Chess is one of the oldest games known to mankind. Played across cultures and continents by children, grandmasters, and everyone in between, it has captured the attention of Jewish minds across the ages, sometimes in surprising ways. Read on for 14 facts about Jews and the Game of Kings.
1. It’s Mentioned in the Talmud
The Talmud mentions that wealthy women of ancient Persia would spend their leisure time “playing with puppies and nadarshir.”1 What is nadarshir? Rashi translates the word as échecs, French for chess.
2. Rabbis Wrote Poems About It …
Perhaps surprisingly, some great Torah scholars were inspired to write poetry about chess! Rabbi Avraham Ibn Ezra, the famous medieval commentator (who was also an accomplished poet), composed a lengthy poem describing the game and its rules. A similar poem was written by a lesser-known medieval scholar, Maestro Ibn Yachya.2
Read: Rabbi Avraham Ibn Ezra
3. … And Even Books!
A 17th-century Italian scholar, Rabbi Yehudah Aryeh of Modena, wrote an entire book on chess titled Maadanei Melech (“A King’s Delight”). What prompted this colorful and controversial figure to do so? A father came to him with two quarreling sons. The older brother complained that his younger brother was wasting time playing cards. The younger brother explained that he suffered from depression, and his doctor had recommended that he spend time each day doing something enjoyable. Rabbi Yehudah Aryeh suggested chess as a better alternative—and then sat down and wrote a book explaining how to play!3
More recently, Rabbi Aharon Fisher (Jerusalem, 1896–1942)—a chess champion in his youth in his native Romania—also wrote a book on chess. Ultimately, however, he destroyed it, fearing it might distract others from Torah study.4
4. It Has Benefits—But Don’t Overdo It
Torah sources point to the benefits of playing chess: it sharpens the mind and refreshes the spirit, improving your ability to focus on your studies.5 There are also many meaningful lessons to be drawn from the game (see below). That said, it’s important to strike the right balance and stay focused on the goal. Chess and other leisure activities are not ends in themselves, but a way to recharge and invigorate your service of G‑d through Torah study and mitzvahs.6
Read: How Can Fun and Creative Pursuits Figure Into a Life of Torah?
5. The Chess Advantage: Italian Rabbis Weigh In
In 18th-century Italy, a halachic controversy arose when a young man who had vowed not to play games for entertainment wanted to know if he could make an exception for chess. No fewer than eight rabbis weighed in! Some felt that while other games involve deception and are a waste of time, chess requires a sharp mind and is a more worthwhile pursuit. Others disagreed, arguing that many games require sharp thinking, and it is simply a matter of luck that people view chess in a more prestigious light.7
6. Rabbis Played It (Sometimes)
Several rabbis are documented as having played chess—though never at the expense of their Torah studies. A few examples:
- When Rabbi Yosef Trani (Safed/Constantinople, 1568–1639) came across two people playing chess, he would walk over and offer them tips.8
- Rabbi Avraham Shmuel Diskin (Poland, 1821–1887) was a chess expert—and his skill once saved him from a difficult situation (though the details of the episode are unknown).9
- Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, one of the preeminent halachic authorities of the 20th century, played chess as a young child—but stopped at the age of eight. As he later explained, “If I’m using my head, I might as well use it to study Torah!”10
Read: Eternalize Your Mind
7. When the Rebbe Played Chess
In 1937, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn—the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe—visited the resort town of Perchtoldsdorf, Austria, for health reasons. His doctors recommended that he rest from mentally taxing activities. To that end, he once sat down to play chess with his son-in-law, the future Rebbe.
At a certain point, the Rebbe deliberately maneuvered the game so that his father-in-law would win. When Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak noticed, he said plainly: “You need to play honestly!”11
8. The British Governor and His Jewish Chessmates
Sir Ronald Storrs, the British governor of Jerusalem from 1917 to 1926, was an avid chess player. He frequently played with Rabbi Abba Zitron, rabbi of Petach Tikvah and son-in-law of the renowned Rabbi Yosef Rosen (the Rogatchover Gaon). When Rabbi Zitron passed away in 1927, Sir Storrs wrote the family a heartfelt letter of condolence, describing him as “my good friend, my esteemed opponent (although always refined) in playing chess.”12
Sir Storrs also repeatedly invited the above-mentioned Rabbi Aharon Fisher for a game. Not wanting to take time away from his Torah studies, Rabbi Aharon declined. But when the requests kept coming, he turned to the revered Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld for guidance. Rabbi Yosef Chaim asked whether he was confident he would win. When Rabbi Aharon said yes, Rabbi Yosef Chaim advised him to play just one round—saying that doing so would be a kiddush Hashem, a sanctification of G‑d’s name.13
9. The Night of Chess
It is customary not to study Torah on the night of December 24, when Christians celebrate their holiday. So that the evening should not go to waste, some have the custom to spend it playing chess—a productive and mentally engaging way to pass the time.14
10. The Legend of the Jewish Pope
According to a well-known legend, the son of the 10th-century German scholar Rabbi Shimon of Mayence was kidnapped and baptized, eventually rising to become Pope. On one occasion, Rabbi Shimon came to visit the Pope, and the two sat down to play chess. As the game unfolded, Rabbi Shimon recognized his opponent’s moves as identical to those he had once taught his own son—and realized with astonishment that the Pope was none other than his long-lost child!15
11. It Explains a Puzzling Passage
In the blessings of Parshat Bechukotai, the Torah promises: “Five of you will pursue one hundred [enemies], and one hundred of you will pursue ten thousand.”16 But the math seems off: If five can pursue 100, shouldn’t 100 pursue only 2,000?
Here’s an answer from the 16th-century scholar Rabbi Avraham Menachem Rapoport: “The larger the number of soldiers, the greater their combined strength. It is therefore a greater miracle for five to pursue 100 than for 100 to pursue 10,000. Anyone who knows chess sees this clearly.”17
12. Playing on Shabbat Is Questionable
Is chess permitted on Shabbat? Many rabbis have weighed in on this question. In practice, the game may be enjoyed on condition that it is not played for money and that the pieces are not sorted at the end of the game.18 Of course, Torah study and other spiritual pursuits are more appropriate pastimes for the holy day of rest.
13. Reshaping the King
On some chess sets, the king piece is topped with a cross. While for various reasons this does not pose a halachic problem, many are careful to remove the cross to avoid owning a symbol associated with another religion.
14. It Teaches Us Many Lessons
The Baal Shem Tov famously taught that everything we see or hear contains a lesson in how to better serve G‑d. Chess is no exception! Here are a few lessons:
- Chess is not a game of luck. A skilled player has the upper hand. Similarly, the world is not governed by coincidence but by a Supernal Hand that orchestrates every move. (Rabbi Yehuda Halevi in his classical work Kuzari.)19
- The king represents G‑d; the rooks, bishops, and knights represent the supernal angels; and the pawns represent us—Jews living in the physical world. Angels are more powerful, but they can never transcend their fixed nature. A Jew moves only one step at a time—but when you reach your goal, fulfilling the purpose for which you were created, you become a queen, surpassing even the greatest angel. (The Lubavitcher Rebbe, in a talk at a gathering attended by grandmaster Samuel Reshevsky.) 20
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