Category: Variants

Monochromatic Chess, a chess variant of unknown origin, maintains the standard rules and initial board position of regular chess. However, it introduces a unique twist: pieces that start on black squares are restricted to black squares throughout the game, while pieces that begin on white squares must exclusively occupy white squares throughout the gameplay.

Circe Chess is an interesting and creative chess variant that introduces a unique rule related to the capturing of pieces. It is played on a standard 8×8 chessboard with traditional chess pieces. It was named after the enchantress from Greek mythology, and the variant was invented in 1967 by Pierre Montreal.

Bughouse Chess is a team-based chess variant that is typically played by four players in two teams of two. The game is played on two separate chessboards, with each player controlling one color on one board. The players of each team sit opposite each other, allowing for easy communication and coordination.

What makes this game truly captivating? Well, it was crafted by Ralph Betza in 1977, and its most intriguing aspect lies in the two-part move system. Each turn involves a standard chess move, along with an advancement of the opponent’s pawn by one square.

Knight Fight, the brainchild of Andy Lewicki, stands as a truly innovative game, ingeniously blending elements from score counting and territory-based gameplay. With its captivating mix of ideas, this original creation promises an engaging and compelling gaming experience.

Patrol Chess is a captivating chess variant that introduces a unique twist to the standard rules. In this variant, captures and checks can only occur if the capturing or checking piece is protected (or “patrolled”) by a friendly unit. All other moves, such as non-capturing and non-checking moves, follow the regular rules of chess.

Behemoth Chess, an innovative chess variant devised by Donald Seagraves, introduces an exciting twist to the traditional chess rules. This variant incorporates a powerful game element called the Behemoth, which possesses the ability to annihilate any piece it encounters.

In this game, the standard rules of chess apply, but there is an additional rule allowing queens to move as knights as well. These specialized queens are referred to as “amazons,” hence the game’s name.

In Berolina chess, the initial arrangement mirrors that of traditional chess, except all pawns are treated as Berolina pawns. Let’s take a look at a sample game from our database.

Maharajah and the Sepoys, also known as Shatranj Diwana Shah or the Mad King’s Game, is a well-known chess variant originating in 19th century India. This variant features distinct armies for both White and Black players. Notably, the game has been solved, and it has been determined that Black possesses a guaranteed win.