No later than the VI century, in the Northwest of India there was a game related to chess – "chaturanga" which differed from modern chess. 4 players take part in this game instead of 2, and the moves become according to throws of dice.

At each player at the disposal of 4 figures (a castle, a, an bishop and the king) and 4 pawns. The king and a knight move as in today's chess, and the castle and an bishop were much weaker. The queen wasn't and for a victory it was necessary to destroy all army of the opponent.

In the VI-VII centuries a chaturanga extended at Arabs where it underwent changes: the number of players decreased to two and each of them received on two sets of figures, one king turned into a queen ( moved on one square on a diagonal), and dice cancelled and began to do the moves by turns.

It should be noted that the won is fixed now not only in case of destruction of all figures of the opponent – there was a concept a mat. Though also the position of the player who still had one figure and the king against the king is considered won.

Also the name of game changed: at Arabs it was called by sharranj, at Persians – shatrang, at the Mongol Buryat – shatar or hiashatar. Later Tadzhiks had a name "chess" with the following translation: the shah is died.

For the first time chess is mentioned approximately in 550, and in 600 - chess occurs in the Persian manuscript of "Karnamuka".

In 819 in Horosan at court Khalif Al Mamun, was held a tournament between three strongest chess players: Jabeer Al-kufi, Abiljafar Ansar and Zairab of Catani.

The first book about chess appeared in the middle ІХ centuries, is written by Al-Ali.

Over time the chaturanga extended in the countries of Southeast Asia. Where, of course, it underwent changes and there was a basis for Chinese chess of "Siantsi" from which there were Korean games "Changi". Both games are quite original visually and according to the contents. A difference not only at a rate of a board, figures are placed not in board squares, and on crossing of lines. In these games, figures have limited space for the movement and the so-called jumping figures (a knight, a bishop) which move only on lines. But, there is also other figure of "gun" which can destroy the rival's figure, having only jumped through other figure.

Later the Japanese game "Siogi" extended. It is considered that it came from the Chinese game "Siantsi", is similar to the European: the board is simpler, figures settle down in squares, a board has size 9х9 . But unlike Siantsi revival of figures is possible here, process of revival of figures is original. There is enough that the figure (on a flat stone the drawn image) reached one of the last 3 lines – it turns over where the image of a brisk figure is engraved.

The most interesting feature of Siogi - an arrangement of the killed opponent's figure in the square in any place of a board.

Therefore all figures of one color and to whom it belongs were learned by its situation. Rivals had figures the sharp party in the direction of the opponent.

In VIII-ІX centuries, after capture by Arabs of Spain, a shatranji extended and in Europe (Spain, Portugal, Italy, France).

Game quickly became popular and by the XI century it play almost in all European countries.

The European players improved rules of the game. By the XV century shatranji assumed face of today's chess.

In the European references chess is for the first time mentioned in the poem ibn Ezra in 1160. In 1283 there was the first chess book in Europe - Alphonse X (el Castilio) published.

In the XVI century chess became more mass. Societies of fans of chess were created, tournaments were held.