How do I play chess variants?

When we play chess variants, we mean a game played with a variation of the standard rules that mutates chess into a new game. Often the pieces and board remain the same, but for some variants we may play on an enlarged board, and in others we may introduce unusual 'fairy' pieces. The objective of the game might not even be to achieve a checkmate!

It is hard to improve on orthodox chess, but some variants, such as Fischer random chess/chess 960, do aim to make the player more creative and dependent on skill rather than relying on memorization.

In all cases, we provide alternative ways of enjoying chess. All variants available feature interactive instructions and rules are enforced, so you can discover and explore chess and it's many flavors.

Chess variants you can play

Alice Chess

Named after Alice in Lewis Carroll's work Through the Looking-Glass. Chess on two boards with pieces moved between the boards.

Alice Chess 2

A variation of Alice Chess - Black starts on the second board and no longer faces White.

Antichess

Lose all your pieces to win.

Atomic Chess

Capturing a piece results in an explosion which will destroy surrounding pieces.

Bear Chess

A Russian 10x10 variant featuring an additional leaping piece - the Bear!

Capablanca Chess

Created by José Raúl Capablanca, and played on a 10x8 board with the addition of the chancellor and archbishop.

Chess 960

A shuffled back rank to counter strong opening knowledge. Aka Fischer Random Chess.

Crazy House

Similar to Bughouse chess, but for two playerProfiles. Captured pieces are dropped back on to the board.

Cylinder Chess

The board can be imagined as a cylinder with no horizontal edges on either side.

Dodo Chess

A variant of racing kings, with a reduced number of pieces and no queen.

Double Chess

Played on a double width board, 12x16, with a duplicate set of pieces.

Embassy Chess

Variant of Grand Chess played on an 8x10 board.

Emperor's Game

Played on a 10x10 board with two new pieces - the General and the Adjutant.

Epic Chess

Unknown Variant

Extinction Chess

Remove all of your opponent's pieces of the same species to win.

Four Player Chess[concept]

Four playerProfiles battle over an irregular cross shaped board.

Grand Chess

The Cardinal and Marshal pieces are introduced on a 10x10 board.

Horde Chess

The horde - 36 white pawns - vs black!

King of the Hill

Move your king to the center of the board - the hill - to win.

Los Alamos

Play the first chess-like game played on a computer! A reduced size board and piece set.

Maharajah and the Sepoys

Maharajah and the Sepoys is a asymmetrical variant with a full black army against a single Maharajah

Racing Kings

The kings must race to the other side of the board.

Seirawan Chess

After an initial move from the back rank, a Hawk or Elephant piece can be placed into the vacated square.

Shatranj

The original persian chess game from which modern chess evolved.

Three-Check

Check an opponent three times to win.

Transcendental Chess

Back rank is randomly determined, but on the first turn, a player can exchange two pieces.

12 by 12 Chess

Chess played on a 12x12 board.

Viking Chess

Played on a 12x7 board with both armies starting at the bottom of the board.

Vivarta Chess

Pieces transform into a different piece on every move.

Wildebeest Chess

Played on an 11x10 board, Wildebeest chess introduces the Camel And Wildebeest which are enhanced jumping pieces.

Grand Triple Chess

Played on an 2 x 3 boards with 3 sets of pieces.

No Castling Chess

Every rule is the same as chess, except that castling is not allowed.