We all have our favourite strategy games that we like to play. But where did those games come from? Continue reading to find out more.
People Love Games
Games have been around since ancient times and are still as popular as ever today. Whether you’re a fan of traditional board games, video games, or online games, there’s now something out there for everyone.
Games are important because they give people the space to experiment with decision-making and problem-solving. In the case of strategy games, playing them is useful for activities like trading because they help develop various skills including patience, tact, and thinking ahead.
Games can also teach people how to think about problems from a new perspective. In fact, they are often used as diplomatic tools to help people from different backgrounds come together and see eye to eye.
Historically, games have played a significant role in forming alliances, achieving victories in battle, and much more. In this article, we’ll look at the history of some of the most popular strategy games, their origins, and how they’ve evolved.
Checkers
Checkers can be traced as far back as ancient Egypt. Archaeologists have found remnants of board games similar to checkers, or “senet,” in many noble tombs. In fact, it was especially popular among the pharaohs. Senet circulated around the Mediterranean Sea, eventually reaching the Romans. Poets and philosophers like Plato and Homer have mentioned soldiers playing it during the Trojan War.
Checkers has also been cited in ancient Arabic texts, including Abu al-Faraj al-Isfahani’s “The Book of Songs.” Back then, checkers was called “al-qirq” and used a smaller board than what we’re used to now. By the 13th century, the Moors had brought the game to what’s now known as Spain.
Eventually, the game reached France during the mediaeval era. There, the French adapted the game by adding a chess board and backgammon pieces, giving us the modern version we are now familiar with.
Today, checkers has several variations. The two most common versions are English draughts, which uses an 8×8 board, and international checkers, which uses a 10×10 board.
Blackjack
Blackjack is one of the most popular casino games in the world. It has a long and rich history, dating back to 18th century France. However, the game has changed quite a lot since then.
When French settlers came to America, the game evolved depending on which city it ended up in. By the early 1800s, it had spread across the country and had many variations.
Today, numerous online casinos have compiled these various titles in their libraries. Among the different variations, 21+3 blackjack is one of the most popular. It’s like classic blackjack but allows players to make an additional side bet.
With the advent of the internet, blackjack is set to see some impressive advancements in the future, including some using VR/AR technology. Soon, playing blackjack in virtual environments will be as common as playing the real thing.
Chess
The origins of chess are shrouded in mystery, but most historians believe that the game originated in India sometime around the 6th century AD. The earliest recorded mention of chess is from a Persian text dating back to 600 AD.
From India, chess spread to China and then to Persia. By the 10th century, chess had spread throughout Europe and was played by kings and commoners alike.
Throughout its history, chess has been associated with some of the most famous names in history. Napoleon Bonaparte was an avid chess player and is said to have used chess strategies to plan his military campaigns.
Since then, chess has played an essential role in teaching strategy, but it’s also been useful in other fields like computer science. In the 1940s, Alan Turing wrote one of the very first algorithms in the world. Its purpose? Playing chess. This algorithm would later be the basis for many studies regarding AI technology. It shows that the ancient world and the future are more intertwined than we thought.
Final Thoughts
As we’ve seen, strategy games have a fascinating history. From the ancient Romans to the modern day, strategy games have allowed people to test their skills, connect with others, and have fun. They’ve even helped us to shape our most cutting-edge technology.