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  • 08/10/2022: Maasai Chess is renamed Zanzibar-XXL, or simply Zanzibar
  • 19/04/2022: Small modification of Prince in Maasai Chess for consistency with Zanzibar
  • 03/04/2022: Update of Staunton pieces pages with the Sage from Devingt Chess



  • 18/12/2020: Revision of large chess variants Teramachy , Gigachess and Terachess.
  • 14/11/2020: Minor change, changing the Eagle icon on my chessvariants
  • 10/07/2020: Mon livre Du Senet Au Backgammon est à nouveau disponible !
  • 30/05/2020: You can play all my chess variants if you own Z-o-G. Download this zip-file: cazauxchess.zip
  • 23/05/2020: A personal opinion on chess variants
  • 09/05/2020: Many photographs of a full Chessvariant set and many boards for many variants set up with it. On this page.
  • 02/04/2020: Proposals for a full family of large chess variants beyond Shako/Wild Tamerlane/Metamachy/Zanzibar/Teramachy with revised versions of Gigachess and Terachess.
  • 30/04/2020: Re-opening of the page for Teramachy.
  • 26/04/2020: Freezing Zanzibar-S
  • 11/04/2020: Addition of missing photographs for Zanzibar.
  • 06/04/2020: Zanzibar comes in two variants: -XL and -S.
  • 01/04/2020: Revealing Zanzibar chess. It replaces Teramachy which is temporarily abandoned.
  • 23/02/2020: Minor changes on my chessvariants pages for better consistency. New diagrams. The page for Teramachy is removed as this game is not ready yet.
  • 10/02/2020: Relifting my chessvariants pages. Giving a dedicated page for Wild Tamerlane.



  • 03/12/2017: Recto and verso of "A World of Chess" have been scanned
  • 20/10/2017: I'm late to tell, but "A World of Chess" is now available!
  • 03/09/2017: My long awaited book, "A World of Chess", written with Rick Knowlton, goes to print! Soon available  
  • 16/06/2017: Precision on the Pawn's promotion rule at Wild Tamerlane. Minor edit on Gigachess.
  • 10/06/2017: Minor updates on Tamerlane 2000 and piece's catalog pages.
  • 08/06/2017: Minor edits: promotion is (of course) compulsory at Tamerlane 2000, Metamachy, Gigachess and Terachess. No more ambiguity.
  • 08/06/2017: Alternative move for the Unicornio of Grande Acedrex
  • 07/01/2017: The Links page is renewed. Check it out
  • 07/01/2017: Happy new year! A big surprise in under completion for 2017. Stay tuned.


  • 02/12/2016: Magnus Carlsen keeps his title of World chess champion
  • 06/05/2016: Minor corrections of author's presentation
  • 03/04/2016: Correction of a detail for the rules of Cannon's move in janggi.


  •  23/05/2015: Two new papers downloadable on the Library.



  • 29/11/2013: Magnus Carlsen is the new World chess champion!
  • 09/06/2013: A 2004 paper from Masukawa about Shogi's history added in the Library.
  • 29/05/2013: Two more papers about Indian Chess added to the Library.
  • 28/05/2013: Terachess and Gigachess rules updated with promotion for many pieces.
  • 25/05/2013: Le récent "Le jeu d'échecs médiéval: une histoire symbolique" de Michel Pastoureau (2012) contient les mêmes erreurs qu'en 2004. Dommage.
  • 22/05/2013: Terachess has been fabricated in Vietnam. A pretty nice work!
  • 12/05/2013: Few updates concerning historical texts for Shogi.
  • 17/03/2013: A new page with the oldest know Janggi pieces. Update of the Janggi page.
  • 19/01/2013: A new page dedicated to the numerous 4-Handed xiangqi (siguo xiangqi)
  • 19/01/2013: Update with many new photographs of 3-Handed and 7-Handed xiangqi.
  • 02/01/2013: Happy New Year 2013 to all readers! Update of Earliest European chessmen page, thanks to precious remarks from Sylvestre Jonquay from Association Aisling-1198.  






