Comprehension Cloze — Practice Mode

Checkmate! The game is over. In schools, community clubs and homes across Singapore, children and adults around chessboards to challenge each other to a friendly game of chess. Some play for fun others train hard for competitions. Although the rules of the game are simple to learn, every game different, making chess a favourite pastime for people of all ages.

Chess is one of the world's oldest , known for its strategy and challenge. However, no one knows exactly when or it began. Most historians believe that chess started in northwestern India around 600 A.D. The game was first called 'chaturanga', a Sanskrit that refers to the four parts of the ancient Indian army: soldiers, chariots, horsemen and elephants. later inspired the pieces used in modern chess. As the game to different parts of the world, its rules gradually changed and developed the modern chess we know today.

Today, chess is more than just a game. Every move requires planning because one wrong decision can change the outcome. As players think several moves ahead, it teaches them to solve problems and calm under pressure. For , chess helps to develop critical thinking skills, concentration and patience. For adults, it keeps the mind active and encourages mental agility. These valuable skills can be applied not on the chessboard, but also in everyday life.

Most importantly, chess has a unique way of bringing people . Children can enjoy a game of chess with both , parents and grandparents. Through their shared love of the game, families can bond and enjoy spending time with one another.