The Library

Chess variants

The board, the pieces, the same first rank — and a single rule change that turns the game into something else. 6 variants covered. The most popular are Chess 960, where the back rank is randomised, and Bughouse (sometimes called Шведки), where two pairs play with captures becoming reinforcements.

FIDE-recognised

Official variants

  1. 1v1
    Chess 960
    also: Fischer Random Chess, FRC

    The variant that randomises the starting position — 960 possible setups, no opening theory to memorise, the same chess once the game begins.

    960 starting positions →
Two-against-two

Team variants

  1. 2v2
    Bughouse
    also: Шведки, Tandem Chess, Swedish Chess, Siamese Chess, Doubles

    Four players, two boards, captured pieces flow between partners — chess as a team sport, played at blitz speed, with shouting allowed.

    3+0 or 5+0 blitz →
Online favourites

One-on-one variants

  1. 1v1
    Antichess
    also: Losing Chess, Giveaway Chess, Suicide Chess

    The objective is reversed: lose all your pieces, or end up unable to move. Captures are compulsory whenever available.

    3+0 or 5+0 blitz →
  2. 1v1
    Atomic Chess
    also: Atomic

    Every capture explodes — taking a piece destroys it, the capturing piece, and every non-pawn within one square. King safety becomes king isolation.

    3+0 or 5+0 blitz →
  3. 1v1
    Crazyhouse
    also: Drop Chess, Solo Bughouse

    Bughouse without the partner — captured pieces become your reserves, droppable onto any empty square. The most popular pure-chess variant on lichess.

    3+0 or 5+0 blitz →
  4. 1v1
    King of the Hill
    also: KotH

    Win by checkmate — or by walking your king to the centre. Four central squares become a second way to end the game.

    3+0 to 10+0 →