  • 30/09/2008: Updating Shogi Champions' page.
  • 24/05/2008: The Library welcomes private contributions.
  • 06/05/2008: A MONSTER Chess Variant with 128 pieces of 24 kinds over a HUGE 16x16 board -> Terachess.
  • 06/05/2008: "Balance 12", a new CV on a 12x12 board.
  • 06/05/2008: Updating minor rules for Perfect 12, Toulousain Chess, Gigagess.
  • 06/05/2008: Deep revision of many of my Chess Variants. Updating the catalog.
  • 05/02/2008: A hard-to-find classic paper about Patolli in the Library (thanks TD).
  • 22/01/2008: 5 papers in the Library
  • 20/01/2008: A MAJOR ADDITION : The Chess and Games Library. A place where to download papers and articles about Chess and other games history.
  • 19/01/2008: Photo of Lothal pieces.
  • 19/01/2008: Sad news: Bobby Fischer passed away yesterday. RIP.


  • 30/12/2007: Minor updates on all Sources pages concerning Japanese games.
  • 29/12/2007: New images of Chinese Chess coins.
  • 29/12/2007: Minor updates on all Sources pages concerning Chinese games.
  • 24/12/2007: a small complement on Fazang's Prasena page.
  • 23/12/2007: In 1913, A. Le Coq reported the finding of 2 interesting Chess piece: an Afrasiab-like Chariot and a Xiangqi Pao (Cannon), both found in Gaochang on the Silk Road. Check it out!
  • 22/12/2007: a personal and critical review of "The Beginnings of Chess", a recent paper from Michael Mark.
  • 20/12/2007: Some minor updates in Sources pages.
  • 01/12/2007: more references from North of Spain. New chess pieces from early Spain and from France (collection N. Devigne).
  • 22/11/2007: Some news of Luca Pacioli's Chess manuscript, written in 1500 and recently discovered.
  • 11/11/2007: Update of all champions' page. Xu Yuhua for women and V. Anand are the current Chess champions.
  • 29/09/2007: Update of Shogi Champions' page.
  • 09/09/2007: Un nouveau livre écrit en collaboration, Les Jeux de dés.
  • 14/07/2007: Addition of a new photograph of a set in the Hiashatar page.
  • 14/07/2007: Addition of many new photographs (from R.Pozzi) for Shatar 2 page.
  • 13/07/2007: Revisions on Shatar page.
  • 13/07/2007: New photographs on Angkor, Makruk, Sittuyin pages.
  • 12/07/2007: Revision of Hiashatar page.
  • 12/07/2007: Correction of mistakes on Main Chator pieces names.
  • 06/06/2007: Minor revisions (links) on Shako and Toulousain Chess pages
  • 03/06/2007: Sophie, my princess is born today, Mother's day. Welcome on Earth Sophie!
  • 13/05/2007: Un manuscrit de Luca Pacioli (vers 1500) retrouvé.
  • 05/05/2007: Incredible! This Afghan chess set might be the oldest in the World.
  • 05/05/2007: More ancient Arab, Russian and European pieces
  • 04/05/2007: Several new antique Persian pieces.
  • 04/05/2007: More photographs on Main Chator page.
  • 28/04/2007: Is Bâna's Harshacharita evocating a Chess ancestor in ancient India? The point remains controversed.
  • 22/04/2007: Update Xiangqi and Shogi Champions pages, new links.
  • 20/03/2007: Minor revisions on Xiangqi history here.


