Exploring the Rich Heritage and Modern Appeal of Chess in the Hamptons

Chess is played and loved all over the Hamptons. You can see folks playing at beaches, at libraries, in the parks, and even in posh spots like the American Hotel in Sag Harbor. It was a popular game for family members to play at home during the pandemic. It is played by folks of all ages, even children, especially during the summer at the Hampton’s Chess Club at the Children’s Museum of the East End.

Chess has a fascinating background story. Most experts agree that the game of chess was born during the Gupta dynasty in the 6th century in India. It was born as a variant of the game of “chaturanga,” a game in India played before 600 AD with more moving pieces than chess. The single oldest chess piece ever discovered is a tiny sandstone rook figure, “Oleson,” excavated in Jordan dating to roughly 1,300 years ago.

The earliest chess pieces played in India had different names and looks. The piece now known as the “king” was called the “shah.” Because of the cultural realities, there were no “queens” on chess boards, but the piece was then known as the “counselor.” What is now called the “bishop” was called a “fil.” The knight, or horse to some newer players, was called the “asp,” and the “rook,” or, as some people say, castle, was called the “rukh.” Finally, the many pieces we now call “pawns” were known as “piyade.” 

Perhaps in antique stores, one may see an elephant on the chess board as a piece. That is because the pre-chess game, Chaturanga, had a piece called the “rukh.” The piece was an elephant; however, the “rukh” is not the elephant but the actual fortifications carried on the back of the elephants in India until the fifth century.

Playing chess spread throughout Asia and Europe over the following centuries and eventually evolved into what we know as chess around the 16th century. Ruy Lopez de Segura, a Spanish Priest, was considered one of the first chess masters in 1561. He invented the “Spanish Opening.”

However, it is reported that the chessboard acquired its modern chequered pattern in the 10th century with the arrival of chess in Europe. For trivia folks, very similar games like checkers have been played for thousands of years. The proof, being a board resembling a checkers board, was found in the Sumerian city-state of Ur in ancient Mesopotamia (now south Iraq.) 

In England, the British Museum found “specimens of ancient Egyptian checkerboards” in the burial chamber of the pharaoh Hatshepsut.

Chess is now considered a major contribution of India to world culture as it is played in 172 countries. In fact, it is considered a professional sport, with top players earning around $148,000 per year. Grand Master Magnus Carlsen has a reported lifetime earnings of $10,143,604. This started in the second half of the 19th century when what we call modern chess tournaments were born. 

The first World Chess Championship was held in 1886. Now, there is a World Chess Federation (FIDE.) Computers are now used to analyze past matches. Since the 1990s computers have created sophisticated apps so anyone can play chess on a computer or device.

Dennis Fabisak, The Executive Director at the East Hampton Library on 159 Main Street in East Hampton Village, informed Hamptons.com, “The Library has a walk-in chess setup most Sundays in our Bendheim Room from 2PM-4PM for High School students and adults. Chess will not be held the Sunday of the Hamptons Whodunit Festival (April 14th) and the Sunday of the East Hampton Library Free Children’s Fair (August 11th).”

He also mentioned that their (EH Library) Digital Long Island Collection is “ever-growing!” It is a great resource. The website is https://www.digitallongisland.org/

If you have not played chess in a while or want to learn, the internet has many different websites that can either start you up or refresh you on the world of playing chess.