Head of a horse of Selene from the east pediment of the Parthenon. A row of Staunton pawns evokes Italianate balustrades enclosing of stairways and balconies. The work of architects like Christopher Wren, William Chambers, John Soane, and many others inspired the column-like, tripartite division of king, queen, and bishop. Victorian London’s Neoclassical architecture had been influenced by a renewed interest in the ruins of ancient Greece and Rome, which captured the popular imagination after the rediscovery of Pompeii in the 18th century. Despite its name, the iconic set was not designed by Howard Staunton.Ī drawing of typical balusters possible inspiration for the Staunton PawnĪccording to the most widely told origin story, the Staunton set was designed by architect Nathan Cook, who looked at a variety of popular chess sets and distilled their common traits while also, more importantly, looking at the city around him. Howard Staunton was a chess authority who organized many tournaments and clubs in London, and was widely considered to be one of the best players in the world. But the Staunton quickly would surpass them all. To say nothing of the regional and cultural variations. Prior to its invention, there were a wide variety of popular styles in England, such as The St George, The English Barleycorn, and the Northern Upright. The Staunton chess pieces are the ones we know and love today, the ones we simply think of as chess pieces. In 1849, that challenge would be met by the “Staunton” Chess Set. By the 19th century, chess clubs and competitions began to appear all around the world, it became necessary to use a standardized set that would enable players from different cultures to compete without getting confused. Thus, the original chessmen, known as counselor, infantry, cavalry, elephants, and chariots, became the queen, pawn, knight, bishop, and rook, respectively. Originally conceived of as a field of battle, the symbolic meaning of the game changed as it gained popularity in Europe, and the pieces became stand-ins for a royal court instead of an army. As the game proliferated throughout southern Europe in the early 11th century, the rules began to evolve, the movement of the pieces were formalized, and the pieces themselves were drastically transformed from their origins in 6th century India. Over the centuries that chess had been played, innumerable varieties of sets of pieces were created, with regional differences in designation and appearance. Each player can move any other of their Pawns two spaces one time on that Pawn’s first move.Prior to 1849, there was no such thing as a “normal chess set.” At least not like we think of it today. The Pawn can only move forward a single space and can only capture diagonally. If the Pawn reaches the very back rank of the enemy field, it can transform into any piece except for the King. The Pawn is the one piece that can change its value throughout the game. What Is the Pawn’s Value?Įach player has eight Pawns, and each Pawn is worth one point. The Pawn is the most common piece you’ll see on the chessboard and becomes more valuable as the game continues. The Knight moves in an L or Y shape pattern in all directions. The Knight is unique because it moves by jumping over pieces instead of sliding around the chessboard. The Knight has the most interesting movement out of all the chess pieces. You’ll rarely see a Knight at the edges of the chessboard. Knights should stay near the center of the board to support and defend pieces as effectively as possible. The Knight, like the Bishop, has a three-point value. What Is the Knight’s Value?Įach player will have two Knights. The Knight and the Bishop may not move the same, but both can create excellent positions for chess players. When creating chess sets, the Knight and Queen have the most detail and attention put into creating them. The Knight is one of the most well-known pieces. You’ll never have both of your Bishops on the same color tile. You will always have one Bishop on a white tile and the other on a black tile. The Bishop has complete diagonal movement across the board. Bishops can make strong plays across the board and are most powerful when they’re at the center of the board. What Is the Bishop’s Value?Įach player has two Bishops, and each Bishop has a three-point value. For transparency, the Bishop is above the Knight because one has to come before, but both pieces have advantages and disadvantages. Depending on whom you ask, the Bishop is more valuable than the Knight. The Bishop and Knight are in a strange position.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |