Who invented chess?

Chess was invented in India about 500 years ago. The game became popular in the Middle East, was brought to Europe by merchants, and taken up as a favorite pastime by nobles who admired each other's skills. It has been played in the United Kingdom since at least 1399 when the first recorded rules of the game were set down by Phillip da Ponte of Venice. Wilhelm steinitz is known as the father of chess.

Today it is still one of the most popular games in the world, with a revival among school kids over recent decades due to its educational value and simplistic yet challenging gameplay. In addition, many chess variants exist around the world such as Shogi (Japan), Chaturanga (India) and Shatranj (Persia).