A chess variant is a game derived from, related to or similar to chess in at least one respect. A game is a structured activity, usually undertaken for Enjoyment and sometimes also used as an Educational tool Chess is a recreational and competitive Game played between two players. ^[1] The difference from chess can include one or more of the following:

• Different board (larger or smaller, non-square board shape overall or different spaces used within the board such as triangles or hexagons instead of squares). Chess is a recreational and competitive Game played between two players.
• Fairy pieces different from those used within chess. A fairy chess piece (often in shortened form fairy piece) or unorthodox chess piece (or in shortened form unorthodox piece) is a Chess piece Chess is a recreational and competitive Game played between two players.
• Different rules for capture, move order, game goal, etc.

National chess variants which are older than Western chess, such as chaturanga, shatranj, xiangqi, and shogi, are traditionally also called chess variants in the Western world. This article is about two-handed ancient game Chaturanga For the four-handed version played with dice see Chaturaji. Shatranj is an old form of Chess, which has been popular in Persia and the Middle East for almost 1000 years or Japanese chess (literally "generals' chess" ˈʃoʊɡiː in English is the most popular of a family of Chess variants native to Japan. The term Western world, the West or the Occident ( Latin: occidens -sunset -west as distinct from the Orient) can have multiple meanings They have some similarities to chess and share a common ancestor game. Chess is a recreational and competitive Game played between two players.

The number of possible chess variants is unlimited. D.B. Pritchard, the author of Encyclopedia of Chess Variants, estimates that there are over 2000 chess variants,^[2] confining the number to published ones. David Brine Pritchard (1919 - 2005 was a British Chess writer and indoor game Consultant. In 1998 Zillions of Games software program was created. Zillions of Games is a commercial General Game Playing system developed by Jeff Mallett and Mark Lefler in 1998 It enables non-programmers to design and playtest most types of chess variants using an AI opponent. A playtest is the process by which a game designer tests a new game for bugs and improvements before bringing it to market As a result a large number of chess variants were implemented for Zillions of Games. ^[3]

In the context of chess problems, chess variants are called fantasy chess, heterodox chess or fairy chess. A chess problem, also called a chess composition, is a puzzle set by somebody using Chess pieces on a Chess board that presents the solver with Fairy chess is a term in a Chess problem which expands classical (also called orthodox chess problems which are not Direct mates The term was introduced before the Some chess variants are used only in chess composition and not for playing.

Contents 1 Chess-derived games 1.1 Chess with different starting positions 1.2 Chess with different forces 1.3 Chess with different boards 1.4 Chess with unusual rules 1.5 Chess with incomplete information and/or elements of chance 1.6 Multimove variants 1.7 Multiplayer variants 1.8 Chess with unusual pieces 1.8.1 Bishop+knight and rook+knight compounds 1.9 Games inspired by chess 2 Chess-related national games 3 Chess variants software 4 Notes 5 References 6 See also 7 External links 7.1 General 7.2 Collections 7.3 Internet servers to play chess variants

Chess-derived games

These chess variants are derived from chess by changing the board, pieces or rules. Chess is a recreational and competitive Game played between two players.

Chess with different starting positions

In these variants, the starting position is different, but otherwise the board, pieces and rules are the same. The most important motivation for these chess variants is to nullify established opening knowledge.

• Chess960 (or Fischer random chess): the placement of the pieces on the 1st and 8th rank is randomized. Chess960, or Fischer Random Chess (also written Fischerrandom and Fischerandom) is a Chess variant produced by the late former
• Displacement chess: some pieces in the initial position are exchanged but the rules remain exactly the same. Displacement chess is a family of Chess variants, in which a few pieces are transposed in the initial standard Chess position Some examples of this may be that the king and queen are flipped, or the b knight is traded with the f bishop.
• Transcendental chess: similar to chess960, but the opening white and black positions do not mirror each other. Transcendental chess is a Chess variant invented in 1978 by Maxwell Lawrence Chess960, or Fischer Random Chess (also written Fischerrandom and Fischerandom) is a Chess variant produced by the late former
• D-chess: similar to Transcendental Chess, but only one game is needed to be played against each opponent as the unequal starting positions are equalized with the weaker side having the option to transpose two pieces and then gets to move first. Displacement chess is a family of Chess variants, in which a few pieces are transposed in the initial standard Chess position ^[4]
• Upside-down chess. The starting position looks very much like standard one, but the pawns are actually one step before promotion. ^[5] The game can start, for example: 1. Nc6 Nf3 2. b8Q g1Q etc.

