1) Spartan Chess
2) Gothic Chess
3) Shogi
My favourites are Alice and progressive chess. In fact, I wouldn't mind combining the two into progressive alice chess just for fun!
I'm also fond of a game called Dimension X and I've played it with the inventor.
http://www.chessvariants.org/index/msdisplay.php?itemid=MSdimensionx
1. Seirawan chess, which introduces the elephant (a rook-knight compound) and the hawk (bishop-knight).
2. Glinski's hexagonal chess
3. Raumschach (3D chess - 5x5x5)
I'd very much like Seirawan chess and hexagonal chess to be playable online.
My favorite is Seirawan chess.
For more information on how the game is played log on to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nht2TqabPr0
Link to seirawan chess group at chess.com
http://www.chess.com/groups/view/seirawan-chess-fans
Go is a great game!
Go is not a Chess variant, isn't it?
My favorites are (by groups of preference):
Chess(not a Chess variant but still has to be mentioned)
Gothic Chess
Atomic Chess
Dark Chess
Loop Chess
Suicide Chess(Anti Chess, Losing Chess)
Progressive Chess
Spartan Chess
Three Checks Chess
Canibal Chess
Amazons
Chinese Chess(XiangQi)
Embassy Chess and most 10x8 CRC variants
Horde Chess
Ambiguous Chess
Cheversi
Massacre Chess
Racing Kings
Grand Chess
Extinction Chess
I just recently published a short fantasy story on the Amazon Kindle featuring a number of new chess variants that I developed:
"The Amnesiac's Quest" (available on the Amazon Kindle for 99 cents)
Here are some of the variants portrayed in the story:
Promotion Chess
Attrition Chess
Melee Chess ("Chesskers")
Diamond Chess
Parasite Chess
Most of these variants would be challenging to play unless one had multiple identical chess sets, since they use more than the standard number of each type of piece. This is because in many of these variants, each piece has the ability to change its rank to become another type of piece based on what it does in the game.
While trying to play these variants, I realized that I had to make my own chess set that would allow me to quickly transform one piece into another. The result?
Chess Cubes! (available on Etsy.com)
I've made a few sets of Chess Cubes, and they're available for sale on Etsy in two varieties: "Psychedelic", and "Coal and Marshmallows".
If you are interested in trying out the variants from the story, then my hand-crafted custom-made chess set is the perfect way to do it.
I think chess.com adding some more variants to the site other than 960 would be awsome.
this is me should they ever decide to do so.
Strip Chess
This is best played with shot glasses shaped as chess pieces, filled with bourbon.
1. Seirawan chess, which introduces the elephant (a rook-knight compound) and the hawk (bishop-knight).
I agree. Another thing I like about Seirawan chess is that the traditial board is used. And since I enjoy using the knight, it adds two more pieces that move as the knight moves. Some have said that causes the board to be more crowded, but I like the challenge that brings to the board. I have yet to play it online, but I intend to do that in the future. Adding two pieces inwhich a choice can be made to move them as a rook or knight, or bishop or knight is truly a challenge.
1. Seirawan chess, which introduces the elephant (a rook-knight compound) and the hawk (bishop-knight).
I agree. Another thing I like about Seirawan chess is that the traditial board is used. And since I enjoy using the knight, it adds two more pieces that move as the knight moves. Some have said that causes the board to be more crowded, but I like the challenge that brings to the board. I have yet to play it online, but I intend to do that in the future. Adding two pieces inwhich a choice can be made to move them as a rook or knight, or bishop or knight is truly a challenge.
Yes indeed. And it multiplies the variety of opening possibilities considerably, yet basic tactics and strategy remain the same! S-chess is a logical and exciting extension of chess.
Favorite chess variant, the one that might just be the most fun to play, is Pocket Mutation Chess, by Mike Nelson:
http://www.chessvariants.org/large.dir/pocketmutation.html
The best-designed chess variant I've played is Opulent Lemurian Shatranj, by David Paulowich. [Disclosure: this game uses 2 pieces I designed. However, the level of sophistication in this design is far beyond anything I've ever done, and is very, very rarely matched in anything I've ever seen.]
http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/81461/opulent-lemurian-shatranj
The best "1-dimensional" chess variant I've seen is One Ring Chess, by LL Smith:
http://www.chessvariants.org/shape.dir/oneringchess.html
Well I would be crazy to not say Economy Chess
And pretty soon version 2 of the software is coming! It will be free to play and downloadable from chess.com. It will also have chess960 with economy!
I hope more people will give it a try. The variant stays really close to standard chess, yet still is a true variant. While playing you'll notice that the economy is not really important, but if you fall behind alot you're in trouble! However, since buying pieces costs a tempo you might get stuck with a lot of money and never get the chance to buy!
Join the group: http://www.chess.com/groups/home/economy-chess
Read more about version 2: http://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess960-chess-variants/economy-chess-v2-is-coming-decemberjanuary
Whatch a video explaining the rules: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebxqeLWwTNA
What is your favorite chess variant? I like giveaway chess. Do you think more variants besides 960 should be playable on chess.com?