When you think of chess, the image that likely comes to mind is a battlefield of contrasting black and white pieces locked in strategic combat. But have you ever wondered why chess pieces are traditionally black and white? The answer might surprise you: for most of chess’s 1,500-year history, pieces weren’t black and white at all. The story behind chess colors is a fascinating journey through cultures, materials, practical needs, and evolving traditions that spans continents and centuries.
The Surprising Truth: Chess Was Never Originally Black and White
Contrary to popular belief, chess pieces being black and white is actually a relatively modern convention. In old chess writings, the sides are often called Red and Black because those were the two colors of ink then commonly available when hand-drawing or printing chess position diagrams. The earliest chess-like game, chaturanga, which emerged in 6th century India, featured pieces that were far from the black and white we know today.
A quote from Subhandu in the Vasavadatta of that era said, “The time of the rains played its game with frogs for pieces [nayadyutair] yellow and green in color, as if mottled by lac, leapt up on the black field squares.” Yes, Indian chaturanga pieces were either yellow or green and yes, they were called frogs. This poetic description gives us one of our earliest glimpses into chess piece colors, revealing a world where pieces were natural, earthy tones rather than the stark contrasts we see today.
The evolution from these colorful origins to modern black and white pieces is a story of practical necessity, cultural transmission, and material availability that reveals how chess adapted to different societies as it spread across the world.
Table 1: Evolution of Chess Piece Colors Throughout History
| Period | Region | Piece Colors | Material | Cultural Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6th Century | India (Chaturanga) | Yellow & Green | Wood, Clay | Represented natural elements, called “frogs” |
| 7th Century | Persia (Shatranj) | Red & Green | Rubies & Emeralds (royal sets) | Wealth display, precious stones |
| 10th Century | Islamic World | Red & Black | Ivory & Ebony | Islamic artistic traditions |
| 12th Century | Medieval Europe | Natural & Brown | Walrus Ivory & Whale Bone | Available materials in Northern regions |
| 19th Century | Europe | Red & White | Ivory & Cochineal dye | Most expensive dyes available |
| Modern Era | Global | Black & White | Various woods, plastic | Standardization for tournament play |
The Journey from India to Persia: Precious Stones and Royal Colors
When chess made its way from India to Persia in the 6th and 7th centuries, it underwent its first major color transformation. The Persian Shah received an elaborate chess set as a diplomatic gift, but these pieces were far from simple black and white. The set that arrived in Persia was made of rubies and emeralds and, sadly, is lost to the ravages of time but if you were to visit the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art then you would find one in of glazed fritware (a stone-paste pottery) in the same colors.
This red and green color combination became deeply embedded in Persian chess culture and would influence chess design for centuries to come. The choice of red and green wasn’t arbitrary – these colors held significant meaning in Persian culture and demonstrated the wealth and status of their owners.
During the reign of the later Sassanid king Khosrau I (531–579), a gift from an Indian king (possibly a Maukhari Dynasty king of Kannauj) included a chess game with sixteen pieces of emerald and sixteen of ruby, i.e. the colours were green vs. red. These weren’t just chess sets; they were diplomatic gifts that showcased the finest craftsmanship and most precious materials available.
The Persian epic Shahnameh, written around 1010 AD, provides us with detailed descriptions of chess pieces that reveal the color preferences of the time. “They set the board and men before the Sháh, Who looked upon the pieces for a while. Half of the set was made of ivory And bright, the other half of teak.” This indicates that ivory (white) and teak (dark brown) combinations were also popular, possibly laying the groundwork for the later black and white tradition.
The Islamic Influence: Red and Black Domination
As chess spread through the Islamic world following the Arab conquest of Persia, new aesthetic principles influenced piece design. Islamic artistic traditions, which often featured geometric patterns and avoided representational imagery, began to shape chess piece appearance. During this period, red and black became the dominant color combination, a preference that would persist for several centuries.
The choice of red and black wasn’t purely aesthetic. Red dye, particularly the expensive cochineal red, was a luxury item that signified wealth and status. Black pieces were often made from ebony, another expensive material that demonstrated the owner’s affluence. This combination of red and black pieces represented not just functional game equipment, but symbols of social status and refined taste.
Table 2: Regional Color Preferences During Chess’s Global Spread
| Region | Dominant Period | Primary Colors | Secondary Colors | Reasons for Choice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | 6th-7th Century | Yellow & Green | Brown & Natural | Local materials, natural dyes |
| Persia | 7th-8th Century | Red & Green | White & Brown | Precious stones, royal luxury |
| Islamic Caliphates | 8th-12th Century | Red & Black | Green & White | Religious aesthetics, luxury dyes |
| Byzantine Empire | 10th-13th Century | Purple & Gold | Red & White | Imperial colors |
| Medieval Europe | 12th-15th Century | Natural & Brown | Red & Black | Available materials |
| Modern Europe | 19th-20th Century | Red & White | Black & White | Expensive dyes, standardization |
The European Revolution: From Red and White to Black and White
When chess reached Europe in the 10th and 11th centuries, it encountered entirely different material constraints and cultural preferences. The most famous early European chess set, the Lewis Chessmen, discovered in Scotland and dating to the 12th century, illustrates this transition. These pieces were carved from walrus ivory and the other potentially from whale bone. These pieces were discovered in the 18th century and there were several incomplete sets found.
