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In chess, why does white go first?

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EAL12
kindaspongey wrote:

If I remember correctly, Staunton proposed that White always move first.

I think this was correct

Srinibas_Masanta

Revive time...🙂🙃

yassoelbecaso

because some day in the

CelticG

I have read that at one time the pieces were red and black, not white. Don't know when it changed. But I don't think it's of any great importance.

Waterstone33

Someone has to go first. They just chose white.

And I don't think it's supposed to be racist. In checkers, black usually goes first.

But does it really matter which goes first? They have the exact same position if either white or black went first.

mirroredragon

it's not supposed to be racist, for example, if chess were made so the colors were red and blue, and blue always went first, no one would claim that it was "racist"

white goes first because someone has to

KeSetoKaiba
Srinibas_Masanta wrote:

My curiosity lead me to this question.

Please comment if know you the reason or any info. regarding this topic..

Historically, either side was able to move first. Players would just decide who goes first in each game; sometimes white and sometimes black. It was only decided that white should move first circa year 1500s so that standardizing could make writing opening notation easier.

p.s. My comment will probably get buried, but this is what I heard regarding why white moves first. Unrelated topic, but if you want to play Chaturanga (game chess originated from), it is a chess.com variant! https://www.chess.com/variants/chaturanga

Dot121

Someone has to go first I guess they flipped a coin.

KeSetoKaiba
Razr_Chess wrote:

The game was made by Europeans.

Chaturanga is the game Chess originated from and this was from India. It later moved to Europe centuries later. You can play Chaturanga as a chess variant on chess.com:

https://www.chess.com/variants/chaturanga

JamesClrrke
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MarioParty4

Someone has to go first. They chose white. That is why white go first.

colecollector
why are you guys replying to a 4 year old post
Sea_TurtIe

because i say so

Waterstone33
colecollector wrote:
why are you guys replying to a 4 year old post

Because I chose to, and this question gets asked a lot with new chess players, or people who are curious about the game.

darlihysa

It is supposed that white army starts the battle against evil black army!! If the white army during the game does not find any mistake the game ends in a peace draw. On the other side black uses zugzwang or giving more tempos away and hopping for mistakes!!

Waterstone33
DavidMa123 wrote:

Well I have seen a bunch of [Removed~W] on here. A bunch of people have said Chess is racism but in my opinion this is just a sport. The colors have nothing to do with races. Its just black and white pieces, its just a rule that white gets go first.

My response to "Why does white go first in chess?"

Because they made that a rule. I could be any colour on any different board, White, Black, Red, Blue, Green, etc. There was also controversy for tournaments, so they chose black. If black suddenly went first after years of white going first, there would be no change of theory. White's openings would be blacks, and vice versa.

PATRlCKSTAR2

white ends up going first because someone had to go first or else it would be chaos

siddirocks

To give both parties the same chances, they should start simultaneously.

PATRlCKSTAR2
siddirocks wrote:

To give both parties the same chances, they should start simultaneously.

that would not work at all

DeathAsAnIntrovert
siddirocks wrote:

To give both parties the same chances, they should start simultaneously.

Chess is a game of Strategy, if both sides moved at the same time, it would be a game of chance. And then if you wanted to continue the same chances, each side would have to keep moving at the same time, allowing mostly chance and little strategy