One of the 960 openings in Chess 960

Upside-down chess

Chess with different forces

Some chess variants use different number of pieces for white and black. All pieces in these games are standard chess pieces, there are no fairy chess pieces. A fairy chess piece (often in shortened form fairy piece) or unorthodox chess piece (or in shortened form unorthodox piece) is a Chess piece

• Dunsany's chess (or Horde chess): one side has standard chess pieces, and the other side has 32 pawns. Dunsany's chess, also known as Horde chess or Dunsany's game, is an asymmetric Chess variant in which one side has standard Chess pieces, and Chess pieces vary in both value and abilities A standard chess match consists of each player having the following equipment 1 king The pawn (♙♟ is the weakest and most numerous piece in the Game of Chess, representing Infantry
• Handicap chess (or chess with odds): variations to equal chances of players with different strength. A handicap (or "odds" in Chess is a way to enable a weaker player to play on more even terms with a stronger one
• Pawns game. In the starting position white does not have a queen, but has eight additional pawns (see diagram below). The game was played by such old masters as Labourdonnais, Deschappelles and Kieseritsky. Louis-Charles Mahé de La Bourdonnais (1795 - 1840 was a French Chess master, possibly the strongest player in the early 19th century Alexandre Deschapelles ( March 7, 1780 &ndash1847 was a French Chess player who between the death of Philidor and the arrival Lionel Adalbert Bagration Felix Kieseritzky ( January 1, 1806 – May 18, 1853) was a 19th century Chess master, famous primarily for ^[6]
• Peasant's revolt by R. L. Frey (1947). White has a king and eight pawns (the peasants) against king, pawn and four knights by black (the nobles). ^[7] An alternate setup is that the knight next to the king is taken.
• Weak!. White has usual pieces, black has king, seven knights and sixteen pawns. This game was played at Columbia University chess club in the 1960s. Columbia University is a private University in the United States and a member of the Ivy League. ^[8]

Pawns game

Peasant's revolt

Alternate setup for Peasant's revolt

Weak!

Chess with different boards

In these chess variants the same pieces and rules as in chess are used, but the board is different. It can be smaller or larger, non-square overall or based upon triangle or hexagon spaces (instead of square spaces). The movement of pieces in some variants is modified to account for the unusual property of the playing board.

• Alice chess: played with two boards. Alice chess is a Chess variant played using two chess boards rather than one A piece moved on one board passes "through the looking glass" onto the other board.
• Circular chess: played on a circular board consisting of four rings, each of sixteen squares. Circular chess is a Chess variant played using the standard set of pieces on a circular board consisting of four rings each of sixteen squares
• Cylinder chess: played on a cylinder board with A and H files "connected". Cylinder chess (or cylindrical chess) is a Chess variant with an unusual board Thus a player can use them as if the A file were next to the H file (and vice versa).
• Doublewide chess: two or four regular chess boards are connected (for a 16x8 or 16x16 play surface) and each player plays with two complete sets of chess pieces. Because each player has two kings, the first king can be captured without ending the game. ^[9]
• Flying chess: This is played on a board of 8x8x2, giving a total of 128 cells. Flying chess is a Chess variant, based around a three dimensional board Only certain pieces can move to and from the additional level.
• Grid chess: the board is overlaid with a grid of lines. Grid chess is a Chess variant invented by Walter Stead in 1953. For a move to be legal, it must cross at least one of these lines.
• Hexagonal chess: a family of chess variants played on a hexgrid with three colours and three bishops. The term hexagonal chess designates a group of Chess variants played on hexagonal boards A hex map, hex board or hex grid is a Gameboard design commonly used in Wargames of all scales
• Infinite chess: has a board shaped like the infinite symbol. Infinity (symbolically represented with ∞) comes from the Latin infinitas or "unboundedness The musical instrument is spelled Cymbal. A symbol is something --- such as an object, Picture, written word a sound a piece It is connected at the center, and all pieces of the traditional chess are used. ^[10]
• Lord Loss chess: played on five different boards with two players. One person moves a piece on any board and his/her opponent can choose to move on a different or the same board. The game is featured in the book Lord Loss by Darren Shan. Lord Loss is the first novel in The facitous Demonata series book by best-selling teenage horror author Darren Shan. Darren O'Shaughnessy (born July 2, 1972 in London, England) who commonly writes under the pen name Darren Shan, is an Irish
• Los Alamos chess (or Anti-Clerical chess): played on a 6x6 board without bishops. Los Alamos chess (or anti-clerical chess) is a Chess variant played on a 6×6 board without bishops. This was the first chess-like game played by a computer program.
• Modern Chess: played on a 9x9 board, with an extra pawn and a Prime Minister (Bishop + Knight). It was created by Puerto Rico's Gabriel Vicente Maura in 1968.
• Millennium chess: similar to Doublewide chess. Two boards are connected side by side; however, in this variant the middle files are merged, making a 15x8 board. ^[11]
• Minichess: a family of chess variants played with regular chess pieces and standard rules, but on a smaller board. Minichess is a family of Chess variants played with regular chess pieces and standard rules but on a smaller board
• Three-dimensional chess: several variants exist with the most commonly known being "Tri-D chess" from the television series Star Trek as well as an easily playable 3x8x8 variant known as Millennium 3D chess. Not to be confused with chess software with a 3D rendering Three-dimensional chess, or 3D chess, are examples of Chess variants

