“In the west, Chess is considered a game with rules”

  A Chessboard and pieces comprise a remarkable instrument capable of being used with intelligence by the human mind. The traditional game of Chess is played on a board of 64 cells, and occupies a unique position in the history of our game. Centuries of labor went into its making and the resources of powerful nations and the contributions of many millions of people were involved in bringing it to the level at which it is now played.

  The sublime beauty of the traditional Chess-set can be forgotten by many of its practitioners. Crowded with its 32 pieces the player looks down auspiciously on their work and presides with unshaken self-possession and undaunted perseverance over the tumult and raging fury of this theatre of war with visage furrowed and darkened by the anguish of contemplation.

  Each player probes, pokes, feels and flexes his/her pieces in a nose-to-nose staring competition. While this is happening some sort of bonding occurs which lends the feeling that one is part of a grand philosophical design and a sense of source and purpose is given.

  The warriors of this game-tree of Chess with its perfect order and arrangement of Rooks, Bishops, Knights, Pawns, King and Queen - where the workmen execute their orders with a silent and unerring obedience - where each possible contingency can be foreseen - each detail carefully rehearsed - are worthy of the provident self-expression with which they were handed down to us by our forefathers.

  In the west Chess is considered a game with rules to be learned, openings to be memorized and techniques to be mastered. Western players do not usually speak of Chess as art and metaphysical questions about the game cause people to feel queasy.

  Most writing on the subject is dry technical analysis relevant only to serious students of the game with society tending to regard serious players as an eccentric group of heavyweight thinkers whose intelligence is useless.