The rook was initially a chariot.
Comment on Checkmate
Eiri@lemmy.ca 2 weeks ago
I’d never questioned it before now, but … How come the towers move? Who had that idea?
The jesters moving diagonally because they’re whimsical I guess but the towers are quite odd.
Knock_Knock_Lemmy_In@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Samsy@lemmy.ml 2 weeks ago
Okay since nobody did a serious answer, here we go:
tl;dr: its a translation error.
The first documented forms of chess are all “war machines” of their time the tower was a Charioteer.
When chess hits Europe someone translated charioteer with tower. Idk why, maybe because the used figures looked like a tower.
Eiri@lemmy.ca 2 weeks ago
I kinda wish we’d kept the name chariot. It sounds more epic.
Samsy@lemmy.ml 2 weeks ago
Definetly.
ulterno@lemmy.kde.social 2 weeks ago
lime@feddit.nu 2 weeks ago
jesters? they’re bishops…
Eiri@lemmy.ca 2 weeks ago
Sorry. Did a direct translation of the French name without thinking.
lime@feddit.nu 2 weeks ago
well, til!
wieson@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
And in German they’re “Runners”
sheogorath@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Potato potato
wieson@feddit.org 2 weeks ago
You may look a bit beyond the edge of the anglophone world.
lime@feddit.nu 2 weeks ago
well in my language they’re “runners” so i guess i should have thought a bit harder there…