Chess with unusual rules

These chess variants have the same pieces and board as chess but some rules for moving, capturing, etc are changed. The game goal can be also different from that in chess.

• Andernach chess: a piece making a capture changes colour. Andernach chess is a Chess variant in which a piece making a capture (except kings changes colour
• Atomic chess: any capture on a square results in an "atomic explosion" which kills (i. Atomic chess is a Chess variant. While the other chess rules apply fully all captures result in an atomic explosion e. removes from the game) all pieces in any of the 8 surrounding squares, except for pawns.
• Benedict chess: pieces are not allowed to be "captured". If a piece when moved could capture an opposing piece in its next move, that opposing piece changes sides. ^[12]
• Bughouse chess: Similar to Crazyhouse; has four people and two boards; captured pieces can be dropped by a player's teammate
• Checkers chess: normal rules of chess are followed. Bughouse chess (also called Exchange chess, Siamese chess, Tandem chess, Transfer chess, or simply Bughouse) is a popular Chess Checkers chess is a Chess variant proposed by Hans Multhopp in 1974 in which pieces cannot move backwards until they have reached the far side of the board However, pieces can only move forwards until they have reached the far rank.
• Checkless chess: players are forbidden from giving check except to checkmate. Checkless Chess (or prohibition chess) is a Chess variant where neither player is allowed to give a check, with the exception of Checkmate. In games such as Chess, Shogi, and Xiangqi, a check is an immediate threat to capture the king (or general in xiangqi Checkmate (frequently shortened to mate) is a situation in Chess (and in other Boardgames of the Chaturanga family in which one player's
• Chicken Chess: Chicken Chess is a combination of Benedict Chess and Suicide Chess. As in Suicide, the object is to lose all of your pieces and captures are mandatory. As in Benedict, if you threaten a piece it changes to your color.
• Circe chess: captured pieces are reborn on their starting squares. Circe chess (or just circe) is a Chess variant in which captured pieces are reborn on their starting positions as soon as they are captured based on the following
• Crazyhouse: captured pieces change the colour and can be dropped on any unoccupied location. Crazyhouse is a Chess variant similar to Bughouse chess, but with only two players There are two variations of this chess variant, known as Loop chess and chessgi.
• Einstein chess: pieces transform into more or less powerful pieces when they move. ^[13]
• Extinction chess: A player must capture all of his/her opponent's pieces to win. Extinction chess is a variant of western Chess where the objective of the game has changed
• Guard chess (or Icelandic chess): allows captures only when a piece is completely unprotected by friendly pieces. Checkmate occurs when the piece forcing the mate is protected and therefore cannot be captured. ^[14]
• Ghost Chess: variation in which the black Queen (Ghost), faces the white ranks (Paradigm), and each side has a variety of special moves.
• Hierarchical chess: pieces must be moved in the following order: pawn, knight, bishop, rook, queen, king. A player who has the corresponding piece but cannot move it loses the game. ^[15]
• Knight relay chess: pieces defended by a friendly knight can move as a knight. Knight relay chess (also called N-relay chess) is a Chess variant invented by Mannis Charosh in 1972.

