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swap_horiz Shatranj Alternatives

Looking for alternatives to Shatranj? Compare the top Chess Variant options ranked by our AI scoring system.

You're looking at alternatives to:
Shatranj

Shatranj

Shatranj is the historical Persian form of chess that introduced the game to the Islamic world and medieval Europe following the Islamic conquests. It is played on an 8x8 grid but lacks modern pawn movements, such as the initial double-step, and features weaker pieces compared to standard chess. For...

7.8 Good

apps Top Shatranj Alternatives

The top alternative to Shatranj in 2026 is Co Tuong with a score of 9.4/10, followed by Makruk (Thai Chess) (9.2) and Correspondence Chess (9.0).

1
Co Tuong

Co Tuong

Cờ tướng is the Vietnamese form of xiangqi, the two-player board game commonly called Chinese chess in English. It is pl...

Historical East Asian Regional Vietnamese
9.4 Excellent
2
Makruk (Thai Chess)

Makruk (Thai Chess)

Gochugaru is a Korean seasoning made from dried red chili peppers, usually sold as coarse flakes or a finer powder. It i...

Historical Regional Thai Slow
9.2 Excellent
3
Correspondence Chess

Correspondence Chess

Correspondence chess offers a unique approach to playing chess. It’s a variant designed for remote play, typically utili...

Modern Historical Long Distance Slow
9.0 Excellent
4
Chu Shogi

Chu Shogi

Chu Shogi is a traditional Japanese chess-variant developed during the 14th century. Played on a larger 12x12 board, it...

Japanese Historical 12x12 Shogi Family
8.8 Great
5
Chaturanga (2-player)

Chaturanga (2-player)

Chaturanga is an ancient Indian board game generally regarded by historians as an early predecessor of modern chess. The...

Classic Indian Historical Ancient
8.7 Great
6
Makruk

Makruk

Makruk, widely known as Thai chess, is a traditional strategy board game that closely resembles the ancient Indian game...

Classical Traditional Regional Thai
8.5 Great
7
Cambodian Chess (Ouk)

Cambodian Chess (Ouk)

Ouk, also called Ouk Chatrang or Cambodian Chess, is a Cambodian regional chess variant closely related to Thai Makruk....

Historical Regional Cambodian Southeast Asian
8.4 Great
8
Sittuyin (Burmese Chess)

Sittuyin (Burmese Chess)

Sittuyin, also called Burmese chess, is a traditional chess variant from Myanmar. It is played on an eight-by-eight boar...

Historical Regional Southeast Asian Burmese
8.2 Great
9
Cambodian Chess

Cambodian Chess

Cambodian Chess, known as Ouk Chaktrang, is the traditional chess game of Cambodia, closely related to Thai Makruk and d...

Variant Historical Regional Asean
8.1 Great
10
Tenjiku Shogi

Tenjiku Shogi

Tenjiku Shogi is a historical Japanese chess variant played on a large 16×16 board. Developed during the 16th century, i...

Japanese Historical Shogi Family Large Board
7.8 Good
11
Courier Chess

Courier Chess

Courier chess is a historical European chess variant played on a board of 12 files by 8 ranks. Documented in medieval Ge...

European Medieval Historical Extended
7.7 Good
12
Tori Shogi

Tori Shogi

Tori shogi, also called bird shogi, is a Japanese chess variant played on a 7 by 7 board. Its pieces bear bird names, in...

Japanese Historical Shogi Family Bird Pieces
7.7 Good
13
Chaturanga

Chaturanga

Chaturanga is an early Indian strategy board game generally regarded as an important ancestor of chess and related games...

Indian Historical Origin Ancient
7.6 Good
14
Carrera's Chess

Carrera's Chess

Carrera's Chess is a historical chess variant invented by Italian author Pietro Carrera in 1617. It is played on an expa...

Champion Historical Extended Centaur
7.6 Good
15
Rithmomachy

Rithmomachy

Rithmomachy, also known as the Philosophers' Game, is a highly complex early European board game that dates back to the...

Math Medieval Historical 8x16
7.4 Good
16
Tamerlane Chess

Tamerlane Chess

Tamerlane Chess is a historical chess variant associated with the court of Timur in medieval Persia. It uses an 11 by 10...

Medieval Historical Persian Extended
6.9 Fair
17
Turkish Great Chess

Turkish Great Chess

A large-board chess variant from the Ottoman Turkish tradition, played on a board exceeding the standard 8×8 with an exp...

Medieval Historical Turkish Fairy Pieces
6.2 Fair
18
Byzantine Chess

Byzantine Chess

Byzantine Chess was a circular variant popular in the Byzantine Empire around the 10th century, played on a board divide...

