Today, esports remain a very popular hobby. People enjoy playing games like chess with others around the world on a daily basis. But long before the internet was invented, chess was played by telegraph during the mid-19th century. One historically significant match was played between London and Washington in 1897.
The game of chess originated around 1,500 years ago from an ancient Indian game called chaturanga in the 5th or 6th century. The game evolved into its modern form around the 16th century. Chess then became popular worldwide around the 17th century. Famous figures like Abraham Lincoln, Voltaire, Karl Marx, and Napoleon were fans of the pastime.
