Caïssa
Caissa is a mythical Thracian dryad portrayed as the goddess of chess.
The myth of Caissa did not exist in the ancient world. It originated in a poem called Caissa, written in 1763 in Latin hexameters by Sir William Jones.[1] Jones also published an English language version of the poem, referenced below.
In the poem, Caissa initially repels the advances of the god of war, Mars. Spurned, Mars seeks the aid of the god of sport - Euphron, brother of Venus/Aphrodite - who creates the game of chess as a gift for Mars to win Caissa's favor.
Caissa is quite frequently referred to in chess commentary. Garry Kasparov uses this reference now and again, especially in his epic volume My Great Predecessors. It is used as a substitute for being lucky - "Caissa was with me" - especially in unclear situations, for example in sacrifices. Caissa as a concept has also been explored by some who seek the evidence of the sacred feminine in chess.
The first (Russian) computer program that won the World Computer Chess Championship (in 1974) was also named Caissa.
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