Chess Terms
King Of The Hill

King Of The Hill

If you are familiar with chess strategy, you know that dominating the center of the board is usually a big advantage. In King of the Hill, though, central dominance is taken to a whole new level. Learn everything you need to know to have a great time with this fun chess variant!


What Is King Of The Hill Chess?

King of the Hill is a chess variant that is very similar to standard chess. The only difference between this variant and standard chess is in the way the game can end.

How To Play King Of The Hill

All the rules of regular chess apply to King of the Hill. The only difference in this variant is that you can also win the game by bringing your king to one of the four central squares of the board. This means that taking control of the d4, e4, d5, and e5 squares is vital!

King of the Hill key squares.
The d4, e4, d5, and e5 are key squares in this variation.

Examples Of Possible Endings

To make this variant's winning rules easy to understand, take a look at the two examples below.

In this first example, White wins by landing on the e4-square with their king. This game illustrates the only difference in the rules of this type of chess.

In this second example, though, Black wins the game by checkmating their opponent just like in a standard game of chess. Notice how White moves their king to the middle of the board to try to win the game. This strategy made it easier for Black to checkmate White, so you must be careful when bringing your king out.

Where Can I Play King Of The Hill?

If you want to try this fun variant of chess, you can right here on Chess.com! Doing so is extremely easy. Check out the tutorial below and learn how.

How To Play King Of The Hill On Chess.com

The easiest way to play King of the Hill on Chess.com is by visiting our Variants page and selecting that option on the menu to the right.

Play King of the Hill online on Chess.com!
You can play KotH on Chess.com.

Conclusion

If you want to have a good time with another variant of chess and would enjoy some risk-taking, this type of game is an exciting option for you! Click the button below to start a game of King of the Hill.

Play King of the Hill on Chess.com!

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