---
title: "Monster Chess"
slug: "monster-chess"
board: "8×8"
players: "2"
parent: "moddable-chess"
order: 37
win: "Checkmate"
special: "White moves twice per turn but starts with only King, Rooks, and pawns."
---

## Monster Chess

White gets two moves per turn. Black gets one. To compensate, White starts with only a King and Rooks — no minor pieces, no Queen, no pawns.


{{svg:monster-chess-board.svg "Monster Chess — starting position"}}

### Setup

**Board:** Standard 8×8.

**Setup (FEN):** `rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/R3K2R`

White starts with: King (e1) + two Rooks (a1, h1) + eight Pawns.
Black starts with: Full standard army.

### Rules

- White makes two moves per turn. Black makes one.
- If White delivers check on the first move of their turn, the turn ends immediately (no second move).
- White can castle on either of their two moves (but only once per turn, and the King can't have moved earlier that turn).
- All other standard chess rules apply.

### Win Condition

Checkmate, same as standard chess.

### Strategy

White's double-move creates devastating tactical threats but the material deficit is severe. White must use tempo advantage aggressively before Black's army coordinates. Black should trade pieces and simplify — every piece traded hurts White disproportionately since White has so few.

### Attribution

Traditional variant. Public domain.