• Knightmate (also called Mate The Knight) is a game invented by Bruce Zimov in 1972. The goal of the game is to checkmate the opponents's knight (which is placed on e-file). The kings on b- and g- files can be captured as other pieces. Pawns can additionally promote to kings but not to knights. ^[16]
• Legan chess: played as if the board would be rotated 45°, initial position and pawn movements are adjusted accordingly. Legan chess is a Chess variant invented by L Legan in 1913 It differs from standard Chess by starting position as well as by pawn movements
• Madrasi chess: a piece which is attacked by the same type of piece of the opposite colour is paralysed. Madrasi chess is a Chess variant invented in 1979 by Abdul Jabbar Karwatkar which uses the conventional Rules of chess with the addition that when
• Monochromatic chess: all pieces must stay on the same colour square as they initially begin. Monochromatic chess is a Chess variant created by Raymond Smullyan, in which the initial board position and all rules are the same as in regular chess except
• Patrol chess: captures and checks are only possible if the capturing or checking piece is guarded by a friendly piece. Patrol chess is a Chess variant in which captures can be made and checks given only if the capturing or checking piece is guarded (or patrolled) by a friendly unit
• PlunderChess: the capturing piece is allowed to temporarily take the moving abilities of the piece taken. PlunderChess (trademark by White Horse Games LLC is a Chess variant in which the capturing piece is allowed to temporarily take the moving abilities of the piece taken
• Refusal chess (also called Outlaw chess or Rejection chess): when a player makes a move the opponent can refuse to accept it, forcing the first player to change to another move, which must be accepted. The only exception is when only one legal move is possible. ^[17]
• Replacement chess: captured pieces are not removed from the board but moved by the capturer anywhere else on the board. ^[18]
• Rifle chess (also known as Shooting chess or Sniper chess): When one piece captures another, it remains unmoved in its original square, instead of occupying the square of the piece it has captured. ^[19]
• Suicide chess (also known as Giveaway chess, Take Me chess, Loser's chess, Antichess, Must Kill): capturing moves are mandatory and the object is to lose all pieces. Antichess, also called losing chess, loser's chess, zero chess, giveaway chess, suicide chess, or take me is a Chess There is no check - the king is captured like an ordinary piece.
• Three checks chess: you win if you check your opponent three times. Three checks chess is a variation of Chess, in which additionally to usual winning condition ( Checkmate) you also win if you check your
• Transformer chess: Players may swap out pieces for those on the sideline before moving, which are in turn swapped back into play.
• Jedi Knight chess: Knights may move three spaces diagonally or horizontally or both, depending in the rules accepted. ^[20]

Chess with incomplete information and/or elements of chance

In these chess variants, luck or randomness sometimes plays a role. Still, like in poker or backgammon, good luck and bad luck even out over the long-term with clever strategy and consideration of probabilities being decisively important. Poker is a type of Card game in which players bet on the value of the card combination (" hand " in their possession by placing a bet into Backgammon is a Board game for two players in which the playing pieces are moved according to the roll of Dice.

• Dark chess: you see only squares of the board that are attacked by your pieces. Dark chess is a Chess variant with incomplete information similar to Kriegspiel.
• Dice chess: the pieces a player is able to move are determined by rolling a pair of dice. Dice chess is a Chess variant in which the moves available to each player are determined by rolling a pair of ordinary six-sided Dice. For other uses see either Die or Dice (disambiguation. Dice (the Plural of Die, from Old French
• Knightmare chess: played with cards that change the game rules. Knightmare Chess is a fantasy Chess variant published by Steve Jackson Games (SJG in 1996.
• Kriegspiel: neither player knows where the opponent's pieces are but can deduce them with information from a referee. Kriegspiel (German for war game) is a Chess variant invented by Henry Michael Temple in 1899 and based upon the original Kriegspiel developed by
• No Stress Chess: marketed for teaching beginners, the piece or pieces a player is able to move are determined by drawing from a deck of cards, with each card providing the rules for how the piece may move. ^[21] Castling and en passant are not allowed. Illustration Example in opening In this line from the Petrov Defence, White can capture the pawn on d5 en passant on his sixth move
• Penultima: an inductive chess variant where the players must deduce hidden rules invented by "Spectators". Penultima is a Game of Inductive logic, played on a Chess board
• Schrödinger's chess: each player's minor pieces are concealed in such a way that the opponent does not know what they are until they are revealed. When covered, pieces move in a restricted way. ^[22]
• Synchronous chess: players try to outguess each other, moving simultaneously after privately recording intended moves and anticipated results. Incompatible moves, for instance to the same square with no anticipated capture, are replayed. Alternatively, two pieces moving to the same square are both captured, unless one is the king, in which case it captures the other. Play ends with capture of king. ^[23]

Multimove variants

In these variants one or both players can move more than once per turn. The board and the pieces in these variants are the same as in standard chess. Chess is a recreational and competitive Game played between two players.

