• CarbonIceDragon@pawb.social
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    4 months ago

    If chess were a new game released today, I imagine a lot of these “why’d they make it political” types would probably object to the fact that the most powerful character in the game is the only one that’s clearly stated to be a woman.

    • Farid@startrek.website
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      4 months ago

      Well, originally, the piece is Vizier - king’s advisor, the gender of which isn’t specified. (but implied to be male?)

      • grue@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        So what you’re saying is that switching it from Vizier to Queen isn’t about progressive feminism, but instead about monogamy and heteronormative gender roles? Way to ruin it for everybody! 😠

        • Farid@startrek.website
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          4 months ago

          Idk if I’m saying that, but it’s definitely woke. They should’ve came up with a new character instead of just gender-swapping an existing one!

          • B1naryB0t@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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            4 months ago

            The Vizier also only moved one space at a time, like the king but without significant importance. It wasn’t until the French changed the Queen in the 1600s to move as far as she wants that she was liberated from the shackles of the patriarchy.

      • Malgas@beehaw.org
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        4 months ago

        The wazir only moved a single space horizontally or vertically.

        The name change from wazir to queen started as early as the 10th century, but the current move set dates from the late 15th century.

          • Malgas@beehaw.org
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            4 months ago

            But we’re talking about that piece as the most powerful in the game, which happened in Europe, where it had been called a queen for hundreds of years.

            • Farid@startrek.website
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              4 months ago

              Yes, the modern, more powerful piece is still called that even in some languages in Europe, like in Turkish and several Slavic languages, like Ukrainian and Russian. In Polish it’s apparently called something akin of “top general”.

    • AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      Well, not if chess were created today, the way it was created originally. It took until 997 for The Queen to replace The Chancellor/Minister, and even then she could only move one square diagonally only. It took till the 1400’s for her to gain a flying mount, or whatever the explanation is for her current OP movement status.

      Bishops replaced Elephants in the 1200s, but could only move 2 squares, diagonally, at a time.