Chaturanga- Chess's Ancient Ancestor

Hello everyone! Today we will be talking about chaturanga, an ancient ancestor to the game we love, chess. This is JETINATE speaking, and let's hop in. 

WHAT IS CHATURANGA? 

Chaturanga is an ancient board game that dates back to 600-700 AD. It is often considered the ancestor to chess. It was created in ancient India, during the Gupta Empire. The name of this board game means "four limbs" in Sanskrit (which is an ancient language), referring to the four parts of the army (Infantry, Calvary, Elephants and Chariots). There were two types of chaturanga, 2PLAYER Chaturanga and 4PLAYER Chaturanga. The thumbnail shows the 4-player version, which we will talk about in the next chapter. 

4 PLAYER CHATURANGA (aka Chaturaji)

This is believed to be the ancient version of 4 player chess. The name translates to "four kings", which makes sense because the board has 4 kings. This game came slightly after chaturanga came around, likely around 700-800 AD. Described by chess historians as "Chaturanga's Wild Cousin". 

CHATURANGA AND CHATURAJI RULES AND STRATEGIES

First, let's start with chaturanga. It is played on a 8x8 grid with no opposing colors. Each player gets:

• 1 Raja (king)
• 1 Mantri (like a weak queen)
• 2 Gaja (diagonal jumpers)
• 2 Ashva (Knights)
• 2 Chariots (Rooks)
• 8 Padati (Pawns)

This is how they move:

• Minister: Moves one square diagonally.
• Elephant: Jumps two squares diagonally (like a camel move).
• Horse: Knight’s L-shape.
• Chariot: Straight lines like a rook.
• Soldier: Moves forward one square; captures diagonally.

To win, you must capture the enemy king. In some regions, there is such thing as a "bare king" rule, where if you only have a king, you lose. 

There are multiple strategies to this game, but here is a few of the most important ones:

• Protect your Minister: It’s weak but vital — losing it early is a big disadvantage.

• Use Chariots aggressively: They’re your strongest pieces.

• Advance Soldiers carefully: No promotion in early versions, so they’re mostly for pressure and defense.

• Control the center: Just like in chess, central dominance gives flexibility.

• Don't overextend. If you attack too much you could leave your king vulnerable to be attacked. 

Now, let's move on to Chaturaji. 

It is also played on a 8x8 board. Each player has their own corner. 

Pieces per player:

• 1 King
• 1 Elephant
• 1 Horse
• 1 Chariot
• 4 Soldiers

In some versions they use a die to decide on moves, which adds another layer of excitement to this game. 

Turns go clockwise.

To win, you must either capture all other kings OR get the most points (you get points by capturing pieces).

Here are some of the best strategies:  

• Adapt to dice rolls: You can’t always move your best piece — plan flexibly.

• Form temporary alliances: But be ready to betray — only one winner!

• Corner control: Your starting quadrant is your fortress — defend it well.

• King safety: With three enemies, hiding your king is harder — use layers of defense.

CONCLUSION

Chaturanga is a very exciting and interesting game. I hope you learnt something today! Please view my other content and share this with friends.