The Origin of the Term "King Me"
There is a longstanding legend among chess instructors that the game was first created as an alternative to what would have been a long, bloody war between two kingdoms in south-west Asia. Instead, the two kings took the advice of their pacifistic advisors. They met and played a game the advisors had devised to simulate a war with varying types of troops. They called it chess. The winner took what he wanted from both kingdoms, and the loser was sent into exile. It's certainly a nice story. And like many legends, even has a grain of truth to it.
In modern day China, during the Xia Dynasty, Emperor Huai was trying to find a way to stop the Northern barbarians from attacking. They had been a recurring problem for centuries, but were now attacking harder than ever. Several ideas were suggested, and immediately discarded for various reasons. Marrying the emperor's daughter to the barbarian leader wouldn't work, as the barbarian leader wouldn't recognize the significance, and would keep attacking. Trade offers wouldn't work because the barbarians were taking anything they wanted anyway. Huai was close to giving the barbarians a ceremonial seat in his imperial court when one of his newer advisors gave him the idea to challenge the barbarian leader to a game.
It was well known that the barbarians enjoyed games, though the type of games they played was still unknown. However, what was needed was a game that was complex enough that the barbarian leader could not learn the nuances of strategy quickly enough to win in under an hour, but was simple enough that the emperor could excel at it in as little practice time as possible. The emperor's advisors quickly set about at creating such a game. A month later, they triumphantly returned with a rudimentary form of Chinese Checkers. Emperor Huai began playing day and night in an attempt to master the game After another month, his advisors could not beat him. They decided it was time to challenge the barbarians.
An envoy was sent into the northern wastes to tell the barbarians of the emperor's challenge. When they first heard of it, the barbarians got excited, thinking it was a challenge to a duel. Once the game idea was explained to them, they were disappointed. But, nevertheless, the barbarian leader, Bu Lo, accepted the challenge. When he arrived at the designated meeting place, the terms were laid out to him. The game would be best of three. If Bu Lo won, the emperor would be exiled, and all of China would belong to Bu Lo, to do with as he would. If Huai won, the barbarians would stop attacking, and Bu Lo would spend the rest of his days in a four foot by four foot cage. Bu Lo accepted the terms. Huai and Bu Lo entered Huai's private tent alone.
Two hours later, Huai emerged, covered in Bu Lo's blood. He said he had won the first two games, and Bu Lo took his own life in shame. As for why Huai was covered in Bu Lo's blood, he explained that Bu Lo was a “spurter” and left it at that. Inside the tent, Bu Lo was found, throat slashed with his own dagger. Huai then told the barbarians to go north and never trouble his people again. Many at the time suspected that the emperor was lying. That he had lost the best of three, and killed Bu Lo in a rage. Not that it would have mattered. Having killed the barbarians' leader, they saw Huai as their new leader, and did what he ordered. They went north, and barbarian raids didn't begin again until several centuries later.
Amazingly, the modern version of Chinese Checkers was developed independently. Though some say it still had some inspiration from the ancient form that was played by Huai and Bu Lo. That possible connection may be discussed in the future.
In modern day China, during the Xia Dynasty, Emperor Huai was trying to find a way to stop the Northern barbarians from attacking. They had been a recurring problem for centuries, but were now attacking harder than ever. Several ideas were suggested, and immediately discarded for various reasons. Marrying the emperor's daughter to the barbarian leader wouldn't work, as the barbarian leader wouldn't recognize the significance, and would keep attacking. Trade offers wouldn't work because the barbarians were taking anything they wanted anyway. Huai was close to giving the barbarians a ceremonial seat in his imperial court when one of his newer advisors gave him the idea to challenge the barbarian leader to a game.
It was well known that the barbarians enjoyed games, though the type of games they played was still unknown. However, what was needed was a game that was complex enough that the barbarian leader could not learn the nuances of strategy quickly enough to win in under an hour, but was simple enough that the emperor could excel at it in as little practice time as possible. The emperor's advisors quickly set about at creating such a game. A month later, they triumphantly returned with a rudimentary form of Chinese Checkers. Emperor Huai began playing day and night in an attempt to master the game After another month, his advisors could not beat him. They decided it was time to challenge the barbarians.
An envoy was sent into the northern wastes to tell the barbarians of the emperor's challenge. When they first heard of it, the barbarians got excited, thinking it was a challenge to a duel. Once the game idea was explained to them, they were disappointed. But, nevertheless, the barbarian leader, Bu Lo, accepted the challenge. When he arrived at the designated meeting place, the terms were laid out to him. The game would be best of three. If Bu Lo won, the emperor would be exiled, and all of China would belong to Bu Lo, to do with as he would. If Huai won, the barbarians would stop attacking, and Bu Lo would spend the rest of his days in a four foot by four foot cage. Bu Lo accepted the terms. Huai and Bu Lo entered Huai's private tent alone.
Two hours later, Huai emerged, covered in Bu Lo's blood. He said he had won the first two games, and Bu Lo took his own life in shame. As for why Huai was covered in Bu Lo's blood, he explained that Bu Lo was a “spurter” and left it at that. Inside the tent, Bu Lo was found, throat slashed with his own dagger. Huai then told the barbarians to go north and never trouble his people again. Many at the time suspected that the emperor was lying. That he had lost the best of three, and killed Bu Lo in a rage. Not that it would have mattered. Having killed the barbarians' leader, they saw Huai as their new leader, and did what he ordered. They went north, and barbarian raids didn't begin again until several centuries later.
Amazingly, the modern version of Chinese Checkers was developed independently. Though some say it still had some inspiration from the ancient form that was played by Huai and Bu Lo. That possible connection may be discussed in the future.