---
title: Five-Check
slug: five-check
board: "8×8"
players: "2"
parent: chess
win: Checkmate or deliver 5 checks
special: Extended Three-Check — five checks wins instead of three.
engine:
  topology:
    type: grid
    rows: 8
    cols: 8
  players: [white, black]
  setup: "rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR"
---

## Five-Check

An extended version of Three-Check. Deliver five checks to win. More room for strategic play while still rewarding aggressive checking sequences.


{{svg:five-check-board.svg "Five-Check — starting position"}}

### Setup

**Board:** Standard 8×8.

**Setup:** Standard chess starting position.

**FEN:** `rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1`

### Rules

All standard chess rules apply, plus:
- Each player's checks are counted (regardless of how the opponent responds — block, evade, or capture the checking piece).
- Reaching five checks wins the game immediately.
- Checkmate also wins (as normal).
- Stalemate is a draw.

### Win Condition

Deliver checkmate OR deliver five checks total.

### Strategy

Similar to Three-Check but with more breathing room. The higher threshold means you can't win by brute-force sacrificing into checks — you need sustained pressure. Pieces that deliver repeated checks (especially Queen and Rooks on open files) are strong. Trading your opponent's checking pieces while preserving your own is a key strategic layer beyond normal chess.

### Attribution

Traditional variant (extension of Three-Check). Public domain.