Know everything about International Chess Day 2022
Observed every year on July 20, International Chess Day is celebrated to honor the oldest and most popular game in the world. July 20 was chosen as the date as the International Chess Federation (FIDE) was established on this day in 1924. UNESCO first proposed the idea of celebrating this day as an international event after observing its celebrations in more than 178 countries.
History of the day
Chess was invented in India around the fifth century and was titled Chaturanga. The game made its way to Persia after Arabs invaded the country and the name transformed to Shatranj. The game expanded to southern Europe by 1000 CE. However, it became a modern sport only in the 15th century. In 1966, International Chess Day was first celebrated around the world.
Significance of the day
On December 12, 2019, the United Nations General Assembly recommended World Chess Day as a global event and since then it was officially established as an international event. Chess is an affordable game that increases tolerance and inclusivity and improves one's intellect. While the pandemic forced most sports activities to scale down, chess saw tremendous growth, with many participating in chess events through online platforms.
Chess and the United Nations
Chess provides prospects for the UN's Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, such as boosting education, achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, and encouraging inclusiveness, tolerance, mutual understanding, and respect.
How to play chess?
Chess is a board game that involves two players. The game is played on a square board consisting of 64 small squares arranged in an 8x8 grid. It starts with 16 pieces for each player including one king, one queen, two rooks, two bishops, two knights, and eight pawns. When there are no more moves to save the player's king, the game is over.
Some benefits of playing chess
Chess is incredibly good for your brain health as it challenges your critical-thinking and visual-spatial skills. Introducing chess to kids at a younger age helps to enhance their thinking and problem-solving abilities. It helps to improve attention and focus and also strengthens your memory which keeps diseases like Alzheimer's and dementia at bay. It also builds your self-confidence and improves your mental strength.
