Orda Chess

Orda Chess

An asymmetric variant where White plays standard chess and Black commands the Mongol Horde — pieces that move differently from how they capture.

Setup

Board: Standard 8×8.

White (standard): Standard chess setup.

Black (Horde): Pawns on rank 7. Back rank: Lancer, Archer, Kheshig, Yurt, Khan, Kheshig, Archer, Lancer.

FEN: lhaykahl/8/pppppppp/8/8/PPPPPPPP/8/RNBQKBNR w KQ - 0 1

Rules

Yurt (y) — Moves one square diagonally. Captures one square orthogonally. (Replaces the Queen.)

Lancer (l) — Moves like a Knight (L-shaped jump). Captures like a Rook (slides orthogonally). Cannot jump to capture.

Archer (h) — Moves like a Knight (L-shaped jump). Captures like a Bishop (slides diagonally). Cannot jump to capture.

Khan (k) — Moves and captures as a standard King.

Kheshig (a) — Moves and captures as a Knight and King combined.

• White can castle. Black cannot (the Khan starts on e8).
• Black’s Lancers and Archers are divergent: they jump (like a Knight) for non-capturing moves but must slide to capture.
• Standard pawns for both sides.

Win Condition

Checkmate the opponent’s King/Khan.

Strategy

Black’s Lancers and Archers are mobile repositioners (knight-jump for moves) but devastating long-range attackers (rook/bishop capture). White must avoid open lines where Horde pieces can capture at distance, while exploiting their inability to slide for repositioning.

Attribution

Designed by Couch Tomato (2020). Popularised on Pychess. Public domain.