Semedo (chess) explained

Semedo (la|Semedo) — a variant of chess, presumably invented by Álvaro Semedo.

Description

Some chess historians dispute the existence of such chess in general. Supposedly invented by a Jesuit missionary in China, Álvaro Semedo. Subsequently, other Catholic missionaries in China reported a special Chinese chess called "semedo". A description of this game in latin is given in a book published in 1694 in England.^{[1] [2]}

Board

Initial semedo alignment (♔ ♚ — kings, ♕ ♛ — scientists, ♘ ♞ — knights, ♙ ♟ — pawns, ◬ ⟁ — rockets):

8	♞	♛	♚	♛	♞
7	⟁	♟	♟	♟	⟁
6	♟				♟
5
4
3	♙				♙
2	◬	♙	♙	♙	◬
1	♘	♕	♔	♕	♘
	A	B	C	D	E

External links

• Rules Semedo (chess)
• The Meeting of Shen Fuzong and Thomas Hyde in 1687. A Lecture for the Oxford Bibliographical Society, 1 March 2010.

Notes and References

1. Hyde T. Mandragorias: seu Historia Shahiludii. Oxford, 1694.
2. Web site: Mandragorias, seu historia Shahiludii, viz. Ejusdem origo, antiquitas, ususque per totum Orientem celeberrimus. Speciatim prout usurpatur apud Arabes, Persas ... Cum harum Gentium schematibus variis et curiosis, et Militum lusilium Figuris inusitatis, in Occidente hactenus ignotis. Hyde. Thomas. 1694.