  • 02/11/2006: New Liubo photographs.
  • 02/11/2006: Kramnik is the unified Chess World Champion
  • 01/10/2006: Towards re-unification: Topalov vs Kramnik is on-going
  • 28/07/2006: Addition of a lot of new references, mostly dealing with mediaeval Europe in the "sources" pages.
  • 16/07/2006: Minor modifications of the 4-Handed Chaturanga page.
  • 20/06/2006: Update of ALL LINKS. Click now, it's all OK!
  • 19/06/2006: A new page dedicated to the Ager chessmen, one of the earliest European set
  • 16/06/2006: Addition of very nice shots of an old ivory Indian chess set
  • 07/05/2006: Updating Xiangqi and Shogi Champions' page.
  • 15/04/2006: Sadly many excellent books, mostly French, keep telling the wrong history about 4-Handed Chaturanga. When history is corrupted... Find a list of who's right - who's wrong.
  • 15/04/2006: New diagrams and minor corrections on Shatranj.
  • 12/04/2006: More references and few corrections on the "sources" pages.
  • 06/04/2006: Korean Chess should better be named Janggi than Changgi.
  • 03/01/2006: addition of a photograph of an old Changgi board and set.


  • 04/12/2005: Veselin Topalov is the new Chess World Champion. Lu Qin, again World Champion of Xiangqi in Paris.
  • 09/11/2005: correction of a small mistake in Shogi page, thanks to Pon in Japan
  • 31/07/2005: many new illustration of Islamic-style pieces.
  • 30/07/2005: New photographs in Indian Chess page.
  • 29/07/2005: New photograph in Sittuyin page.
  • 28/07/2005: Adding new illustrations on the Liubo page.
  • 27/07/2005: Photograph of the earliest extant Shogi piece (dated 1058)
  • 25/07/2005: A new page for controversial archaelogocial findings: Chess or not Chess?
  • 14/07/2005: Refection with new photographs of medieval Chess pieces.
  • 11/07/2005: Adding more medieval references on these pages.
  • 12/06/2005: New medieval chess pieces found in Spain and France. (Thanks to Alejandro Melchor and François Houdebert
  • 09/06/2005: Few new photographs of Chess pieces from Egypt.
  • 08/06/2005: Following intense and passionating discussion with Sonja Musser, she updated her view on Alfonso's Grant Acedrex and I updated my page accordingly.
  • 15/04/2005: Shogi : and now Habu won Kio again.
  • 14-15/04/2005: Update of all "sources" and Xiangqi pages to include revision and new information about history of Xiangqi.
  • 23/02/2005: Shogi : Habu won Osho again.
  • 06/02/2005: Minor refections on Sources pages. The young (20 y) Akira Watanabe won his first title: Ryu-O. A new Shogi star is born.


