Best Chess Variant

Rapid chess uses the ordinary chess game with a shorter time allowance, rather than introducing different pieces or a new board. Under the FIDE definition, each player has more than 10 minutes but less than 60 minutes for the entire game. Where an increment adds time after each move, the calculation...

Introduced by Bobby Fischer in 1996 as Fischer Random Chess, Chess960 retains the standard chessboard and pieces while varying their initial arrangement. The back ranks can take one of 960 legal configurations. Bishops must begin on opposite-colored squares, and the king must stand between the rooks...

Gochugaru is a Korean seasoning made from dried red chili peppers, usually sold as coarse flakes or a finer powder. It is used in kimchi, gochujang, stews, soups, marinades, and other dishes; its flavor can be fruity, smoky, and mildly to moderately hot, depending on the pepper and production method...

Chess960, also known as Fischer Random Chess, presents a modern variation of chess where the initial board arrangement is randomized according to specific rules. This eliminates reliance on established opening strategies and promotes creative thinking. The game was devised by Bobby Fischer and has g...

Glinski's Hexagonal Chess is a chess variant invented by Władysław Gliński in 1936. It uses a hexagonal board made of 91 cells in three colors, with movement and capture rules adapted to the geometry of the board rather than copied directly from standard eight-by-eight chess. The three-color layout...

Shogi is a traditional Japanese strategy game resembling chess. It’s notable for its ‘drop’ rule: captured pieces can be redeployed by their owner as new units. This creates dynamic gameplay and strategic complexity. The game is popular within Japan and among those interested in alternative board ga...

Generally regarded by historians as an early predecessor of modern chess, chaturanga is an ancient Indian board game. Its two-player form uses an eight-by-eight board with pieces representing parts of an army, including infantry, cavalry, elephants, and chariots. These military associations provide...

A small board and animal-themed pieces make Dobutsu Shogi, also sold as Let's Catch the Lion, an approachable introduction to Japanese shogi. Developed by Madoka Kitao and Maiko Fujita, it first appeared in 2008. Each player starts with a lion, giraffe, elephant and chick on a board just three squar...

Xiangqi is a traditional board game originating in China. It utilizes a 9x10 grid with a prominent river dividing the playing area. The game’s notable features include unique piece movements like the “river cannon” and restrictions based on the central waterway. Xiangqi is primarily enjoyed by indiv...

Ouk, also called Ouk Chatrang or Cambodian Chess, is a Cambodian regional chess variant closely related to Thai Makruk. It is played on an eight-by-eight board with a distinct piece set and starting arrangement; Cambodian rules include special first-move options for the king and the piece correspond...

Blitz Chess presents a dynamic adaptation of chess utilizing significantly reduced time controls. Typically employing three to five minute matches per player, it’s notable for its competitive nature and demands quick decision-making skills. This variant is popular among serious chess players seeking...

Janggi is a Korean chess variant distinguished by its larger 9x10 board and unique piece movements. It retains strategic elements of standard chess while incorporating a ‘cannon’ piece with a distinctive indirect attack capability. Traditionally played in Korea, Janggi offers a complex tactical game...

Created by David Taber, Omega Chess is a variant played on a 10x10 board that introduces unique fairy pieces like the Champion and the Wizard.

Correspondence chess offers a unique approach to playing chess. It’s a variant designed for remote play, typically utilizing postal mail or online platforms. Games can unfold over extended periods, demanding careful strategic planning and deep calculation due to the inherent delays. This format is p...

Ultima is an abstract strategy game invented by Robert Abbott and first published in 1962. Played on an 8 by 8 board, it retains a chess-like objective centered on the opposing king but replaces conventional captures with several distinct mechanisms, including custodial capture, withdrawal, coordina...

Gliński's Hexagonal Chess is a chess variant invented by Polish journalist Władysław Gliński and first publicly presented around 1949. It is played on a large hexagonal board of 91 hex cells using three colors, with each player commanding an enlarged set of pieces including an extra bishop. The geom...

Sittuyin, also called Burmese chess, is a traditional chess variant from Myanmar. It is played on an eight-by-eight board and begins with a setup phase in which the players place their pieces before ordinary movement starts, so the opening position is not fixed in the way it is in international ches...

Gess is an abstract strategy board game that combines elements of chess and Go. Invented by Archin M. Withnall and introduced in 1994, it is played on an 18x18 grid typically using a Go board with black and white stones. The game features shifting piece definitions, where the active pieces consist o...

Crazyhouse is a dynamic chess variation introducing strategic complexity through piece capture. Captured pieces are immediately transferred to the opponent’s side and can be strategically ‘dropped’ back onto the board by the player who took them. This creates tactical opportunities and novel defensi...

Circe chess is a fairy chess variant in which a captured piece is normally reborn on the square where that type of piece began the game, provided the destination square is vacant. The rebirth rule changes the meaning of captures, checks, and exchanges, because removing a piece can also return it to...

Banqi is a two-player board game variant of Xiangqi (Chinese chess) popular in Taiwan. The game is played on a 4x8 grid, which is half the size of a standard Xiangqi board. All pieces begin the game face-down, and players alternate turns either revealing a piece or moving a previously revealed one....

Chu Shogi is a traditional Japanese chess-variant developed during the 14th century. Played on a larger 12x12 board, it distinguishes itself through unique pieces like the Lion and a key rule prohibiting piece dropping. It’s historically significant for its evolution from earlier games and remains p...

Grand Chess is a chess variant created by Christian Freeling in 1984. It utilizes a ten-by-ten chessboard with new pieces: the marshal and cardinal. These additions significantly alter gameplay strategy and tactical possibilities. The game is popular among competitive players seeking a more complex...

Cambodian Chess, known as Ouk Chaktrang, is the traditional chess game of Cambodia, closely related to Thai Makruk and descended from Chaturanga. Played on an 8x8 board, its rules resemble those of modern chess but differ in initial piece placement, pawn movement, and endgame conditions, such as a c...

Capablanca Chess utilizes a unique chess variant developed by former world champion José Raúl Capablanca. Played on a larger ten-by-eight board, this game incorporates additional pieces—the archbishop and chancellor—expanding strategic possibilities. It’s suitable for players seeking a modern challe...

Bughouse is a four-player team chess variant played across two separate chessboards. When a player captures an opponent's piece on one board, they pass it to their teammate, who can then use a turn to drop that piece onto an empty square on their own board. Played primarily at fast time controls, th...

Seirawan Chess is a chess variant developed by grandmaster Yasser Seirawan and Bruce Harper. It uses the standard board and starting position but adds two compound pieces for each player: the hawk moves as a bishop or knight, while the elephant moves as a rook or knight. These pieces begin in reserv...

Crazyhouse960 is a hybrid chess variant that combines the mechanics of two distinct chess variations. It merges the drop mechanic of Crazyhouse, where captured pieces return to the board in the opponent's hand to be placed as their own, with the randomized starting positions of Chess960, also known...

Atomic Chess is a tactical chess variant played primarily on online platforms. The defining mechanic is that capturing any piece triggers an explosion that immediately destroys both the capturing piece and the captured piece. Additionally, the blast removes any adjacent non-pawn pieces within a one-...