Interestingly, Most of the Lewis chess pieces are made from walrus ivory. This was probably obtained in Greenland and traded back to Norway. Two of the pieces in our collection (and three British Museum pieces) are different, carved from sperm-whale teeth. This shows how local material availability significantly influenced piece colors and construction.
The transition to red and white pieces in Europe occurred gradually during the Renaissance and reached its peak in the 19th century. The most popular colours for European bone and ivory chess sets in the 19th century (including the export chess sets made in India and China for British colonial officers) were red and white, presumably because cochenille (used for the red pieces) was the most expensive dye available at that time.
This choice reflected both practical and social considerations. Red cochineal dye was incredibly expensive, making red and white sets a display of wealth and sophistication. The combination also provided excellent visual contrast, making gameplay easier and more enjoyable.
The Birth of the Checkered Board: A European Innovation
While discussing chess piece colors, it’s crucial to understand that the familiar checkered chessboard pattern is itself a European innovation. As Howard Staunton observed, “In the earlier ages of chess, the board was simply divided into sixty-four squares, without any difference of colour”. The checkering of the squares was a European innovation, introduced in the thirteenth century.
The chessboard acquired its modern checkered pattern in the 10th century with the arrival of chess in Europe. This pattern was based on that of the then-5×5 draughts board. This innovation had profound implications for piece design, as the contrasting squares demanded pieces that would remain clearly visible and distinguishable regardless of their position on the board.
The checkered pattern wasn’t just aesthetic – it served important functional purposes. As a result of this change, each diagonal was now highlighted by a continuous sequence of same-colored squares, which later facilitated the introduction of the modern bishop and queen movements in the 15th century. The visual clarity provided by alternating light and dark squares made complex piece movements easier to track and plan.
Table 3: Chess Board and Piece Color Innovations by Century
| Century | Innovation | Region | Impact on Piece Design |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | Checkered board pattern | Europe | Required contrasting piece colors |
| 13th | Standardized light/dark squares | Medieval Europe | Enhanced tactical visibility |
| 15th | Enhanced piece movement rules | Renaissance Europe | Increased need for piece clarity |
| 16th | Castling and en passant rules | Europe | Required clear piece identification |
| 18th | Descriptive notation system | Europe | Standardized color terminology |
| 19th | Staunton design standardization | England | Universal piece recognition |
Materials and Craftsmanship: The Practical Side of Color Choice
The colors of chess pieces throughout history were heavily influenced by the materials available to craftsmen. Understanding these material constraints helps explain why certain color combinations dominated different periods and regions.
A diverse array of materials and substrates such as ivory, stone, marble, clay, pewter, glass, wood, jade and jadeite as well as various metals have been used to craft chess boards and chessmen down the ages. Each material brought its own color possibilities and limitations.
Ivory and Bone: Natural ivory provided the perfect “white” pieces, while bone could be carved and was more readily available. These materials naturally lent themselves to light-colored pieces.
Wood: Different woods offered varying colors. Wooden white chess pieces are normally made of a light wood, boxwood, or sometimes maple. Black wooden pieces are made of a dark wood such as rosewood, ebony, red sandalwood, African Padauk wood. The natural colors of these woods influenced the standard color combinations we see today.
Precious Materials: Wealthy patrons commissioned sets from precious materials. Early 19th century North Indian ivory decorated Muslim Chess Set. These aesthetically pleasing shapes evolved as the different chess pieces The Islamic religion forbids the imagery of animal or human form. One side decorated red with white motifs the other decorated green again with white motifs.
Table 4: Chess Piece Materials and Their Natural Colors
| Material | Natural Color | Typical Use Period | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walrus Ivory | Creamy White | 10th-15th Century | Durable, carvable | Expensive, limited supply |
| Elephant Ivory | Pure White | 12th-20th Century | Beautiful finish, prestige | Very expensive, now banned |
| Ebony Wood | Deep Black | 15th Century-Present | Natural dark color, dense | Expensive, slow-growing |
| Boxwood | Light Yellow | 16th Century-Present | Affordable, stable | Requires staining for contrast |
| Bone | Off-White | Ancient-Present | Readily available | Less prestigious |
| Cochineal Dye | Bright Red | 17th-19th Century | Vibrant color | Extremely expensive |
The Rise of Black and White: Standardization and Practicality
The shift to black and white pieces wasn’t sudden but occurred gradually through the 18th and 19th centuries. Several factors contributed to this transition:
Publishing and Documentation: In old chess writings, the sides are often called Red and Black because those were the two colors of ink then commonly available when hand-drawing or printing chess position diagrams. As chess literature became more common, the need for clear, reproducible diagrams favored simple black and white representations.
Tournament Standardization: As formal chess tournaments became more common in the 19th century, there was increasing pressure to standardize equipment. The Staunton chess set, introduced in 1849, helped establish universal design standards, though it was initially available in various color combinations.
