Page:Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (IA journalof495019071908roya).pdf/113

 Malay Chess.

I have seen few things so amusing as a game of chess played in a Malay village, with the whole population of the village standing round, and all of them who possess even the most rudimentary knowledge of the moves, "assisting" their champion with vociferous advice, and abusing his stupidity when he makes a move which for some reason, generally entirely wrong, they think inferior. The rule of "touch and move" is not generally observed among Malays. The spectators fre- quently will seize upon a piece which has been moved, replace it and make another move, pointing out how superior their method is. Very frequently the suggested improvement is absolutely futile, putting a piece "en prise," or offering an obvious mate to the opponent, but the suggestor is quite un- abashed when this is pointed out to him, and the fire of advice. and remonstrance goes on until the game is over.

The appliances for these village games are generally of a very primitive character. There will be probably a rough hand-made lot of pieces, perhaps all of one colour, and a hand- made board. The squares of the board are never marked in different colours. Probably some of the men are missing, and various substitutes have to be provided; and sometimes there are no pawns, and their place has to be supplied by little stones, or bits of leaf.

Sometimes the pieces used by Malays bear more or less resemblance to the shapes with which we are familiar, except that the tir, the rook, is generally a flat piece like a draughtsman. But more usually they are much less distinctive in shape. The illustrations show a handsome set, gold and brown, kindly lent to me by one of the Johore Royal Family. It will be noticed that the board is uncoloured; the king, queen and pawns are all of the same shape, and distinguish- ed by size only.