Chess – the "Royal Game" – is an ancient board game, perhaps fifteen hundred years old. There are many legends about how chess came to be. Most of them are folk tales and are far from reality. Arguably more books have been written about chess than all the other games combined, but relatively little has been written about the history of chess. The topic is difficult; it requires thorough knowledge, and there are still many unknown historical pitfalls. It is therefore no surprise that there exist a variety of hypotheses concerning the origin of chess. In this book, the author, legendary Russian grandmaster Yuri Averbakh, presents a well-researched and documented theory about the origins, development and spread of this immensely popular game. In addition, over three dozen splendid color plates – presented on coated stock making the images suitable for framing – supplement his historical analysis. International grandmaster Yuri Averbakh is one of the authentic legends of chess. His career includes participation in the storied 1953 Zurich Candidates Tournament, winning the USSR Championship as well as being recognized as one of the great endgame experts of all time. His contributions to chess history and culture have been equally impressive.