• Marseillais chess or Two-move chess: after the first turn of the game by white being a single move, each player moves twice per turn. Marseillais chess is a Chess variant in which each player moves twice per turn
• Doublemove chess:^[24] Similar to Marseillais chess, but with no en passant, check, or checkmate; the object is to capture the king.
• Progressive chess: (also known as Scottish chess) the white player moves once, the black player moves twice, the white player moves three times, etc. Progressive chess is a Chess variant in which players rather than just making one move per turn play progressively longer series of moves
• Avalanche chess: each move consists of a standard chess move followed by a move of one of the opponent's pawns. Avalanche chess is a Chess variant designed by Ralph Betza in 1977.
• Kung-Fu chess: a chess variant without turns. Kung-fu chess is a Chess variant without turns It is a Real-time strategy game Any player can move any of his pieces at any given moment.
• Monster chess (Also known as Super King): white has the king and four pawns against the entire black army but may make two successive moves per turn. Monster chess - or Super King - is a Chess variant in which the White has only king and four pawns to fight against all the pieces of the
• Zonal chess:^[25] board has triangular wings or "zones" on either side of the main 8x8 board. Queens, bishops, and rooks that start from one of the squares in either zone may change direction and keep going on the same move. A queen, for example, could zig around an obstruction and attack a piece in the opposite zone. Note that the power to change direction only applies when a piece's move _starts_ from a zonal area. It is possible (using the queen and rook) to cross the board from one zone to another, but any piece entering a zone cannot make use of the extended move.

Multiplayer variants

These variants arose out of the desire to play chess with more than just one other person.

• Bosworth: A four player chess variant played on 6x6 board. Bosworth is a four-handed Chess variant manufactured by Out of the Box Publishing company since 1998. It uses a special card system with the pieces for spawning.
• Bughouse chess: (also known as Double chess, Exchange chess, Siamese chess, Swap chess, Tandem chess) two teams of two players face each other on two boards. Bughouse chess (also called Exchange chess, Siamese chess, Tandem chess, Transfer chess, or simply Bughouse) is a popular Chess Allies use opposite colours and give captured pieces to their partner. The 2-player version of the game, played with only one board is Crazyhouse. Crazyhouse is a Chess variant similar to Bughouse chess, but with only two players
• Djambi: can be played by four people with a 9x9 board and four sets of special pieces. Djambi (also described as " Machiavelli 's chessboard" is a Board game and a Chess variant for four players invented by Jean Anesto in 1975 The pieces can capture or move the pieces of an adversary. Captured pieces are not removed from the board, but turned upside down. There are variants for three players or five players (Pentachiavel).
• Enochian chess: a four-player variant with magical symbolism, associated with the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Enochian chess is a four-player Chess variant, similar to Chaturaji, associated with the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Magic, sometimes known as sorcery, is a Conceptual system that asserts human ability to control the natural world (including events objects people and "Symbolic" redirects here For other uses see Symbolism (disambiguation and Symbolic (disambiguation. The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (or more commonly the Golden Dawn) was a magical order of the late 19th and early 20th centuries practicing a form of
• Forchess: a four-person version using the standard board and two sets of standard pieces. Forchess is a four-person Chess variant developed by an American engineer named T
• Four-handed chess: (also known as chess 4 and 4-Way chess) can be played by four people and uses a special board and four sets of differently coloured pieces. Four-handed chess (also known as Chess 4 and 4-way chess) is a Chess variant, which is typically played with four people
• Three-handed chess: family of chess variants specially designed for three players. Three-handed chess is a family of Chess variants specially designed to be played by three people

Chess with unusual pieces

Most of the pieces in these chess variants are borrowed from chess. Chess is a recreational and competitive Game played between two players. The game goal and rules are also very similar to those in chess. Chess is a recreational and competitive Game played between two players. However, these chess variants include one or more fairy pieces which move differently than chess pieces. A fairy chess piece (often in shortened form fairy piece) or unorthodox chess piece (or in shortened form unorthodox piece) is a Chess piece

