The book Birth of the Chess Queen revolves itself around one central theme, how did the Chess Queen become the powerhouse she is today? I find it interesting how the transition from the Visor and simple pieces in Islamic culture transformed throughout Europe over time, slowly making their way to Northwest Europe. The two central influences on how chess evolved, that I took from the book, were political and religious influence. Politically powerful women in Europe such as Empress Adeline of Burgundy, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Margaret of Denmark, Isabella of Castile, and Catherine the Great all served as important, strong female leaders that cast a powerful influence over people throughout their reign. The chess queen transformed from one of the weakest pieces, to the most powerful piece on the board over the course of a few centuries and multiple religious and cultural takes.

The way in which poetry and written works influenced the development of the chess queen was particularly interesting (also disturbing such as with the incest stories that I wont get in to.) I searched online for about an hour trying to find Le Vetula and other poems/written work discussed by the author but had no luck. Written works provide evidence that chess was not just a game, but something cherished and prized by different cultures throughout history. Chess has invoked stories of love, lust, adventure, war, and countless others. The chess pieces discussed in the book tell stories of their own. Many pieces were made, not for the purpose of playing with, but merely for the purpose of gazing at their beauty. In American culture today, I believe most people would hardly give a second glance toward a beautifully hand crafted chessboard with pieces carved from ebony and ivory. Chess is no longer a prized commodity, but merely a game. The aesthetic value seems to have become lost.

I think that throughout history the aesthetic value of games has been lost, which is where this book took me. Chess, backgammon, checkers, etc. are all so readily available whether they be a 5.00 purchase at Walmart, or a simple app download. Consumerist society today has turned games into a cheap commodity, and not a work of art that has the power to influence vast amounts of people.

“Capitalism is a horrible thing.”