Chess is a highly cultured and appealing social game, a form of intellectual sporting competition. Chess is also a challenging form of entertainment that develops the intellect and character. It requires the ability to control oneself and take responsibility for one’s own decisions; it teaches people to think objectively, respect their opponent while observing the principles of “fair play,” and develop perseverance and consistency in their actions. It is a completely democratic game and, moreover, teaches us how to win and how to behave when we lose. It is a good idea to teach your children to play chess; then their computer games will not be limited to manual “killing” games.
Current historical research indicates that chess (chaturanga) originated in India around the 5th century AD. It later reached Persia under the name “shatranj,” and then, around the 9th century, entered Europe (Spain, France and Italy) and Rus.
The extremely valuable discovery known as the “Sandomierz chessmen” has been dated to the end of the 11th century and was found in Poland, so chess must have been known here earlier. It is obvious that modern chess has undergone an evolutionary process, primarily intended to make this “queen of games” more attractive. It was Europe during the Renaissance that reformed chess, turning it into a modern and developmental game. The Polish Chess Federation may award chess titles to all affiliated chess players: GM = IM = FM = CM = I–II = III = IV = V (grandmaster, international master, national master, candidate for national master, categories I–V).
A player’s “playing strength” is also determined by a variable classification system known as a rating. (I wonder which chess players living in Bolesławiec have the highest chess title and the highest rating?)
To record and analyze a game, knowledge of chess notation and recording is necessary. It is not difficult. Each square of the chessboard is identified horizontally by a letter (a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h) and vertically by a number (from 1 to 8). If we place the name of the piece at the beginning and indicate its move, we obtain information about its position.
Table 1 shows the correct arrangement of the pieces and pawns (from the left: Ra1, Nb1, Bc1, Qd1, Ke1, Bf1, Ng1, Rh1. Pawns (the next rank): a2, b2, c2, d2, e2, f2, g2, h2).
When recording moves, first write the consecutive move number, add a full stop, give the name (first letter) of the piece and the square on which that piece is located. Then add a dash and give the name of the square to which the piece will be moved, e.g. Nb1–c3 or e2–e4. A colon instead of a dash indicates the capture of a piece, while + (plus) indicates check and x indicates checkmate.
Here is the beginning of the Fischer–Spassky game: (The first notation is White’s move, followed by Black’s move, i.e. the reply).
1. c2–c4 e7–e6
2. Ng1–f3 d7–d5 3. d2–d4 Ng8–f6 4....
Table 2 is a so-called chess diagram showing the final position on the board (authentic or invented), a so-called chess problem that must be solved—in this case, checkmating the black king on the second move (White’s second move is checkmate).
Please treat this as a “puzzle” to solve. A prize funded by me awaits the winner. Please send the solution to the editorial office by the middle of the month. If a larger number of solutions are submitted, the prize will be drawn.
Finally, I would like to suggest to chess enthusiasts that a School Chess League of the City and Municipality of Bolesławiec be established. Interested schools are asked to submit the team roster (4 students + 1 reserve player) by 20 February 1994, addressed to me at the editorial office.
A team may also register under its own name, independently of a school, in which case it should submit its registration individually.