Since the dawning of time, man has endeavored to become more skilled in battle through the use of tiny, usually carved stone figures representing other things such as horses or soldiers. Although most of these ancient civilizations died off, and thus were never really great (Alexander eat your heart out) some of them survived, and began to harpoon whales, turning their ivory into wonderful symbols of the modern times. Eventually people became pussies, and no longer found beheaded pawns and rooks holding shrunken heads appetizing, and so modern gangsta chess was made!