Single Comment

Jim Png is not saying that chess has been invented in China.

I have modified the text to make this clear.

What is explained here is that xiangqi had predecessors as a game, deep in ancient history. This is known and recognised by modern historians.

That's a more general and less controversial claim than saying which games these might be. Even H.J.R. Murray would agree with this.

The fact that Janggi, which is not known before the 16th century, has no river is of course not a proof at all against a relation between liubo and xiangqi!

That point is torn out of context. I didn't just say that Janggi has no river. I pointed out that no regional Chess variant in Asia has a river except for Xiangqi. That is stronger evidence against a relationship between Liu Bo and Xiangqi than just the absence of the river in Janggi. Moreover, this is in the context of pointing out the lack of evidence for any relationship between Liu Bo and Xiangqi. I cannot disprove a relationship between them, but I am satisfied that I have made a good inductive case against seriously entertaining the idea of a relationship between them.

Liubo disappeared just when xiangqi started to grow and this deserves some further studies.

Sometimes an invasive species causes the extinction of a local species. In this case, a foreign import could have proven more popular than the native game. So, timing alone is an insufficient reason for thinking there is a connection between them.