p.text-center a(href="https://www.chessvariants.com/what.html") What is a chess variant? |      a(href="https://www.chessvariants.com/why.html") Why play chess variants? p a(href="/#/variants/Chess960") Chess960 |  variant allows to play under standard rules, with a random | (or not) symmetric (or not) initial position. h3 Simplified games to learn chess p Variants with very few different pieces, and a simplified goal. - var varlist = [ "Bishopawns", "Discoduel", "Dobutsu", "Knightpawns", "Pawns", "Pawnsking", "Queenpawns", "Rookpawns" ] ul for v in varlist li #[a(href="/#/variants/"+v) #{v}] h3 Forced captures p. In a given position, there are generally less possible moves than in the orthodox games since you must capture. - var varlist = [ "Arena", "Capture", "Losers", "Monochrome", "Suicide" ] ul for v in varlist li #[a(href="/#/variants/"+v) #{v}] h3 Transformations p Pieces generally transform when capturing. - var varlist = [ "Absorption", "Cannibal" ] ul for v in varlist li #[a(href="/#/variants/"+v) #{v}] h3 Modified boundaries p Boards which communicating sides. - var varlist = [ "Circular", "Cylinder" ] ul for v in varlist li #[a(href="/#/variants/"+v) #{v}] h3 Different pawn movements p Everything is as in the orthodox game, but pawns move unusually. - var varlist = [ "Berolina", "Diamond", "Vchess" ] ul for v in varlist li #[a(href="/#/variants/"+v) #{v}] h3 Different armies p Standard pieces versus a team of different pieces. - var varlist = [ "Colorbound", "Empire", "Horde", "Orda", "Spartan", "Synochess" ] ul for v in varlist li #[a(href="/#/variants/"+v) #{v}] h3 Inspired by ball games p Variants involving a ball, abstract or not, which must cross the board. - var varlist = [ "Ball", "Football", "Rugby" ] ul for v in varlist li #[a(href="/#/variants/"+v) #{v}] h3 New pieces p. A large variety of fairy pieces can be defined. Some very powerful like the Amazon, some rather weak like the Grasshopper. - var varlist = [ "Capablanca", "Eightpieces", "Fullcavalry", "Grand", "Grasshopper", "Hoppelpoppel", "Omega", "Ordamirror", "Perfect", "Shako", "Tencubed", "Wildebeest" ] ul for v in varlist li #[a(href="/#/variants/"+v) #{v}] p. In the following variants, fairy (or not) pieces may appear later in the game. - var varlist = [ "Musketeer", "Schess", "Titan" ] ul for v in varlist li #[a(href="/#/variants/"+v) #{v}] h3 Several royal pieces p In these games you must take care of two or more "kings". - var varlist = [ "Coregal", "Twokings", "Antiking1", "Antiking2" ] ul for v in varlist li #[a(href="/#/variants/"+v) #{v}] h3 Unorthodox captures p Non-standard captures, but using known mechanisms. - var varlist = [ "Enpassant", "Rifle", "Zen" ] ul for v in varlist li #[a(href="/#/variants/"+v) #{v}] p. Captures are generally achieved without replacement. That is to say, you don't replace the enemy piece on its square to capture it. - var varlist = [ "Allmate1", "Allmate2", "Baroque", "Dynamo", "Fugue", "Interweave", "Rococo", "Maxima" ] ul for v in varlist li #[a(href="/#/variants/"+v) #{v}] h3 Pieces changing side, shared pieces p Pieces' owners (color) may change during the game - var varlist = [ "Benedict", "Checkered1", "Checkered2", "Otage", "Pacifist1", "Pacifist2", "Pacosako" ] ul for v in varlist li #[a(href="/#/variants/"+v) #{v}] h3 Incomplete information p. Some speculation is required in these variants, where some game informations are hidden. - var varlist = [ "Apocalypse", "Dark", "Hidden", "Hiddenqueen", "Synchrone1", "Synchrone2" ] ul for v in varlist li #[a(href="/#/variants/"+v) #{v}] h3 Random factors p. These games include