---
title: "Moddable Chess — Official Rulebook"
version: "0.2.0"
slug: "moddable-chess"
players: "2–6"
duration: "10–120 min"
age: "10+"
tagline: "Every chess variant, one engine"
type: "platform"
status: "alpha"
updated: "2026-05-25"
published: true
variants: true
---

<div class="section variant-hub">

## Variant Library

Moddable Chess includes {{variant_count}} playable variants spanning classic rules, asymmetric battles, hidden information, expanded boards, and alternative win conditions. Each variant has its own complete rules page.

### Standard Board (8×8)

<div class="variant-grid">

- [Standard Chess](variants/standard/) — Classic FIDE rules
- [Andernach Chess](variants/andernach/) — Capturing piece changes colour
- [Atomic](variants/atomic/) — Captures explode adjacent pieces
- [Benedict Chess](variants/benedict/) — Attacked enemies convert colour
- [Berserk Chess](variants/berserk/) — Check grants a bonus move
- [Checkless Chess](variants/checkless/) — No check unless it is checkmate
- [Dark Chess](variants/dark-chess/) — Only see squares your pieces occupy
- [Dice Chess](variants/dice-chess/) — Die roll constrains piece type
- [Duck Chess](variants/duck-chess/) — Place a blocker duck after each move
- [Extinction Chess](variants/extinction/) — Lose when any piece type is eliminated
- [Fischer Random](variants/fischer-random/) — 960 randomised starting positions
- [Fog of War](variants/fog-of-war/) — Only see squares your pieces attack
- [Grid Chess](variants/grid-chess/) — Moves must cross a 2×2 grid line
- [Horde Chess](variants/horde/) — 36 pawns vs a normal army
- [King of the Hill](variants/king-of-the-hill/) — King reaches centre = instant win
- [Madrasi Chess](variants/madrasi/) — Same-type opposing pieces paralyse each other
- [Maharaja & Sepoys](variants/maharaja/) — One super-piece vs a full army
- [Marseillais](variants/marseillais/) — Two moves per turn
- [No Castling](variants/no-castling/) — Standard chess, castling disabled
- [No Retreat](variants/no-retreat/) — Pieces cannot move backward
- [Patrol Chess](variants/patrol/) — Capture only when defended by a friendly piece
- [Racing Kings](variants/racing-kings/) — No checks allowed, race King to rank 8
- [Rifle Chess](variants/rifle/) — Capturing pieces stay on their square
- [Torpedo Chess](variants/torpedo/) — Pawns can always double-move
- [Weak!](variants/weak/) — Weakest piece type must move first

</div>

### Multi-Move Variants

<div class="variant-grid">

- [Monster Chess](variants/monster-chess/) — White gets 2 moves, Black gets 1
- [Progressive](variants/progressive/) — Escalating moves per turn (1, 2, 3, 4...)

</div>

### Alternative Win Conditions

<div class="variant-grid">

- [Antichess](variants/antichess/) — Forced captures, lose all pieces to win
- [Codrus](variants/codrus/) — Lose your King to win, no check concept
- [Five-Check](variants/five-check/) — Five checks to win
- [Giveaway](variants/giveaway/) — Forced captures, lose all pieces to win (stalemate = loss)
- [Omnicide](variants/omnicide/) — Lose all pieces to win, captures NOT forced
- [Single-Check](variants/single-check/) — One check wins instantly
- [Stalemate Wins](variants/stalemate-wins/) — Stalemating your opponent wins
- [Suicide Chess](variants/suicide-chess/) — Forced captures, lose all pieces to win (stalemate = draw)
- [Three-Check](variants/three-check/) — Deliver three checks to win

</div>

### Piece Replacement Variants

<div class="variant-grid">

- [Almost Chess](variants/almost-chess/) — One queen replaced by Chancellor (R+N)
- [Amazon Chess](variants/amazon-chess/) — Queens replaced by Amazons (Q+N)
- [Chigorin](variants/chigorin/) — White has 4 knights instead of bishops
- [Knightmate](variants/knightmate/) — Knight is royal, King moves like a knight

</div>

### Starting Position Variants

<div class="variant-grid">

- [Endgame Chess](variants/endgame-chess/) — Only pawns and Kings from the start
- [Pawns Only](variants/pawns-only/) — Only pawns, first promotion wins
- [Peasants' Revolt](variants/peasants-revolt/) — King + pawns vs King + knights
- [Upside-Down](variants/upside-down/) — Pieces start on opponent's rank

</div>

### Regional Variant

<div class="variant-grid">

- [Makpong](variants/makpong/) — Thai variant, King cannot move out of check

</div>

### Expanded Boards

<div class="variant-grid">

- [Capablanca Chess](variants/capablanca/) — 10×8 with Archbishop + Chancellor
- [Courier Chess](variants/courier/) — 12×8, medieval variant from 1202
- [Grand Chess](variants/grand/) — 10×10, same new pieces, bigger stage

</div>

### Small Boards

<div class="variant-grid">

- [Breakthrough](variants/breakthrough/) — 7×7, pawns only, first to far rank wins
- [Diana Chess](variants/diana/) — 6×6, no queens or knights
- [Half Chess](variants/half-chess/) — 8×4, armies start adjacent
- [Los Alamos](variants/los-alamos/) — 6×6, no bishops, first computer chess (1956)
- [Minichess](variants/minichess/) — 5×5, full piece types on tiny board
- [Petty Chess](variants/petty/) — 5×6, all piece types, single copies

</div>

</div>