The game of chess is one of the most interesting sports. This game has been invented in ancient times. According to historical sources, our ancestors were deeply interested in the game of chess. In the 7th century, distinguished scientists came from the descendants of Sul, the ruler of Dehistan, located in the southwest of Turkmenistan. One of them is Abu Ishaq Ibrahim al-Suli, a well-known poet of the 9th century. Moreover, in the 10th century, the writer and historian Abu Bakr Muhammed bin Yahya al-Suli wrote a book about the lives of kings and caliphs and several poems in the form of ghazals and gathered information about scientists, poets and viziers. Besides, being a well-known chess player, Abu Bakr al-Suli created a valuable work ‘Kitab al-Shatranj’ (‘the Book on Chess’).
These historical facts demonstrate that the game of chess had great importance in the Middle Ages. It should be noted that chess represents a legacy from our ancestors, enjoys growing popularity in Turkmenistan, and provokes the interest of the younger generations.
