什么是西洋棋；国际象棋

通常由两人对弈，使用一个带格子的棋盘和特别设计的棋子。每人按照对每一种棋子着法所规定的限制去走本方的十六枚棋子，设法迫使对方的主要棋子--王--处於一种无法避免被吃掉的境地--将死。源自西元6世纪左右的亚洲地区，然而在拜占庭时期传入欧洲後就不断演进，在16世纪时欧洲才订定了现今普为人接受的比赛规则。西洋棋的棋盘有颜色深浅相间的六十四个方格，共排成八个直行和八个横排。一行行同颜色的格子在棋盘上呈交叉状，称为斜线。第一排放置五种不同形状的棋子︰王、后、城堡、主教和骑士。在它们前面一排的棋子是兵。王可以向任何方向走，每着走一格。后、城堡、主教为「远程」棋子，只要无他子阻挡，可向任何方向走，格数不限。城堡顺直行或横排走，主教走斜线；后兼有城堡和主教的威力，只要无阻挡，直、横、斜都可走。骑士的走法奇特，走L形路线，每着先直走或横走一格，再斜走一格，可以越子。兵的走法是只能进，如不是吃子，则必须走直行。任何一子在敌子闯入己方领域时，可开始吃它。在比赛中每一对局者在事先规定的时间内必须走若干着棋。西洋棋比赛是按照由国际西洋棋联合会制订的西洋棋法进行。国际锦标赛由各管理机构主办，并由此产生世界冠军。多年来，俄罗斯选手是常胜军。锦标赛以年龄分级，现在透过网路或电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.