AnarchyChess

5163 readers

36 users here now

Holy hell

Other chess communities:
[email protected]
[email protected]

Matrix space

founded 1 year ago

MODERATORS

[email protected]

474

The many life paths available to a pawn (lemmy.world)

submitted 8 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

32 comments fedilink hide all child comments

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] [email protected] 38 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

Originally, the rook symbolized a chariot. The Persian word rokh means chariot, and the corresponding pieces in Oriental chess games such as xiangqi and shogi have names meaning chariot. Persian War Chariots were heavily armoured, carrying a driver and at least one ranged-weapon bearer, such as an archer.

Modern ones are akin to siege towers is my take.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 8 months ago

In German they’re called "Turm" which literally translates to tower…

I suppose siege towers would make sense, however I’ve never seen a chess set that didn’t have them look like a castle. (Which could be one reason they look like that, so castling actually produces a castle)