• Anti-king chess: uses an anti-king. This piece is in check when not attacked. If the player has an anti-king in check and unable to move it to the position attacked by the opponent, the player loses (checkmate). Anti-king cannot capture opponent's pieces, but it can capture friendly pieces. King does not attack the anti-king of the opponent. The anti-king does not check own king. All other rules are the same as in standard chess, including check and checkmate to usual king. The game was invented by Peter Aronson in 2002. ^[26]
• Baroque: (also known as Ultima) pieces on the 1st row move like queens, and pieces on the 2nd row move like rooks. Baroque chess is a Chess variant invented in 1962 by Robert Abbott. They are named after their unusual capturing methods. For example, Leaper, Immobilizer, and Coordinator.
• Berolina chess: Which uses the Berolina Pawn instead of the normal pawn, all other things being equal. Berolina Chess is a Chess variant using a popular Fairy chess piece called the Berolina Pawn, also called Berlin Pawn or Anti-Pawn
• Chess with different armies: two sides use different sets of fairy pieces. Chess with different armies (or Betza chess) is a Chess variant in which two sides use different sets of fairy pieces. There are several armies of approximately equal strength to choose from including the standard FIDE chess army.
• Dragon chess: uses three 8×12 boards atop one another, with new types of chess pieces.
• Duell: dice are used instead of pieces. Duell is a 2-player Chess variant played with dice on a board of 9x8 squares
• Gess: chess with variable pieces, played on a go-board. GESS is a computer program for analyzing gene expression data obtained from microarrays
• Grasshopper chess: is a chess variant in which the pawns can promote to grasshopper, or in which grasshoppers are on the board in the opening position. Grasshopper chess is a Chess variant, in which the pawns are allowed to promote to a fairy piece grasshopper.
• Maharajah and the Sepoys: black has a complete army, white only one piece - Maharajah (Queen + Knight). Maharajah and the Sepoys, originally called Shatranj Diwana Shah, is a popular Chess variant with different armies for white and black
• Omega chess: played on a 10×10 board with four extra squares, one per corner. Omega Chess is a commercial Chess variant designed by Daniel MacDonald in Toronto. Also, two fairy chess pieces are used, the Champion and the Wizard. Both can jump other pieces like the Knight.
• Pocket mutation chess: player can put a piece temporary into the pocket, optionally mutating it into another piece. Pocket mutation chess is a Chess variant invented by Mike Nelson in 2003.
• Stealth chess: played in the fictional Ankh-Morpork Assassins' Guild from the Discworld series of books; played on an 8×10 board. Stealth Chess is a fictional Chess variant from Terry Pratchett 's Discworld universe played in the Ankh-Morpork Assassins' Guild The Ankh-Morpork Assassins' Guild is a fictional school for professional killers in Terry Pratchett 's long-running Discworld series of fantasy novels Discworld is a comedic Fantasy Book series by the British author Terry Pratchett, set on the Discworld, a flat The fairy piece is the Assassin. AssassiNation is the sixth album by Krisiun, released in 2006 on Century Media.
• Shako (Chess): played on a 10×10 board. New pieces are the Cannon from Xiangqi(Chinese Chess) and an Elephant moving as Fers+Alfil of old Shatranj (ancestors of Queen and Bishop), so diagonally 1 or 2 squares with jumps allowed. Shatranj is an old form of Chess, which has been popular in Persia and the Middle East for almost 1000 years

Bishop+knight and rook+knight compounds

There are a numbers of chess variants, which use bishop+knight and rook+knight compound pieces. Several different names have been given to these pieces. Rook and knight compound (R+N) is named chancellor, marshall, empress etc. ^[27] Bishop and knight compound piece (B+N) is called archibishop, cardinal, janus, Prime Minister etc. ^[28] To adapt two new pieces the board is usually extended to 10x8 or 10x10 with two additional pawns added.

• Capablanca chess: a chess variant by the former world chess champion, José Raúl Capablanca. Capablanca chess is a Chess variant played on a 10x8 board The game is named after its inventor the former World chess champion, José Raúl Capablanca See also Development of the World Chess Championship The World Chess Championship is played to determine the World Champion in the Board game Chess Played on a 10×8 board with chancellor (R+N) and archbishop (B+N).
• Capablanca random chess: by Reinhard Scharnagl (2004). Capablanca Random Chess (CRC is a Chess variant invented by Reinhard Scharnagl in 2004. Reinhard Scharnagl (born 1953) is Author of a book about the future of the game of Chess, inventor of Capablanca Random Chess and the A generalization of all possible variants of Capablanca chess with random starting positions following a method similar to that used in Chess960. Capablanca chess is a Chess variant played on a 10x8 board The game is named after its inventor the former World chess champion, José Raúl Capablanca Chess960, or Fischer Random Chess (also written Fischerrandom and Fischerandom) is a Chess variant produced by the late former
• Embassy Chess: by Kevin Hill (2005). Embassy chess is a chess variant created in 2005 by Kevin Hill Played on a 10×8 board with marshall (R+N) and cardinal (B+N). The starting position is taken from Grand chess. Grand chess is a large popular Chess variant invented by Dutch games designer Christian Freeling in 1984.
• Gothic chess: a commercial chess variant by Ed Trice (2002). Gothic Chess is a commercial Chess variant derived from Capablanca Chess, invented by Ed Trice. Edward A Trice (born December 5, 1966 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American Inventor and Entrepreneur Played on a 10×8 board with chancellor (R+N) and archbishop (B+N).
• Grand chess: by Christian Freeling (1984). Grand chess is a large popular Chess variant invented by Dutch games designer Christian Freeling in 1984. Christian Freeling (1947 is a Dutch game designer and inventor/author of various Chess variants including Grand chess. Played on a 10×10 board with marshall (R+N) and cardinal (B+N).
• Janus chess by Werner Schöndorf (1978). Janus Chess is a Chess variant played on a 10×8 board It features a new piece the Janus (also known as archbishop or cardinal) Played on 10×8 board with two januses (B+N).
• Seirawan chess: invented by grandmaster Yasser Seirawan in 2007. Seirawan chess is a Chess variant invented by grandmaster Yasser Seirawan in 2007 The title Grandmaster is awarded to extremely strong Chess masters by the world chess organization FIDE. Yasser Seirawan ( ياسر سيروان) (born March 24, 1960) is a Chess grandmaster and 4-time US -champion Played on standard 8x8 board with elephant (R+N) and hawk (B+N).

