GK questions and answers on chess: Can you pass this chess trivia quiz?

Did you sit before a wooden board thinking about the origin of such a brilliant game as chess? Before it conquered the world and turned into a worldwide game of wits, it emerged right here in ancient India as Chaturanga. In time it travelled all around the world and created amazing chess prodigies capable of beating the greatest chess masters even while in junior high school! Do you know everything about pieces, strategy, and legendary players of chess? Find out in our cool trivia quiz! Are you ready to take the challenge?

The Fascinating History and Prodigies of Chess

However, before getting right into the questions, let’s see a brief overview of how the ancient game of warfare developed to become the ultimate sport of the mind.

Where Did Chess Come From?

According to most historians, chess was invented in northern India during the Gupta Empire in the 6th century. The game at that time was referred to as Chaturanga, which meant "four divisions of the military", which included infantrymen, cavalry, elephants, and chariots. As time went by, the four divisions of the army developed into pawns, knights, bishops, and rooks used in today's modern chess.

The game spread through trade to Persia, where it was referred to as Chatrang. With the invasion of the Arabs into Persia, the game changed its name to Shatranj. Afterwards, through trade and conquest in Europe, it slightly changed its rules during the Middle Ages to create faster play.

Rise of the Young Chess Prodigies

One fantastic thing about chess is that it creates some super talented children who surprise the world even before earning their driver's licence!

• Viswanathan Anand: Called the "Lightning Kid" due to his ability to make very quick moves, Anand became the very first Indian Grandmaster in 1988 and became a 5-time World Champion.
• Magnus Carlsen: Coming from Norway, Carlsen became a Grandmaster when he was only 13 years old and maintained dominance in the top-ranked position in the world for more than a decade!
• Gukesh D and Praggnanandhaa: These are two Indian chess prodigies of modern times who have amazed the entire world through their brilliant performances!

Now that you know something about the history and stars, let us test your knowledge regarding this game of wits!

GK Quiz On Chess

Q1. In which country did the ancient predecessor of chess, known as "Chaturanga", first originate?

a) China

b) India

c) Persia

Ans.: b) India

Explanation: The game was invented in northern India in the 6th century when the Gupta Empire ruled India. In that period, the name of the game was Chaturanga. The word "chaturanga" means an army having four parts. It consisted of foot soldiers, cavalry, elephants, and chariots.

Q2. Who was the very first chess player from India to achieve the prestigious title of Grandmaster in 1988?

a) Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa

b) Viswanathan Anand

c) Pentala Harikrishna

Ans.: b) Viswanathan Anand

Explanation: Viswanathan Anand achieved the distinction of becoming India's first-ever Grandmaster in the year 1988 at the age of 18. His success had motivated countless numbers of Indian children to take an interest in chess, and then he became the World Champion of Chess five times in his career!

Q3. Which piece on the chessboard is considered the most powerful because it can move in any direction—straight or diagonally?

a) Rook

b) Queen

c) Knight

Ans.: b) Queen

Explanation: The Queen is the ultimate superpower in chess! She possesses all the abilities that the rook and bishop have. It means that the queen can move any number of spaces diagonally, vertically, and horizontally. It is very hard to win the game after losing the queen.

Q4. What is the special, unique move in chess where the King and a Rook move together at the exact same time?

a) En Passant

b) Castling

c) Promotion

Ans.: b) Castling

Explanation: The act of castling is unique to chess because it is the only time when a player makes moves with two pieces during a single turn. Castling allows you to put your king behind a solid defensive line of pawns and at the same time bring out your rook into action.

Q5. What is the title given to the youngest player in history to ever achieve the rank of Grandmaster at age 12 years and 4 months?

a) Abhimanyu Mishra

b) Sergey Karjakin

c) Gukesh D

Ans.: a) Abhimanyu Mishra

Explanation: Indian-born young genius Abhimanyu Mishra created a new world record when he became a Grandmaster while he was only 12 years, 4 months, and 25 days old in July 2021! He put thousands of hours into studying strategies in the game of chess to defeat adults.

Q6. Which chess piece is the only one on the board that has the ability to jump directly over other pieces?

a) Bishop

b) Knight

c) Pawn

Ans.: b) Knight

Explanation: The Knight resembles a horse in appearance and is known for its unique "L" movement pattern of two squares in a certain direction and one square perpendicular to that. The special feature of the Knight is that it can jump over other pieces; therefore, it is not blockable.

Q7. What term is used when a player's King is under direct attack by an opponent's piece and must be saved immediately?

a) Stalemate

b) Check

c) Checkmate

Ans.: b) Check

Explanation: When the other player moves in to check your King, they say “Check”. You will have to get out of danger in your next move by either moving your king, preventing the attack using another piece, or taking the attacking piece. When none of these is possible, you lose the game!