Introduction

Chess has its origins in the Muslim game of Shatranj, which derives from the Indian game of Chaturanga. It is also related to Xiangqi in China, to Janggi in Korea, and to Shogi in Japan. Besides these and various other historical and regional relatives, many other games have been inspired by or based on Chess and its relatives. All of these games are similar to Chess yet also different from it in various ways. Thanks to computers and the internet, it is now possible to play several of these Chess variants without physical boards and pieces. This website – The Chess Variant Pages – is here for cataloging, discussing, and playing the many games that are based on, related to, or similar enough to Chess.

• What is a Chess Variant?
• The History of Chess Variants
• Why Should I Play Them?
• Where Can I Find Equipment or Opponents?
• Which are the Best?
• How Can I Design and Post my Own?
• Who are Behind the Chess Variant Pages?

• On Designing Good Chess Variants
• Chess Variant Construction Set
• House of Staunton Chess Variant Kits
• Diagram Designer
• Play Chess Variants with Game Courier