Across the globe, different ethnic groups have their own unique board games that are not only entertaining but also reflect the cultural, historical, and social backgrounds of each country. This article will introduce some famous historical board games, including Go in China, chess in the West, Chaturanga in India, tic-tac-toe in Africa, and Go in Russia.
1. Go
Go is an ancient board game that originated in China and has a history of more than 2,500 years. The board of Go consists of 19 vertical lines and 19 horizontal lines, with a total of 361 intersections. The game uses black and white chess pieces, with both sides taking turns placing the pieces at the intersection points on the board, with the one with the most enclosures winning. Go is not only a recreational activity, but also an important part of traditional Chinese culture, which is believed to cultivate people’s moral character and wisdom.
2. Chess
Chess originated in ancient India and later introduced to Europe and became a popular board game worldwide. The chess board consists of 8 vertical lines and 8 horizontal lines, with a total of 64 intersections. The game uses black and white chess pieces, with a total of 16 pieces, including kings, queens, elephants, horses, rooks, and pawns. Both sides take turns moving the pieces with the aim of trapping the opposing king’s king with nowhere to go and thus win. Chess is considered to be an excellent board game for exercising the mind and improving the intellect.
3. Chaturanga
Chaturanga is a traditional board game in India that bears some resemblance to Go and chess. The chessboard of Chaturanga consists of 8 vertical lines and 8 horizontal lines with a total of 64 intersections. The game uses black and white chess pieces, with two kings, two queens, two elephants, two horses, two rooks, and eight pawns. Both sides take turns moving the pieces with the aim of trapping the opposing king. Chaturanga has a long history in India and is regarded as an excellent board game for intellectual and strategic skills.
Fourth, tic-tac-toe
Tic-tac-toe, also known as “Lianzhu Chess” and “Tic-tac-toe Stone Chess”, is a board game that originated in Africa and was later introduced to the United States and became a popular board game on the streets of United States. The tic-tac-toe board consists of three vertical lines and three horizontal lines, with a total of 9 intersections. The game uses black and white chess pieces, and both sides take turns placing the pieces at the intersection points on the board, and the one that is connected in a straight line (horizontal, vertical, and diagonal) wins. Tic-tac-toe is easy to learn, but strategy rich, for fun and competition for people of all ages.
5. Go in Russia
Russia Go, also known as “Russia Chess” or “Russia Go”, is a traditional board game in Russia. The board of Russia Go consists of 8 vertical lines and 8 horizontal lines, with a total of 64 intersections. The game uses black and white chess pieces, with two kings, two queens, two elephants, two horses, two rooks, and eight pawns. Both sides take turns moving the pieces with the aim of trapping the opposing king. Russia Go has a long history in Russia and is regarded as an excellent board game for exercising intellectual and strategic skills.
The famous historical board games of different ethnic groups have their own characteristics, reflecting their respective cultural heritage and historical heritage. Not only are these games entertaining, but they also help to develop one’s intelligence, strategic abilities, and moral qualities. In modern society, with the development of science and technology and the acceleration of people’s pace of life, these traditional board games still have a unique charm and are worthy of our continued inheritance and development.
