The European Origins of Chess Terminology and Opening Strategies

Italian jobs, French connections and Berlin walls: Chess’s European tour

Sicily, Madrid, France and Berlin have all left their mark on chess vocabulary. The Sicilian Defence dates back to Giulio Cesare Polerio, while Ruy López gave the Spanish Opening one of its first systematic analyses. The French Defence emerged from a 1834 correspondence match between Paris and London. Berlin Defence, meanwhile, was revived by Vladimir Kramnik in his 2000 world championship match against Garry Kasparov.

By AARAV DENGLA