English Chess Forum

In a discussion on chess and its history with one of my distinguished humanities colleagues I was told to my surprise that the English word 'Jeopardy' comes originally from chess.

The origin is from French 'Jeu parti' - or split game, even game - being the old-fashioned (Pre-1500) expression for a chess problem, i.e. a position where the game is in the balance.

And indeed the OED entry confirms this.

That is interesting... I thought I was good at words, but didn't know that.

One never ceases learning - thanks for the information!

Nice!

Does the OED state exactly when this term appeared in written texts and mention where it was found? Is there any mention of the form of chess being played?

The definition occupies a complete column, but very closely agrees with the infomration given in this thread. The earliest quotation given in English is c1369 Chaucer "Dethe Blanche" using the spelling Ieupardyes (the first letter being capital i not lowercase l)- one of a great variety of spellings:

But god wolde I had ones or twyes Y-kond and knowe the Ieupardyes That Kowde the Greke Pictagoras I shude haue pleyde the bet at ches

I leave it to the learned members of this community to interpret a clear meaning from this, but it is apparent from the article that at this time jeopardy (however spelt) refers to a finely balanced position, most usually in a game (with chess several times expressly named).

There are several more quotations from Chaucer as well as a number in the same period in Latin or French.

To further elaborate on Michael's comment:

One of the earliest references the OED gives is to a 13th century French manuscript:

12.. MS. Royal 13 A xviij lf. 161 Icy comencent les iu partiez des Eschez.

With the chessplayer hat on, I would be curious to know what followed this sentence, and how any puzzles were shown (EDIT: google is (my) friend. An image of this manuscript can be found on http://sprightlyinnovations.com/leafand ... -problems/ , with this sentence at the top of the page)

And fifty years after the Chaucher reference above the OED gives, this time in English,

1412–20 J. Lydgate tr. Hist. Troy ii. xi. (Digby 230) lf. 58 b/1 Of þe chesse þe pleie moste glorious,..þouȝ a man studied al his liue He shal ay finde diuerse fantasies Of wardes makinge and newe Iuparties.