thank you for this video

  27. Chess is good. But the problem is this game is so addictive and as you play more and more games this game makes your mind lazy. People think it increases their brain power when i reckon the brain only works well in this game not in real outside world.

  28. You forgot tomention Zatreikion, the original game from which it evolved into what we today know as chess

  29. beth harmon beats vasily borgov should be part of this history

  30. Aye ‘‘twas not not the machine that humbled the Russians, ‘‘twas Bobby Fisher. Dude single handedly took down the entire Russian chess elite.

  31. imagine some diplomats playing the london system in 1054

  32. 3:11 every time a new game or any new scientific principle or invention appears, the church always had a problem like why? Why it would keep poking its nose everywhere

  33. Imagine if the prince from the Gupta empire never died and chess never became a game

  34. Osh toppida means like on top of the dinner. Osh is Uzbeksitans main dish and toppida means on top of. SO it could mean it had higher priority than food becasue something that fun back then would be, and it could just mean how the chess board is like a table and is set on the table.

  35. Wow. Well that's some new backstory! excellent video!
    Maybe reconstruct to beginning, sizes boards, back to lines or captures ect. To get us out of this Quagmire. Or just not hold the perspective that life and existence should not be reduced down to game theory kings and pawns reality.
    Or go the Monopoly route if patriotic us hero can't beat the computer or Russian Comies! Flip the table and scream I hate this family!
    Thanks!

  36. King alone can't fight. But he can think and lead his army. Yes, army. Don't know about the queen, but I think all the rest of the pieces represent the army of knights, bishops followers, etc. King represents a king, and all the rest follows him.

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