Shatranj is an ancient board game that originated in India around the 6th century AD. It is considered a precursor to modern chess and is played on an 8x8 grid. The game features two players, each controlling an army of pieces, including the king, queen, rooks, knights, bishops, and pawns. The objective is to checkmate the opponent's king, meaning the king is in a position to be captured and cannot escape. The rules of shatranj differ slightly from those of contemporary chess. For example, the pieces move in unique ways, and the game does not include the concept of castling or en passant. Despite these differences, shatranj shares many strategic elements with modern chess, making it an important part of the game's history and evolution.