Games inspired by chess

These chess variants are very different from chess and may be classified as abstract board games instead of chess variants (by restrictive, proper definition). Chess is a recreational and competitive Game played between two players.

• Arimaa: A game inspired by Garry Kasparov's defeat by chess computer Deep Blue. Arimaa is a two-player Abstract strategy Board game that can be played using the same equipment as Chess. Garry Kasparov (Га́рри Ки́мович Каспа́ров) (born as Garry Kimovich Weinstein on April 13 1963 in Baku, Azerbaijan SSR, Soviet The idea of creating a Chess -playing machine dates back to the eighteenth century Deep Blue is a Chess - playing Computer developed by IBM. On 11 May 1997, the machine won a six-game match by two wins to This game is easy for people to understand but difficult for computers to play well.
• ChessWar: complex strategy game played with chess pieces and board. ^[29]
• Martian chess: played with Icehouse pieces. See Jetan for a discussion of Edgar Rice Burroughs ' Martian chess Icehouse pieces are Pyramid -shaped gaming pieces invented by Andrew Looney and John Cooper in 1987 originally for use in the game of Icehouse

Chess-related national games

Some of these games have developed independently while others are ancestors or relatives of modern chess. Chess is a recreational and competitive Game played between two players. ^[30] Nonetheless, they are potentially definable as chess variants (with some possible difficulties). The popularity of these chess variants may be limited to their respective places of origin (as is largely the case for shogi), or worldwide, as is the case for xiangqi which is played by overseas Chinese everywhere. These games have their own institutions and traditions.

• Chaturanga - an ancient Indian game, presumed to be the common ancestor of chess and other national chess-related games. This article is about two-handed ancient game Chaturanga For the four-handed version played with dice see Chaturaji. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The game of Chess has been attributed to the Indians both by the Persians and by the Arabs However the origin of the game remains lost in antiquity
• Chaturaji - four handed version of Chaturanga, played with a dice. Chaturaji (means " four kings " also known as " Choupat " IAST Caupāṭ, caupaʈ is a four player version of Chaturanga
• Shatranj - an ancient Persian game, derived from Chaturanga. Shatranj is an old form of Chess, which has been popular in Persia and the Middle East for almost 1000 years layout and formatting it should ensure no clashes with the top of the infobox This article is about two-handed ancient game Chaturanga For the four-handed version played with dice see Chaturaji.
• Tamerlane chess - a significantly expanded variation of Shatranj. Tamerlane Chess is a strategic Board game related to Chess and derived from Shatranj. Shatranj is an old form of Chess, which has been popular in Persia and the Middle East for almost 1000 years
• Xiangqi - China. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National
• Jungle (or animal chess) - China. Jungle or Dou Shou Qi China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National
• Banqi (or Chinese Half chess) - China. Banqi ( Chinese: 半棋 or; Pinyin: bànqí or ànqí or Half Chess, is a two-player Chinese Board game played on a 4x8 grid China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National
• Shogi - Japan (see also shogi variants). or Japanese chess (literally "generals' chess" ˈʃoʊɡiː in English is the most popular of a family of Chess variants native to Japan. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Many variants of Shogi have been developed over the centuries ranging from some of the largest Chess -type games ever played to some of the smallest
• Janggi - Korea. Janggi is the Korean name for a strategic Board game widespread in Korea Korea is a geographic area composed of two sovereign countries a civilization and a former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia.
• Makruk - Thailand. Makruk ( Thai: หมากรุก (or Thai chess) is a Board game descended from the 6th century Indian game of Chaturanga The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj
• Sittuyin - Burma. Sittuyin, also known as Burmese Chess is a chess-related game believed to be an almost direct offspring of Chaturanga. Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia.
• Shatar - Mongolia. Mongolia (mɒŋˈɡoʊliə, literally Mongol country/nation,) is a Landlocked Country in East

Chess variants software

Some program authors have created stand-alone applications that are capable of playing one, many or an unlimited number of variants.