  • 26/10/2004: Kramnik kept his title of unofficial Chess Champion with a draw against Peter Leko. A first step towards the re-unification of Chess World ? Read there. In Japan, Habu reconquered Oi and was crown Oza for the 13th years in a row !
  • 17/09/2004: Drawing of earliest extant Shogi pieces kept in Nara, Japan. Medieval Chess pieces found in a dig in Pineuilh, France.
  • 31/08/2004: The official rules of European Chess. Why European? Read there. Cette page propose aussi les règles officielles des Échecs en français.
  • 30/08/2004: Coming back from holidays. Many new pages and updates:
    • The Shogi page was missing. It is (finally!) made.
    • 11 new pages have been made for all historical Shogi variants. See them all from here.
    • A page for Chatrang / Chaturanga, the seminal Indo-Persian game and one for Shatranj, the Arabic medieval Chess.
    • Grant Acedrex was described in 1283 by King Alfonso X. The usually given rules have several errors. Full analysis here.
    • Shatar 2 with corrections from Rodolfo Pozzi
    • new photographs from Angkor temples (from Bernd Ellinghoven)
  • 02/08/2004: A new page about ancient Indian terracotta figures which could be chessmen.
  • 31/07/2004: Important information and new photographs added, kindly communicated by Manfred Eder. Revision of Sittuyin page, Archaeological findings section, major release of the Afrasiab page.
  • 25/07/2004: Who cares? Rustam Kasimdzhanov, 54th at FIDE ratings, has became the new Chess World Champion. The new woman World Champion is Antoaneta Stefanova, cute and smart. Shogi champion page is updated as well. The "findings" page and the section about my books have been completey remade.
  • 24/07/2004: Welcome on a new server: history.chess.free.fr for a better quality.
  • 12/06/2004: Shatar page updated and a new Shatar 2 page with many more photos added.
  • 08/06/2004: New photos for Liubo. Take a look at this very intriguing old cup.
  • 18/05/2004: More new images on First Arabic, First European pages
  • 13/05/2004: New images on First Arabic, First European pages
  • 10/05/2004: New images on First European, India, Cambodia pages
  • 08/05/2004: Shogi champions page has been updated.
  • 01/05/2004: Traduction en français de la page sur le Chaturanga
  • 01/05/2004: Revisions on the Links page.
  • 24/03/2004: Color photos for the Charlemagne pages.
  • 21/03/2004: Have you ever see a Tibetan Chess set ?
  • 21/03/2004: Minor additions to Shatar and Hiashatar pages.
  • 17/03/2004: Page about 4-Handed Chaturanga has been revised.
  • 12/03/2004: I've made small - no, not really small - changes in the History section.
  • 04/03/2004: MAJOR RELEASE: A very long work! At last the page listing main literate sources about Chess history, previously only available in French in its complete form, has been fully translated, corrected and augmented. Now, there are 5 long pages instead of 1 before ! Start here.
  • 28/02/2004: Insertion of Schach-Journal references on Charlemagne and old pieces pages.
  • 01/02/2004: New links : the original text file (in old-Castillan) and the English translation of King Alfonso X "El Sabio" book: "Libro de los juegos".
  • 18/01/2004: I ask an important question: by reconsidering the Ashtapada board, I see a possibility that 1) Ashtapada was a circular race game (as Pachisi and as many other Asian race game) and 2) Ashatapada and Liubo might be connected somehow. Check it that!
  • 17/01/2004: Updating all regional Chess pages already available from the clickable map.
  • 15/01/2004: Still working on, including Murray's photos on existing pages. GalPoGelTze is a war game, but is not Chess.
  • 14/01/2004: I am looking for information about Tibetan Chess and GalPoGelTze (?).
  • 12/01/2004: New pages about Chess in Madagascar, Ethiopia and Malay countries.
  • 11/01/2004: Addition of name of pieces in Changgi and Sittuyin.
  • 10/01/2004: New pages about Chess in Mongolia and Tibet : Shatar, Hiashatar and Chandraki.
  • 09/01/2004: More details in English about my new book "Du Senet au Backgammon".
  • 05/01/2004: Slight updating of sources, old texts and xiangqi pages
  • 01/01/2004: Happy new year to all our friends. My best wishes for a better world. Let's start with some detail corrections on Charlemagne and other old pieces following information brought to me by Manfred Eder (many thanks!). I should get back on these very soon.


  • 14/12/2003: Moriuchi is the new Ryu-O.
  • 13/10/2003: My third book, "Du Senet au Backgammon" is BORN : I just got it from the editor !
  • 12/10/2003: Here are the reconstructed rules of Liubo, the mysterious Chinese game !
  • 20/07/2003: What kind of game was Ashatapada?
  • 19/07/2003: What is the mysterious Prasena, evoked by the Chinese monk Fazang (died 712 AD.). Was Prasena and Xiangqi the same?
  • 19/07/2993: Xiangqi has its page now. Discover its history.
  • 09/07/2003: Discover Toulousain Chess, my new large chess variant
  • 22/06/2003: Habu wins his 4th Meijin title
  • 19/06/2003: Refreshing my links page.
  • 03/06/2003: Info is on-line how to order the "Anatomy Of Chess"
  • 02/06/2003: I'm glad to announce the release of "The Anatomy Of Chess", a new book written and compiled with my friends Gerhard Josten and Myron Samsin.
  • 12/05/2003: My mail address has changed : jean-louis.cazaux@laposte.net
  • 28/04/2003: Updates at Liubo and Shogi Champions pages (Habu defeated in Kio !).
  • 25/04/2003: Liubo page updated
  • 22/04/2003: Butrint page updated with informations kindly sent by Sean Evans.
  • 30/03/2003: A page dedicated to the mysterious Chinese Liubo.
  • 30/03/2003: If your Latin is somewhat weak, now, you can read the English translation
  • 04/03/2003: At last a new page : dedicated to the famous Vida's Latin Chess poem (1513)
  • 20/02/2003: Habu defeats Sato the Osho holder and takes back this title.
  • 12/01/2003: Happy new year ! Habu has kept the Ryu-O title. Now he will try to win the Osho where he is the challenger.


