Šah is a strategic board game played between two players. It is played on an 8x8 grid called a chessboard, with each player controlling 16 pieces: one king, one queen, two rooks, two knights, two bishops, and eight pawns. The objective is to checkmate the opponent's king, meaning the king is in a position to be captured and cannot escape. The game has a rich history, believed to have originated in India around the 6th century. Šah is not only a popular pastime but also a competitive sport, with international tournaments and a governing body known as FIDE (Fédération Internationale des Échecs).