It strikes me that the design of the rook is consistent with its use in castling. The design features a 'crenellated battlement' or in other words, the 'teeth' at the top of the rook is consistent with the design of battlements. It doesn't take a great stretch of imagination to realise that these fortified towers are built on the corners of battlements, thus the appearance of the Rook in chess is designed to give the impression that a castle has been built once a player castles. I think the inconsistency between the true meaning of 'rook' and the design of the 'castle' is something that just demonstrates the transient meaning of words over time. While there is undoubtedly an origin to this name, i'm not entirely sure that the name given to the piece would accurately reflect it's current use (was castling even a rule/move when the piece was given it's name?)
Originally posted by MarinkatombThe Russian is interesting
This is a table of names by language that may assist..
http://www.eudesign.com/chessops/basics/cpr-lang.htm
rook is a boat
bishop is an elephant
I remember playing 4-sided chess and afterwards researched it
(before the internet!!) and the rooks were elephants and the
bishops boats. (The opposite of the Russian naming).
Apparently in the ancient game the bishops (boats) could only
travel on water squares. (???)
Originally posted by wolfgang59I haven't heard this before, so it's news to me. I know there is a version with a river running through the middle, i forget the name but i think it's Chinese. 🙂
The Russian is interesting
rook is a boat
bishop is an elephant
I remember playing 4-sided chess and afterwards researched it
(before the internet!!) and the rooks were elephants and the
bishops boats. (The opposite of the Russian naming).
Apparently in the ancient game the bishops (boats) could only
travel on water squares. (???)
Originally posted by Bebop5I remember seeing chess pieces where the rook was an elephant with a box like seat strapped to its back.
Just looked up "rukh"; actually a Persian term, meaning a mythological large bird that can carry great weights like elephants and such....
P.S. There used to be such things a war elephants.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_elephant
Originally posted by RJHindshave you never played microsofts Age of empires? Persian war elephants were a
I remember seeing chess pieces where the rook was an elephant with a box like seat strapped to its back.
P.S. There used to be such things a war elephants.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_elephant
special unit, totally awesome but susceptible to pikemen.
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In French, castles are 'tours' (towers), but the verb 'to castle' is 'roquer' - which seems similar to 'rook'. It's also customary to warn your opponent that the queen is under attack. So you'd say 'check to the King' for normal check, and 'check to the Lady' if the queen is in 'check'.
Very chivalrous bunch, the French.
Originally posted by vivifyOMG I loved that game. When the rook took the Queen he ate her!
Oh, so "elephants" or "chariots" is indeed the original meaning, then. So why then, is a rook represented with a crown, rather than wheels for the chariot, or with an elepphant head?
This reminds me; I used to play a game called "Battle Chess" for Nintendo, where you see an actual battle between two pieces, when one is captured. The rooks were represen s a tad more sense, since I once thought a rook was a prince, represesnted with a crown.
When a rook took a pawn the pawn looked at his spear and shrugged
the rook when 'hahaha' and smashed him into his own helmet.
Gold.
edit. This was the PC version before Nintendos were even invented. Please allow for miserlyness.
Originally posted by aquatabbyI think you may have just solved this mystery. Thanks so much, you rock.
In French, castles are 'tours' (towers), but the verb 'to castle' is 'roquer' - which seems similar to 'rook'. It's also customary to warn your opponent that the queen is under attack. So you'd say 'check to the King' for normal check, and 'check to the Lady' if the queen is in 'check'.
Very chivalrous bunch, the French.
Originally posted by wolfgang59The Russian LADYA (rook) (ancient LODYA) is rather WAR SHIP, not BOAT. The name appeared because Russians had no chariots but they were (and are) strong river- and sea-farers instead.
The Russian is interesting
rook is a boat
bishop is an elephant
By the way, the LADYA is the only original rook name in Slavic languages - the others are the word "TOWER" in respective languges.
The Russian SLON (bishop) is exactly ELEPHANT, the copy of original Indian chess piece. There is also colloquial name OFITSER (military officer).
The Russian FERZ (queen) is a mutated Persian word FIRZAN (from arabian VIZIR) - Chancellor, Minister.
The Russian KON' is simply HORSE (only male horse).
Other pieces are common: KOROL' (king), PIESHKA (pawn, namely "piece walking by feet" )