The current form of the game of chess emerged in Southern Europe during the 15th century. It is still often played in the street, as here in Siegen, Germany. The 8 x 8 black and white board is used for chess and also for the game of draughts (checkers). It also appears in many puzzles. Examples are the placing of 1, 2, 4, 8, ... grains of wheat on the squares, the problem of placing 2 x 1 dominoes on a board with two opposite corners missing, and the ‘knight’s tour’ – landing on each square just once using the knight’s move.
