Original twists on standard chess. Every mode has its own rules page, keeps separate statistics, and never touches your ranked rating.
Race your king to the center.
Standard chess rules apply, but there is a second way to win: march your own king onto one of the four central squares (d4, d5, e4, e5) and hold it there for one full move.
Three checks and it's over.
Deliver check to your opponent's king three separate times and you win instantly — checkmate is a bonus finish, not the only route to victory.
You only see what your pieces can see.
Squares not currently defended or attacked by one of your pieces are hidden in fog. Scout carefully — moving blind is part of the challenge.
Four glowing squares, one clear edge.
Four squares on the board glow at the start of the game. Landing a piece on one grants a small, clearly telegraphed temporary bonus for that piece.
Two squares, one shortcut.
A single pair of linked portal squares sits on the board. Any piece that legally moves onto one portal square instantly appears on its paired square instead.
Every move costs a little more time.
Each move you make slightly reduces your maximum thinking time for the rest of the game — plan efficiently from move one.
Short tactics, fast points.
Face a rapid sequence of short tactical positions. Score points for speed and accuracy across the run.
Practice modeStart behind. Fight anyway.
Face an enhanced bot opponent from a disadvantaged or unusual starting position — a true test of resourceful defense.
Same rules, scrambled back rank.
Both sides start with a randomized, approximately balanced back rank instead of the standard setup — every game opens into unfamiliar territory.
How many bots can you outlast?
Face a gauntlet of bots at increasing difficulty. One loss ends the run — how far can you go?
Same puzzles, head to head.
You and an opponent solve the same sequence of tactical puzzles in real time. Points go to whoever is faster and more accurate.
Practice modeBuild your own back rank.
Before the match, each player drafts their starting back-rank pieces from a shared points budget — strategy starts before move one.