The true origin of chess remains unknown, however most historians agree that it emerged in India no later than the sixth century. In India, Persia and the Arab lands where the game was initially played, all the chess figures were male, and there was no queen at all on the chess board. Chess pieces consisted of the king, his chief general called vizier and a line of soldiers. There were also chariots, horses and elephants.

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"I've created a chess program that mimics human play" said the computer science major. "So it plays at GM level then?" asks the advising professor. "No, but it does blame its loss on outside conditions!"

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Many celebrities played and enjoyed chess. Some of them were actually very good chess players. An interesting fact is that most of the Nobel Prize winners who played chess were in the fields of physics, literature and economics. A number of the high technology company founders play chess. Research on chess in schools demonstrates that playing chess helps children improve their logical and abstract thinking, decision-making and creativity. Might there be a correlation between chosen careers and early exposure to chess? Leading in your field takes courage, a lot of energy, strong intuition, adaptability, desire to achieve, and persistence. People persist because they are passionate about creating things that matter and love what they do.

This is only a brief list of famous people who played or are playing chess:

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Chess is hard. It involves mental, emotional and physical strain. What are the rewards? -Rick Garel

What attracts me about chess is "personal best ". It is the challenge of rising above the level you may find yourself at any particular time. We all strive to improve, regardless of the level of our play, and the understanding we have of the game. And I am attracted when it is done under tournament conditions, where there is serious opposition to you finding the best moves, and playing a game you are proud of. It gets the adrenalin going. Finally there is the great element of "surprise ". Some tactics are truly beautiful to behold. Best if you find them. But much appreciated even when played against you, and you didn't see it coming. -Bob Armstrong

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