Check out Balbo's Chess, our featured variant for October, 2024.

This page is written by the game's inventor, Andrew Heiser.

Three Player Chess

By Andrew Heiser

 

Introduction

This variation is exceedingly simple so it may have already been invented
independently of me, but anyway...

Setup

Standard Chess set and setup is used on each of the three boards.

Pieces

Standard Chess pieces are used.

Rules

All standard rules of Chess apply, except for the following.

The game requires three players (call them players A, B & C), three boards
(1, 2 & 3) and three clocks.

Each player plays the other two simultaneously, trying for two wins.  For
example, player A plays white against player B in game 1.  Player A also
plays black against player C in game two.  Player B is playing black
against player A in game 1 and also playing white against player C in game
3.  Player C plays white against player A in game 2 and black against
player B in game 3.

All three games are played simultaneously and a player can only win
outright by scoring victory against both his opponents.  If each player wins
one game each, there is no outright victory and the three games are started
again.

Chess clocks keep the games going at a fast pace and add to the general
stress of the games.

Notes

As a further variant, a form of exchange chess can be played where (for
example) player A (white) captures a piece of player B (black).  Player A
can, in lieu of a normal move, place the captured black piece on the other
board (where player A is black and playing against player C) as one of his
own pieces just like a normal game of exchange chess.

Equipment

Standard Chess equipment is used, but you will need three Chess sets.