Game instructions
How to play
- 2 players
- ranked
Goal and setup
Makruk is Thai chess for two players on an 8×8 board. Each side has a king, a met, two rooks, two knights, two khons and eight pawns. Pawns start on the third rank from their own side. Win by checkmating the opposing king.
King, rook and knight
The king moves one square in any direction and cannot move into attack. A rook moves any unobstructed distance horizontally or vertically. A knight moves two squares in one direction and one perpendicular to it, jumping over pieces.
Met and khon
The met, beside the king, moves only one square diagonally. It is therefore much weaker than the queen in standard chess. A khon moves one square diagonally in any direction or one square straight forward. These pieces capture by entering an opponent's square.
Pawns and promotion
A pawn moves one empty square forward and captures one square diagonally forward. There is no initial double move or en passant. On reaching the sixth rank from its own side, it promotes and moves as a met. Castling is not available.
Check and ending
An attack on the king must be answered with a move that removes the threat. With no such answer, it is checkmate. Stalemate and engine-recognised draw conditions are draws; endgame restrictions and repetition are handled automatically. You may resign or agree a draw. Selecting a piece shows its available moves.
You know the rules — time for a game.
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