什麼是西洋棋；國際象棋

通常由兩人對弈，使用一個帶格子的棋盤和特別設計的棋子。每人按照對每一種棋子着法所規定的限制去走本方的十六枚棋子，設法迫使對方的主要棋子--王--處於一種無法避免被吃掉的境地--將死。源自西元6世紀左右的亞洲地區，然而在拜占庭時期傳入歐洲後就不斷演進，在16世紀時歐洲才訂定了現今普爲人接受的比賽規則。西洋棋的棋盤有顏色深淺相間的六十四個方格，共排成八個直行和八個橫排。一行行同顏色的格子在棋盤上呈交叉狀，稱爲斜線。第一排放置五種不同形狀的棋子︰王、後、城堡、主教和騎士。在它們前面一排的棋子是兵。王可以向任何方向走，每着走一格。後、城堡、主教爲「遠程」棋子，只要無他子阻擋，可向任何方向走，格數不限。城堡順直行或橫排走，主教走斜線；後兼有城堡和主教的威力，只要無阻擋，直、橫、斜都可走。騎士的走法奇特，走L形路線，每着先直走或橫走一格，再斜走一格，可以越子。兵的走法是隻能進，如不是吃子，則必須走直行。任何一子在敵子闖入己方領域時，可開始吃它。在比賽中每一對局者在事先規定的時間內必須走若干着棋。西洋棋比賽是按照由國際西洋棋聯合會制訂的西洋棋法進行。國際錦標賽由各管理機構主辦，並由此產生世界冠軍。多年來，俄羅斯選手是常勝軍。錦標賽以年齡分級，現在透過網路或電子信件下棋也很普遍。

chess

Checkerboard game for two players, each of whom moves 16 pieces according to fixed rules across the board and tries to capture or immobilize (checkmate) the opponent's king. The game may have originated in Asia around the 6th century, though it continued to evolve as it spread into Europe in Byzantine times; its now-standard rules first became generally accepted in Europe in the 16th century. Each opponent, designated black or white, has in his first row a king, queen, bishop, knight, and rook; in the second row are positioned the pawns. The king moves in any direction, one square at a time. The queen, rook, and bishop are “long-range” pieces that can cover all the distance across the board in any direction if not obstructed. The queen is the most powerful piece, having the moves of all the other pieces except the knight. The knight has a peculiar L-shaped movement and may leap over other pieces. The pawn moves only forward. Any piece may capture an enemy piece by landing on its square. In tournament play each player must make a given number of moves in a given period of time. International championship matches are held under the auspices of governing bodies, and world champions are declared. For several decades Russia has produced most of the top players. Tournament play is held at all age levels, and matches by mail and through the Internet are popular.