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Tandem Chess

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description Tandem Chess Overview

Tandem chess, commonly called bughouse chess, is a four-player team variant played simultaneously on two chessboards. When a player captures an opposing piece, that piece is passed to a teammate, who may place it on an empty square during a later turn instead of making a conventional move. The shared supply of captured pieces creates rapid tactical changes and makes communication and time management central, particularly when the game is played with chess clocks.

help Tandem Chess FAQ

How many players do you need for bughouse chess?

Bughouse chess, also called tandem chess, is played with four players divided into two teams of two. Two separate chessboards are set up side by side, and each player sits across from an opponent of the same color as their teammate's partner.

How does the piece-passing mechanic work in bughouse chess?

When you capture an opponent's piece on your board, you hand it to your teammate, who can later place it on any empty square on their board instead of making a regular move. This means a piece captured on one board can re-enter the game on the other, leading to sudden tactical surprises.

Can you drop a piece to deliver checkmate in bughouse chess?

Yes, you can place a captured piece directly onto the board to give check or even checkmate, provided the target square is empty. A well-timed drop — such as placing a knight next to an exposed king — can end the game instantly.

Can you play bughouse chess online?

Yes, bughouse is available as a variant on the online chess platform Lichess, which supports the piece-passing mechanic in real time between four players. It is not recognized by FIDE as an official chess format but remains very popular at chess clubs and online.

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