Excavation of ancient tsarist chessboard

The 17th-century chessboard was engraved on the seat surface so that the players could easily hide it when the Tsar's soldiers came to check it out.

The alquerque chessboard is found in Pskov.(Photo: RT).

Archaeologists found an underground casino near a decommissioned thermal power plant in the Pskov region, 620km west of Moscow. The casino consists of wooden benches with an engraved chess board dating back over 300 years.

According to archaeologists, gambling in Russia was banned under Tsar Alexis I, so players must devise many ways to hide the activity if they do not want to face severe punishment. If an uninvited guest knocks on the door, the player will quickly place a carpet on the board and sit on it.

Last year, the team found large numbers of alquerque pieces and the new findings provide evidence of the diverse pastime of the Pskov residents of that time.The alquerque flag , also known as quirkat, is one of the oldest chess games in the world. It originated from Egypt, was brought into Spain by the Arabs in the 8th century. Researchers still do not know the exact rules of the alquerque.

1. Ancient chessboard in a secret room in the 13th century castle
2. New style of chess: two players play at the same time, each piece has its own "cooldown"