Check out Atomic Chess, our featured variant for November, 2024.

Since Java is no longer supported in most browsers, our Java applets probably will not run unless you install an extension that will run them. We recommend installing the CheerpJ Applet Runner extension on Edge, Chrome, or another Chromium browser. If your browser still does support Java, and you're not using this extension, make sure this site is listed in your Java exceptions list. You should find this in the Security tab of your Java control panel.

Grand Chess

If you had a Java-capable browser, you could play Grand Chess here.
Keys "s"=save "l"=load "b"=back once

Grand Chess is considered among the best chess variants. It was invented by Christiaan Freeling.

One may promote a pawn on or after reaching one's eighth rank, only to a piece of a kind which one has already lost. One may not move to the tenth rank until one has lost at least one piece. I programmed this so that a pawn on the ninth rank will still give check -- consider this a local rule.

Hans Bodlaender on Grand Chess

Hans Bodlaender's Chess Variants
Hans Bodlaender's Chess Applet

Ed's Chess Variants

These are simple illustrations rather than strong opponents.

Bug Reports -- Thank you! Keep them coming!

Written by Ed Friedlander

WWW Page Added: Sunday, December 30, 2001