Where did chess originate?

Chaturanga represented the four divisions of an ancient Indian army: infantry, cavalry, elephants and chariots, which became the pawns, knights, bishops and rooks. The game spread to Persia, where it was called chatrang and later shatranj. The Persian phrase 'shah mat', meaning 'the king is helpless', gave us 'checkmate'. Arab conquests carried chess across North Africa and into Spain and Europe by around the 10th century. The modern rules, including the powerful queen, took shape in southern Europe in the late 15th century.