Classical Chess is a two-player strategy board game played on an 8x8 grid, known as a chessboard. Each player starts with 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, evolving from earlier forms of chess in India and Persia. Classical Chess is governed by specific rules regarding how each piece moves and captures. It is played competitively worldwide, with formal tournaments and a ranking system established by organizations like FIDE (Fédération Internationale des Échecs).