Chess

First played in India and Persia in the 6th century, people have been playing chess for more than 1500 years. In its earliest known form, the game was called chaturanga, and the original pieces represented the military units common in warfare at that time: infantry, cavalry, elephants, chariots, a general, and a king. According to Trinidadian writer Ian Ali, chess played a notable role in forging linkages across the Caribbean during the colonial era, with three countries staging the earliest regional tournament on record in 1897, held in Trinidad with Barbados and British Guyana as the other participants. A quiet but intense two-player game, the pressure is always on as opponents strategise, set traps, and execute escape manoeuvres within set time limits for each move. Chess has been a regular feature on the IRG schedule since the earliest games in 1987.