Was Checkers a Board Game Before Chess?

Checkers, however, is much older than chess. Historians believe that the earliest form of checkers was discovered in Iraq and archeologists have used Carbon dating to trace their findings back to 3000 B.C , over 5000+ years ago, whereas was only discovered a 1500 years ago.

Did chess or checkers come first?

The Answer

Checkers came first with roots that date back about 5000 years. The modern form of the game dates back to the 16th century. Chess, is relatively new by comparison. The earliest forms arose in the 6th century, with the modern form dating back to the 19th century.

What was the game checkers called before?

A Frenchman came up with the idea of playing checkers on a chess board. At that time, the game was called “Fierges” or “Ferses.” With a new board design and new rules set, the game made its way to England and the Americas.