Chess is the oldest game in the world. It was invented in India, 4000 years ago.

Chess is considered a sport in many countries!  Chess is part of the Asian Games and may one day be part of the Commonwealth Games, and even the Olympic Games!

Australia has 2 chess Grandmasters – Ian Rogers (Sydney) and Darryl Johansen (Melbourne).

Australia is currently ranked only 58th in the world in chess, but with so many kids playing chess, hopefully we will be moving up the ladder soon. Russia is number 1, followed by Ukraine and Armenia.

Of all the sports in the world, chess has the second highest number of countries competing in its world championships (Chess Olympiad). The sport with the most countries? Soccer of course!

More than 70 countries teach chess at primary schools and at least 30 countries offer chess as a curriculum subject, including USA, Russia, Singapore, Venezuela, Turkey, Bulgaria and Australia.

Prestigious universities like Harvard and Columbia offer courses in chess.

More than 8000 children played in interschool tournaments in Victoria in 2006. The state champions were Essex Heights Primary School (also Australian champions), Balwyn High School and Presbyterian Ladies College.

And finally, here are a few people you may have heard of who enjoy a game of chess:

Britney Spears & Kevin Federline
Antonio Banderas
Will Smith
Humphrey Bogart
Madonna and Guy Ritchie
Nicholas Cage
David Letterman
Michael J. Fox
Jude Law
Keanu Reeves
Chuck Norris
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Guy Sebastian
Pope John Paul 11
Queen Elizabeth
Roger Federer
Salvador Dali
Albert Einstein