Makruk: Thai Chess

Thai Chess: A Comprehensive Overview

Board and Setup: Thai Chess, known as "Makruk," is played on an 8x8 board, similar to classical chess. The initial setup mirrors classical chess with two notable differences:

• The white queen starts on the e1 square, and the white king on the d1 square. This means that from the player's perspective, each king is to the left of his queen.
• Pawns are positioned on the third rank for white and the sixth rank for black.

Piece Movements:

• King: Moves one square in any direction—horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. Unlike classical chess, there is no castling.
• Queen: Moves only one square diagonally.
• Rook: Can move any number of squares horizontally or vertically, as long as there are no pieces blocking its path.
• Bishop: Moves one square diagonally in any direction or one square forward vertically.
• Knight (Horse): Moves two squares vertically and then one square horizontally, or two squares horizontally and then one square vertically, identical to its move in European chess.
• Pawn: Moves one square forward vertically and captures one square forward diagonally. A pawn can only be promoted to a queen (or its equivalent) upon reaching the sixth rank.

Gameplay Modes: Thai Chess can be played:

• Against artificial intelligence.
• With another person on the same device.
• Online in multiplayer mode against an opponent.

Victory Conditions: The objective of Thai Chess, as in classical chess, is to checkmate the opponent's king. A stalemate results in a draw.

By understanding these rules and setup, players can enjoy the strategic depth and unique challenges that Thai Chess offers, distinct yet familiar to fans of classical chess.