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Evidence for Chatrang
1 pieces of evidence found.
Id DLP.Evidence.2257
Type Ethnography
Location 34° 0'56.65"N, 71°58'36.38"E
Date 1900-01-01 - 1900-01-31
Rules Four players, playing on teams of two. 1 x Shah (king): moves one space orthogonally or diagonally. 2 x Rukh (rook): Any number of spaces orthogonally. 2 x Pil (elephant): any distance diagonally; 2 x Asb (horse): Moves as a chess knight. 8 x Sarbaz (soldier): Moves one space forward orthogonally; one space forward diagonally to capture. The pieces of one team are arranged with Shahs on the two central squares of the outer rows, then the Pils, ASbs, and Rukhs, with the Sarbaz in the row in front of them. When a piece moves onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is captured. When a Shah can be captured on the next turn, it is in check, and cannot remain in check at the end of that player's turn. When this is not possible, it is checkmate, and that player is out of the game. A team wins by checkmating both opposing Kings, or by capturing all of the opponents' pieces aside from the Kings. If all four Kings are the only remaining pieces, the game is a draw.
Content Observation of the game from J. Cresswell, who saw the game in Naushara, now in Pakistan, and first mentioned in British Chess Magazine: "It has been seen more recently in the Punjab at Naushahra, near Peshawar. Mr. J. Cresswell, who has recorded the fact (See BMC 1900, 6). The particulars in the text were sent to me by Mr. Cresswell, in reply to a series of questions.), was shown the game at the conclusion of an ordinary game of chess which he had been watching. Three of the players were Muhammadans, the fourth a Hindu. They used the ordinary chessmen, dividing each colour between the allied players, and using the Farzius to supply the places of the two extra Kings required,. The partners sat opposite one another, the game was played without dice, and there was no wager on the result, nor any value attached to the prisoners taken. He was informed that the game terminated (1) When one side succeeded in capturing both of the opposing Kings; (2) when one side succeeded in capturing all the opponent's men excepting the Kings; (3) when all four Kings were left bare; in which case the game was drawn. On this occasion there was no exchange of captured Kings, no attempt to capture a partner's King, and no promotion of Pawns was necessary." Murray 1913: 74.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
, Cresswell, J. 1900. Letter. British Chess Magazine, January 1900, 6.
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