Games related to, derived from or inspired by chess
A three-player chess variant which uses a hexagonal board
A chess variant is a game related to, derived from, or inspired by chess.[1] Such variants can differ from chess in many different ways.
"International" or "Western" chess itself is one of a family of games which have related origins and could be considered variants of each other. Chess developed from chaturanga, from which other members of this family, such as ouk chatrang, shatranj, Tamerlane chess,
shogi, and xiangqi also evolved.[2]
Many chess variants are designed to be played with the equipment of regular chess.[3] Most variants have a similar public-domain status as their parent game, but some have been made into commercial proprietary games. Just as in traditional chess, chess variants can be played over the board, by correspondence, or by computer. Some internet chess servers facilitate the play of some variants in addition to orthodox chess.
In the context of chess problems, chess variants are called heterodox chess or fairy chess.[4][5] Fairy chess variants tend to be created for problem composition rather than actual play.
There are thousands of known chess variants (see list of chess variants). The Classified Encyclopedia of Chess Variants catalogues around two thousand, with the preface noting that—since creating a chess variant is relatively trivial—many were considered insufficiently notable for inclusion.[6]
^Pritchard (1994), p. vii
^Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^"Where Can I Find Equipment or Opponents for Chess Variants?". www.chessvariants.com. Retrieved 2018-09-18. Many Chess variants, particularly those called Modest variants, can be played with a regular Chess set.
A chessvariant is a game related to, derived from, or inspired by chess. Such variants can differ from chess in many different ways. "International"...
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collections Chess libraries Chess media Chess in popular media Chess organizations Chess venues (who and where to play) ChessvariantsChess columns in...
of unorthodox chess, from fairy chess problems and chessvariants (including historical and regional ones), and the six orthodox chess pieces. The columns...
Outline of chess § History of chessChess in the arts Computer chess History of chess engines List of chess historians List of chessvariants List of games...
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and some chessvariants have been solved at least weakly. Calculated estimates of game-tree complexity and state-space complexity of chess exist which...
chess or Western chess to distinguish it from related games such as xiangqi (Chinese chess) and shogi (Japanese chess). The recorded history of chess...
of named opening lines, see List of chess openings; for a list of chess-related games, see List of chessvariants; for a list of terms general to board...
a family of chessvariants played with regular chess pieces and standard rules, but on a smaller board. The motivation for these variants is to make the...
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