Shatranj is the medieval Persian game that later became modern chess. Behind it sits the older Indian game Chaturanga. This site plays the usual Shatranj rules, not modern chess. Read the order of a real game below, then open the AI board and start on 8×8.
Who moves first
White moves first. Players then alternate one move at a time. There is no castling; the king has to walk to safety. This site uses a fixed 8×8 board. In AI mode you can sit as White or Black; local two-player and online rooms take turns as usual.
How the pieces move
White and Black pieces move by the same rules; only the color differs. Use the glyph to recognize the piece, the short line for direction, and the fuller note for range and blocking rules.
King
One step any way · Answer check
The king steps one square in any direction and captures the same way. Check must be answered at once, and the king may not walk onto an attacked square. There is no castling; the king has to walk to safety.
Rook
Any distance straight · Never jump
The rook slides any number of squares along a rank or file, but cannot pass through another piece. Landing on an opposing piece captures it. On an open line it can check, attack, or pin, and it is the longest-range piece on this board.
Knight
Two and one · The in-between does not block
The knight jumps in an L: two squares one way and one square perpendicular. The square in between does not block it, the same as in later chess.
Alfil
Two squares diagonal · The leap is not blocked
The alfil leaps two squares diagonally. The square in between does not block it, but the piece stays on its own color complex. It cannot step only one diagonal square, and it cannot keep sliding along the diagonal.
Ferz
One diagonal step · Close range only
The ferz steps one square diagonally. It cannot race across the board the way a later queen can. Keep it near the king, or beside a pawn that is squeezing short-range space.
Pawn
One forward · Capture one diagonal
A pawn steps one square forward and captures one square diagonally forward. There is no double step and no en passant. On the last rank it becomes a ferz only. It cannot become a rook, knight, alfil, or king.
Pawns and promotion
A pawn steps one square forward and captures one square diagonally. There is no double step and no en passant. On the last rank it becomes a ferz only. It cannot become a rook, knight, alfil, or king.
How a game is won
Checkmate wins. If the player to move has no legal move and is not in check, that is stalemate, and the player who created the position wins.
Taking the opponent’s last piece besides the king also wins. That is a bare king. The exception is that if the opponent can bare your king on the next move, your capture does not end the game yet.
What changes by mode
AI games include hints, undo, and replay. Pass-and-play shares one device and does not hint for either side. Online rooms sync accepted moves and do not offer hints or undo.
Questions
Is Shatranj the same as modern chess?
No. Shatranj is the ancestor of modern chess. There is no castling, pawns never take a double step, and promotion is to a ferz only. The ferz and alfil are much shorter-ranged than the later queen and bishop.
Is Chaturanga the game on this board?
No. Chaturanga is the older Indian ancestor. This site plays the usual Shatranj rules and only mentions Chaturanga as history, not as a separate product.
Can the alfil leap over a piece?
Yes. The alfil leaps two squares diagonally, so the square in between does not block it. It cannot slide one square, and it cannot keep going along the diagonal.
Why does stalemate win instead of drawing?
That is one of the differences from later chess. If the player to move has no legal move, the player who created that position wins, even without check.
