Portal:Chess/Selected article/Introduction/Chaturanga
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| Chaturanga pieces | |
|---|---|
  |
Ràja (King) |
  |
Mantri (Minister) |
  |
Ratha (Chariot or Rook) |
  |
Gaja (Elephant) |
  |
Ashva (Horse or Knight) |
  |
Padàti (Foot-soldier) (Pawn) |
Chaturanga is an ancient Indian game which is presumed to be the common ancestor of chess, shogi, and makruk, and related to xiangqi and janggi. (See Origins of chess for more information on the ancestry of chess.) Chaturanga has been played since the 6th century or earlier, hence Chaturanga is most commonly believed to be the oldest version of chess. Chaturanga is the direct ancestor of Shatranj, which was the form that brought chess to medieval Europe.
