History of Chess (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. Origins, Manuscripts, and Cultural Transmission from Chaturanga to Medieval European PlayBy H. J. R. Murray
Length48h 2m
About this audiobook
H. J. R. Murray's History of Chess is the foundational modern study of the game's origins, transmission, and transformation from Indian chaturanga through Persian and Arabic traditions into medieval and Renaissance Europe. Written with philological rigor and antiquarian breadth, the book combines manuscript evidence, linguistic analysis, problem literature, and comparative rules to reconstruct chess not merely as a pastime but as a cultural artifact. Its style is exacting, patient, and encyclopedic, placing it firmly within the great historical scholarship of the early twentieth century. Murray, an English historian, educator, and gifted linguist, brought to chess history an uncommon command of languages, archival sources, and mathematical precision. His professional life in education and his wide humanistic learning shaped a work that resists anecdote in favor of documentation. The result reflects both the Victorian-Edwardian faith in comprehensive scholarship and Murray's personal fascination with how games preserve traces of intellectual exchange across civilizations. This book is indispensable for serious chess players, historians of culture, and readers interested in the migration of ideas. Though demanding, it rewards attention with unmatched depth and remains a landmark reference for understanding chess's global past.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
GenreOther
Length48 hrs 2 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateMar 1, 2021
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1History of Chess (Annotated)
2Introduction
3Synopsis
4Historical Context
5Preface
Show all chaptersShow less
6Note on the Transliteration of Sanskrit, Persian, and Arabic Words
7Explanation of the Chess Notation Used in this Work
8Contractions
9Books and Articles Consulted for the History of Chess
10Part I. Chess in Asia
11Chapter I. Introductory
12Chapter II. Chess in India. I
13Chapter III. Chess in India. II
14Chapter IV. Chess in India. III
15Chapter V. Chess in the Malay Lands
16Chapter VI. Chess in Further India
17Chapter VII. Chess in China, Corea, and Japan
18Chapter VIII. Chess in Persia Under the Sāsānians
19Chapter IX. Chess in the Eastern Empire
20Chapter X. The Arabic and Persian Literature of Chess
21Chapter XI. Chess Under Islam
22Chapter XII. The Invention of Chess in Muslim Legend.
23Chapter XIII. The Game of Shaṭranj: Its Theory and Practice. I
24Chapter XIV. The Game of Shaṭranj: Its Theory and Practice. II
25Chapter XV. The Game of Shaṭranj: Its Theory and Practice. III (pt. 1)
26Chapter XV. The Game of Shaṭranj: Its Theory and Practice. III (pt. 2)
27Chapter XVI. Games Derived from Muslim and Indian Chess
28Chapter XVII. The Modern Games of Islam
29Chapter XVIII. Chess in Central and Northern Asia, and in Russia
30Part II. Chess in Europe
31Chapter I. Chess in Western Christendom: Its Origin and Beginnings
32Chapter II. Chess in the Middle Ages
33Chapter III. The Mediaeval Game
34Chapter IV. The Early Didactic Literature.
35Chapter V. The Moralities
36Chapter VI. The Mediaeval Problem. I (pt. 1)
37Chapter VI. The Mediaeval Problem. I (pt. 2)
38Chapter VII. The Mediaeval Problem. II (pt. 1)
39Chapter VII. The Mediaeval Problem. II (pt. 2)
40Chapter VIII. The Mediaeval Problem. III
41Chapter IX. Chess in Mediaeval Literature
42Chapter X. Chessboards and Chessmen
43Chapter XI. The Beginnings of Modern Chess
44Chapter XII. From Lopez to Greco
45Chapter XIII. From Greco to Stamma
46Chapter XIV. Philidor and the Modenese Masters
47Chapter XV. The Nineteenth Century
48Note on the Transliteration of Sanskrit, Persian, and Arabic Words (pt. 1)
49Note on the Transliteration of Sanskrit, Persian, and Arabic Words (pt. 2)
50Note on the Transliteration of Sanskrit, Persian, and Arabic Words (pt. 3)
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