A History of Chess (1913) is the foundational survey of the game's passage from Indian chaturanga through Persian‑Arabic shatranj to medieval and early modern Europe. In dense, exacting prose typical of early twentieth‑century scholarship, Murray unites philology with manuscript, iconographic, and problem‑literature evidence to chart rule changes (notably the queen and bishop), diffusion routes, and cognate traditions such as xiangqi and shogi. H. J. R. Murray, a British schoolmaster and classicist, inherited rigorous methods from his father, James A. H. Murray, editor of the Oxford English Dictionary. Trained in languages and archives, he mined Arabic, Persian, Sanskrit, and Latin sources in major libraries, cross‑checking chronicles with problems and inventories; the result reflects lexicographic discipline and an educator's taste for system. Scholars of medieval culture, historians of play, and serious chess players will find this volume indispensable. Consult it for reliable chronologies, clear accounts of obsolete rules and variants, and an unrivaled dossier of sources; read it as a model of evidence‑driven history. As reference and as narrative, Murray's History of Chess deserves a permanent place on any library shelf. Quickie Classics summarizes timeless works with precision, preserving the author's voice and keeping the prose clear, fast, and readable—distilled, never diluted. Enriched Edition extras: Introduction · Synopsis · Historical Context · Brief Analysis · 4 Reflection Q&As · Editorial Footnotes.