random effects, which can be funny, frustrating or both :) - var varlist = [ "Chakart", "Dice" ] ul for v in varlist li #[a(href="/#/variants/"+v) #{v}] h3 Inpired by knight movement p. Variants based on the knight move, which augment or transform pieces' abilities. - var varlist = [ "Balaklava", "Knightmate", "Knightrelay1", "Knightrelay2" ] ul for v in varlist li #[a(href="/#/variants/"+v) #{v}] h3 Unusual initial setup p Initial setup causes a lot of captures early in the game. - var varlist = [ "Doublearmy", "Upsidedown", "Pawnmassacre" ] ul for v in varlist li #[a(href="/#/variants/"+v) #{v}] h3 "Easy" variants: simple rules p. Only minor changes are made to the orthodox rules, resulting in a very similar game. - var varlist = [ "Coronation", "Freecapture", "Pocketknight" ] ul for v in varlist li #[a(href="/#/variants/"+v) #{v}] p ...Or leading to a very different strategy: - var varlist = [ "Antimatter", "Atomic1", "Atomic2", "Brotherhood", "Checkless" ] ul for v in varlist li #[a(href="/#/variants/"+v) #{v}] h3 Initially empty board p. All pieces are progressively added from an empty board. - var varlist = [ "Parachute", "Screen" ] ul for v in varlist li #[a(href="/#/variants/"+v) #{v}] h3 Repositioning p Pieces can be drop on the board, either immediately or later in the game. - var varlist = [ "Clorange", "Crazyhouse", "Madhouse", "Rampage", "Recycle", "Shogun", "Teleport" ] ul for v in varlist li #[a(href="/#/variants/"+v) #{v}] h3 Immobilization, hypnotism p Pieces can be paralyzed or controlled under certain circumstances. - var varlist = [ "Hypnotic", "Isardam", "Koopa", "Madrasi", "Mesmer" ] ul for v in varlist li #[a(href="/#/variants/"+v) #{v}] h3 Regional and historical variants p (Partial) Game evolution in time and space. - var varlist = [ "Janggi", "Makpong", "Makruk", "Minishogi", "Minixiangqi", "Shatranj", "Shogi", "Sittuyin", "Xiangqi" ] ul for v in varlist li #[a(href="/#/variants/"+v) #{v}] h3 Kings race p The goal is to cross the board with your king. - var varlist = [ "Racingkings", "Royalrace" ] ul for v in varlist li #[a(href="/#/variants/"+v) #{v}] h3 Several moves in one turn p In these variants, you can play two or more moves per turn. - var varlist = [ "Avalanche", "Doublemove1", "Doublemove2", "Progressive1", "Progressive2" ] ul for v in varlist li #[a(href="/#/variants/"+v) #{v}] h3 Single powerful piece versus army p Very few but powerful pieces against a full army. - var varlist = [ "Maharajah", "Monster" ] ul for v in varlist li #[a(href="/#/variants/"+v) #{v}] h3 Exchanging pieces positions p Some or all pieces can be swapped. - var varlist = [ "Joker", "Suction", "Swap", "Switching" ] ul for v in varlist li #[a(href="/#/variants/"+v) #{v}] h3 Different objective p Orthodox rules, but the goal is not checkmate (or not only). - var varlist = [ "Alapo", "Castle", "Crossing", "Extinction", "Threechecks", "Kinglet", "Koth", "Squatter1", "Squatter2" ] ul for v in varlist li #[a(href="/#/variants/"+v) #{v}] h3 Non-chess p Some games not chess related. - var varlist = [ "Atarigo", "Avalam1", "Avalam2", "Emergo", "Fanorona", "Gomoku", "Konane", "Yote" ] ul for v in varlist li #[a(href="/#/variants/"+v) #{v}] h3 Miscelleanous p. These variants are not classified yet, generally because they are the only one of their kind on this website. - var varlist = [ "Alice", "Ambiguous", "Bario", "Bicolour", "Evolution", "Forward", "Fusion", "Gridolina", "Hamilton", "Kingsmaker", "Magnetic", "Refusal", "Relayup", "Rollerball", "Selfabsorb", "Takenmake", "Wormhole1", "Wormhole2" ] ul for v in varlist li #[a(href="/#/variants/"+v) #{v}]