Scacchi / Chess

[alfieb]

Chess was developed somewhere in South Central Asia about 1500 years ago, and through the Persians and later the Arabs it made its way westward until it reached Sicily. It was in Southern Europe where the game as it's now known throughout the world developed, and indeed it was after Sicily that the most common, and most successful defense for players on the black side was named. The Sicilian Defense is said to be used in around 1/4 of all Chess games played.

Do you play chess?

I did as a kid, but I developed into more of a card player as I grew up. In my family, card games were always far more popular, although I have cousins who are chess fanatics.

[Caismeachd]

I began playing recently and enjoy it a lot now. I only started within the last couple of months. My rating is at about 1000 now. I used to be intimidated by the game but started enjoying it once I discovered I could win sometimes.

[alfieb]

Nice. It's never too late to pick it up. People play the game into their senior years, after all.

I've never played competitively, so I don't have a rating. I really should get back into it, but I think I have a preference for checkers, honestly.