FOR this Nostalgia edition we wanted to take a look at World Chess Day.
Chess is one of the most ancient, intellectual and cultural games, with a combination of sport, scientific thinking and elements of art, which can cross the barriers of language, age, gender, physical ability or social status.
The United Nations recognises the importance of chess. The UN says that sports, the arts and physical activity have the power to change perceptions, prejudices and behaviours, as well as to inspire people, break down racial and political barriers, combat discrimination and defuse conflict.
Therefore they contribute in promoting education, sustainable development, peace, cooperation, solidarity, social inclusion and health at the local, regional and international levels.
The game is played across the globe, it is thought that the significance of chess in so many different cultures can help to bring different groups and societies closer together.
It is a two player strategy board game where the aim is to move different types of playing piece, each with a prescribed set of possible moves, around a chequered square board trying to capture the opponents ‘king’ piece. Today there are over 2,000 identifiable variants of the game.
The recorded history of chess goes back at least to the emergence of a similar game, chaturanga, in seventh-century India. The rules of chess as they are known today emerged in Europe at the end of the 15th century, with standardisation and universal acceptance by the end of the 19th century. Today, chess is one of the world's most popular games and is played by millions of people worldwide.
The game is as popular in Cumbria as it is anywhere else in the world, as these photos show. We hope that these pictures will bring back some fond memories for some of you.
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