A NEW ANGLE ON CHESS
Meet the Dragon, find a new combination, and make the game yours.
White moves first, then players alternate. Click your piece and a highlighted destination. Your goal is to checkmate the opposing king.
Dot = free square · ring = capture
The Knight and Dragon may move onto a friendly piece on a legal destination, remove it, and take its place. This can open a new combination.
One click changes selection. Double-click or tap twice quickly to confirm a sacrifice. With menus, press “Move” twice quickly. You cannot sacrifice your king.
The Dragon moves 1–3 squares straight, stopping at pieces. Or it can leap over obstacles: 3 squares on one axis + 2 on the other.
Both orientations work in every direction. From d1: b4, f4, a3 or g3.
Moves one square forward; from its starting rank, it may move two. Captures one square diagonally. On the last rank, promotes to a Queen, Rook, Bishop, Knight or Dragon.
Leaps in an L: two squares on one axis and one on the other. Jumps over pieces. May sacrifice a friendly piece.
Moves diagonally any distance, stopping at the first piece. May capture an opponent on its destination.
Moves horizontally or vertically any distance, stopping at the first piece. May take part in castling.
Combines the Rook and Bishop. Moves straight or diagonally until blocked.
Moves one square in any direction. Must not move into or remain in check. Your own king cannot be removed.
Moves up to three squares straight, with blockers. Or leaps exactly three vertical and two horizontal, or two vertical and three horizontal. May sacrifice a friendly piece.
Board: 10 files and 8 ranks. The back rank is Rook, Knight, Bishop, Dragon, King, Queen, Dragon, Bishop, Knight, Rook, with ten Pawns in front.
King safety: every move, including a sacrifice, must leave your king out of check. When in check, you must end the threat. If no legal move can do so, it is checkmate.
Castling: the King moves from the e-file to g or c; the Rook moves from j to f or a to d. Neither piece may have moved before. The path must be clear, and the King cannot be in check or cross an attacked square.
En passant: immediately after an opponent advances a Pawn two squares from its starting rank, an adjacent Pawn may capture it as though it moved only one.
Draws: stalemate and recognized positions with insufficient mating material end the game. On your turn, you may claim a draw after threefold repetition or 50 moves by both players without a capture or Pawn move. Fivefold repetition and 75 such moves end the game automatically; checkmate takes priority.
Play a friend: join as guests or with accounts. One player creates a room and shares its invitation or code; the other joins. Accounts let you continue your games on another device.
Analysis: game review is available after the game ends. Review estimated move quality and replay positions. “Brilliant” is an estimate from our engine. During bot games, Live insight shows the changing balance after each move. It is disabled in online games.