shatranj

Shatranj is an early form of chess that originated in India as chaturanga and spread to Persia and the Islamic world. By the medieval period it was the dominant form of chess in many regions, before evolving into the modern game through later European influences. The name shatranj comes from Persian and Arabic roots that refer to the game itself.

The standard shatranj setup is played on an 8-by-8 board with each side wielding a king, a queen-like piece called the ferz, a rook, a bishop, a knight, and pawns. The rules differ in emphasis from modern chess, reflecting the era’s design goals and local traditions. The king moves one square in any direction. The ferz, the queen’s precursor, moves one square diagonally. The rook moves any number of squares along ranks or files. The bishop (often called the elephant) moves exactly two squares diagonally. The knight moves in an L shape, jumping over other pieces. Pawns advance one square forward and capture one square diagonally forward. There is no castling, en passant, or promotion as found in later chess variants.

The objective is to threaten (and achieve) checkmate of the opponent’s shah (king). Rules for check, checkmate, and draws were developing during the shatranj period, and over time the game spread to Europe, where it gradually acquired the more powerful queen and bishop moves that led to modern chess.

Shatranj therefore stands as a crucial link between ancient Indian games and the contemporary form of chess played worldwide today.