• Zillions of Games - supports an unlimited number (but not types) of chess variants. Zillions of Games is a commercial General Game Playing system developed by Jeff Mallett and Mark Lefler in 1998 One can write his/her own rule files to create and play almost all chess variants, as well as almost any abstract strategy board game.
• ChessV - supports around 50 chess variants, including such popular variants as Grand chess, Shatranj, Three Checks chess, Ultima. ChessV (short for Chess Variants is a free Computer program designed to play a large number of Chess variants ChessV is an open-source Grand chess is a large popular Chess variant invented by Dutch games designer Christian Freeling in 1984. Shatranj is an old form of Chess, which has been popular in Persia and the Middle East for almost 1000 years Three checks chess is a variation of Chess, in which additionally to usual winning condition ( Checkmate) you also win if you check your Baroque chess is a Chess variant invented in 1962 by Robert Abbott.
• SMIRF - supports all FRC variants upon the 8x8 board and all CRC variants upon the 10x8 board. The name SMIRF is an acronym for " Strategiespielprogramm mit intelligent rückkoppelnden Funktionen " (German for " Strategic Game Program With Intelligent Chess960, or Fischer Random Chess (also written Fischerrandom and Fischerandom) is a Chess variant produced by the late former Capablanca Random Chess (CRC is a Chess variant invented by Reinhard Scharnagl in 2004.
• Gothic Vortex - plays Gothic chess. Gothic Chess is a commercial Chess variant derived from Capablanca Chess, invented by Ed Trice.
• Sunsetter - Normal Chess, Crazyhouse and Bughouse chess engine (opensource). Crazyhouse is a Chess variant similar to Bughouse chess, but with only two players Bughouse chess (also called Exchange chess, Siamese chess, Tandem chess, Transfer chess, or simply Bughouse) is a popular Chess
• Sjeng - besides Crazyhouse and Bughouse chess, supports other chess variants. Crazyhouse is a Chess variant similar to Bughouse chess, but with only two players Bughouse chess (also called Exchange chess, Siamese chess, Tandem chess, Transfer chess, or simply Bughouse) is a popular Chess

Notes

References

• Pritchard, D. (2007). David Brine Pritchard (1919 - 2005 was a British Chess writer and indoor game Consultant. The Classified Encyclopedia of Chess Variants. John Beasley. ISBN 978-0955516801.  

See also

• Blitz chess
• Fairy chess
• Fairy chess pieces
• Chess boxing

External links

General

• The Chess Variant Pages
• The Chess Variants wiki
• British Chess Variant Society
• Variant Chess Games
• Variety of Chess in ancient world
• The Chess Family - History and Useful Information
• Variant chess database - contains games for atomic chess, suicide chess, losers chess and "wild" variants. Fast chess, also known as blitz chess, lightning chess, bullet chess and rapid chess, is a type of Chess game in which each side is Fairy chess is a term in a Chess problem which expands classical (also called orthodox chess problems which are not Direct mates The term was introduced before the A fairy chess piece (often in shortened form fairy piece) or unorthodox chess piece (or in shortened form unorthodox piece) is a Chess piece Chess boxing is a hybrid Sport which combines the sport of Boxing with games of Chess in alternating rounds Atomic chess is a Chess variant. While the other chess rules apply fully all captures result in an atomic explosion Antichess, also called losing chess, loser's chess, zero chess, giveaway chess, suicide chess, or take me is a Chess Antichess, also called losing chess, loser's chess, zero chess, giveaway chess, suicide chess, or take me is a Chess
• Chess Variant Applets

Collections

In addition to individual chess variants with popularity, collections (generally acknowledged to be of respectable quality) have been created by several inventors:

• Zillions Chess Variants Karl Scherer
• Games Gallery Fergus Duniho
• Board Game Page Peter Aronson
• Chess Variants João Pedro Neto
• Chess Variants (Zillions) Mats Winther
• Chess Variants Jean-Louis Cazaux

Internet servers to play chess variants

• BrainKing.com
• ItsYourTurn.com
• GoldToken.com
• Cowplay.com
• SchemingMind.com - International Correspondence Chess Server & Chess Variants. Correspondence chess is Chess played by various forms of long-distance correspondence usually through a Correspondence chess server, through email or by
• Game Courier
• XYMYX The Evolution of Chess
• An Online Four Player Chess Game
• ChessBoss.com

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