Chessschool12 chess variants worth trying
From a different starting position to a duck on the board. Explore twelve ways to play, see what changes and choose one to try first.
Which variant should you try?
Want to stay close to regular chess? Start with Chess960 or Three-Check. A junior group of four can try Bughouse. For something unexpected, choose Duck Chess or Antichess.
Choose your chess variant
The back rank changes. Can you spot which rook you would castle with?
Even a check that is easy to meet can decide the game.
Your best move might invite your opponent to take your queen.
A duck on the right square can shut down an entire attack.
A knight you capture can save your partner’s king.
A captured knight can come back and deliver a fork.
A pawn next to the king can become a dangerous target.
Four target squares turn the king into a piece you can use to attack.
Both kings race to the same finish. Your other pieces help keep the route open.
White plays with a wall of pawns and no king. Black uses the usual pieces.
An empty square is very different from a square you cannot see.
Four armies share the same centre. Whether you work together or play for points depends on the mode.
Bullet, blitz and rapid mainly change how much time you get. The variants above change the starting position, a rule or the goal of the game. Read about time controls.