European Medieval Historical Round
5.9 Mediocre
19
Grant Acedrex

Grant Acedrex

Grant Acedrex is a large medieval chess variant described in the Libro de los Juegos, a Spanish manuscript completed in...

Spanish Medieval Historical Extended
5.8 Mediocre
20
Shakhmaty

Shakhmaty

Shakhmaty is the Russian plural form of shakhmaty, the Russian word used for chess. It refers to the same two-player boa...

Classical Russian 19TH Century Historical
5.3 Mediocre

summarize Quick Comparison Summary

Alternative Score vs Shatranj Action
Co Tuong
Co Tuong
Chess Variant Historical East Asian Regional
9.4 Excellent +1.6 Compare
Makruk (Thai Chess)
Makruk (Thai Chess)
Chess Variant Historical Regional Thai
9.2 Excellent +1.4 Compare
Correspondence Chess
Correspondence Chess
Chess Variant Modern Historical Long Distance
9.0 Excellent +1.2 Compare
Chu Shogi
Chu Shogi
Chess Variant Japanese Historical 12x12
8.8 Great +1.0 Compare
Chaturanga (2-player)
Chaturanga (2-player)
Chess Variant Classic Indian Historical
8.7 Great +0.9 Compare
Makruk
Makruk
Chess Variant Classical Traditional Regional
8.5 Great +0.7 Compare
Cambodian Chess (Ouk)
Cambodian Chess (Ouk)
Chess Variant Historical Regional Cambodian
8.4 Great +0.6 Compare
Sittuyin (Burmese Chess)
Sittuyin (Burmese Chess)
Chess Variant Historical Regional Southeast Asian
8.2 Great +0.4 Compare
Cambodian Chess
Cambodian Chess
Chess Variant Variant Historical Regional
8.1 Great +0.3 Compare
Tenjiku Shogi
Tenjiku Shogi
Chess Variant Japanese Historical Shogi Family
7.8 Good Same Compare

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help Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best alternatives to Shatranj?
The top alternatives to Shatranj in 2026 include Co Tuong, Makruk (Thai Chess), Correspondence Chess, Chu Shogi, Chaturanga (2-player). Each offers unique features and is objectively scored on Lunoo to help you compare.
How does Shatranj compare to its competitors?
Our AI-powered comparison system analyzes features, pricing, user reviews, and expert opinions to provide objective scores. Shatranj scores 7.8/10. Click any alternative above to see a detailed side-by-side comparison.
Is Shatranj worth it in 2026?
Shatranj scores 7.8/10 in the Chess Variant category. We recommend comparing it with the 20 alternatives listed above to find the best fit for your needs.
What is the best free alternative to Shatranj?
Several alternatives to Shatranj offer free plans or free tiers. Check the alternatives listed above and visit their websites to compare pricing and free options.
Why should I switch from Shatranj?
Common reasons users look for Shatranj alternatives include pricing, specific feature gaps, better integration needs, or simply exploring newer options. Our objective scoring helps you compare without bias.
How many alternatives to Shatranj are there?
Lunoo currently lists 20 scored alternatives to Shatranj in the Chess Variant category, ranked by our AI-powered evaluation system.
Which Shatranj alternative has the highest rating?
Co Tuong currently holds the highest rating among Shatranj alternatives with a score of 9.4/10.
Can I use Co Tuong instead of Shatranj?
Co Tuong is one of the top-rated alternatives to Shatranj. While they serve similar purposes in the Chess Variant space, each has distinct strengths. Use our comparison tool above for a detailed side-by-side analysis.
What is the cheapest alternative to Shatranj?
Pricing varies among Shatranj alternatives. We recommend checking each alternative's website for current pricing. Many options in the Chess Variant category offer free tiers or competitive pricing.
How are Shatranj alternatives ranked on Lunoo?
Lunoo uses an AI-powered scoring system that analyzes category fit, feature coverage, pricing signals, public reception, recency, and value to provide 0 to 10 scores. Rankings are updated continuously.
Shatranj vs Co Tuong: which is better?
Shatranj scores 7.8/10 while Co Tuong scores 9.4/10 on Lunoo. The best choice depends on your specific needs. Use our detailed comparison tool for a full breakdown.
Shatranj vs Makruk (Thai Chess): which is better?
Shatranj scores 7.8/10 while Makruk (Thai Chess) scores 9.2/10 on Lunoo. The best choice depends on your specific needs. Use our detailed comparison tool for a full breakdown.
Shatranj vs Correspondence Chess: which is better?
Shatranj scores 7.8/10 while Correspondence Chess scores 9.0/10 on Lunoo. The best choice depends on your specific needs. Use our detailed comparison tool for a full breakdown.

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