Most people are aware that chess is an ancient game, but many are unaware that it dates back at least 1500 years! The game is thought to have started around 600 AD, long before the Middle Ages. The game was called Chaturanga back then, and it was nothing like the game we play now. In fact, the game represented a synthesis of games and rules, and it evolved over time, as everything does. When the game of chess spread throughout Europe, it roughly evolved into what we know today as chess.

Fischer was charged in 1992 with violating economic sanctions imposed on Yugoslavia. He came out of retirement to earn $5 million in a rematch against his old nemesis, Boris Spassky. Fischer never returned to the United States and eventually settled (and died) in Reykjavik after renunciating his American citizenship.

Since 2011, all children aged six to eight in the former Soviet republic have been required to take chess lessons. It is the first country in the world to include it in the primary school curriculum alongside standards such as math and history.

There are eight ways to Mate in two moves from the starting position, but 355 ways to Mate in three moves. It should be noted that the average game lasts 38 moves.

Contrary to popular belief, the last Egyptian queen was not born in Egypt. According to historians, Cleopatra VII (her official name) was Greek. She was a descendant of Ptolemy, Alexander the Great's Macedonian general.

Initially, the "Queen" could only move diagonally one square at a time. The piece was originally known as the "advisor," and it was one of the board's weakest pieces. It wasn't until the introduction of chess to Europe and the rise of Queen Isabella in the 15th century that the "adviser" was replaced with the "queen" and became the most powerful piece on the board.

The maximum number of moves that a game can continue without a player claiming a draw is just over 5,900 moves based on the various movement combinations. In reality, the longest recorded Official Chess game lasted 269 moves. It ended in a tie.

Despite what James Cameron's renowned 1997 film may have led you to think, the owners never claimed that the ship would never sink. According to historian Richard Howells, "the general public was unlikely to have thought of the Titanic as a unique, unsinkable ship prior to its maiden voyage."

The goal is to achieve a knockout or a checkmate by alternating between four-minute rounds of speed chess and three-minute rounds of boxing. The game of pawn vs brawn can be traced back to a 1992 science fiction graphic novel by Yugoslavian-French cartoonist Enki Bilal.

What's with the fork? Forks, the most often used dining tool, were previously considered blasphemous. They initially appeared in Italy in the 11th century. These spiky spaghetti-twirling devices were considered an abomination to God. And why, you could ask? Because they were "artificial hands," they were deemed sacrilegious.

The United States government physically poisoned booze during Prohibition. When individuals continued to drink alcohol despite its prohibition, law enforcement authorities were dissatisfied and decided to try a different form of deterrent—death. They directed the poisoning of industrial alcohols made in the United States, which were frequently stolen by bootleggers. The federal poisoning operation is estimated to have killed at least 10,000 individuals by the end of Prohibition in 1933.

Yes, the face of the well-known rum brand was a genuine person. In the 1660s and 1670s, he was a Welsh privateer who fought alongside the English against the Spanish in the Caribbean. King Charles II of England knighted him for his first name, Henry. His precise birth year is uncertain, however he was born somewhere around 1635. In 1688, he died in Jamaica, reportedly wealthy.

Fine arts contests were conducted in the Olympic Games from 1912 until 1948. Medals were awarded in the fields of literature, architecture, sculpture, painting, and music. The art that was made had to be Olympic-themed, of course. According to the modern Olympics' creator, Pierre de Frédy, the inclusion of the arts was important since the ancient Greeks had art festivals alongside the games. 151 medals were awarded prior to the removal of the art competitions.

Brazil produces roughly 40% of the world's coffee, far outpacing other coffee-producing countries. They've managed to keep the top spot for the last 150 years, and their coffee plantations cover approximately 27,000 km2. I don't think any other country will be able to dethrone them any time soon!

Do you start your day with coffee? Unfortunately, I have some bad news. Caffeine can inhibit the production of cortisol, which your body produces in the morning. It is said that two to three hours after waking up, between 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. for most people, is the best time to drink coffee because your body's cortisol levels begin to drop and require a boost.

The most expensive coffee on the planet is "Kopi Luwak." It is made in Indonesia from beans digested by the Asian Palm Civet. That is, it is derived from cat poop. It can cost up to €350 per kilo!

You may have heard from friends or family that you should drink a glass of water immediately after drinking coffee because too much caffeine will make you thirsty or dehydrate you. While caffeine is a diuretic, studies have shown that when consumed in moderate amounts, it does not cause dehydration. Tea contains far less caffeine than coffee, so tea drinkers can also relax. In fact, coffee and tea can count toward your daily water requirement! Just don't consume more than 400 mg of caffeine per day, and remember that plain water is still the best beverage available.

Tisanes are 'teas' made with no Camellia Sinensis plant leaves. Peppermint tea, chamomile tea, rooibos tea, hibiscus tea, lemon verbena tea, and other teas are examples. The vast majority, if not all, are caffeine-free! A fun fact: caffeine is still present in decaffeinated coffee in small amounts, averaging around 3%. Caffeine is extracted from green beans using the swiss water method, carbon dioxide method, methylene chloride method, or ethyl acetate method while they are still green (pre-roast).

Do you throw out old teabags, loose tea leaves, or coffee grounds? Don't be so quick to discard them—there are other eco-friendly uses for them! Tea leaves that have been used and drained can be composted, and dried teabags can be used as air fresheners or deodorizers. Add a drop or two of your favourite essential oil if desired. Coffee grounds, for example, can be repurposed to create a coffee scrub (for the hair or face) or natural dye for paper. They can also be used as fertiliser or compost. That's pretty cool, isn't it?

Coffee beans are produced on a bush. They are a fruit because they are the pit of a berry. Beans are classified into two types: green and red. Red beans have a more pleasant aroma and are less acidic. They are used in the production of lighter coffees. Coffee beans are healthier when they have been roasted for a longer period of time. Decaffeinated coffee is produced through a chemical process that removes the caffeine from the beans. Caffeine is frequently sold to Coca-Cola, a large buyer.

Fairtrade coffee is more expensive, but it goes a long way toward improving farmer conditions, and farmers spend at least 25% of the Fairtrade Premium on productivity and quality improvements. Fairtrade coffee products have received numerous Great Taste Awards in recent years.

A goat herder in Ethiopia is said to have discovered coffee in the 1500s. He noticed his goats munching on coffee cherries. He noticed a change in their behaviour after that; they gained a lot of energy and didn't sleep at night. The herder informed the local monks of his findings. They realised they could stay up all night praying after making their own drink from coffee beans. The news quickly spread to other Ethiopian monks and then to the rest of the civilised world.

Santa Claus did not always wear red robes. He used to dress in green, purple, or blue clothes, and this was a long-standing tradition at the North Pole. It was the company Coca Cola that decided to dress him in red in order to match their brand colour, which had a red background.

Most of us are aware that Christmas is also a time for gift-giving. But do you know what the largest Christmas present ever given is – the Statue of Liberty! In 1886, France presented the Statue of Liberty to the United States as a Christmas gift.

High altitudes, tropical climates, and rich soil are all factors that contribute to good coffee growing conditions. As a result, despite the Continental United States' rich and diverse landscapes, Hawaii is the only state suitable for growing coffee plants. It was producing coffee long before it became a state. (However, farms in California have recently begun growing coffee bushes!)