Almost Chess Alternatives 2026 - Top Competitors Ranked

You're looking at alternatives to:

Almost Chess

Chess Variant Modern Fairy 8x8 Rule Variant Queen Replaced

Ralph Betza's Almost Chess is a variant where the traditional queens are replaced by different, specialized fairy pieces to alter game balance.

7.04 Good

apps Top Almost Chess Alternatives

The top alternative to Almost Chess in 2026 is Arimaa with a score of 8.93/10, followed by Ultima (8.21) and Gliński's Hexagonal Chess (8.20).

Arimaa

Arimaa is a two-player abstract strategy board game invented in 2002 by Omar Syed. It is played on an 8x8 board using si...

Strategy Commercial Animals 8x8

8.93 Great

Ultima

Ultima is an abstract strategy game invented by Robert Abbott and first published in 1962. Played on an 8 by 8 board, it...

Baroque Western 8x8 Fairy Pieces

8.21 Great

Gliński's Hexagonal Chess

Gliński's Hexagonal Chess is a chess variant invented by Polish journalist Władysław Gliński and first publicly presente...

Polish Modern Fairy Hexagonal Board

8.20 Great

Circe Chess

Circe chess is a fairy chess variant in which a captured piece is normally reborn on the square where that type of piece...

Modern Fairy Capture Rule Rebirth

8.14 Great

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

8.08 Great

Italian Progressive Chess

Italian Progressive Chess is a chess variant where players sequentially increase the number of moves they can make per t...

Speed Incremental Variant Western

7.78 Good

Take and Make Chess

Take and Make Chess is a chess variant that changes the usual consequence of a capture. When a piece captures an opposin...

Modern Fairy Extra Move Capture Then Move

7.72 Good

Extinction Chess (piece-type)

Extinction Chess is a chess variant attributed to R. Wayne Schmittberger that replaces checkmate with a piece-extinction...

Modern Variant Fairy Piece Extinction

7.68 Good

Cylindrical Chess

Cylindrical Chess is a historical variant of standard Western chess that operates on the concept of a cylindrical board....

Variant Western Cylindrical Wrap Around

7.52 Good

Musketeer Chess Variant

Musketeer Chess is an 8 by 8 chess variant created by Zied Haddad. Before a game begins, players select two additional f...

Modern Commercial 8x8 Gating

7.52 Good

Chess 480

Chess 480 is a chess variant developed by Reinhard Scharnagl as a more restricted starting-position system related to Ch...

Modern 8x8 Randomized Setup Variant

7.48 Good

Knightmare Chess (tabletop)

Knightmare Chess is a chess variant published by Steve Jackson Games that adds a hand of cards to the standard board, pi...

Commercial Card Game Board Game Fairy

7.36 Good

Baroque Chess

Baroque Chess, also known as Ultima, is an abstract strategy board game invented by Robert Abbott in 1962 and played on...

Modern Fairy Ultima Different Captures

7.35 Good

Anti-Circe Chess

Anti-Circe is a fairy-chess condition that changes the result of a capture. Instead of the captured unit being reborn, t...

Modern Fairy Capture Rule Rebirth

7.31 Good

Alice Chess

Alice Chess is a chess variant invented by V. R. Parton in 1953 and named after Lewis Carroll's *Through the Looking-Gla...

Modern Fairy Two Boards Teleport

7.27 Good

Kinglet

Kinglet is a fairy chess variant invented by the British game designer Vernon Ryland Parton in the mid-20th century. Pla...

Variant Western 8x8 King Elimination

7.14 Good

Pocket Knight Chess

Pocket Knight Chess is a chess variant in which each player begins with an additional knight held in reserve outside the...

Tactical Modern Fairy Pocket Piece

6.90 Fair

Dragonchess

Dragonchess is a three-dimensional fantasy chess variant created by Gary Gygax, the co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons, an...

Fantasy Fairy 3D Chess Three Board

6.90 Fair

Dragonfly Chess

Dragonfly Chess is a variant featuring a unique fairy chess piece called the dragonfly, which combines the movements of...

Modern Fairy Extended 8x8

5.75 Mediocre

Metamorph Chess

Metamorph Chess is a variant where pieces can transform into different types of pieces after capturing or reaching speci...

Modern Fairy Piece Change Rule Variant

5.44 Mediocre

summarize Quick Comparison Summary

Alternative	Score	vs Almost Chess	Action
Arimaa Chess Variant Strategy Commercial Animals	8.93 Great	+1.89	Compare
Ultima Chess Variant Baroque Western 8x8	8.21 Great	+1.17	Compare
Gliński's Hexagonal Chess Chess Variant Polish Modern Fairy	8.20 Great	+1.16	Compare
Circe Chess Chess Variant Modern Fairy Capture Rule	8.14 Great	+1.10	Compare
Cambodian Chess Chess Variant Variant Historical Regional	8.08 Great	+1.04	Compare
Italian Progressive Chess Chess Variant Speed Incremental Variant	7.78 Good	+0.74	Compare
Take and Make Chess Chess Variant Modern Fairy Extra Move	7.72 Good	+0.68	Compare
Extinction Chess (piece-type) Chess Variant Modern Variant Fairy	7.68 Good	+0.64	Compare
Cylindrical Chess Chess Variant Variant Western Cylindrical	7.52 Good	+0.48	Compare
Musketeer Chess Variant Chess Variant Modern Commercial 8x8	7.52 Good	+0.48	Compare

See all Chess Variant ranked by score

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help Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best alternatives to Almost Chess?

The top alternatives to Almost Chess in 2026 include Arimaa, Ultima, Gliński's Hexagonal Chess, Circe Chess, Cambodian Chess. Each offers unique features and is objectively scored on Lunoo to help you compare.

How does Almost Chess compare to its competitors?

Our AI-powered comparison system analyzes features, pricing, user reviews, and expert opinions to provide objective scores. Almost Chess scores 7.04/10. Click any alternative above to see a detailed side-by-side comparison.

Is Almost Chess worth it in 2026?

Almost Chess scores 7.04/10 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 Almost Chess?

Several alternatives to Almost Chess 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 Almost Chess?

Common reasons users look for Almost Chess 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 Almost Chess are there?

Lunoo currently lists 20 scored alternatives to Almost Chess in the Chess Variant category, ranked by our AI-powered evaluation system.

Which Almost Chess alternative has the highest rating?

Arimaa currently holds the highest rating among Almost Chess alternatives with a score of 8.93/10.

Can I use Arimaa instead of Almost Chess?

Arimaa is one of the top-rated alternatives to Almost Chess. 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 Almost Chess?

Pricing varies among Almost Chess 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 Almost Chess 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.

Almost Chess vs Arimaa: which is better?

Almost Chess scores 7.04/10 while Arimaa scores 8.93/10 on Lunoo. The best choice depends on your specific needs. Use our detailed comparison tool for a full breakdown.

Almost Chess vs Ultima: which is better?

Almost Chess scores 7.04/10 while Ultima scores 8.21/10 on Lunoo. The best choice depends on your specific needs. Use our detailed comparison tool for a full breakdown.

Almost Chess vs Gliński's Hexagonal Chess: which is better?

Almost Chess scores 7.04/10 while Gliński's Hexagonal Chess scores 8.20/10 on Lunoo. The best choice depends on your specific needs. Use our detailed comparison tool for a full breakdown.

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