  • 23/12/2002: European and Open Shogi : results from 18th ESC and 4th WOSC
  • 21/12/2002: Yu wins the Chinese Championship of Xiangqi
  • 06/12/2002: Habu keeps Oza again !
  • 09/11/2002: Following a discussion with Francesco Cappiotti, I had to temper my critics about Butrint piece : Queens were present in European Chess at early times. It as the modern move which was to be invented yet. Thanks to Francesco.
  • 03/11/2002: It has nothing to do with Chess : I have invented a card game and I look for an editor. If you don't like Rugby, you can forget it. Otherwise, go and see there : Ovalia.
  • 13/09/2002: A new page about interculturalichessity. When Shogi meets Chess.
  • 03/09/2002: New additions to archaelogical pages 1 and 2.
  • 02/09/2002: Have you heard about recent archaelogical finding in Butrint, Albania. The oldest Chess piece in Europe ? in the World ? Look here.
  • 01/09/2002: I'm back again. I promise to make some additions soon ! By the way, hard time for the Shogi title holders: Sato has won the Kisei and Tanigawawa took the Oi from Habu. See Shogi news.
  • 25/05/2002: a new link to Chesmayne Chess Dictionary.
  • 19/05/2002: Toshiyuki Moriuchi is the new Meijin after a bright victory (4-0) against Maruyama.See Shogi news.
  • 07/04/2002: Habu keeps Kio tournament with a 12th successive win but loose the Osho to Yasumitsu Sato. See Shogi news.
  • 29/03/2002: Finally ! My latest chess variant is on this site : try INVASION !
  • 22/03/2002: Xiangqi news : Lu Qin, current World Champion, also won the 5-Ram Cup.
  • 08/02/2002: Minor arrangements.
  • 04/02/2002: News from the Stars : the young Ukranian Ponomariov is the 16th F.I.D.E. World Chess Champion and Lu Qin won his 4th Xiangqi World Championship.



  • 28/12/2000: Fujii beats Habu and takes its 3rd Ryuo title in a row.
  • 25/12/2000: Anand and Xie are the new FIDE champions !
  • 17/12/2000: See the very first, alleged or indisputable Chess piece from Sassanid Persia. Completed with the earliest Russian sets.
  • 07/12/2000: A new page dedicated to Chess Champions.
  • 05/12/2000: The rules for my proposed Proto-xiangqi and Proto-Chaturanga are now entirely given here.
  • 03/12/2000: A new page dedicated to Xiangqi Champions. Please help me to complete data there !
  • 02/12/2000: Information updated about Afrasiab pieces.
  • 29/11/2000: My second book, "L'Univers des échecs" is BORN : I just got it from the editor !
  • 24/11/2000: Look at the first known chess piece in Asia (Elephant) and in Europe (Venafro set).
  • 22/11/2000: A new page dedicated to Shogi Champions.
  • 18/11/2000: Plenty of new photographs and images added in the History section.
  • 13/11/2000: A new section devoted to archaeological findings of chessmen all around the world.
  • 09/11/2000: The enigma of Cambodian Chess.
  • 09/11/2000: Look at the definitive cover for my upcoming book.
  • 03/11/2000: I've finished to relook all existing pages. Some have been enriched. The rules for variants are now included.
  • 31/10/2000: You can order my books on-line using the links in the Book section
  • 31/10/2000: A new look for the site.
    (Des habits neufs pour le site Shako)

 

 

Jean-Louis CAZAUX