1200 year old endgame!

[@mattjazzml]

Shatranj is wonderful. It's a shame there is not more content on clearly a historically important game that was played for centuries. The endgame puzzles are fascinating. I would love to see more - or maybe some modern ones. Fairy Stockfish 14 cannot solve this?

[@ChessMess]

Good comment, thanks! The fairy engine that I was using didn't solve it, but having said that, I need to double check what that engine actually is. I have not heard of Fairy Stockfish, but now that you have mentioned it, I will look into it. I see it has a github page. :) I am particularly interested in whether it can support a 4x16 board.

[@mhndm7mud]

That "Durka durka durka durka Muhammed Ali kebab" is actually the solution for the puzzle. And it's interesting that Arabic from 1200 years ago is pretty much the same as the modern dialect we speak today, I didn't know much about this old Arabic chess variant, except that chess in Arabic is "شطرنج" -(chatranj), so thanks for the video

[@ChessMess]

Nice info, thanks!

[@professorx3060]

First video I see from you, and you made me laugh multiple times, and earned a sub. Let's push this to 1k! Amazing puzzle, entertaining commentary, and "women weren't invented yet" 😂

[@ChessMess]

Thanks professor, you're the best 759th subscriber I ever had!

[@popochess]

Awesome puzzle ! I look forward to get historical Shatranj games played and analysed here (there were only two on your channel, and this is quite great content).

[@ChessMess]

Hello Popo, thanks for the kind words. I would really like to go through more ancient Shatranj games, but I have only been able to find those two that I have already done. Sadly, it seems that there are no more. However, there are still many endgames and also a lot of opening theory. Another possibility is to look at modern shatranj games, or come to think of it, other historical variants played today.

[@dunkdxke1800]

where can we play shatranj?

[@ChessMess]

You can use a normal chess set, and use the bishops as elephants and the queens as ferzes. There are a few places online, but maybe try www.chess.com/variants/chaturanga

[@phoenixk4328]

The Mohamed Ali kabab that u skipped was the Solution

[@ifyouseekay1000]

Awesome video. Please make more shantaraj vids

[@ChessMess]

Hello, thanks for the kind words. I have around 12 or so shatranj videos now, look in the description and in my playlist "Ancient chess and variants".

[@rubiks6]

Is this not Chinese Chess?? Apparently not.

[@ChessMess]

No, it's from Persia, a bit more than 1000 years ago.

[@rubiks6]

@@ChessMess - Thank you for your quick response. I think I found it - chaturanga? This seems phonetically similar to "shatranj" I see some have mentioned in their comments.

[@ChessMess]

No worries, there is some variation in spelling, as might be expected via translation and depth of time.

[@Narrowcros]

Its from India actually 1500 years ago, persia was the second wave and improved a bit. Than the third wave was in the arabic caliphate and added promotion later on. Final stage in spain where the queen and bishops strength were added

[@taldickman2877]

Awesome puzzle, did not have to be racist wasnt funny

[@WafleEnterprises]

Whining on KZbin comments? It wasn’t really that funny but it’s not a problem.

[@danbarkles8499]

It's just a tired joke. That offends me more than anything.

[@taldickman2877]

​​@@danbarkles8499I agree, you put my thoughts well

[@swagmuffin9000]

I'm arab, it made me laugh