Mass Production: The industrial revolution made it possible to produce chess sets more economically. Black and white offered the simplest and most cost-effective contrast for mass-produced sets.
Global Communication: As chess became truly international, a standardized color scheme helped ensure that players from different cultures could easily play together without confusion about piece identification.
Table 5: Modern Chess Set Color Variations and Their Uses
| Color Combination | Primary Use | Advantages | Typical Materials |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black & White | Tournament play | Maximum contrast, universal | Plastic, wood, metal |
| Natural & Ebony | Premium sets | Traditional appearance | Boxwood & ebony |
| Red & Ivory | Decorative sets | Classic elegance | Painted wood, bone |
| Green & Cream | Vinyl boards | Easy on eyes | Vinyl, plastic |
| Brown & Beige | Wooden sets | Natural wood tones | Various hardwoods |
| Blue & White | Specialty sets | Unique appearance | Painted materials |
The Psychology and Symbolism of Black and White
The adoption of black and white for chess pieces carries psychological and symbolic weight that extends beyond mere practicality. The stark contrast between light and dark has been used throughout history to represent opposing forces: good versus evil, order versus chaos, knowledge versus ignorance.
In chess, this symbolism takes on additional meaning. The convention of White having the first move is much more recent than that. François-André Danican Philidor in the original (1749) edition of his famous treatise Analyse du jeu des Échecs cited a game in which Black moved first. The fact that white moves first wasn’t established until the late 19th century shows that the symbolic associations we now take for granted are relatively recent developments.
Chess historian Robert John McCrary writes that the earliest rule he has found requiring that White move first is Rule 9 given on page 126 of the New York, 1880 tournament book, which specified, “In each round the players shall have the first move alternately; in the first game it shall be determined by lot. The one having the move, in every case, is to play with the white pieces.”
Modern Variations: Chess Is Still Not Just Black and White
Despite the standardization of black and white for tournament play, chess sets today come in numerous color combinations. We´ve all heard that this or that isn´t black and white. That goes for chess as well. Boards and pieces are often made of wood and thus comes in a lot of different colours. Vinyl boards, often as not, have green and white(ish) squares.
Contemporary chess set designers continue to experiment with colors, materials, and styles. From themed sets featuring popular culture characters to artistic interpretations that push the boundaries of traditional design, modern chess sets demonstrate that the game’s visual appeal remains as important as its intellectual challenge.
Digital Chess: Online chess platforms often offer multiple color schemes, allowing players to customize their experience. Some platforms use blue and red, others offer theme-based color schemes, showing that the digital age has freed chess from traditional color constraints.
Accessibility Considerations: Modern chess set design also considers accessibility needs. Sets for visually impaired players use textural differences and specialized color contrasts to ensure the game remains playable for everyone.
Cultural Perspectives on Chess Colors
Different cultures have varying associations with colors, and these differences influenced regional chess traditions. In some Asian cultures, red is associated with good fortune and prosperity, making red pieces highly desirable. In Western cultures, the association of white with purity and black with mystery or sophistication created different symbolic interpretations of the game.
Since chess was invented in Asia, and most Asian countries view white to be an inferior colour, the white player gets to move first to compensate for the bad colour. While this explanation is speculative, it illustrates how cultural color associations might have influenced chess conventions.
The Future of Chess Colors
As chess continues to evolve in the digital age, we’re seeing new approaches to piece and board design. Virtual reality chess environments can use any colors imaginable, while artificial intelligence has created entirely new ways to analyze and display chess positions that don’t rely on traditional color schemes at all.
The rise of online chess has also democratized access to different color schemes and design styles. Players can choose from hundreds of different piece and board combinations, personalizing their chess experience in ways that weren’t possible with physical sets.
Conclusion: A Colorful Legacy
The story of why chess pieces are black and white reveals a complex tapestry of cultural exchange, material constraints, aesthetic preferences, and practical needs. From the yellow and green “frogs” of ancient India to the precious rubies and emeralds of Persian royal courts, from the walrus ivory Lewis Chessmen to the standardized tournament sets of today, chess pieces have reflected the societies that created and used them.
Understanding this history enriches our appreciation of the game itself. When we move our “black” and “white” pieces across the checkered board, we’re participating in a tradition that spans continents and centuries, connecting us to countless players who enjoyed this timeless game using pieces of every conceivable color and material.
The answer to why chess pieces are black and white isn’t simple – it’s a story of evolution, adaptation, and standardization that reflects humanity’s endless creativity and our need for both beauty and practicality in the objects we use and cherish. Whether your chess set features traditional black and white pieces, classic red and ivory, or any other color combination, you’re part of this rich, colorful history that continues to evolve with each game played.
Today’s chess players have more color choices than ever before, but the underlying principle remains the same: chess pieces must provide clear contrast to ensure fair, enjoyable play. Whether that contrast comes from black and white, red and green, or any other combination, the goal is always the same – to create a battlefield where minds can meet in the ultimate game of strategy and skill.