Chess Variants
Have you seen people playing what looked like chess but with very different rules? You might have witnessed a game of a chess variant.
- What Are Chess Variants?
- Examples Of Popular Chess Variants
- How To Play Chess Variants On Chess.com
- Conclusion
What Are Chess Variants?
Chess variants are games that have derived from standard chess. They have at least one main difference from regular chess but can sometimes involve multiple deviations from the original rules.
Examples Of Popular Chess Variants
In the world of chess, there are thousands of variants. Among them, quite a few are widely known and played all around the world.
4-Player Chess
Want to play chess with more than one friend at a time? There is a variant for that, too. Another fun way of shaking things up is 4-Player Chess. As the name implies, you play together with three others. Here's the twist: you are all using the same board. You can play it in a Free-for-All game, or you can team up with another player to battle the other team.
Not sure how this sort of game works? Watch this short video explaining the rules of 4-Player Chess.
Bughouse
One of the most popular modifications to the game of chess is Bughouse Chess. In this variant, you team up with another player to take on another pair of opponents. Each person on a team plays with opposite colors, and your teammate can use every piece you capture by spending a turn to "drop" it on their board.
Check out the video below for some tips on how to get better at Bughouse.
Fog Of War
If you're up for an exciting game and are ready to face your fear of the unknown, Fog of War is the right variant for you. In it, players can only see the squares to which their pieces can legally move to. There are no checks, and the game only ends when one of the kings is captured.
Giveaway
Giveaway chess (also known as Antichess) is a variant that turns chess upside down. The goal of the game is to give up all your pieces or force your opponent to stalemate you. The catch: captures are compulsory, so you can't just wander with your pieces aimlessly.
Atomic
Atomic chess is the right variant for those who like action and explosions. In this game, every capture produces an explosion that affects the pieces surrounding the captured piece, including the attacking one.
Horde
In Horde, Black starts with the regular chess pieces while White starts with a horde of 36 pawns. Black must capture all the enemy pawns (and promoted pieces) to win, while White must checkmate the black king.
Chess960
Another popular variant played all over the world is Chess960, also known as Fischer Random. In this variant, all the rules of regular chess are valid, with only two alterations: every game starts in a semi-random position, which, in turn, affects the way people castle.
Legendary GM Bobby Fischer proposed this variant as a way to reduce memorization by players. It has become so popular that FIDE, in a partnership with Chess.com, has promoted a Fischer Random World Championship.
Understanding how to play Chess960 can be difficult because the positions are so different from regular chess. If you need an extra help, this video can help you.
3-Check
If you enjoy checking the enemy king, there is a variant for you, too. In 3-Check Chess, you win the game by checking your opponent's king three times.
Want tips to improve on 3-Check Chess? Watch the video below and get ready to win more games.
King Of The Hill
Have you heard how dominating the center of the board is crucial? In King of the Hill (shortened KOTH), another popular variant, this concept is even more decisive. In these games, you win the game by getting your king to one of the central squares of the board.
Crazyhouse
Crazyhouse is another variant similar to Bughouse. The same modification to the rule is present: captured pieces can be dropped back on the board. In Crazyhouse, though, you are playing alone, and you can only use the pieces you have won yourself.
Do any of these variants seem exciting to you? The good news is that you can play any of them on Chess.com!
How To Play Chess Variants On Chess.com
Are you ready to start playing these thrilling games? Doing so is very simple. You can find most of those types of chess on our Variants page.
You can also find some of these variants in the Live Chess page. Check out this video by IM Danny Rensch to learn how to do that.
Conclusion
You now know what a chess variant is and the basic rules for the most popular of them. Head over to the Variants page or click the button below and start playing one of these exciting games now.
