Chess has been around for over a thousand years and is one of the most popular board games in the world. It is a game of strategy, where two players try to outsmart each other by moving their pieces across a board to checkmate their opponent’s king. While the classic game of chess has been enjoyed by millions of people for centuries, there are a number of interesting chess variants that add a new twist to the game.
Chess variants are variations of the classic game of chess that have been created over time. They range from minor changes to the rules of the game to entirely new game boards and pieces. These variants are played by chess enthusiasts all over the world and have become increasingly popular recently.
- Horde Chess: Zerg the white king or crush the pawn crowd
Horde Chess is a popular chess variant among enthusiasts and is often used as a training exercise for chess players to improve their ability to handle complex and challenging positions. - Knight Relay Chess: Turn your army into a knight-powered cavalry
Any piece, except for the king, that is defended by a friendly knight has the power, in addition to its normal abilities, to move like an orthodox knight. The piece loses the additional power as soon as it is no longer defended by a friendly knight. - The Atomic Chess Theory: Kamikaze pieces for the win
In atomic chess, a capture causes an “explosion” through which both pieces are removed from the board as well as all non-pawn pieces in the eight squares immediately surrounding the capture. - Dice Chess: The perfect information with a random factor
There is no check or checkmate, it is allowed to move the king to a square attacked by the opponent’s piece. The goal is to capture the opponent’s king, which means to capture it like any other piece. Even a king can capture the other king. - Three Checks Chess: The strategy of bold sacrifices
This is probably one of the easiest variants to learn, as the rules are elementary. The game is played exactly like the standard game, with one key difference – players must count how many times they managed to place the opponent’s king in check. The one who gives a check for the third time, wins the game. A standard checkmate is considered a win as well. - Three Checks, Knight Relay, Fischer Random … 25 variants in one YouTube playlist
There are literally thousands of chess variants to choose from, and many sites to try them online. And if you are not certain about specific rules or just want to observe some variants before playing them, I created a playlist on one of my YouTube channels to publish videos of 25 selected types of chess games.
Playing chess variants can be a great way to mix up your gameplay and challenge yourself in new ways. They can also be a great way to introduce new players to the game of chess, as they offer a fresh and exciting take on the traditional game. With so many different chess variants to choose from, there is sure to be something for everyone.