Chess is the oldest of all games of pure mental skill – those in which the element of chance does not enter. Further, no game has been as influential in cultural history as chess. I was surprised that the ATA Topical Association chess check list comprised four full pages and featured stamps from practically every country in the world.

My references were Compton’s Encyclopaedia CD Rom 1995 version; an article on “Chess” from Milton’s Teeth and Ovid’s Umbrella by M Olmert ISBN 0-684-80164-7 plus the ATA checklist.

1. History
The origin of chess is not clear. Legends abound, attributing its invention to the Biblical King Solomon, or to the Greek God Hermes, or to the Chinese mandarin Hansing. But it probably originated in India sometime around the 6th or 7th Century AD. From there the game crossed into Persia (now Iran), and then to Europe. The word chess is thought to be derived from ‘shah” the ‘Persian word for king, and the word checkmate from “shah mat”, meaning “The king is dead”.

The first documented reference to chess in literature was made in a Persian romance written in about 600AD. In the Middle Ages, collections of chess problems appeared in written form. One of the earliest books on chess ever printed was published in England. Written by a Dominican friar, Jacopo Dacciesole, before the year 1200, it was translated into English as The Game and Playe of Chess and printed by William Caxton. A woodcut from the book is depicted on Great Britain 1976 Scott 796. Another chess book by the author Alfonso X is depicted on Spain 1985 Scott 1293.

Chess had such a following that Shakespeare refers to the game 57 times, while his contemporary Thomas Middleton spent time in prison for writing a play called “A Game of Chess” (1624). Violence and death have something to do with the appeal of chess. There are countless examples of assassinations attempted and accomplished while a victim ponders over a chess move. And there is the legendary example of Charlot, son of Charlemagne who killed the son of a Danish warrior, using the chessboard itself as his fell weapon.

Actually, the popularity of chess is not hard to understand. Its play was reminiscent of the clash of armies, with their kings, knights, and foot soldiers. More important, the game also reflected the struggle up and down the medieval social structure: protection, promotion, misfortune, elimination, death and loss. Although it was essentially a mind game, it spelled carnage and mayhem.

2. The Game
Early chess took two forms. In the first, players contemplated long and hard over their moves; medieval commentators regularly complained about the interminable length of the games. In the second form, however, dice were used to speed up the moves, just as in backgammon. Much more frequent, then, were contemporary complaints about the use of dice with chess. In Italy in 1062AD Cardinal Damiani condemned chess, its play and wagering on its outcome. He seemed to regard it as just another dice game. The Cardinal was probably right to do so, for until 1475 the dice remained. A 13th Century chess game is featured on Hungary 1974 Scott 2289, part of a set of seven stamps issued to commemorate the 1974 21st Chess Olympiad in France. See Figure 1.

Hungary Chess Stamp 1974

Figure 1. 13th Century chess game is featured on Hungary 1974 commemorating the 1974 21st Chess Olympiad in France.

The Chessboard
The chessboard is divided into 64 squares, alternately black and white (or black and red). The board is placed so that a corner with a white square is at each player’s right. The horizontal rows of squares are called ranks and the vertical rows files. To begin the game, the pieces are arranged from left to right on each players’ first rank. An inlaid chessboard is shown on Lebanon 1973 Scott C690 and is also featured on other stamps listed in catalogues. A chessboard is used in the background of Figures 1, 2 and 6.

The board is a miniature battlefield. Two opposing armies, White and Black, consist of sixteen chessmen: eight pieces – a king. a queen, two bishops, two knights, two rooks (also called castles) – and eight pawns, or foot soldiers. The queen’s position always works out so that the piece is on its own colour. The pieces have been illustrated on various stamps and stationery. Shown in Figure 2 is part of a Russian prestamped envelope of 1991 that depicts chessmen in the left hand motif. Among stamps issued depicting pieces are Russia 1962, Scott 2676; Central Africa 1979, Scott C208; Congo 1982, Scott 670-2; Dijbouti 1980, Scott 535-6; Germany 1972, B491-4; Mongolia 1981, Scott 1202-8 and Sweden 1985, Scott 1443.

