Editing Shatranj (section)

==Gameplay==

===Openings===
{{Chaturanga diagram
 |tright
 |Mujannah–Mashaikhi opening 
 |rd|  |bd|  |kd|bd|  |rd
 |pd|  |  |nd|nd|  |pd|  
 |  |pd|pd|qd|  |pd|  |pd
 |  |  |  |pd|pd|  |  |  
 |  |  |pl|  |  |pl|  |  
 |  |pl|nl|pl|pl|nl|pl|  
 |pl|  |  |  |  |  |  |pl
 |  |rl|bl|ql|kl|bl|rl|  
 |In the opening, players usually tried to reach a specific position, ''{{chessgloss|tabiya}}''.
}}
Openings in shatranj were usually called '''taʿbīya''' {{lang|ar|تَعبِيّة}} (pl. taʿbīyāt), {{lang|ar|تَعبِيّات}} in Arabic, which can be translated as "battle array". Due to slow piece development in shatranj, the exact sequence of moves was relatively unimportant. Instead players aimed to reach a specific position, tabiya, mostly ignoring the play of their opponent.

The works of al-Adli and as-Suli contain collections of tabiyat. Tabiyat were usually given as position on a half-board with some comments about them. The concrete sequence of moves to reach them was not specified. In his book Al-Lajlaj analyzed some tabiya in detail. He started his analysis from some given opening, for example "Double Mujannah" or "Mujannah–Mashaikhi", and then continued up to move 40, giving numerous variations.{{citation needed|date=December 2023}}

===Piece values===
Both al-Adli and as-Suli provided estimation of piece values in their books on shatranj. They used a monetary system to specify piece values. For example, as-Suli gives piece values in [[dirham|dirhem]], the currency in use in his time:{{sfn|Murray|1913}}

{| cellspacing="0" border="1" style="background:white;"
|-
!Piece !! Value !! Shape of piece sometimes found
|-
|[[File:Chess kll44.png|king|30px]] king || style="text-align:center;" | 2
| {{pad|1}} seat, representing a throne
|-
|[[File:Chess rll45.svg|rook|30px]] rook || style="text-align:center;" | 5 || {{pad|1}} rectangular block with V-shaped cut in top, representing a chariot
|-
|[[File:Chess nll45.svg|30px]] knight || style="text-align:center;" | 3 || {{pad|1}} cone with beak-shaped sideways projection at top
|-
|[[File:Chess qll45.svg|30px]] ferz || style="text-align:center;" | 2 || {{pad|1}} seat, smaller than king, depicting a smaller throne
|-
|[[File:Chess bll44.png|30px]] alfil || style="text-align:center;" | 2 || {{pad|1}} cone with notch cut in top
|-
|[[File:Chess pll45.svg|the horses|30px]] pawn || style="text-align:center;" | 1 || {{pad|1}} small cone, or sometimes a dome
|}