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Chess Day
There is no remorse like the remorse of chess.”
~ H. G. Wells (1866-1946)
Unlike a misplaced chess move—or a Fingerfehler ("finger error")—you'll have no regrets discovering today's tartan tribute to the "Game of Kings"!
Few games can rival the history and enduring appeal of chess. Originating over 1,500 years ago from the ancient Indian game chaturanga, it spread across Persia and medieval Europe before becoming the global game of strategy we know today. In recent years, chess has enjoyed a remarkable resurgence, fuelled by online play, streaming personalities, school programs, and popular productions such as The Queen's Gambit, introducing a new generation to the timeless contest of minds.
Fittingly, there is now a tartan for chess lovers as well. Created for all who enjoy the game, its colours are rich in symbolism: the familiar black and white represent the two opposing sides on the board; paired equal stripes reflect fairness and good sportsmanship; while dark green and dark blue evoke the strategy and battle inherent in every match.
Even if you're not an avid chess player, you may use chess idioms more often than you realize. The game has contributed a remarkable number of expressions to everyday English, where they are used far beyond the sixty-four squares. We speak of making an opening gambit when introducing a new idea, putting an opponent in check, delivering a decisive checkmate, or reaching a stalemate when neither side can make progress. We may describe someone as a pawn in another person's scheme, a clever strategist as playing chess while everyone else is playing checkers, or remind someone that the ball is in your court—or, in chess terms, it's your move!
The famous Lewis Chessmen, discovered on Scotland's Isle of Lewis in 1831, are among the world's most celebrated medieval chess sets. Carved from walrus ivory and whale tooth around 1150–1200, they are renowned for their wonderfully expressive kings, queens, bishops, knights, and Viking warders—including the iconic "berserkers" biting their shields. Today, these remarkable pieces are treasured as masterpieces of medieval art and enduring symbols of chess history.
Your move, tartaned players! 🖤 🤍 💙 💚 ♟️ ♟️ ♟️ 🎬 🍿
International Chess Day is celebrated annually on July 20th, the day the International Chess Federation (FIDE) was founded, in 1924.
The Lewis chessmen (Scottish Gaelic: Fir-thàilisg Leòdhais) or Uig chessmen, named after the island or the bay where they were found,are a group of distinctive 12th-century chess pieces, along with other game pieces, most of which are carved from walrus ivory. Discovered in 1831 on Lewis in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, they may constitute some of the few complete, surviving medieval chess sets, although it is not clear if a period-accurate set can be assembled from the pieces. When found, the hoard contained 93 artifacts: 78 chess pieces, 14 tablemen and one belt buckle. Today, 82 pieces are owned and usually exhibited by the British Museum in London, and the remaining 11 are at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.
For more about this famous chess set, click the board!