Kathmandu, May 3 -- Chess is among the oldest games in the world, with its roots dating back at least 1,475 years.

"According to the majority of researches, the history of chess begins in Northern India, on the banks of the Ganges, in the town of Kannauj, during the reign of Sharvavarman (550 AD)," the International Chess Federation (FIDE) mentions on its museum.

Then, called 'chatrang,' the game, within two decades, expanded up to Persia, present-day Iran. The king, queen, and their army of pawns, elephants, camels and horses-the chess pieces-journeyed to different parts of the world as the game spread. It became 'shatranj' among the Arabs during the seventh century before entering Europe in the ninth century. Today, there are over 2,0...