Figure 2. Russian prestamped envelope of 1991.

The Moves
Each different chessman has its own special way of moving and of capturing enemy pieces. A capture is made by moving into a square occupied by the enemy. All captured pieces are removed from the board. The most valuable piece is the king but is rather restricted in its moves. The most powerful piece is the queen, which can move in any direction. A bishop moves in any direction, but only in a diagonal path. The rook may move any number of squares but only in a vertical or horizontal direction. The knight’s move is curious – one square vertically or horizontally and then one square diagonally in any direction. A pawn may only move forward and only one square at a time except on its first move, when it may advance two squares. The object of the game is to make a successful attack upon the enemy king. When one of the kings cannot avoid being captured, that king is checkmated and the game is over. A hand moving a chessman is featured on France 1974, Scott 1413 – Figure 3. One of the most famous set of chessmen is that of 67 walrus ivory chessmen now in the British Museum and originally found on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides.

Figure 3. A hand moving a chessman is featured on France 1974.

Chess games with human beings acting as the chessmen have been played in some countries. Live chess at Marcostica was depicted on Italy 1981, Scott 1455. In 1985, Japan issued a set of scenic postal stationery cards, one of which depicted “Spectator Chess” at the Tendo Hot Springs, Yamagata prefecture shown in Figure 4, Japanese chess (shogi) is different to western chess in that it is played with forty pentagonal pieces on a board divided into 81 squares (nine by nine). What the card shows might be called “spectator chess” Each square on a small chessboard had been converted to a tatami mat. Each chess piece has been greatly enlarged and mounted on a pedestal to be moved from mat to mat by a man or woman sitting on a tiny chair. The Republic of China depicted workers playing Wei-Chi (chess) in 1984, Scott 2428.

Figure 4. Japan issued a set of scenic postal stationery card depicting “Spectator Chess”.

3. Tournament Play and Famous Players
The first international chess tournament was played during the Great Exhibition (Crystal Palace Exhibition) in London in 1851. Cards from this exhibition could be used in a chess collection. The World Chess Federation, officially FIDE, organised in 1924 in Switzerland, governs all chess events and its 60th Anniversary was commemorated by Barbados in 1984, Scott 632-5. Many stamps and postal stationery items have been produced by world countries to commemorate the various tournaments. Albania issued a stamp depicting a chess player and clock in 1983, Scott 2071. Switzerland 1968, Scott 489 commemorated the 18th Olympiad at Lugano and there are many others listed in world catalogues. Shown in Figure 5 is the Italian postal card imprint and pictorial cancellation issued to commemorate the World Chess Championship at Piscachhi Merano in 1981.

Figure 5. Italian postal card imprint and pictorial cancellation issued to commemorate the World Chess Championship at Piscachhi Merano in 1981.

Famous chess players depicted on stamps include Karpov and chess pieces Ceylon 1984, Scott 698; Iceland 1972, Scott 442 features Fisher/Spassky at the world championship; Mali 1979, Scott C368-71 depicts various “Grand Masters” as does Mongolia 1981, Scott 1202-8 and Cuba 1976, Scott M2117-21. Cuba issued a set of stamps and the stamp booklet which is featured in Figure 6 honouring the famous Cubin player Jose R CapabIanca (1888-1942) in 1982, Scott 2709-12. J Capablanca was a Cuban master reaching his reputation when very young. He became the third World Chess Champion when defeating Emanuel Lasker in 1921 in Havana City. Chess is very popular in Cuba and the country is usually in the top eight rankings in world championships.

Figure 6. 1982 Cuban stamp booklet honouring the famous Cubin player Jose R CapabIanca (1888-1942)

I have been unable to find the reason why St Therese is known as the patron saint of chess. Perhaps if any reader has information on this point, they may like to write and let me know. St Therese has certainly been featured on quite a few stamp issues such as Brazil 1982, Scott 1923; Columbia 1970, Scott 793 and 1982, Scott 903; France 1982, Scott 1846; Luxembourg 1982, Scott 674; Peru 1983, Scott 783; Spain 1971, Scott 1672; plus others in world catalogues.

Below: several stamps featuring the game of chess.